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"Lucky to be here": Gordon Ramsay reveals brutal injury after bike crash

<p>Gordon Ramsay has been left shaken after a bicycle crash left him in need of trauma surgery. </p> <p>The celebrity chef took to social media on Sunday to tell fans that he had been in an accident while biking in Connecticut US early last week.</p> <p>"This week I had a really bad accident while riding my bike in Connecticut. I'm doing ok and did not break any bones or suffer any major injuries but I am a bit bruised up looking like a purple potato," he wrote in the caption of the one minute-clip. </p> <p>In the video, he said that the accident "shook" him and added" Honestly, I'm lucky to be here.'</p> <p>Ramsay showed the horrific bruise covering his torso and stressed on the importance of wearing a helmet. </p> <p>"Those incredible trauma surgeons, doctors, nurses, who looked after me this week, they were amazing but honestly you've got to wear a helmet," he said.</p> <p>"I don't care how short the journey is, I don't care [about] the fact that these helmets cost money, but they're crucial. Even with the kids, or a short journey."</p> <p>He also shared a before and after photo of his cycling gear, with parts of his helmet broken and his clothing ripped. </p> <p>"Now, I'm lucky to be standing here. I'm in pain, it's been a brutal week, and I'm sort of getting through it," he said. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8PYfVNxxFC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8PYfVNxxFC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Gordon Ramsay (@gordongram)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The comment section was flooded with messages of support and well-wishes from concerned fans. </p> <p>"I thought it might have been a small crash but my god that bruise says otherwise! Glad you’re doing okay," wrote one fan. </p> <p>"The way my heart sank when you lifted your shirt," added another.</p> <p>"The world needs you chef!! Beyond happy to hear you are going to be okay, and thank God for that helmet! Happy Father's Day and speedy recovery goat!!"</p> <p>"Glad you're ok and hope you heal up quick!" added another. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Culinary legend closing famous restaurant

<p>Australian chef and TV presenter Kylie Kwong is closing the doors of her famous restaurant after three years. </p> <p>The Sydney-based chef has been in the culinary industry for 30 years and is known for her unique blend of Cantonese cuisine and native Australian ingredients.</p> <p>Her restaurant, Lucky Kwong in South Eveleigh, will close on June 26, a tough decision that she had to make amid the high costs of running a business. </p> <p>“Everyone is feeling it. I have never seen the restaurant industry in such tough times as it is right now,” she told the <em>Sydney Morning Herald</em>. </p> <p>Despite this, Kwong said she was lucky to have been in the hospitality industry and that she plans to "relax and reflect" during her break from the restaurant business. </p> <p>"For all the many challenges that come with being in the hospitality industry, I consider myself fortunate for I have had far more positive experiences than negative," she said.</p> <p>Kwong opened her restaurant in 2021, after she shut the doors on her previous Sydney venue, Billy Kwong in 2019.</p> <p>She said that she also planned to further her work with charities focused on First Nations and multicultural communities, as she looks for more opportunities to  “amplify other people’s stories”. </p> <p>“I’ll still be very much connected to the food industry, but just I’ll be doing it in a different way,”  she told the<em> ABC</em>. </p> <p>She also announced that she's "hanging up my restaurateur hat" on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7KkTNgSXw9/?img_index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>, and thanked everyone who has supported her throughout this journey. </p> <p>Celebrity chefs, Nigella Lawson and Darren Robertson shared their well-wishes on her post. </p> <p>“I feel a pang knowing that the next time I come back to Sydney there won’t be your restaurant to make a beeline for, but I’m so happy for you to have the time to do what’s right for you,” Lawson said.</p> <p>Robertson said he had massive respect for her contribution to Australian food and added: “Now try and get some bloody rest before your next adventures!" </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

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"I am lucky to be here": Julie Goodwin opens up on childhood trauma

<p>Julie Goodwin has opened up about the childhood abuse she experienced in her latest memoir. </p> <p>The 53-year-old MasterChef Australia star wrote about how she was sexually abused as a child and later attempted suicide as a teenager in her autobiography, <em>Your Time Starts Now</em>.</p> <p>Speaking to <em>The Australian Women's Weekly</em>, Goodwin recalled how the memory of the abuse which she had buried for a long time returned when she was 16.</p> <p>"Nothing triggered it, it was just like the memory was always there, like a dusty book on a library shelf," she said. </p> <p>"And one day I took it down and looked at it and went, 'Holy crap, how have I not thought about that for nine years?'"</p> <p>Goodwin, however kept the resurfaced memory to her self and maintained an excellent academic record at high school, even becoming school captain, until a year later when she attempted suicide at the age of 17. </p> <p>She shared that following her hospitalisation, she returned to school a few days later and acted as if nothing serious had happened. </p> <p>The TV star then opened up on her road to recovery and the tremendous amount of help she received from her husband Mick, who gave her the love and support she needed. </p> <p>"I am living my second life," she told <em>Women's Weekly</em>.</p> <p>"I am lucky to be here." </p> <p><em>Images: Channel 10</em></p>

Books

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Senior wins $38,000 a year for life because of retailer's mistake

<p>A man in the US is set for life after a retailer's blunder led him to win the lotto. </p> <p>Michael Sopejstal, 60, who lives in Illinois, won the Lucky for Life lotto after a retailer at a GoLo gas station accidentally printed a ticket with 10 lines for a single draw. </p> <p>Buying the Lucky for Life ticket has been part of Sopejstal's routine, as he travels from Illinois to Michigan every few weeks to eat at his favourite restaurant, and this time he got lucky. </p> <p>“I checked my ticket one morning and saw that I had won $US25,000 ($A38,000) a year for life,”  he told Michigan Lottery officials. </p> <p>“I immediately started thinking about all the things I could do with the money and whether I wanted to take the lump sum or annuity option.</p> <p>“It was an amazing feeling!”</p> <p>Sopejstal chances of winning were one in more than 1.8 million. </p> <p>According to the lottery, Sopejstal recently visited their headquarters to claim his prize. </p> <p>They said he opted for a lump sum payment of  $US390,000 ($A590,000) instead of the annual payment. </p> <p>Sopejstal also told them that he plans to use his prize money to travel and save whatever is left. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Major health update for baby Lucky

<p>There has been a major update on the health condition of two-month-old baby Lucky, who was unable to receive proper treatment for a life-threatening illness that struck her down while in Bali.</p> <p>Lucky’s family had issued a desperate plea earlier in February, needing to get to Australia for life-saving treatment.</p> <p>After two weeks in a Brisbane hospital, Lucky is now on the mend from a bacterial infection.</p> <p>“Lucky is officially breathing on her own again without a ventilator and is fully conscious,” her mother, Honey Ahimsa shared online.</p> <p>“She was diagnosed with sepsis, severe pneumonia, organ failure (lungs) and RSV-bronchiolitis.</p> <p>“We have gone from being told she’s not going to make it, to a 50/50 chance, to having our baby back! She is smiling, breastfeeding (huge win for us both) and on the road to recovery.”</p> <p>Ahimsa said each day remains a “struggle” and warned a “lot of healing” is required.</p> <p>“This has been the most traumatic experience of any of our lives. I personally had moments where I did not know if I would make it through such darkness. Our hearts are still hurting but filled with the utmost gratitude,” Ahimsa added.</p> <p>Ahimsa and her husband, Pan, had been at home in Bali when they noticed Lucky struggling to breathe.</p> <p>“I thought that I could help her, just get sleep and give her my milk,” Ahimsa previously told 7NEWS.</p> <p>“I tried to help her, just like normal when babies get sick, they just need sleep ... but then she stopped drinking my milk.</p> <p>“She got really tired and then I looked at her stomach, and you could see her lungs pulsating.</p> <p>“So, we quickly rushed her to hospital and ... she started going cold and losing her colour.”</p> <p>Medical experts in Bali were unable to diagnose Lucky’s infection, so the family shared their story online, issuing a plea for donations to get baby Lucky on a medical evacuation flight to Australia.</p> <p>Thanks to the generosity of the online community, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/we-don-t-want-to-lose-her-aussie-mum-s-desperate-plea-answered" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the family’s desperate plea was answered</a>, receiving enough money to bring their daughter home.</p> <p>Image credit: Instagram</p>

Caring

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"I'm so lucky": Leigh Sales shares exciting career update

<p dir="ltr">Leigh Sales has revealed she will be returning to Australian TV screens next year as the anchor of <em>Australian Story</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The ABC journalist will be just the second person to host the show in its history, after its long-term host Caroline Jones died earlier this year.</p> <p dir="ltr">“<em>Australian Story</em> is one of the most beloved programs in the country and I am so excited and humbled to be invited to front it. I can’t wait to be involved in the production process of such a talented team.” Sales said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her new role comes after Sales wrapped up 12 years as the host of <em>7.30 </em>following the federal election, and was announced as part of ABC’s virtual showcase of programming plans for next year.</p> <p dir="ltr">The national broadcaster will also reboot <em>Mother and Son</em>, with Matt Okine and Denise Scott taking over the comedy’s starring roles.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other shows slated for next year include scripted comedy <em>Gold Diggers</em>, which follows two sisters searching for rich, dumb husbands in the 1850s goldfields, as well as <em>Limbo </em>and a new season of <em>Utopia</em>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2d8a9e01-7fff-a56e-cd90-869a836f193e">In the wake of the announcement, Sales took to social media to share the news and an update on how she’s been spending her time since leaving <em>7.30</em>.</span></p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClVFcl5qAAh/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClVFcl5qAAh/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Leigh Sales (@leigh_sales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Hello everybody, long time no see,” she began in a clip of herself at home, dressed in a white t-shirt and pants.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have been so massively enjoying my long service leave and my break from the news - I’ve gone completely cold turkey, I’ve switched off the news - and I pretty much barely change out of, let’s face it, pyjamas. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve really let myself go, and I know that ‘letting yourself go’ is said as an insult … but is there really anything that sounds more luxurious to you than letting yourself go?</p> <p dir="ltr">“Anyway, I’ve got some news to share. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I am going to be, next year, anchoring the <em>Australian Story </em>program for the ABC.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m so thrilled and excited about that, because, as you would all know, because it’s one of the most popular shows on the network, it is such a brilliant program with such a history of making the most brilliant shows and telling the most moving stories.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m just so lucky to get to go and work with and learn from the people who pull that show together and hopefully contribute some of my own ideas. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s also very humbling to be invited to front that show because it’s only had one anchor in its 25-year history, and that of course is the late, great Caroline Jones, so it’s really quite overwhelming actually, to be following on from such a legend.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I just feel like I’m so lucky.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Sales received a flood of congratulatory messages from fans and fellow TV stars, including Dr Chris Brown and Lisa Wilkinson.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is the best news. But I’m even more excited about the cello introduction you’re going to give every feature story in 2023. That’s entertainment,” Brown commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Such fabulous news Leigh. Congrats, adn so deserved. Looks like we have something else to celebrate on our margarita date!! 👏👏👏 xxxx,” Wilkinson wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Woooooot! Great news. Congratulations on letting yourself go so luxuriously and let’s hope they’ve got a great team on board to put you back together 😆 can’t wait to watch 👏,” Leila McKinnon said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d619f5df-7fff-d3e5-fd59-65e27f112537"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

TV

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Why this man was lucky to ONLY be fined $2300

<p dir="ltr">A man has been slapped with a fine after feeding a wild dingo some biscuits. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 23-year-old was on Fraser Island, about 250km north of Brisbane, and was photographed by a local feeding the dingo - known as wongari in the local Indigenous dialect - back in April. </p> <p dir="ltr">The images were sent to Queensland’s Department of Environment and Sciences (DES) who issued the man a $2,300 fine. </p> <p dir="ltr">“A member of the public told rangers the man was at the front of the vehicle line while he was waiting for the ferry at Hook Point back in April,” DES compliance manager Mike Devery said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The person said the man was ‘brazenly’ feeding the wongari, and given his place at the front of the queue, his offending was witnessed by multiple people.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thankfully, the member of the public was able to take photos of the man as he fed the wongari, and they provided them to rangers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Devery confirmed that after being questioned, the man admitted to feeding the dingo. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The man told compliance officers that he threw biscuits in the sand to the wongari when he was cleaning out his vehicle.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The man was lucky to be only fined $2,300 as a court can fine a whopping $11,500 for humans feeding the wild animal. </p> <p dir="ltr">With around 400,000 people visiting the island, Mr Devery said the rules were in place to help protect both people and animals. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Queensland Department of Environment and Sciences</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Excelling as a musician takes practice and requires opportunities – not just lucky genes

<p>What makes talented musicians so good at what they do?</p> <p>There’s plenty of evidence that people can be born that way. Research findings suggest that about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/jmg.2007.056366">half of musical ability is inherited</a>. Even if that’s true, it doesn’t mean you must have musical talent in your genes to excel on the bass, oboe or drums. </p> <p>And even if you’re fortunate enough to belong to a family that includes musicians, you would still need to study, practice and get expert guidance to play well. </p> <p>As a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=34DZlUIAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao">music professor and conductor</a>, I’ve seen the role that practice and experience play in propelling musicians toward mastery and success. There are some factors that help a musician get started – and heredity could be one of them. But musical skill is ultimately a complex interplay between <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0022429416680096">lots of practice and high-quality instruction</a>.</p> <h2>The role genes can play</h2> <p>Of course many great musicians, including some who are world famous, are related to other musical stars.</p> <p>Liza Minnelli, the famed actress, singer and dancer, is one of the late entertainer <a href="https://hollywoodlife.com/feature/judy-garland-kids-4728886/">Judy Garland’s three children</a>. <a href="https://people.com/music/jon-batiste-everything-to-know">Jon Batiste</a> – “The Late Show” bandleader, pianist and composer who has won Emmy, Oscar and Golden Globe awards – has at least 25 musicians in his family. Saxophonist Branford, trumpeter Wynton, trombonist Delfeayo and drummer Jason Marsalis are the <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/02/825717204/ellis-marsalis-patriarch-of-new-orleans-most-famous-musical-family-has-died">sons of pianist Ellis Marsalis</a>.</p> <p>Singer and pianist <a href="https://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Ge-La/Jones-Norah.html">Norah Jones</a> is the daughter of Indian sitar player <a href="https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/norah-jones-on-her-relationship-with-pandit-ravi-shankar-september-2020-cover-interview-hope">Ravi Shankar</a>, though Jones had little contact with her renowned father while growing up.</p> <p>Absolute pitch, also known as perfect pitch, is the ability to recognize and name any note you hear anywhere. Researchers have found that it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/301704">may be hereditary</a>. But do you need it to be a great musician? Not really.</p> <h2>Most people are born with some musical ability</h2> <p>I define musical ability as the possession of talent or potential – the means to achieve something musical.</p> <p>Then there’s skill, which I define as what you attain by working at it.</p> <p>You need at least some basic musical ability to acquire musical skills. Unless you can hear and discern pitches and rhythms, you can’t reproduce them.</p> <p>But people may overestimate the role of genetics because, with very rare exceptions, <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/feb05/absolute">almost everyone can perceive pitches</a> and rhythms.</p> <p>My research regarding children’s musicality suggests measures of singing skills are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429416666054">normally distributed</a> in the population. That is, pitch ability follows a <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bell-curve.asp">bell curve</a>: Most people are average singers. Not many are way below average or excellent. </p> <p>My team’s most recent research suggests that this distribution is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00224294211032160">true for rhythm</a> in addition to pitch. </p> <p>Not surprisingly, some musical skills are correlated.</p> <p>The more training you have on specific musical skills, the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00224294211011962">better you’ll test on certain others</a>. This is probably because musical experience enhances other musical abilities.</p> <p>To sum it up, an emerging body of research indicates that practice doesn’t make perfect. But for most people, it helps a lot.</p> <h2>Lessons and practice are essential</h2> <p>What about people who say they they can’t keep a beat? It turns out that they almost always can track a steady beat to music. They just haven’t done it enough.</p> <p>Indeed, the last time I gave a nonbeliever our lab’s test for rhythm perception, she performed excellently. For that and for singing, some people just need <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/magazine/how-to-sing-in-tune.html">a little help</a> to move past assumptions they lack talent: You can’t say you’re incapable of something if you haven’t spent time trying. </p> <p>Some researchers and <a href="https://strategiesforinfluence.com/malcolm-gladwell-10000-hour-rule/">journalists have promoted</a> the idea it takes <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.100.3.363">10,000 hours of practice or training to master</a> a new skill. </p> <p>Innate ability puts people at different starting lines toward musical mastery. But once you’ve started to study an instrument or singing style, skill development depends on many other factors. Getting lessons, practicing often and being in a musical family may make those more likely.</p> <p>For example, Lizzo, a hip-hop superstar and classically trained flute player, had the luck to <a href="https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/lizzo-44986.php">grow up in family of music lovers</a>. They all had their own taste in music. Her success is a microcosm of why a well-rounded musical education for young people matters.</p> <p>The singers in the choir I lead at Penn State have a range of experience, from a little to a lot. Yet soon after they join it, they develop the ability to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/87551233211040726">pick a good key and starting pitch</a> as they get to know their own voices. </p> <p>Practicing more doesn’t change your baseline potential, it just changes what you can presently do. That is, if you practice a specific song over and over again, eventually you’re going to get better at it.</p> <p>Jonathon Heyward, the Baltimore Symphony’s new conductor, who has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/21/arts/music/jonathon-heyward-baltimore-symphony-orchestra.html">no musicians in his family</a>, has worked really hard to excel. He started taking cello lessons at age 10 and hasn’t stopped since, playing and practicing and studying.</p> <h2>Privilege can play a role</h2> <p>Socioeconomic factors can also enter the equation. While conducting research, I’ve seen high-income college students from high-income families, with more years of musical experience, perform better than their classmates who have lower-income backgrounds and had fewer opportunities.</p> <p>Genes can give someone a head start. At the same time, having a quiet space where you can practice on an acoustic instrument or a digital workstation might make a more decisive difference for the musical prospects of most children. The same goes for having money for private lessons or access to free classes.</p> <p>Even so, many of the best musicians, including jazz greats <a href="https://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/biography/">Louis Armstrong</a> and <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/billie-holiday-about-the-singer/68/">Billie Holiday</a>, grew up facing many hardships.</p> <p>With the right conditions for practice and gaining experience, who knows where the next Liza or Lizzo will come from.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/excelling-as-a-musician-takes-practice-and-requires-opportunities-not-just-lucky-genes-186693" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Music

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"Extremely serious": 70-year-old pilot's lucky escape

<p dir="ltr">A man has been fortunate enough to walk away from a light plane crash with minor injuries.</p> <p dir="ltr">The plane crash happened at an airport on the New South Wales Central Coast, the plane fell straight into some trees near the runway of Warnervale Airport at around 11am.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pilot, a man in his 70s, was treated for a hand injury and taken to hospital. According to NSW Ambulance Inspector Andrew Craig, road crews which included off-duty paramedics were nearby and rushed to the scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When we arrived, the aircraft had crashed into trees, landing on its roof,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The pilot has been incredibly lucky to walk away from the crash with minor injuries.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Our paramedics know that incidents involving aircraft can be extremely serious and it's a relief the man involved today was not badly injured.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Warnervale Airport is roughly 100km away from Sydney.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: NSW Ambulance </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Celebrity chef Kylie Kwong shares her top Aussie travel picks

<p dir="ltr">Kylie Kwong has shared her fondest memories of holidaying in Byron Bay, some top choices from her travel bucket list, and tips for travelling and dining sustainably that you can use on your next Aussie holiday.</p> <p dir="ltr">The celebrity chef, TV presenter and author spoke to <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/chef-kylie-kwongs-top-recommendations-for-australia-holidays/XR346QGAU6KQXLTBITXKJPKC4Q/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZHerald</a> </em>about her unmissable destinations, including returning to the Northern Territory.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I want to visit the spirited outback centre of Mbantua (Alice Springs) in the Northern Territory,” she told the publication. “Many years ago I stayed in Arnhem Land yet since then I have made so many Aboriginal friends and learnt so much more about their traditions and culture. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I would welcome this visit to explore the Red Centre, its contemporary and traditional art, natural wonders including the East and West MacDonnell Ranges, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kata-Tjuta (Olgas) and Watarrka (Kings Canyon) and to gain more of an understanding and appreciation of the ancient wisdom of First Nations people of Australia.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Other experiences and destinations Kwong hopes to tick off her list include lunching at Pipit, in the Northern Rivers region, doing a masterclass with Rodney Dunne at The Agrarian Kitchen, Tasmania, and staying at Brigitte Hafner’s Tedesca Osteria in the Mornington Peninsula.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kwong also shared her fondest memory of weeks-long holidays in Byron Bay with her extended family, where they spent “every waking hour” at Clarkes’ Beach and devoured plenty of seafood.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We spent every waking hour on the beach and when it was time for lunch, my mum’s sister, Aunty Jane, would hang a beach towel on the apartment balcony and we would all race up the beach like little soldier crabs to enjoy freshly peeled, super sweet school prawns jam-packed between pillowy-soft white sliced bread, tomato sauce and iceberg lettuce,” Kwong recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My Uncle Johnny and his family lived in Yamba so they would join us - he is a keen fisherman and would arrive with an esky overflowing with live mud crabs and one of the family highlights was cooking and feasting upon Black Bean and Chilli Mud Crab together!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Walking the tracks of Tasmania’s Bay of Fires and Cradle Mountain, exploring Barossa Valley, and spending a week swimming and fishing for barramundi in The Kimberley Ranges were also among Kwong’s great holiday experiences.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for those wanting to travel and support sustainable eateries, Kwong shared a few choice options from around the country.</p> <p dir="ltr">“NSW’s south coast beaches and seafood are pristine,” Kwong said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Bay of Fires, Cradle Mountain and walking tracks in Tasmania; also the pristine wild islands of King Island and Flinder’s Island and their incredible seafood.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In South Australia, head to the Summertown Aristologist in Adelaide Hills for locally sourced produce and locally crafted natural wine.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-182e4948-7fff-428d-87ca-082c7be44e83"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @kylie_kwong (Instagram)</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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"Very lucky": Queen in near-miss road incident

<p dir="ltr">Queen Elizabeth II has had a near-miss, after the car she was in was forced to swerve to avoid being hit by another vehicle coming towards them at speed.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Queen was sitting in the front passenger seat of her Range Rover as it left Wood Farm - where she is staying on the Sandringham estate - and pulled out onto a quiet country road, per <em><a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/queen-elizabeth-car-forced-to-swerve-during-birthday-drive-near-sandringham/24e31303-c8e2-40d4-8f99-a4f998c9ec89" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">A white Nissan Juke was driving towards them at speed - with onlookers saying it was travelling at around 50 km/h - forcing the Range Rover to swerve onto the grass to avoid a collision.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Nissan came to a stop before driving on again.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though no-one was injured, a witness told <em><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/04/21/queens-car-forced-swerve-birthday-trip-drive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Telegraph</a></em> UK the road was a common spot for speedsters.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We sometimes get cars going much faster along that road so the Queen was very lucky,” the witness said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The near-miss occurred at around 10.30am on Thursday, April 21, the same day she turned 96.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her birthday was celebrated with family and friends at Wood Farm, the cottage which was much loved by her late husband Prince Philip.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Queen’s family also took to social media to share sweet messages celebrating her milestone, accompanied by plenty of photos.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Happy 96th Birthday Granny!” Princess Eugenie wrote on Instagram.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcnduGAoGOp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcnduGAoGOp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Princess Eugenie (@princesseugenie)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“You have been such an inspiration to me and so many across the world. Thank you for your support, love and strength. Xx.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Charles and Camilla wished the monarch “a particularly special 96th birthday” as “we celebrate her Platinum Jubilee this year”, while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hailed her as “an inspiration” to many in “the UK, the Commonwealth and the world”. </p> <p dir="ltr">To see a special gallery of photos from the monarch’s life, click <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/honouring-queen-elizabeth-ii-on-her-96th-birthday?fbclid=IwAR32l_B_h-U01YcSM5_3JnT98MjIV_G9LSDipkbdTzm0aX9ZTPE2TFodMaM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4cbb412c-7fff-9744-0973-20e98d786003"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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“Lucky escape”: Man’s “red flag” called out

<p dir="ltr">A man has been slammed for his unnecessary response to a potential date which he claimed was a “red flag”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony Gilét took to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@giletslays/video/7080582251351674118?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> to share his story of how he was blocked after calling out a potential date for suggesting a place near his. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Here is the one thing I would not accept from a potential date and you shouldn’t either,” he began his video. </p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony had agreed to go out on a date with a man called Luke but was unsure of where they should go.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I said ‘sure, where should we go?” Anthony asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">Luke then suggested a pub in the area that he lives in which did not impress Anthony at all.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“Now I’m not expecting him to take me up to the top of the Shard, but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to be original,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“However the line for me was suggesting somewhere on your doorstep and expecting the other person to do 95 per cent of the travelling.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony said he rejected Luke’s offer by texting him: “I think I’m gonna pass, but thanks Luke. Feels like you’ve just picked an area that is convenient for you…and when a guy expects the other to do all of the travelling (to go to a pub, of which there are hundreds of) it reads as either inconsiderate or low effort/not that into.</p> <p dir="ltr">“No hard feelings and I hope you find what you are looking for”</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony confessed that he thought he had been “quite polite” in his response to Luke but was shocked with his response.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You are mental. I hope you find some help,” Luke responded.</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony did not let it go and replied once again: “It’s really not hard to select a pub that’s in between both of us, that should come naturally if you’re a considerate person. </p> <p dir="ltr">“But yeah, call me ‘mental’ because other little boys tolerate your bare minimum. It’s just not sometime I vibe with! And the fact that you’ve resorted to being rude quickly … another red flag.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The video has already been viewed more than 180,000 times and received 20,000 likes with many calling Anthony out for his behaviour.</p> <p dir="ltr">“By all means stick to your boundaries. But you could have just suggested somewhere else?” someone asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m with him on this one. You asked him to pick the place - don’t get mad about the decision. Reads really dramatic on your part,” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Maybe he wanted a venue where he felt safe in case the date turned out abusive, psychotic or over dramatic? *cough*” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Can’t help but think it was a lucky escape…for the other chap,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Relationships

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The incredibly lucky landing of Tom Cruise in a family’s backyard

<p>Tom Cruise gave one U.K. family the surprised of their life after he landed right in their backyard.</p> <p>The 59-year-old <em>Mission: Impossible</em> actor landed his helicopter in Alison Webb’s field while filming for his latest film in Birmingham.</p> <p>The neighbour airport was unfortunately closed, so he opted for his next best option.</p> <p>Ms Webb told <em>CBS News</em> that Cruise’s team asked if an unnamed “VIP” could land his chopper on her land as he was “running late”.</p> <p>When Tom Cruise exited from the helicopter, Webb says she could hardly believe it.</p> <p>“I thought it would be kind of cool for the kids to see the helicopter land in the garden,” Webb recalled</p> <p>“He [Tom Cruise] basically arrived and got out and it was like, wow.”</p> <p>Webb went on to explain that Cruise immediately made his way over to her children and “elbow bumped” them to say hello and thank them.</p> <p>“Then he said if the kids would like they could go up in the helicopter,” she said.</p> <p>Cruise let the kids take a ride while he went to a meeting.</p> <p>“It turned out to be an incredible day,” Webb said.</p> <p>“It was surreal, I still now can’t believe it happened.”</p> <p>The Hollywood heavyweight has been spending the last few months of 2021 in Europe while filming the seventh instalment of the <em>Mission: Impossible series.</em></p>

Movies

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“Very lucky”: Samuel Johnson gives health update from home

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Actor Samuel Johnson has shared his latest health update from home after he was hit by a car over a month ago.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The former </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Home and Away</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> star shared details from the incident and a message for his supporters via his charity Love Your Sister’s </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/loveyoursister/photos/a.346145412147147/4306798182748497" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook page</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Woot, I’m home!” his post began.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So, I got into a dust-up with a small white vehicle, and lost badly! Huge props to the gang at Ambulance Victoria, VicPol, The Alfred and The Epworth for putting this Humpty back together again.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Won’t bore you with all the medical stuffski, suffice to say I’ve been surrounded by a gang of experts, including the Occupational Therapist, who says it’s OK for me to go back to work on ‘light duties’ today!” Johnson wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Full recovery is within my grasp, I’ve just got a lot more work ahead of me.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 43-year-old said he has to spend the next four weeks in a neck brace.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Johnson ended the message saying he is “very lucky to be OK”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having seen the “difference that medical research can make” first-hand, the star is encouraging his followers to “lend [him] a hand while [he’s] getting better” and support his charity </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.loveyoursister.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Love Your Sister</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which raises money for cancer research.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Johnson and his late sister Connie, who suffered from several forms of cancer throughout her life, started the charity in 2012, with the goal of raising $10 million for cancer research.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Love Your Sister / Facebook</span></em></p>

Caring

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"I feel lucky": Turia Pitt reflects on 2020

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Turia Pitt has had quite the year, dealing with the bushfires that ravaged her hometown in early January as well as giving birth to a baby boy.</p> <p>It was the devastation that saw her hometown and national parks ruined by bushfires that inspired her to start <em>Spend With Them</em>.</p> <p><em>Spend With Them</em> is a successful Instagram page that aims to put the spotlight onto small and local businesses whose businesses have been impacted by COVID-19 and the intense bushfire season.</p> <p>Pitt reflected on the moment the idea was born, after a visit from longtime friend Grace McBride.</p> <p>"We both cried. We were thinking, what's happening to this beautiful landscape? Our friends' houses and properties have been lost, and all the beautiful national parks. We both wanted to do something to help, but what?</p> <p>"If you imagine that your energy is a light, then if you're just thinking about how things are affecting you and how scared you are, your light is only shining in. I try to flick that, to shine it outwards. So I started thinking, how could we help others? And that's how Spend With Them was born."</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEnsIYYhwh0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEnsIYYhwh0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Spend With Them (@spendwiththem)</a> on Sep 1, 2020 at 9:07pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She had to step back from <em>Spend With Them</em> though as she was due to give birth to her new son.</p> <p>"I really enjoyed giving birth to Rahiti," says Turia to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/parenting/celebrity-families/turia-pitt-son-rahiti-65177" target="_blank"><em>Now To Love</em></a>.</p> <p>"It made me feel empowered. We had to go to Wollongong for the birth, which is two hours away. So we went up there the night before."</p> <p>"My obstetrician wanted to induce me because of the bushfires. Roads were closing and getting clogged with traffic and I could have ended up having the baby on the side of the road, which I didn't want. I asked for an epidural but by the time they came back with the anaesthetist, I was pushing him out.</p> <p>It was a really positive experience for me. I feel lucky. With birth, anything can happen but I had two really good experiences and I had a really good medical team for both of them."</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CE7xe_og5lj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CE7xe_og5lj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Turia (@turiapitt)</a> on Sep 9, 2020 at 4:18pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>However, she was worried about her mothering ability after the pregnancy of her first son, Hakavai. </p> <p>"When I was pregnant with Hakavai, I was really concerned about my mothering ability," Turia recalls.</p> <p>"I would think about my mother, who is the kindest woman, she's so generous, she does everything for other people, she would give them the shirt off her back, she's so loving, so warm, so compassionate. Then I thought about myself and I thought, f**k, I'll never be as good as my mum was.</p> <p>"I still don't think anyone gets better than my mum but now that I'm a mum, I can see all these more nurturing qualities in me. They've been amplified."</p> <p>"Being a mum has definitely softened me, made me more nurturing, made me more caring and more compassionate, and I like all those qualities."</p> </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

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"Lucky to be alive": Australian in Beirut recounts moment of devastation

<p>Lebanese rescue workers are continuing to search for survivors in the wreckage of buildings after an explosion at a port in Beirut killed at least 135 people and injured 5000 more.</p> <p>Up to 250,000 have also been displaced, with no home to live in after the explosion shattered their windows and sent their buildings tumbling.</p> <p>Samah Hadid from Australia is among those affected.</p> <p>She’s been forced to evacuate her neighbourhood which sits “within the zone” - just one kilometre from the port.</p> <p>Her apartment has been left “completely destroyed”, but authorities have also issued a warning about the toxic fumes circulating in the air, putting Samah’s health at risk too.</p> <p>“I’m really lucky to be alive,” she told<span> </span><em>The Latest</em>.</p> <p>“The damage was so extensive that it ripped through the entire building and the apartment so I’m really lucky to escape injury.”</p> <p>When the explosion occurred, Samah thought it was either a bomb or an earthquake as her building began to shake.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CDhu2u2lezp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CDhu2u2lezp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">My sincere condolences and prayers go out to those affected in Lebanon 🙏🙏🙏🙏 #lebanon #beirut #beirutlebanon #beirut_lebanon #lebanonexplosion</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/vetmedmemesdaily/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> THE VET HUMOR PAGE</a> (@vetmedmemesdaily) on Aug 5, 2020 at 5:06pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“The ceilings came down. Furniture just ripped apart,” she said.</p> <p>Hadid escaped through the building’s stairwell but found “blood all over the staircase from people who were really severely injured”.</p> <p>“The hospitals were so overwhelmed and overcrowded that they should not accept any more people,” she said.</p> <p>“And this is happening in the middle of a pandemic where the health system here is already overstretched dealing with coronavirus and, to put it in perspective, Lebanon was already facing an economic crisis.</p> <p>“People were already living in poverty.</p> <p>“We’re already facing starvation, in my street alone, buildings have been destroyed, neighbourhoods have been ruined, brought to rubble.</p> <p>“The country has been brought to its knees. It’s facing crisis upon crisis.</p> <p>“It desperately needs support and needs international aid support, if people are going to be able to rebuild their lives.”</p> <p>The death toll is expected to rise from the blast that officials believe is due to a large amount of highly explosive material stored for years in unsafe conditions at the port.</p> <p>President Michel Aoun said 2,750 tonnes of seized ammonium nitrate, used in fertilisers and bombs, had been stored for six years at the port without safety measures.</p>

Travel Trouble

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"Lucky escape" for Winston Churchill's great-granddaughter on Epstein's notorious island

<p>One of Princess Diana's younger bridesmaids detailed her "very lucky" escape after she was a guest on Jeffrey Epstein's island.</p> <p>Clementine Hambro took two flights on Epstein's jet, including one dubbed the Lolita Express.</p> <p>On both occasions, she had been at Epstein's luxury homes where he spent many years abusing young girls.</p> <p>She also was at Epstein's Island Little St James in the US Virgin Islands, which was dubbed by locals as Paedo Island.</p> <p>Miss Hambro, a great-granddaughter of Sir Winston Churchill, said she has been "completely horrified" by the revelations about the financier’s conduct and her "heart breaks for all the survivors".</p> <p>The now-married mother of four said she did not suffer or witness any abuse, but added that she hopes the victims "get the justice they so deserve".</p> <p>She issued a statement after flight logs, which were released as part of court documents, revealed that she flew on the jets to Epstein's visits to his ranch in New Mexico as well as the island.</p> <p>She made the trips back in 1999, where she was a 23-year-old employee at Christie's auction house in New York.</p> <p>In a statement last night, Miss Hambro said: "The first flight was a work trip with female colleagues to look at Epstein’s new home in Santa Fe to discuss what art he was going to buy.</p> <p>"The second trip, to Little St James, was a personal invitation, which I thought would be fun to accept, but I didn’t know anyone there, didn’t really enjoy myself, and never went back. My heart breaks for all the survivors, now I know what happened on that island.</p> <p>"In the course of those two trips, I was not abused, nor did I see anyone abused, or anything untoward happen, with minors or otherwise. I have been completely horrified about the revelations of his conduct since then. I was clearly very lucky, my heart goes out to those who were abused by him, and I trust they get the justice they so deserve."</p> <p>She also apologised for being "young and naive".</p> <p>"I was young and naive, and could not conceive of what was to unfold."</p> <p>She only travelled on the jets when leaving his homes, according to the logs. It is not known how she arrived at the ranch and the island.</p>

Legal

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“She was incredibly lucky”: Manu Feildel opens up about mother’s breast cancer diagnosis

<p>Celebrity chef Manu Feildel has opened up about his mother Eveylne’s ongoing breast cancer diagnosis.</p> <p>The My Kitchen Rules judge, 46, revealed in April that his mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer.</p> <p>“She was incredibly lucky as it was caught early,” Manu told the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/coronavirus/hibernation/she-is-recovering-well-mkr-judge-manu-feildel-opens-up-about-his-mothers-breast-cancer-battle/news-story/8f3799f4c98ad9de252fc1c58b766cb4" target="_blank">Daily Telegraph</a> on Wednesday.  </p> <p>According to the Breast Cancer Trials, which is the charity Manu is hoping to raise awareness of, his mother had not experienced any symptoms when she decided to go to a breast cancer screening after receiving a letter in the mail.</p> <p>It was the early diagnosis of breast cancer that helped her get to treatment quickly.</p> <p>“Thankfully, she is recovering well while living with my stepdad in France,” Manu explained.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7835992/body-manu.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5b882a7c2ca642c2a0a4748b8011190b" /></p> <div class="body_text "> <p><span>He has partnered with </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.breastcancertrials.org.au/mothers-day-gift" target="_blank">Breast Cancer Trials</a><span> to encourage fans to donate funds towards clinical trial research and has offered an exclusive Mother’s Day cooking masterclass for anybody who donates before May 16</span>th<span>.</span></p> <p>“Streaming live from my home I will cook two of my favourite recipes and share some of my hints and tips and answer some of your burning culinary questions,” Manu explained on Instagram in late April.</p> <p>“The perfect gift for your Mum, your partner or even yourself this Mother’s Day.”</p> <p><em>Photo credits: Breast Cancer Trials</em></p> </div>

Caring

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“We’re very lucky”: Zoe Foster Blake on her marriage to Hamish

<p>Zoe Foster Blake has opened up about her marriage to Hamish Blake, giving a rare insight into the relationship of one of the country’s biggest power couples.</p> <p>Skincare mogul and author Zoe Foster Blake married Aussie comedian Hamish Blake back in 2012. The couple, who are now parents to two beautiful children, have become a dynamic duo in their own right.</p> <p>Although their careers and business ventures exist very much in the public eye, fans still hold onto the hope that they may get a glimpse into their private lives.</p> <p>Sitting down with Shameless Media’s Michelle Andrews and Zara McDonald for an episode of their podcast, Zoe spoke candidly about her husband Hamish.</p> <p>She revealed that her husband is her “best business adviser”.</p> <p>“He’s amazing – you guys know – he’s incredibly experienced. He’s been in the media for such a long time, he’s ten years ahead of me in terms of that.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6Xv72xlLu3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6Xv72xlLu3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Threw husband an Amalfi-themed birthday party cos he’s a December baby, and them December babies gotta fight, for their right, to paaaarty! I hated dressing in theme as usual. If anyone needs lemons please lmk. I only have 4000 though so numbers are limited 🍋</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/zotheysay/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> ZOË FOSTER BLAKE</a> (@zotheysay) on Dec 22, 2019 at 2:18am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Zoe, who has tried her hand at a number of industries, namely beauty and publishing, said she often asks Hamish for help when she’s needs to workshop new ideas and projects.</p> <p>“He’s really considered, he’s thoughtful, he’s generous, he’s beautiful. I’m so lucky to have him in my corner. Even like a new book idea, I’ll thrash it through with him,” she told Shameless.</p> <p>“He doesn’t piss in my pocket, we’re very honest with each other.</p> <p>And despite their hectic schedules, the doting parents always make time for their children, Sonny and Rudy.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6fTOd0Fzlx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6fTOd0Fzlx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Happy Christmas from the people who wrapped all the Beyblade and Frozen shit and the people who unwrapped all the Beyblade and Frozen shit. You guess who’s who. ❤️</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/zotheysay/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> ZOË FOSTER BLAKE</a> (@zotheysay) on Dec 25, 2019 at 12:41am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Zoe told the podcast hosts that the husband and wife duo look over each other’s schedules when planning their next career moves. If Hamish is filming, she takes her “foot off work at that time.”</p> <p>“I’ll know that he’s working 14 hour days, so I’ll be around for the kids.”</p> <p>But if Zoe has something going on, then she’ll make sure to lock it in when he husband’s schedule isn’t so “full on”.</p> <p>“We have big meaty chats about career, he’s my best business adviser.”</p> <p>But everyone knows that no relationship is perfect all the time, but Zoe believes that she and her husband are extremely lucky.</p> <p>“It doesn’t mean that we don’t have a life and real life struggles and stresses like everyone in the whole wide world.</p> <p>“But we’re so privileged, so lucky! Healthy children, happy life, best country in the world … like, c’mon? we’re very lucky.”</p>

Beauty & Style

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“Dedicate this to dad”: A group of mates lucky $500,000 Melbourne Cup win

<p>A group of mates will be counting their blessings after winning $500,000 by backing Vow and declaring months ago they would be victorious in the Melbourne Cup. </p> <p>The incredible moment they realised they had won an eye watering amount was recorded on video.</p> <p>39-year-old Alex Xerri made a number of bets starting from June when Vow and Declare were at huge odds. Thankfully this bet paid off in the end, and won him $320,000 on Tuesday, as well as an extra $200,000 by his friends who followed his hot tip. </p> <p>The video was shot by his friend Jimmy Hoyne, and showed the group’s excitement when the gelding surged home and snatched up the Melbourne Cup. </p> <p>The moment felt bittersweet for Mr Xerri who’s father Paul, 81, passed away a month ago, before he had the chance to collect $40,000 from bets he also made on the winning horse. </p> <p>“It was difficult, I was really sad that he never got to watch the Cup and share in the excitement and happiness,” he told Daily Mail Australia.</p> <p>“He always backed my judgement and I know he's proud of me. It was a very touching and emotional moment.</p> <p>“I have to dedicate this to dad.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJimmyHoyne%2Fvideos%2F2536730216403887%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=267" width="267" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p> Xerri said he and his dad hopefully placed their first bets on June 8 after watching Vow and Declare come second in the Queensland Derby.</p> <p>Just two weeks later, the racehorse won the Tattersall's Cup, however they then had to wait months to see it would compete again at the Turnbull Stakes on October 5.</p> <p>However, in a turn of tragic events, Paul suddenly died from an unexpected heart attack the morning of the race, a month before the Melbourne Cup would commence. </p> <p>Xerri said a eulogy delivered at his funeral expressed how excited Paul was to put his bets to the ultimate test. </p> <p>“The speech said how he was really excited about a horse that will run in the Melbourne Cup, and last few months of his life that's what he was really looking for,” he said.</p> <p>The winning son said his father would continue to place bets on the horses despite being told to stop. </p> <p>“We went through his wallet and he had all his bet slips printed and A4 sheet of paper,” he explained.</p> <p>“He believed it would happen, he'd never won that sort of money in his life and we were talking about what we would do if it won.” </p> <p>Mr Xerri said he became convinced Vow and Declare could win the Melbourne Cup after it won an 1,800m race on Oaks Day in 2018. </p> <p>Paul listened to the advice of renowned horse trainer Danny O'Brien, who talked up his horse's abilities.</p> <p>“He said it was an elite staying prospect and everything it was doing suggested it could run the Cup's distance,” he recalled.</p> <p>“I thought from then it was a potential Melbourne Cup champion.”</p> <p>Xerri placed more bets in following months after initially placing $100 for the horses to win at 201/1 and $900 to place at 51/1 at the Queensland Derby. </p> <p>He placed more bets in following months and convinced 25 friends to get on board and place their own bets on the same horses. </p> <p>The gamble earned him about $320,000 in winnings by Tuesday’s race, and his friends $200,000 between them. </p> <p>Mr Hoyne's video showed the five friends getting progressively more excited as Vow and Declare entered the final straight on the tail of the leader and gradually wore down the margin.</p> <p>When Vow and Declare crossed the line first, the room erupted. </p> <p>“I have never felt a rush like that in my life... words cannot explain,” the friend who filmed the scene said.</p> <p>“Such a big day for the family man been riding this horse for over a year and to see it come true - unbelievable.”</p> <p>Xerri said there was a lot of anticipation leading up to the race as he knew he and others had cash riding on the result. </p> <p>“I was nervous, my legs were jelly. I'd told so many for so long and they'd put money on it just because I said to,” he said.</p>

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