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A century after its discovery, scientists capture first confirmed footage of a colossal squid in the deep

<div class="theconversation-article-body">The colossal squid was first described in 1925 based on specimens from the stomach of a commercially hunted sperm whale. A century later, an international voyage captured the first confirmed video of this species in its natural habitat – a 30-centimetre juvenile, at a depth of 600 metres near the South Sandwich Islands.</p> <p>Colossal squid can grow up to seven metres and weigh as much as 500 kilograms, making them the heaviest invertebrate on the planet. But little is known about their life cycle.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lzPoG9H8Hlo?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">The first sighting of a juvenile colossal squid in its natural environment. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>The footage of a young colossal squid in the water column was a serendipitous sighting, as many deep-sea squid observations are.</p> <p>It was seen during the live “divestream” feed of a remotely operated vehicle during the <a href="https://2022annualreport.schmidtocean.org/">Schmidt Ocean Institute</a> and <a href="https://oceancensus.org/">Ocean Census</a> partner expedition searching for new deep-sea species and habitats in the far south Atlantic, mostly focusing on the seafloor.</p> <p>Those tuned into the stream had the remarkable experience of seeing a live colossal squid in its deep-sea home, although its identity was not confirmed until the high-definition footage could be reviewed later.</p> <p>Predators such as whales and seabirds are still one of our best sources of information about the colossal squid (<em>Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni</em>) because they are much better at finding it than we are.</p> <p>This partially explains why we have only just filmed this species in its natural habitat. Not only do these animals live in an enormous, dark and three-dimensional environment, they are also probably actively avoiding us.</p> <p>Most of our deep-sea exploration equipment is large, noisy and uses bright lights if we are trying to film animals. But the colossal squid can detect and avoid diving sperm whales, which probably produce a strong light signal as they swim down and disturb bioluminescent animals.</p> <p>The squid best able to avoid such predators have been passing on their genes for millions of years. This leaves us with a current population of visually acute, likely light-avoiding animals, well capable of detecting a light signal from many metres away.</p> <h2>Delicate beauty of deep-sea animals</h2> <p>The colossal squid is part of the “glass” squid family (Cranchiidae). Three known glass squid species are found in the Antarctic ocean, but it can be difficult to distinguish them on camera.</p> <p>Researchers from the organisation Kolossal, aiming to film the colossal squid, observed a similarly sized glass squid during their fourth Antarctic mission in 2023. But since the characteristic features needed to identify a colossal squid – hooks on the ends of the two long tentacles and in the middle of each of the eight shorter arms – weren’t clearly visible, its exact identity remains unconfirmed.</p> <p>In the Schmidt Ocean Institute footage, the mid-arm hooks are visible. And for this young individual, the resemblance to other glass squids is also clear. With age and size, colossal squid likely lose their transparent appearance and become much more of an anomaly within the family.</p> <p>While many will be amused by the idea of a “small colossal” squid, this footage showcases a beauty shared by many deep-sea animals, in contrast to the monster hype and “stuff of nightmares” click-bait titles we see all too often.</p> <p>This colossal squid looks like a delicate glass sculpture, with fins of such fine musculature they are barely visible. It has shining iridescent eyes and graceful arms fanned out from the head.</p> <p>At full size, the colossal squid may be a formidable predator, with its stout arms and array of sharp hooks, able to tackle two-metre-long toothfish. But in our first confirmed view of it at home in the deep sea, we can marvel at the elegance of this animal, thriving in an environment where humans require so much technology even to visit remotely.</p> <h2>Stranger than science fiction</h2> <p>Until recently, few people were able to take part in deep-sea exploration. But now, anyone with an internet connection can be “in the room” while we explore these habitats and observe animals for the first time.</p> <p>It’s hard to overstate the importance of the deep sea. It holds hundreds of thousands of undiscovered species, it is probably where life on Earth started, and it makes up 95% of the available living space on our planet.</p> <p>It has animals more splendid and strange than our most creative science fiction imaginings. This includes squids that start life looking like small light bulbs and then grow into true giants; colonies of individuals living together with each contributing to the group’s success; animals where males (often parasitic) are orders of magnitude smaller than females.</p> <p>This first confirmed sighting of a colossal squid inspires and reminds us how much we have left to learn.</p> <hr /> <p><em>The expedition that captured the footage of the colossal squid was a collaboration between the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Nippon Foundation-NEKTON Ocean Census, and GoSouth (a joint project between the University of Plymouth, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research and the British Antarctic Survey).</em><!-- 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/254584/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> <hr /> <p><em>By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kat-bolstad-646280">Kat Bolstad</a>, Associate Professor of Environmental Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-century-after-its-discovery-scientists-capture-first-confirmed-footage-of-a-colossal-squid-in-the-deep-254584">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: </em><em>Schmidt Ocean Institute</em></p> </div>

Technology

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Jock Zonfrillo's widow pays tribute to her late husband

<p>Jock Zonfrillo's widow Lauren has paid tribute to her late husband with a simple but powerful homage. </p> <p>Up until recently, the marketing expert has been known in a professional capacity by her maiden name Lauren Fried, even after marrying the late chef in January 2017.</p> <p>However, after appearing on ABC's marketing program <em>Gruen</em>, the mother-of-two was introduced as 'Lauren Zonfrillo'. </p> <p>Lauren took to Instagram ahead of her debut on the panel show, sharing behind the scenes footage where she is seen in the ABC's hair and make-up department, with the name 'Lauren Zonfrillo' clearly labelled on her dressing room door. </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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7QXliXvAqb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7QXliXvAqb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lauren Zonfrillo (@laurenzonfrillo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The marketing expert has also changed her name on her LinkedIn, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, profiles.</p> <p>In the days before the one year anniversary of Jock's death, Lauren shared an emotional video to social media explaining how she plans to share Jock's legacy with his fans, saying she wants to focus on posting previously unseen content of the chef.</p> <p>She began by saying how she has been "finding her feet" as a "solo parent" and how her two kids have adjusted after their tragic loss.</p> <p>In the emotional video, she shared, "Next week will be a year since we lost Jock. I have no idea where that time went."</p> <p>"I really did have plans to get more of his projects out but somewhere between trying to find my feet as a solo parent - and just going through long periods of time where I found it really hard to look at videos and photos of Jock - the plan didn't go to plan."</p> <p>She continued, "So now I just want to focus on the work."</p> <p>"I've got hundreds and hundreds of hours of Jock cooking his favourite recipes explaining what vinegar or oil he used in different things, things he discovered on our travels, fun behind-the-scenes stuff, interviews, and it's a part of my life I want to start sharing with everyone again."</p> <p>"The purpose of putting it up is for us to enjoy it, to enjoy Jock, so I hope you do."</p> <p>Jock Zonfrillo was found dead in a hotel in Carlton, near Melbourne's CBD, on April 30th 2023 while Lauren and their two children were in Italy, and his death is still being investigated. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Family & Pets

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Families including someone with mental illness can experience deep despair. They need support

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amanda-cole-1484502">Amanda Cole</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a></em></p> <p>In the aftermath of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/bondi-attacker-had-mental-health-issues-but-most-people-with-mental-illness-arent-violent-227868">tragic Bondi knife attack</a>, Joel Cauchi’s parents have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/video/2024/apr/15/bondi-junction-stabbings-joel-cauchis-father-extremely-sorry-for-victims-video">spoken</a> about their son’s long history of mental illness, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17. They said they were “devastated and horrified” by their son’s actions. “To you he’s a monster,” said his father. “But to me he was a very sick boy.”</p> <p>Globally, one out of every eight people <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders">report a mental illness</a>. In Australia, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health-services/mental-health">one in five people experience a mental illness</a> in their lifetime.</p> <p>Mental illness and distress affects not only the person living with the condition, but <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/chronic-conditions-and-multimorbidity">family members and communities</a>. As the prevalence of mental health problems grows, the flow-on effect to family members, including caregivers, and the impact on families as a unit, is also rising.</p> <p>While every family is different, the words of the Cauchis draw attention to how families can experience distress, stress, fear, powerlessness, and still love, despite the challenges and trauma. How can they help a loved one? And who can they turn to for support?</p> <h2>The role of caregivers</h2> <p>Informal caregivers help others <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/informal-carers">within the context of an existing relationship</a>, such as a family member. The care they provide goes beyond the usual expectations or demands of such relationships.</p> <p>Around <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/informal-carers">2.7 million Australians</a> provide informal care. For almost a third of these the person’s primary medical diagnosis is psychological or psychiatric.</p> <p>It has <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1074840708323598">long been acknowledged</a> that those supporting a family member with ongoing mental illness need support themselves.</p> <p>In the 1980s, interest grew in caregiving dynamics within families of people grappling with mental health issues. Subsequent research recognised <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/chronic-diseases/">chronic health conditions</a> not only affect the quality of life and wellbeing of the people experiencing them, but also impose burdens that reverberate within relationships, caregiving roles, and family dynamics over time.</p> <p>Past studies have shown families of those diagnosed with chronic mental illness are increasingly forced to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24943714/">manage their own depression</a>, experience elevated levels of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23692348/">emotional stress</a>, negative states of mind and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21165597/">decreased overall mental health</a>.</p> <p>Conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia can severely impact daily functioning, relationships, and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36875411/">overall quality of life</a>. Living with mental illness is often accompanied by a myriad of challenges. From stigma and discrimination to difficulty accessing adequate health care and support services. Patients and their families navigate a complex and often isolating journey.</p> <h2>The family is a system</h2> <p>The concept of <a href="http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/40336/1/16937_eng.pdf">family health</a> acknowledges the physical and psychological wellbeing of a person is significantly affected by the family.</p> <p>Amid these challenges, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1330720/full">family support</a> emerges as a beacon of hope. Research consistently demonstrates strong familial relationships and support systems play a pivotal role in mitigating the adverse effects of mental illness. Families provide emotional support, practical assistance, and a sense of belonging that are vital for people struggling with mental illness.</p> <p>My recent <a href="https://www.collegianjournal.com/article/S1322-7696(24)00004-0/fulltext">research</a> highlights the profound impact of mental illness on family dynamics, emphasising the resilience and endurance shown by participants. Families struggling with mental illness often experience heightened emotional fluctuations, with extreme highs and lows. The enduring nature of family caregiving entails both stress and adaptation over an extended period. Stress associated with caregiving and the demands on personal resources and coping mechanisms builds and builds.</p> <p>Yet families I’ve <a href="https://www.collegianjournal.com/article/S1322-7696(24)00004-0/fulltext">interviewed</a> find ways to live “a good life”. They prepare for the peaks and troughs, and show endurance and persistence. They make space for mental illness in their daily lives, describing how it spurs adaptation, acceptance and inner strength within the family unit.</p> <p>When treating a person with mental illness, health practitioners need to consider the entire family’s needs and engage with family members. By fostering open and early dialogue and providing comprehensive support, health-care professionals can empower families to navigate the complexities of mental illness while fostering resilience and hope for the future. Family members <a href="https://www.collegianjournal.com/article/S1322-7696(24)00004-0/fulltext">express stories</a> of an inner struggle, isolation and exhaustion.</p> <h2>Shifting the focus</h2> <p>There is a pressing need for a shift in research priorities, from illness-centered perspectives to a <a href="https://shop.elsevier.com/books/child-youth-and-family-health-strengthening-communities/barnes/978-0-7295-4155-8">strengths-based focus</a> when considering families “managing” mental illness.</p> <p>There is transformative potential in harnessing strengths to respond to challenges posed by mental illnesses, while also <a href="https://www.collegianjournal.com/article/S1322-7696(24)00004-0/fulltext">supporting family members</a>.</p> <p>For people facing mental health challenges, having <a href="https://www.sane.org/information-and-resources/facts-and-guides/families-friends-carers">loved ones who listen without judgement</a> and offer empathy can alleviate feelings of despair. Beyond emotional support, families often serve as crucial caregivers, assisting with <a href="https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/emergency-help/helping-someone-else/">daily tasks, medication management and navigating the health-care system</a>.</p> <p>As the Cauchi family so painfully articulated, providing support for a family member with mental illness is intensely challenging. Research <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4804270/">shows</a> caregiver burnout, financial strain and strained relationships are common.</p> <p>Health-care professionals should prioritise support for family members at an early stage. In Australia, there are various support options available for families living with mental illness. <a href="https://www.carergateway.gov.au/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=paid-search&amp;utm_campaign=10626744435&amp;utm_adgroup=102994881737&amp;utm_term=carer%20gateway%20wa&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt8T6pJzIhQMVjAyDAx2KiQl1EAAYASAAEgLj-fD_BwE">Carer Gateway</a> provides information, support and access to services. <a href="https://www.headspace.com/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=search&amp;utm_campaign=HS_Headspace_Brand-Exact_Search_AU-INT_Google_NA&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=headspace&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4uKKvpzIhQMVFheDAx1bZgk8EAAYASAAEgLy6vD_BwE">Headspace</a> offers mental health services and supports to young people and their families.</p> <p>Beyond these national services, GPs, nurses, nurse practitioners and local community health centres are key to early conversations. Mental health clinics and hospitals often target family involvement in treatment plans.</p> <p>While Australia has made strides in recognising the importance of family support, challenges persist. Access to services can vary based on geographic location and demand, leaving some families under-served or facing long wait times. And the level of funding and resources allocated to family-oriented mental health support often does not align with the demand or complexity of need.</p> <p>In the realm of mental illness, family support serves as a lifeline for people navigating the complexities of their conditions.</p> <hr /> <p><em>If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">Lifeline</a> on 13 11 14.</em><!-- 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/228007/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/amanda-cole-1484502"><em>Amanda Cole</em></a><em>, Lead, Mental Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</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/families-including-someone-with-mental-illness-can-experience-deep-despair-they-need-support-228007">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Caring

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"The last one he wore": Jock Zonfrillo’s widow shares heartbreaking funeral detail

<p dir="ltr">Jock Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren Fried has shared another bittersweet update revealing that she wore her husband’s iconic Scottish tartan scarf to his funeral in May.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fried took to Instagram to share a gallery of photos of her late husband wearing the scarf during the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/far-out-i-did-it-masterchef-winner-crowned" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>MasterChef</em> season finale</a>, with a heartbreaking caption.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What a gorgeous man, alway happiest in his kilt,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is the fly plaid (tartan over his shoulder) that I chose to wear to Jock’s funeral, the last one he wore,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many of the <em>MasterChef</em> judge’s celebrity friends took to the comments to show their support.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Missing his smile and energy so much,” commented fellow <em>MasterChef</em> judge Andy Allen, while celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay added a love heart emoji.</p> <p dir="ltr">Season 13 <em>MasterChef</em> contestant Dan Dumbrell also shared a bunch of red love heart emojis.</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/Cu3aoIDg99G/?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/Cu3aoIDg99G/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jock Zonfrillo (posts by Loz) (@zonfrillo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Chantelle Otten, sexologist and girlfriend of Paralympian Dylan Alcott, simply commented: “A beautiful man. A very sad time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans also shared their support and how emotional the final episode of this year’s MasterChef was.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Was extremely emotional, so very moving seeing you wear his tartan on your shoulder carrying your husband's coffin. Wishing you all the courage &amp; strength over the years to come Loz,” wrote one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Kept it together for the whole episode... until the video right at the end. I just bawled.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Jock was a shining example of what it can look like when men show their emotions, are empathetic, vulnerable, supportive and inclusive. Much love to you, Jock's family as well as the Masterchef family ❤️🖤” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My heart breaks for you guys Loz. Thank you for being so open with your sharing. Jock’s fans (myself included) are so appreciative. It makes us feel like he’s still here,” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was sobbing watching the last episode. Still can’t believe he’s gone,” commented a fourth.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“Papa activities”: Jock Zonfrillo’s widow shares bittersweet post

<p dir="ltr">The widow of late <em>MasterChef </em>star Jock Zonfrillo has shared a bittersweet post on how she is trying to fill his shoes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Following Zonfrillo’s <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/shattered-hearts-culinary-world-mourns-tragic-death-of-jock-zonfrillo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passing in Apri</a>l, his wife Lauren Fried has been keeping his Instagram account active to share memories of him, his last projects, and provide updates on how her family is coping.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the most recent post, Fried shared that their young son Alfie had asked her to do some things he had traditionally enjoyed doing with his dad.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Alfie has asked me to do some of his Papa activities with him - making crepes and doing hours of Lego were in his requests,” she wrote in the caption.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I went with the easiest option of a trip to the barber, which the boys used to do together, followed by gelato,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It put a smile on his face which was beautiful.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She shared a series of photos of Alfie getting his haircut and smiling proudly as he showed off the final look. In the last photo, Alfie is pictured with his new haircut and enjoying a scoop of gelato.</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/CugXCsrPZIO/?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/CugXCsrPZIO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jock Zonfrillo (posts by Loz) (@zonfrillo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Fans have flooded the comment section with their love and support for them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Lovely to see him smiling,” wrote one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So beautiful , Alfie looks so much like his Daddy ♥️” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh bless him. I hope somewhere in all of this ...that you are able to find a moment for you. Take care loz xx,” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So beautiful that you are keeping the memories he shared with his Papa fresh in his mind,” commented a fourth.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Beautiful! What a sweet moment! So nice to see that big smile! So happy this was the first thing to pop up on my insta feed!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Zonfrillo and Fried also have a daughter, Isla together and the late chef also has two adult children, Ava and Sophia, from his previous marriage.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Gratitude amplified: Unlocking the key to happiness and deep connections

<p>In today's fast-paced world, filled with negative news, challenging experiences, and personal losses, finding joy and gratitude can often be a difficult task.</p> <p>As we naturally tend to focus on the negative aspects of life, it becomes essential to pause and cultivate gratitude, which can have a profound impact on our lives and the lives of those around us.</p> <p><strong>What is gratitude? </strong></p> <p>Gratitude involves showing appreciation for the things in life that are important to you, and taking a moment to notice and acknowledge these moments have proven benefits of lifting mood and helping you feel more positive throughout the day. Have you ever stopped to notice that there is something to be grateful for every day if we just take stock? It could be a person who kindly let you merge into traffic, a refreshing breeze on a scorching day, a beautiful rainbow after a heavy downpour, or a thoughtful call or text from a friend. </p> <p>Gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. We also know that Gratitude begets gratitude, meaning that any kind act is likely to bring kindness back, in spades! </p> <p><strong>Practice Gratitude – Write down 3 things per day</strong></p> <p><a href="https://theresilienceproject.com.au/">The Resilience Project</a> changed my life by introducing a simple practice: at the end of each day, we take five minutes to write down three things we are grateful for that happened that day. It could be as simple as a walk in the sun, a phone call from a friend, a stroll with your dog, or even a comforting cup of tea. </p> <p>Engaging in this exercise helps you articulate your gratitude and realise the abundance of things to be grateful for in our everyday lives.</p> <p>I personally experienced the transformative power of gratitude during the two years of COVID lockdown in Victoria while working full-time and home schooling my two boys, aged 8 and 10. Our family embraced this practice each night, which not only changed our outlook on life but also sparked positive conversations during dinner.</p> <p>Surprisingly, it was often the simplest things we were all grateful for, like homemade meals or cherished moments of togetherness.</p> <p>I distinctly remember preparing a hot meal and passing it over our neighbour's fence when their family was unwell with COVID. To our surprise, a few weeks later, they reciprocated with a homecooked meal. In those challenging times, a sense of community became such a source of positivity, and we were immensely grateful for the love that went into that dinner.</p> <p>So why not take the time to stop and smell the roses and practice gratitude? Who knows, over time, you may start to notice your stress levels decreasing, your relationships improving, and be blessed with a strengthened sense of community.</p> <p><strong><em>Melissa Cutajar is <a href="https://www.connectedwomen.net/">Connected Women</a>’s Member Experience and Partnerships Manager. With a deep interest in health and wellness, Melissa is a source of positivity and creativity to the Connected Women team.</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><a href="http://connectedwomen.net/">Connected Women</a> provides a community for women over 50 to connect with each other and build meaningful friendships. With a rapidly growing communities in Perth, Sydney, Wollongong, and Melbourne, Connected Women provides a safe and welcoming space for women to come together and share experiences. To learn more about the organisation and how you can get involved, visit connectedwomen.net.</em></strong></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Relationships

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Jock Zonfrillo’s widow shares touching throwback snaps

<p dir="ltr">Lauren Fried has shared a few touching throwback snaps of how sweet and loving her late husband Jock Zonfrillo was.</p> <p dir="ltr">The snaps were posted on Zonfrillo’s Instagram account, which Fried has taken over after she asked his fans on whether it would be appropriate for her to release his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/jock-zonfrillo-s-widow-breaks-silence-over-his-passing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unfinished projects </a>on social media.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a few snaps, Zonfrillo and his six-year-old son Alfie, were pictured spending quality time at a museum.</p> <p dir="ltr">In one photo, the chef could be seen lying on the floor and pointing at the ceiling as his son looked on. In another photo, the father-and-son duo were spotted playfully posing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If Jock had to be at a museum, at least he made it fun,” Fried captioned the series of photos.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fried also posted a short black and white throwback clip of the <em>MasterChef </em>judge beaming as his wife planted a kiss on his cheeks.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>MasterChef</em> judge <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/shattered-hearts-culinary-world-mourns-tragic-death-of-jock-zonfrillo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed away</a> on May 1, and is survived by his third wife, Fried, and his four children Ava and Sophia, from his first two marriages, and Alfie and two-year-old Isla, with Fried.</p> <p dir="ltr">Zonfrillo’s widow has opened up about how raw her grief still was and recently shared an <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/this-has-broken-me-how-jock-zonfrillo-s-daughter-is-coping-with-the-loss-of-her-dad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emotional snap</a> of how their youngest child, Isla was coping with her father’s death.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Jock Zonfrillo's wife's touching words at private funeral

<p>Late <em>Masterchef</em> judge Jock Zonfrillo has been laid to rest by his loved ones at a private funeral in Sydney. </p> <p>His wife, Lauren Fried, was there with their four children - Eva, Sophie, Alfie, And Isla - as well as other members of the late chef’s family, who had flown in from Scotland and the United States to pay their respects.</p> <p>Zonfrillo’s <em>Masterchef </em>co-hosts Melissa Leong and Andy Allen could also be spotted in pictures that circulated online after the service, alongside the likes of fellow Scot Jimmy Barnes, and chefs George Colombaris, Manu Feidel, Colin Fassnidge, Miguel Maestre, and Matt Moran. </p> <p>Barnes was later joined by his daughter, Mahalia, and the two performed a touching rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’ for the service. </p> <p>Lauren led their small procession of mourners into the chapel, with tartan draped across a shoulder, as an indigenous smoking ceremony took place, and bagpipes were played. Pictures revealed that Zonfrillo’s coffin had been adorned with the Royal Banner of Scotland, and topped with a bouquet of white roses and orchids.</p> <p>It was a heartbreaking scene to witness, but it was Lauren’s words within the chapel that have struck a chord with mourners, as she paid tribute to her late husband. </p> <p>“We are two halves that found each other at the exact moment in life when we were ready,” she said, according to<em> The Daily Mail</em>. “We were ready for that big love to live a life of adventure, to become parents together, to imagine extraordinary things and to actually make them happen.”</p> <p>Zonfrillo’s daughter Ava - one of two from a former relationship - added that “it goes without saying that at the heart of everything you did was family. </p> <p>“And one of the hardest things to accept is that you won’t be here to see ours grow.”</p> <p>And to everyone, they added, “for those who crossed his path and became his mate or were lucky enough to be in this family, keep this proud Scot in your heart when you have your next whisky.”</p> <p>No wake was held after the funeral, with one attendee informing <em>The Daily Mail </em>that “the family just wants it to happen without any of the attention his death has attracted, which has understandably been overwhelming.</p> <p>“They're trying to keep it as personal as they can. It's critical they be given the space to do that.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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How to deep clean your kitchen bin

<p>Cleaning the kitchen bin is household chore that can be easily overlooked until a stench begins to creep into your home.</p> <p>To rid your bin of the odour, follow these deep cleaning steps so that you can have a fresh-smelling and clean kitchen bin.</p> <p><strong>1. Put on your rubber gloves</strong></p> <p>Cleaning a bin requires you to handle an object that has been full of food scraps and questionable liquids, it is best to wear some rubber gloves to protect you from the germs.</p> <p><strong>2. Empty the bin</strong></p> <p>Begin by emptying your bin and ensuring that there are no lingering food particles in the bottom. Your main objective is to remove any gunk that can be seen.</p> <p><strong>3. Wash the bin</strong></p> <p>If you have access to an outside area, take your bin outside and hose it down. If you can only clean your bin indoors, then you can do this in the bathtub. Once the bin has been rinsed, pat it down with paper towel.</p> <p><strong>4. Spray with disinfectant</strong></p> <p>Using a disinfectant cleaner of your preference, generously spray down the inside and outside of your bin. Also include the top and bottom of the bin as you spray.</p> <p><strong>5. Scrub the bin</strong></p> <p>Use a toilet brush or other long-handled nylon bristle brush to scrub your bin thoroughly. After you have finished scrubbing all over, let the disinfectant cleaner sit for five minutes.</p> <p><strong>6. Rinse and dry</strong></p> <p>After the five minutes has passed, rinse the can thoroughly. Depending on what you prefer, let the bin dry in the sun or dry it with a towel.</p> <p>Once you have deep cleaned your bin, maintain your hard work by wiping down the inside and outside of the bin with disinfectant spray every time you empty the trash can.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Home & Garden

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Tangy apricot Bavarian whip, fried rice medley and bombe Alaska: what Australia’s first food influencer had us cooking

<p>Our food choices are being influenced every day. On social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, food and eating consistently appear on lists of trending topics. </p> <p>Food has eye-catching appeal and is a universal experience. Everyone has to eat. In recent years, viral recipes like <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/02/11/baked-feta-pasta-recipe-tiktok/">feta pasta</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-dalgona-coffee-the-whipped-coffee-trend-taking-over-the-internet-during-coronavirus-isolation-137068">dalgona coffee</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-butter-boards-bad-for-you-an-expert-view-on-the-latest-food-trend-192260">butter boards</a> have taken the world by storm. </p> <p>Yet food influencing is not a new trend. </p> <p>Australia’s first food influencer appeared in the pages of Australia’s most popular women’s magazine nearly 70 years ago. Just like today’s creators on Instagram and TikTok, this teenage cook advised her audience what was good to eat and how to make it.</p> <h2>Meet Debbie, our teenage chef</h2> <p>Debbie commenced her decade-long tenure at the Australian Women’s Weekly in <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4814245">July 1954</a>. We don’t know exactly who played the role of Debbie, which was a pseudonym. Readers were never shown her full face or body – just a set of disembodied hands making various recipes and, eventually, a cartoon portrait.</p> <p>Like many food influencers today, Debbie was not an “expert” – she was a teenager herself. She taught teenage girls simple yet fashionable recipes they could cook to impress their family and friends, especially boys. </p> <p>She shared recipes for <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4925379">tangy apricot Bavarian whip</a>, <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4819441">fried rice medley</a> and <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4807813">bombe Alaska</a>. Debbie also often taught her readers the basics, like <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52249448">how to boil an egg</a>.</p> <p>Just like today, many of her recipes showed the readers step-by-step instructions through images.</p> <h2>Teaching girls to cook (and be ‘good’ women)</h2> <p>Debbie’s recipes first appeared in the For Teenagers section, which would go on to become the Teenagers Weekly lift-out in 1959. </p> <p>These lift-outs reflected a major change taking place in wider society: the idea of “teenagers” being their own group with specific interests and behaviours had entered the popular imagination.</p> <p>Debbie was speaking directly to teenage girls. Adolescents are still forming both their culinary and cultural tastes. They are forming their identities.</p> <p>For the Women’s Weekly, and for Debbie, cooking was deemed an essential attribute for women. Girls were seen to be “<a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4818166">failures</a>” if they couldn’t at least “cook a baked dinner”, “make real coffee”, “grill a steak to perfection”, “scramble and fry eggs” and “make a salad (with dressing)”. </p> <p>In addition to teaching girls how to cook, Debbie also taught girls how to catch a husband and become a good wife, a reflection of cultural expectations for women at the time. </p> <p>Her <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4920059">macaroon trifle</a>, the Women’s Weekly said, was sure to place girls at the top of their male friends’ “matrimony prospect” list!</p> <h2>Food fads and fashions</h2> <p>Food fads usually reflect something important about the world around us. During global COVID lockdowns, we saw a rise in <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-historical-roots-of-your-lockdown-sourdough-obsession-137528">sourdough bread-making</a> as people embraced carbohydrate-driven nostalgia in the face of anxiety.</p> <p>A peek at Debbie’s culinary repertoire can reveal some of the cultural phenomena that impacted Australian teenagers in the 1950s and ‘60s. </p> <p>Debbie embraced teenage interest in rock'n'roll culture from the early 1960s, the pinnacle of which came at the height of Beatlemania. </p> <p>The Beatles toured Australia in June 1964. To help her teenage readers celebrate their visit, Debbie wrote an editorial on how to host a <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48077701">Beatles party</a>. </p> <p>She suggested the party host impress their friends by making “Beatle lollipops”, “Ringo Starrs” (decorated biscuits) and terrifying-looking “Beatle mop-heads” (cakes with chocolate hair).</p> <p><a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55185376">A few months later</a>, she also shared recipes for “jam butties” (or sandwiches, apparently a “<a href="https://slate.com/culture/2013/03/the-beatles-and-the-mersey-beat-in-the-latest-blogging-the-beatles-how-the-beatles-popularized-the-sound-of-liverpool.html">Mersey</a> food with a Mersey name”) and a “Beatle burger”. </p> <p>We can also see the introduction of one of <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/italian/en/article/spag-bol-how-australians-adopted-a-classic-italian-recipe-and-made-it-their-own/9ogvr96ea">Australia’s most beloved dishes</a> in Debbie’s recipes. </p> <p>In 1957, she showed her teen readers how to make a new dish – <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48076527">spaghetti bolognaise</a> – which had first appeared in the magazine <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46465023">five years prior</a>. </p> <p>Debbie was influencing the youth of Australia to enthusiastically adopt (and adapt) Italian-style cuisine. It stuck. While the recipe may have evolved, in 2012, Meat and Livestock Australia <a href="https://www.mla.com.au/globalassets/mla-corporate/marketing-beef-and-lamb/last-nights-dinner.pdf">reported</a> that 38% of Australian homes ate “spag bol” at least once a week.</p> <p>Our food influences today may come from social media, but we shouldn’t forget the impact early influencers such as Debbie had on young people in the past.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/tangy-apricot-bavarian-whip-fried-rice-medley-and-bombe-alaska-what-australias-first-food-influencer-had-us-cooking-199987" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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"Deep gratitude": Meghan Markle pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth

<p>Meghan Markle has paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth, saying she feels "deep gratitude" for the time she got to spend with the monarch. </p> <p>In a tell-all interview with <a href="https://variety.com/2022/digital/features/meghan-markle-grieving-queen-elizabeth-working-harry-1235407176/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety</a>, the Duchess of Sussex reflected on the extraordinary events of the past month since the Queen passed, and how it affected her family.</p> <p>She said, "There’s been such an outpouring of love and support.”</p> <p>“I’m really grateful that I was able to be with my husband to support him, especially during that time."</p> <div id="indie-campaign-rHsIzpAmAj7xkA4llYlH-2" data-campaign-name="NCA ENTERTAINMENT newsletter" data-campaign-indie="newsletter-signup" data-jira="TSN-268" data-from="1640955600000" data-to="1677502800000"></div> <p>“What’s so beautiful is to look at the legacy that his grandmother was able to leave on so many fronts. Certainly, in terms of female leadership, she is the most shining example of what that looks like."</p> <p>“I feel deep gratitude to have been able to spend time with her and get to know her. </p> <p>“It’s been a complicated time, but my husband, ever the optimist, said, ‘Now she’s reunited with her husband.’”</p> <p>Meghan was also asked if she had any thoughts about her relationship with the Queen following her death. </p> <p>“I’ve reflected on that first official engagement that I had with her, how special that felt. I feel fortunate,” Meghan said.</p> <p>“And I continue to be proud to have had a nice warmth with the matriarch of the family.”</p> <p>The Duchess was also quizzed about her recent interview with The Cut, which "some found to be snarky".</p> <p>In that interview, Meghan claimed that "just by existing", her and Prince Harry were "upsetting the dynamic" of the royal family. </p> <p>Since then, she said she has had time to reflect on the story. </p> <p>She said, “Part of me is just really trusting, really open — that’s how I move in the world. I have to remember that I don’t ever want to become so jaded that that piece of me goes away. So despite any of those things? Onward. I can survive it.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Variety</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Which of these pictures is a deepfake? Your brain knows the answer before you do

<p>Deepfakes – AI-generated videos and pictures of people – are becoming more and more realistic. This makes them the perfect weapon for disinformation and fraud.</p> <p>But while you might consciously be tricked by a deepfake, new evidence suggests that your brain knows better. Fake portraits cause different signals to fire on brain scans, according to a paper <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2022.108079" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in <em>Vision Research.</em></p> <p>While you consciously can’t spot the fake (for those playing at home, the face on the right is the phony), your neurons are more reliable.</p> <p>“Your brain sees the difference between the two images. You just can’t see it yet,” says co-author Associate Professor Thomas Carlson, a researcher at the University of Sydney’s School of Psychology.</p> <p>The researchers asked volunteers to view a series of several hundred photos, some of which were real and some of which were fakes generated by a GAN (a Generative Adversarial Network, a common way of making deepfakes).</p> <p>One group of 200 participants was asked to guess which images were real, and which were fake, by pressing a button.</p> <p>A different group of 22 participants didn’t guess, but underwent electroencephalography (EEG) tests while they were viewing the images.</p> <p>The EEGs showed distinct signals when participants were viewing deepfakes, compared to real images.</p> <p>“The brain is responding different than when it sees a real image,” says Carlson.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p197814-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> <p>“It’s sort of difficult to figure out what exactly it’s picking up on, because all you can really see is that it is different – that’s something we’ll have to do more research to figure out.”</p> <p>The EEG scans weren’t foolproof: they could only spot deepfakes 54% of the time. But that’s significantly better than the participants who were guessing consciously. People only found deepfakes 37% of the time – worse than if they’d just flipped a coin.</p> <p>“The fact that the brain can detect deepfakes means current deepfakes are flawed,” says Carlson.</p> <p>“If we can learn how the brain spots deepfakes, we could use this information to create algorithms to flag potential deepfakes on digital platforms like Facebook and Twitter.”</p> <p>It could also be used to prevent fraud and theft.</p> <p>“EEG-enabled helmets could have been helpful in preventing recent bank heist and corporate fraud cases in Dubai and the UK, where scammers used cloned voice technology to steal tens of millions of dollars,” says Carlson.</p> <p>“In these cases, finance personnel thought they heard the voice of a trusted client or associate and were duped into transferring funds.”</p> <p>But this is by no means a guarantee. The researchers point out in their paper that, even while they were doing the research, GANs got more advanced and generated better fake images than the ones they used in their study. It’s possible that, once the algorithms exist, deepfakers will just figure out ways to circumvent them.</p> <p>“That said, the deepfakes are always being generated by a computer that has an ‘idea’ of what a face is,” says Carlson.</p> <p>“As long as it’s generating these things from this ‘idea’, there might be just the slightest thing that’s wrong. It’s a matter of figuring out what’s wrong with it this time.”</p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=197814&amp;title=Which+of+these+pictures+is+a+deepfake%3F+Your+brain+knows+the+answer+before+you+do" width="1" height="1" /></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/deepfakes-brain-eegs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/ellen-phiddian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ellen Phiddian</a>. Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Moshel et al. 2022, Vision Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2022.108079</em></p> </div>

Technology

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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial at 40 – a deep meditation on loneliness, and Spielberg’s most exhilarating film

<p>40 years ago this month saw the release of Steven Spielberg’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial</a> – a film about a stranded alien, the boy called Elliott who discovers it and a bond of friendship that remains as magical and heartbreaking as it did back in 1982.</p> <p>We think of Spielberg movies today as thrilling roller-coaster rides, full of sharks, dinosaurs and swashbuckling archaeologists. Yet for me, E.T. remains Spielberg’s most exhilarating work: a deep meditation on loneliness, friendship and growing up in small-town America.</p> <p>Aided by John Williams’s Oscar-winning score and Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore’s touching performances, E.T. feels both of its time and for all time. As Spielberg <a href="https://www.contactmusic.com/pages/et2x21x03x02" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once said</a>:</p> <p>I think that E.T. is for the people we are, the people we have been and the people we want to be again.</p> <h2>A child in need of a friend</h2> <p>After the breathless trio of Jaws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Spielberg wanted to make a more intimate film about his isolated childhood in suburban Arizona <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/steven-spielberg-et-divorce-parents-anniversary-b2063879.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as he came to terms</a> with the divorce of his parents.</p> <p>At the same time, he had commissioned a script about a suburban family terrorised by a group of aliens with one befriending the family’s son. The DNA of both stories would make their way into this film.</p> <p>Like Spielberg, Elliott is a loner. He’s not playing sport, or going out with girls or getting into trouble. He is introverted and thoughtful. And in need of company.</p> <p>One of Spielberg’s great underrated talents is his direction of children. Many of his films feature young children at their centre – think The BFG (2016), A.I. (2001) and War Horse (2011).</p> <p>In E.T., Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore as brother and sister Elliott and Gertie bring credibility and pathos to their roles, fitting seamlessly into the southern Californian ‘burb culture recreated so fondly by the director.</p> <p>Spielberg’s grasp of childlike wonder is everywhere: notice how he shoots from the children’s eye level and shows adults only from the waist down.</p> <p>For the first time in his career, Spielberg rejected storyboards and <a href="https://ascmag.com/articles/spielberg-et-the-extraterrestrial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot scenes chronologically</a>, allowing Thomas and Barrymore time and space to improvise. The domestic and school scenes (hiding E.T. from the mother, tempting it into the house with Reese’s Pieces, freeing frogs destined for dissection) all feel more real because of this.</p> <h2>And what of our alien?</h2> <p>Before E.T., Hollywood saw aliens as hostile critters intent on planetary carnage. The recent extra-terrestrials in Alien (1979) and The Thing (1982) had caused havoc and trauma.</p> <p>E.T. is different: partly modelled on the facial features of Albert Einstein, it is inquisitive, thoughtful, funny. In the delightful Halloween scene, Elliott throws a white sheet over it as a disguise, and E.T. suddenly spots a child dressed up as Yoda, excitedly repeating “Home! Home!”.</p> <p>From this moment, Hollywood realised the marketing potential of “cute aliens”; whether Ewoks, Grogu or Toy Story’s “Little Green Men”. It is small wonder that Variety <a href="https://variety.com/1982/film/reviews/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial-1200425287/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> E.T. as the “best Disney film Disney never made”.</p> <p>The alien plays another role too: it fills the void of the absent father.</p> <p>Paternal lack and the strains it places on families is a familiar trope in Spielberg’s films, from Jurassic Park (1993) to Catch Me If You Can (2002) to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).</p> <p>All we know is that Elliott’s father is “in Mexico, with Sally”: left behind is a stressed mother and bickering siblings.</p> <p>Some contend that E.T. is a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4239568?seq=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">modern-day fairy tale</a> or <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/15/movies/l-film-mailbag-is-et-a-religious-parable-073792.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a Christian parable</a>. For others, it is an illustration of “<a href="https://edoc.hu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/18452/23096/9783631837801%20%E2%80%93%20Echoes%20of%20Reaganism%20in%20Hollywood%20Blockbuster%20Movies%20from%20the%201980s%20to%20the%202010s.pdf?sequence=1&amp;isAllowed=y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reaganite entertainment</a>”, upholding the sanctity of the nuclear family but distrustful of bureaucratic interference and governmental surveillance.</p> <h2>Spielberg at his best</h2> <p>E.T. earned US$800 million at the box office. Adjusted for inflation, four decades on, that is still the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films_in_the_United_States_and_Canada#Adjusted_for_ticket-price_inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fourth highest grossing</a> movie ever.</p> <p>For some naysayers, its success was further evidence of the special effects-laden, high-concept spectacle film that was beginning to reign in mainstream film culture. But I think E.T. is much more than that: it is a movie with a heart. The special effects are minimal. What counts is the story, and the boy and his friend.</p> <p>Spielberg’s films are to this day <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2011/12/critics-notebook-putting-steven-spielberg-on-trial-50244/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticised</a> as mawkish and overly sentimental, deliberately engineered to cynically manipulate our emotions. Not so in E.T.: the pleasure is genuine and the tears are earned.</p> <p>E.T. became a pop culture phenomenon. The shot of Elliott and E.T. on a bike, flying across the moon, remains an iconic image. “Phone home” has become part of our lexicon. Its message of peaceful coexistence between creatures from different worlds today seems more appropriate than ever.</p> <p>Aliens stranded on earth are a staple of contemporary cinema, from Under the Skin (2013) to The Iron Giant (1999). And Netflix’s current global hit Stranger Things contains a treasure trove of E.T.’s visual references.</p> <p>Spielberg may have made bigger, louder films, and more historically profound ones, but E.T. endures as his best.</p> <p><em><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial-at-40-a-deep-meditation-on-loneliness-and-spielbergs-most-exhilarating-film-183985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Movies

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Preppers is a deep reading of colonial violence – and a hilarious, must-watch Aussie TV comedy

<p>A sophisticated multi-layered critique of colonialism, capitalism and patriarchy with an all-star Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cast (along with some well-known non-Indigenous personalities playing an assortment of “allies”), Preppers is hilarious.</p> <p>Trying to navigate being the only Indigenous person on an all-white TV morning show, Wake up Australia, and dealing with <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/unmasking-the-racial-contract-debbie-bargallie/book/9781925302653.html">daily microaggressions</a>, Charlie (Nakkiah Lui) finds herself suffering feelings of inadequacy and soothing herself with self-help affirmations.</p> <p>Then, after a series of unfortunate events, she wakes to find herself at a doomsday preppers hold out known as “Eden 2”. The six-part series then unfolds in an isolated camp where power relations shift as everyone prepares for the end of the world.</p> <p>The core cast of seven is led by a group of brilliant Blak actors: Lui is joined by Jack Charles, Meyne Wyatt, Ursula Yovich and Aaron McGrath, with non-Indigenous actors Eryn Jean Norvill and Chum Ehelepola rounding out the preppers.</p> <p>Many other wonderful actors move in and out of the series, including Miranda Tapsell, Luke Carroll and Christine Anu, as it tackles some big issues such as colonial violence, frontier wars, inter-generational trauma and the politics of identity.</p> <p>But it does this all in the great Aussie tradition of <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-84796-8_6">taking the piss</a>: making fun of the things that are absurd, risible, offensive and hurtful.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nvb1Mx34TiA?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <h2>A story of allyship</h2> <p><a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-84796-8_10">Much has been written on the topic of allyship</a> with Indigenous people, particularly the danger that, in seeking “ally” status one is really seeking to position oneself as the “good white person”.</p> <p>If white allies are motivated solely by a desire to be seen as a “good person”, there is a danger they might remain <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/lhapapers/2070/">ignorant of or indifferent</a> to larger structures of power. Preppers explores this complexity in a way that will make us all laugh, while also revealing how allyship operates to silence or take from Indigenous people.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430732/original/file-20211108-25-bmjnpb.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430732/original/file-20211108-25-bmjnpb.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="A white woman dressed like a coloniser, and an Aboriginal woman dressed as an Aussie flag thong." /></a> <span class="caption">Is this allyship?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">ABC TV</span></span></p> <p>In one episode, the group is accidentally locked in the bunker. Jayden (Aaron McGrath) calls on Kirby (Eryn Jean Norvill) to be sacrificed before they run out of air. As Jayden describes it, this would be “the ultimate display of white allyship”.</p> <p>Kirby, not very happy to comply, responds by stating she should survive to go on and tell the story.</p> <p>“We don’t need another white person to tell a Black story,” says Jayden.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430731/original/file-20211108-10550-nd7vuv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430731/original/file-20211108-10550-nd7vuv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="A white woman with a shotgun mike, looked on by three Aboriginal people." /></a> <span class="caption">‘We don’t need another white person to tell a Black story’, Jayden tells Kirby.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">ABC TV</span></span></p> <p>Becoming an ally is no simple or straightforward matter. Instead, it requires constant reflection on your social position, and remaining accountable to those with whom you are “allied” – but you probably won’t be called to self-sacrifice to ensure enough air is left in your doomsday bunker.</p> <p>In true Hollywood end-of-days fashion, the group turns on itself. Kirby declares Charlie (Lui) will be the one to die.</p> <p>Charlie’s reward will be becoming the namesake for a future child of born again Christians Lionel (New Zealand-Sri Lankan actor Chum Ehelepola) and Kelly (Ursula Yovich). Not the first or the second child but one of the later ones, Kelly notes.</p> <p>An annual day of honour will also be bestowed upon Charlie – “a day of mourning and dancing and stuff”. Thankfully, they are saved by the arrival of Charlie’s mum, Marie (Christine Anu).</p> <h2>Tough truths through comedy</h2> <p>Preppers unpacks what we think we know – and what has been taught to us as truth – about colonisation. In one scene, bones are found. The preppers suspect the bones could be those of an Aboriginal person killed during the frontier wars.</p> <p>The truth of these atrocities is questioned by some members of the group. “Don’t they teach you that in school?”, Jayden asks.</p> <p>“We used to make boomerangs out of Popsicle sticks, does that count?”, asks Lionel.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430733/original/file-20211108-10010-1o9yuk7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430733/original/file-20211108-10010-1o9yuk7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Jack Charles" /></a> <span class="caption">Through Monty (Jack Charles), Preppers tells the truth about Australia’s history.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">ABC TV</span></span></p> <p>The resident Elder, Monty (Jack Charles), reveals he may have some records of local frontier wars and quips “that is the thing with you white fellas. You deny it but you wrote it down”.</p> <p>Describing <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/this-interactive-map-highlights-150-indigenous-massacres">frontier violence</a> as an apocalypse, Monty shows the group a series of slides of colonial soldiers and settlers killing Aboriginal people, declaring they were “led by a cruel man, a real dog. He shot, burnt, beat, hung local Aboriginal people”.</p> <p>Even though Preppers is a comedy, the show provides a deep reading often left out of recollections of colonial violence. Indigenous people were not just passive victims of the heinous crimes. They were people who fought for their lives and Country.</p> <p>“They ambushed this colonial dog and his men, stole their weapons and turned the guns back on them. The Blackfullas had their revenge”, says Monty.</p> <h2>Blackfulla deadly</h2> <p>From Charlie, whose anxiety manifests into uncontrollable flatulence, to a Black <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2019/04/is-you-vs-wild-real-netflix-bear-gryllls.html">Bear Grylls</a>-alpha-male-wannabe (Guy, played by Meyne Wyatt), to a pair of amorous born again Christians practising abstinence, Preppers includes brilliant performances from all in the cast.</p> <p>Preppers embodies the true definition of Blak humour in all its intricacies, and the unique ways Indigenous comedy can address the complexities of everyday life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in contemporary Australia.</p> <p>The series is, to quote a line in one of the episodes, “like deadly, like Blackfulla deadly, not like gammin [fake or pretend]” - a must watch!</p> <p><em>Preppers is on ABC from November 10.</em><!-- 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/170100/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><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bronwyn-carlson-136214">Bronwyn Carlson</a>, Professor, Indigenous Studies and Director of The Centre for Global Indigenous Futures, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/preppers-is-a-deep-reading-of-colonial-violence-and-a-hilarious-must-watch-aussie-tv-comedy-170100">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: ABC</em></p>

TV

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New “miracle” Parkinson’s treatment can be done “anywhere in the world”

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">World-first technology has opened doors for new treatment of Parkinson’s disease, with the new wireless implants being dubbed a “miracle” by patients.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) implants reduce the symptoms of Parkinsons, and have required adjusting from a neurologist every time a patient’s condition changes - until now.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The new technology from neuromodulation company Abbott allows specialists to adjust DBS devices remotely over the internet.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For 70-year-old Clive Couperthwaite, the first patient to use the new tech as part of a clinical trial last year, the development has put an end to his two-hour commutes for 20-minute adjustments to his implant.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> “I’m not the patient that lives the furthest away, but it’s a complication to get in [to visit a specialist] … if you live in Longreach or some place out of the city - it’s a major demand, Mr Couperthwaite <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-29/qld-remote-brain-function-parkinsons-treatment-breakthrough/100576716" target="_blank">said</a>.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“When you live so far away from your specialist, it’s anxiety-provoking because what if something goes wrong.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845200/_0-17-screenshot.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b2d4ab738fcf499ea41e2d814c23d5f2" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Clive Couperthwaite, the first person to use the new remote technology. Image: Abbott / YouTube</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You feel like you can live again - you don’t have to keep looking over your shoulder.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The technology has been approved for use in Australia, Europe, and the United States.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Peter Silburn, a neurologist from the Queensland Brain Institute, said the development of the new technology has been “the most exciting development” in treatment of the neurological disease since the DBS device itself.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The DBS device works as a pacemaker for the brain, sending electrical signals to areas responsible for movement to reduce symptoms.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We take away the cardinal symptoms of Parkinson’s and we’re able to take the drugs right down - if not stop them all together,” Dr Silburn said.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845199/_1-26-screenshot.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/80b1ad454cf64e9bbdeab17e3c6b2dce" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two electrodes are implanted in the brain and receive electrical signals from the device, implanted in the chest. Image: Abbott / YouTube</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Without the new technology, Dr Silburn said the device may need to be adjusted as frequently as every two weeks.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, the wireless technology allows specialists such as Dr Silburn to connect with patients via an app installed on paired devices - meaning that adjustments can be made from anywhere in the world.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is going to have a major impact for particularly regional Australians,” Dr Silburn said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It reduces the burden of care, whether you’re remote in the bush or an hour away in the car - someone has to give up their time to bring you in.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If you’re way out in the middle of Australia and something goes wrong, you need to have a Careflight, that could be completely eliminated.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Couperthwaite said the DBS implant is the source of his autonomy, allowing him to complete tasks from painting to kayaking.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Before I was shaking through my hands, I couldn’t write my name legibly,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Migual Diaz, the chief executive of Parkinson’s Australia, said the new development could lead more people to pursue DBS as a form of treatment, especially if they are geographically isolated.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“People [who] may have been put off by the fact that you have to come to Brisbane to have [adjustments] and have opted not to have DBS surgery might now reconsider that,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson’s, so anything that will improve their wellbeing is an absolute benefit and we’ve got to pursue it.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The technology has been made available to select hospitals, with the expectation it will be available nation-wide by 2022.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Abbott / YouTube</span></em></p>

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"Deep sadness": Hugh Jackman's tragic news

<p>Hugh Jackman has announced his dad, Christopher, died on Father's Day and the Hollywood star has shared a powerful tribute to his father who "taught him everything" after his mother abandoned him as a child.</p> <p>The Australian actor, 56, shared the news on Instagram alongside an image of his father, saying: 'In the early hours of Father's Day (AU), my Dad peacefully passed away. And whilst there is deep sadness, I am filled with such gratitude and love. My Dad was<br />in a word, extraordinary. He devoted his life to his family, his work and his faith. I pray he is now at peace with God.’</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/CTelQMJrQSe/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTelQMJrQSe/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Christopher Jackman was a British-born, Cambridge-educated accountant, who was believed to have been around 84 years old.</p> <p>Christopher and his ex-wife - Hugh's mum - Grace, are both British and while Hugh was born in Australia, he is a British citizen, having said: “My parents are English and I have a British passport so I'm a British citizen.”</p> <p>Grace left Oz and returned to her native England in the late '70s, leaving her husband to raise Hugh alone and his siblings alone when Hugh was eight-years-old..</p> <p>Recalling his difficult childhood previously Hugh has said: ''It was traumatic. 'I thought she was probably going to come back. And then it sort of dragged on and on.”</p> <p>It wasn't until Hugh was '12 or 13' that it dawned on him his mother would never return. In 2012, Hugh broke down on <em>60 Minutes</em> when discussing his mother leaving his father, himself and his siblings. He said: “My father is my rock. It's where I learned everything about loyalty, dependability, being there day in, day out, no matter what.”</p> <p>“It's always about the family,” he added of the values that his father has instilled in him. “Dad used to pray every night that mum would come back,” he added.</p> <p>Hugh once told an Australian magazine: “The thing I never felt - and I know this might sound strange - I never felt that my mum didn't love me.”</p> <p>The star told has said he felt traumatised and ashamed for years after his mother left but that he’s since come to realise over time that she was struggling with postnatal depression without a proper support system.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.36645962732916px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843797/hugh-jackman-mum-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e0061752e2164e4893c50b4574d967c1" /></p> <p>“At the time, it was difficult,” he said. “One of the main things I remember is that horrible feeling that people were talking about you and looking at you because it was odd for the mother to leave.</p> <p>“For many years, I thought it was not going to be forever, so I clung on to that. Up until about the age of 12 or 13, I thought mum and dad would get back together... Realising it wasn't going to happen was probably the toughest time to be honest.”</p> <p>Years later Hugh spoke to his mother about her decision to leave, and realised she had her own battles, which he wouldn't have been able to understand as a child.</p> <p>“I know she was struggling. She was in hospital after I was born suffering from post-natal depression,” he said.</p> <p>“And then you add five kids into the mix and the fact she had emigrated from England and there wasn't a support network for her here, plus the fact that dad was at work all day - and you realise that as parents we make mistakes,” he added.</p> <p>Hugh explained that having children of his own with wife Deborra-Lee Furness - they share son Oscar, 21, and daughter Ava, 16, both adopted - gave him “another level of empathy and understanding” that allowed him to build bridges with his mother.</p> <p>Fortunately, Hugh and his mother reconciled years later, and are now frequently pictured together at the actor's ritzy events and in social media posts.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.46853146853147px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843798/hugh-jackman-6-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9a19c66ec31a4b2093b1a14d676f0465" /></p> <p><strong>Frequent heartfelt tributes to his father</strong></p> <p>Hugh frequently shared heartfelt tributes to his father on social media. For Father's Day 2018, the Oscar-nominated star shared a touching post on Instagram alongside a photo of the beaming pair. 'Happy Father's Day to the man who taught me to show respect for others,' he posted.</p> <p>'For education, for being led by your passions. Who taught me to never stop growing and learning.’</p> <p>Hugh added: 'To work hard and realize that preparation is the bedrock for success. And above all, to find purpose beyond oneself.'</p> <p>The well-known actor finished the post with a simple: 'I love you Dad!'</p> <p><strong>25th wedding anniversary of his own</strong></p> <p>The Broadway actor recently celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary to wife Deborra-Lee Furness.</p> <p>In April, Hugh shared photos from their 1996 wedding day alongside a heartfelt tribute.</p> <p>'Being married to you, Deb, is as natural as breathing. From nearly the moment we met... I knew our destiny was to be together,' he began.</p> <p>'In our 25 years - our love has only grown deeper. The fun, excitement and adventure more exhilarating; the learning even greater.’</p> <p>In an interview with NBC's <em>Today </em>show earlier this year, he called his wife the 'most optimistic person' in his life.</p> <p>“Deb is the lightest, most optimistic person I've ever met in my life. Like, if you ever want to play who's the happiest person in the room, Deb wins,” he said.</p> <p>The couple moved from Sydney to New York with their children in 2008, where they own an apartment in the West Village.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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