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110-year-old woman reveals the secret to a long life

Perth woman Bridget Grocke, who has just celebrated her 110th birthday, has revealed the very Aussie secret to her longevity. Ms Grocke, who has lived through two World Wars, the Great Depression, the Space Race, and the Information Age, is officially one of Australia's oldest residents. For sixty years, she has credited her old age to one glass of Emu Export beer everyday, as she chose a glass of the Aussie tipple over a slice of cake at her birthday party on Wednesday. “If there was a whole heap of beer and I was asked which one is your favourite I’d have to say this,” she told 9News as she held a glass of bush chook in her hand. “I’ve always known it. It tastes good. Cheers to Emu Export.” Born in Western Australia on November 18th 1914, Bridget spent her early years in Kalgoorlie and moved all across WA as the family followed her father’s work as an engine driver. Then at the age of 18, she took the leap and moved to Perth on her own. Ms Grocke spent her years working in fashion and customer service, also building her own family of four children with her husband, Jim, who she married at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Subiaco in 1942. Despite losing her husband in 1985 and two of her children, Ms Grocke is surrounded by the love of her remaining son and daughter, 10 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. Other than one of her beloved beers a day, Ms Grocke attributed her long life to her loving family, and her word of advice to younger generations was “if you’re nice to people they will be nice to you”. Ms Grocke’s daughter Jan Robertson said her mother’s adventurous spirit and loving family had kept her young at heart. “Mum was very easy going and she was strict, of course, but she always gave you the right path,” she said. “She has always been well. The only thing she got done was her cataracts at 100, before that she hadn’t been in hospital since childbirth.” Image credits: Nine News <div class="more-coverage-v2" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #e0e1e2; float: right; margin-left: 16px; max-width: 40%; padding: 16px 0px;"> </div>

Caring

105-year-old shares the secret to longevity

A 105-year-old woman has celebrated her birthday by sharing her two secrets for a long, prosperous and stress-free life. Kathleen Hennings, who lives in a care home in Cheltenham, England, celebrated her 105th birthday with her family, friends and other residents, as she shared some valuable life advice. Kathleen was born in 1919 and had a successful career as an accountant, spending her free time watching operas and ballets at London’s Royal Opera House. Reflecting on her many happy years, Kathleen revealed the secret to living a long life as, “Drink Guinness and don’t marry!” The centenarian was first introduced to Guinness by her parents and her brother, and quickly fell in love with the dark Irish stout, drinking it religiously throughout her life. This is not the first time Kathleen has offered up this advice, and as a result, was treated to some gifts from Guinness as a birthday present. Kathleen was given a hamper by Guinness with pint glasses, a kitchen apron, slippers, chocolates, and, of course, plenty of the famous Irish drink. Commenting on her special birthday, Kathleen said: “It was so nice to see my lovely friends and neighbours. I’ve been spoiled. Thank you so much.” Image credits: Facebook

Retirement Life

Hollywood icon reveals plans for retirement

Denzel Washington has revealed that he is going to retire after his next batch of films. The Hollywood icon appeared via videolink on Tuesday’s episode of the Today Show, alongside his co-stars to promote his new film Gladiator II. “I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. Probably not that many,” the actor, who turns 70 next month, told Today host Richard Wilkins. “I want to do things I haven’t done. I’ve played Othello at 22, I’m about to play Othello at 70,” he said. Denzel will play the role in the Shakespeare play on Broadway alongside Jake Gyllenhaal from February next year. “After that I’m playing Hannibal. After that I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that Ryan Coogler’s writing a part for me in the next Black Panther.” He added, “After that I’m going to do the film Othello. After that I’m going to do King Lear. After that I’m going to retire.” Based on the interview, the actor has six upcoming projects across stage and film, so fans will still get to enjoy a few more of his roles before he retires, following a career that has spanned almost 50 years. Speaking to news.com.au, the actor offered some insight into why he is planning to retire, saying that there are “less and less challenges”, after previously revealing that at this point in his career, there are very few roles he is willing to take. Image: Masatoshi Okauchi/ Shutterstock Editorial

What does a good death look like when you’re really old and ready to go?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/naomi-richards-182120">Naomi Richards</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-glasgow-1269">University of Glasgow</a> <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/hawaii-legalizes-assisted-suicide_us_5ac6c6f5e4b0337ad1e621fb">Hawaii</a> recently joined the growing number of states and countries where doctor-assisted dying is legal. In these jurisdictions, help to die is rarely extended to those who don’t have a terminal illness. Yet, increasingly, very old people, without a terminal illness, who feel that they have lived too long, are arguing that they also have a right to such assistance. Media coverage of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2018/05/09/this-104-year-old-plans-to-die-tomorrow-and-hopes-to-change-views-on-assisted-suicide/?utm_term=.b00a9036f9bc">David Goodall</a>, the 104-year-old Australian scientist who travelled to Switzerland for assisted dying, demonstrates the level of public interest in ethical dilemmas at the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k1891.full">extremities of life</a>. Goodall wanted to die because he no longer enjoyed life. Shortly before his death, he told reporters that he spends most of his day just sitting. “What’s the use of that?” he asked. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953615002889?via%3Dihub">Research</a> shows that life can be a constant struggle for the very old, with social connections hard to sustain and health increasingly fragile. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25982088">Studies</a> looking specifically at the motivation for assisted dying among the very old show that many feel a deep sense of loneliness, tiredness, an inability to express their individuality by taking part in activities that are important to them, and a hatred of dependency. Of the jurisdictions where assisted dying is legal, some make suffering the determinant (Canada, for example). Others require a prognosis of six months (California, for example). Mainly, though, the focus is on people who have a terminal illness because it is seen as less of an ethical problem to hasten the death of someone who is already dying than someone who is simply tired of life. <h2>Why give precedence to physical suffering?</h2> Assisted dying for people with psychological or existential reasons for wanting to end their life is unlikely to be supported by doctors because it is not objectively verifiable and also potentially remediable. In the Netherlands, despite the legal power to offer assistance where there is no life-limiting illness, doctors are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25693947">seldom convinced</a> of the unbearable nature of non-physical suffering, and so will rarely administer a lethal dose in such cases. Although doctors may look to a physical diagnosis to give them confidence in their decision to hasten a patient’s death, physical symptoms are often not mentioned by the people they are assisting. Instead, the most common reason given by those who have received help to die is <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMms1700606">loss of autonomy</a>. Other common reasons are to avoid burdening others and not being able to enjoy one’s life – the exact same reason given by Goodall. This suggests that requests from people with terminal illness, and from those who are just very old and ready to go, are not as different as both the law – and doctors’ interpretation of the law – claim them to be. <h2>Sympathetic coverage</h2> It seems that the general public does not draw a clear distinction either. Most of the media coverage of Goodall’s journey to Switzerland was sympathetic, to the dismay of <a href="http://www.carenotkilling.org.uk/press-releases/centenarians-assisted-suicide/">opponents</a> of assisted dying. Media reports about <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/sep/02/mary-berry-great-british-bake-off-centenarian-assisted-dying">ageing celebrities</a> endorsing assisted dying in cases of both terminal illness and very old age, blur the distinction still further. One of the reasons for this categorical confusion is that, at root, this debate is about what a good death looks like, and this doesn’t rely on prognosis; it relies on <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01459740.2016.1255610">personality</a>. And, it’s worth remembering, the personalities of the very old are as diverse as those of the very young. Discussion of assisted suicide often focuses on concerns that some older people may be exposed to coercion by carers or family members. But older people also play another role in this debate. They make up the rank and file <a href="http://www.ep.liu.se/ej/ijal/2012/v7/i1/a01/ijal12v7i1a01.pdf">activists</a> of the global right-to-die movement. In this conflict of rights, protectionist impulses conflict with these older activists’ demands to die on their own terms and at a time of their own choosing. In light of the <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/worlds-older-population-grows-dramatically">unprecedented ageing</a> of the world’s population and increasing longevity, it is important to think about what a good death looks like in deep old age. In an era when more jurisdictions are passing laws to permit doctor-assisted dying, the choreographed death of a 104-year-old, who died listening to Ode to Joy after enjoying a last fish supper, starts to look like a socially approved good death.<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/96589/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/naomi-richards-182120">Naomi Richards</a>, Lecturer in Social Science (End of Life Studies), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-glasgow-1269">University of Glasgow</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/what-does-a-good-death-look-like-when-youre-really-old-and-ready-to-go-96589">original article</a>. </div>

Caring

Coldplay bring out Hollywood cameo for Aussie show

Coldplay have shocked the crowd at their Melbourne concert by bringing out a 1980s movie legend to the stage for a surprise cameo. Karate Kid Actor Ralph Macchio took to the stage during the show to help the band perform their song The Karate Kid, from their new album Moon Music. Macchio, 62, lip-synched to frontman Chris Martin’s vocals, before the pair embraced warmly in front of the crowd at the sold-out gig. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"> NEWS • Karate Kid Actor Ralph Macchio took to the stage during today’s show in Melbourne to shoot the music video for "The Karate Kid". | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ColdplayMelbourne?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ColdplayMelbourne</a> 🇦🇺 He lip synced to Chris's voice 🥋🎤 🎥<a href="https://twitter.com/coldplaybrasil?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coldplaybrasil</a> <a href="https://t.co/bWP1YN79G3">pic.twitter.com/bWP1YN79G3</a> — Coldplay United Kingdom (@ColdplayUK_) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColdplayUK_/status/1851967580363255983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2024</a></blockquote> Macchio became a household name in the 1980s for playing Daniel LaRusso in three Karate Kid films, and more recently has reprised the iconic role in the Netflix series Cobra Kai. According to a Coldplay fan account on social media, the footage of the actor’s on-stage cameo will be used as a music video when The Karate Kid is released as a single. The famous actor had earlier been spotted in the audience at Coldplay’s Wednesday show at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, having flown from New York to attend the gig. Image credits: X/Sonia Moskowitz Gordon/ZUMA/Shutterstock Editorial

Music

Parents demand action after five-year-old son brutally attacked with golf club

William Brooks-Chiplin was playing in the front yard of his friend’s house in Tamworth, NSW on Thursday, when he was allegedly attacked with a golf club by another child. The five-year-old's face was extremely swollen and he was left dizzy and unable to move his jaw. “The people who came out and saw it thought he was gone. He didn’t make a sound, and he wasn’t moving,” his father, Kayleb Brooks, said. “My thought was he was going to die. No kid should ever experience that,” his mother, Marrisa Tisdell, added. His parents also said the young boy “is having nightmares, waking up and screaming in his sleep”. William is required to return to hospital for further scans to determine whether he has any hairline fractures or issues with his eyesight. NSW Police said they identified the 10-year-old accused of hitting William, and he had been given a warning under the Young Offenders Act, designed to provide an alternative process to court proceedings for children accused of crimes. For children aged between 10 and 14 years, the act is design in such way because, “a child cannot be held criminally responsible for their conduct because they don’t understand right or wrong”, according to Hugo Law Group’s Linday Stankovic. However, William's parents are calling for the government to change the age of criminal responsibility following the incident. “The kid pretty much just got a caution,” William's mum said. “(It’s) is unfair, because in the meantime he is suffering and nothing is being done about it,” his dad added. However, things aren't that simple as there are other concerns about the implication. Earlier this month, the Australian Human Rights Commissioner wrote to the NT government urging it to not lower the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10-years-old. “The younger a child comes into contact with the criminal justice system, the more likely they will go on to commit more serious and violent crimes," National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds said. “Lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 10 years will not make communities safer, it will only see rates of child offending increase. “These are primary school age children, and harsh, punitive responses are not the answer. “ A recent report also found that more than three-quarters of children had mental health needs or cognitive disability, and 47 per cent had multiple diagnosed cognitive disabilities. Image: 7News

Legal

30 years ago, Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction shook Hollywood and redefined ‘cool’ cinema

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-mccann-398197">Ben McCann</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> What might be the most seismic moment in American cinema? Film “speaking” for the first time in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SzltpkGz0M">The Jazz Singer</a>? Dorothy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4eQmTizTSo">entering</a> the Land of Oz? That <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw_D3a2pZtk">menacing shark</a> that in 1975 invented the <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-history-of-the-blockbuster-movie/">summer blockbuster</a>? Or how about that moment when two hitmen on their way to a job began talking about the intricacies of European fast food while listening to Kool & The Gang? <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2j_A6e-VESk?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Directed by Quentin Tarantino, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/">Pulp Fiction</a> (1994) celebrates its 30th birthday this month. Watching it now, this story of a motley crew of mobsters, drug dealers and lowlifes in sunny Los Angeles still feels startlingly new. Widely regarded as Tarantino’s masterpiece, the director’s dazzling second film was considered era-defining for its memorable dialogue, innovative narrative structure and unique blend of humour and violence. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, made stars of Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman, and revitalised John Travolta’s career. Pulp Fiction is dark, often poignant, and very funny. It is, as one critic <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/apr/13/my-favourite-cannes-winner-pulp-fiction">describes it</a>, an “intravenous jab of callous madness, black comedy and strange unwholesome euphoria”. <h2>A Möbius strip plot</h2> Famous for its non-linear narrative, Pulp Fiction weaves together <a href="https://thescriptlab.com/features/main/1457-structure-of-pulp-fiction-method-in-the-madness/">a trio of connected crime stories</a>. The three chapters – Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace’s Wife, The Gold Watch and The Bonnie Situation – loop, twist and intersect but, crucially, never confuse the viewer. Tarantino has often paid tribute to French filmmakers <a href="https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/jean-luc-godard-quentin-tarantino-ultimate-hero/">Jean-Luc Godard</a> and <a href="https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/director-deeply-inspired-quentin-tarantino/">Jean-Pierre Melville</a>, whose earlier films also presented their narratives out of chronological order and modified the rules of the crime genre. By inviting audiences to piece Pulp Fiction together like a puzzle, Tarantino laid the way for subsequent achronological films such as Memento (2000), Go (1999) and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). <h2>Pop culture meets postmodernism</h2> In his influential essay Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, first published in 1984, political theorist Frederic Jameson coined the term “<a href="https://literariness.org/2016/04/04/fredric-jamesons-concept-of-depthlessness/">new depthlessness</a>” to describe postmodern culture. Jameson perceived a shift away from the depth, meaning and authenticity that characterised earlier forms of culture, towards a focus on surface and style. Pulp Fiction <a href="http://moviemezzanine.com/the-eyes-behind-the-mask-pulp-fiction-and-postmodernity-20-years-later/">fits</a> Jameson’s definition of depthlessness. It is stuffed with homages to popular culture and a vivid array of character types drawn from other B-movies – hitmen, molls, mob bosses, double-crossing boxers, traumatised war veterans and tuxedo-wearing “fixers”. It is a film of surfaces and <a href="https://wiki.tarantino.info/index.php/Pulp_Fiction_Movie_References_Guide">allusions</a>. Jackson, Travolta and Thurman feature alongside established 1990s box-office stars including Bruce Willis and industry stalwarts Harvey Keitel and Christopher Walken, both of whom have brief but memorable cameos. The film’s most iconic scene takes place at the retro 1950s-themed Jack Rabbit Slim’s diner. Thurman’s twist contest with Travolta fondly echoes Travolta’s earlier dancing in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and pays homage to other dance scenes in films such as 8 ½ (1963) and Band of Outsiders (1964). <h2>Words and music</h2> Film critic Roger Ebert <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-pulp-fiction-1994">once noted</a> how Tarantino’s characters “often speak at right angles to the action”, giving long speeches before getting on with the job at hand. Pulp Fiction is full of witty and quotable monologues and dialogue, ranging from the philosophical to the mundane. Conversations about foot massages and blueberry pie bump up against Bible verses and reflections on fate and redemption. The film’s 1995 Oscar for Best Original Screenplay was a fitting achievement for Tarantino, who many regard as <a href="https://medium.com/word-garden/tarantinos-conversations-are-the-best-in-movie-history-this-is-why-52e06de4f773">the snappiest writer</a> in film history. Countless other filmmakers have looked to replicate Pulp Fiction’s mashup of cool and coarse. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S6Vuj8tF-kk?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Needle drops are <a href="https://medium.com/cuepoint/the-music-of-pulp-fiction-8a13a7cdb5a8">just as important</a> in establishing Pulp Fiction’s mood and tone. The film’s eclectic soundtrack pings between surf rock, soul and classic rock ‘n’ roll. The soundtrack peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 in 1994 and stayed in the charts for <a href="https://www.grammy.com/news/how-pulp-fiction-reinvented-the-film-soundtrack-anniversary">more than a year</a>. <h2>Dividing the critics</h2> Though it was officially released in October 1994, Pulp Fiction had already made a stir earlier that by winning the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Many expected Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Three Colours: Red to take <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/nov/09/three-colours-red-cannes">the top prize</a>. Tarantino himself seemed stunned, telling the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnS5pXQQmR4&t=188s">Cannes audience</a>: “I don’t make the kind of movies that bring people together. I make movies that split people apart.” The film has divided critics ever since. Many adored Pulp Fiction for its intoxicating allure and sheer adrenaline-fuelled pleasure. To this day it maintains a 92% critic score on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pulp_fiction">Rotten Tomatoes</a>. Film critic Todd McCarthy <a href="https://variety.com/1994/film/reviews/pulp-fiction-1200437049/">called it</a> a film “bulging with boldness, humour and diabolical invention”. But the backlash was equally robust. <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2014/10/pulp-fiction-bad-film">Some</a> criticised the film for its excessive gore and irresponsible use of racial slurs. Screenwriting guru Syd Field <a href="https://sydfield.com/syd_resources/pulp-fiction/">felt</a> it was too shallow and too talky. Jean-Luc Godard, once one of Tarantino’s idol, apparently <a href="https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2022/12/0eav5zg509ajlqjg9xc8em2m3xrorw">hated it</a>. Nonetheless, its financial success (a <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0110912/">box office return</a> of US$213 million from an $8 million budget) signalled the growing importance and cultural prestige of independent US films. Miramax, the studio that backed it, went on to <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Down_and_Dirty_Pictures/aXn_CwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=down+and+dirty+pictures,+biskind&printsec=frontcover">become</a> a major force in the industry. <h2>A lasting legacy</h2> Shortly after Pulp Fiction’s release, the word “Tarantinoesque” <a href="https://www.oed.com/dictionary/tarantinoesque_adj">appeared</a> in the Oxofrd English Dictionary. The entry reads: <blockquote> Resembling or imitative of the films of Quentin Tarantino; characteristic or reminiscent of these films Tarantino’s films are typically characterised by graphic and stylized violence, non-linear storylines, cineliterate references, satirical themes, and sharp dialogue. </blockquote> Pulp Fiction has since been parodied and knocked off countless times. Hollywood suddenly began <a href="http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2016/the-10-worst-copycat-films-of-pulp-fiction/">mass-producing low-budget crime thrillers</a> with witty, self-reflexive dialogue. Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead (1995), 2 Days In The Valley (1996) and Very Bad Things (1998) are just some example. Graffiti artist Bansky even <a href="https://banksyexplained.com/pulp-fiction-2004/">stencilled</a> the likeness of Jules and Vincent all over London, with bananas in place of guns. The Simpsons <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u6wR_2S4xQ">got in on the act</a> too. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4u6wR_2S4xQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Tarantino <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/profile-hollywood-s-hitman-quentin-tarantino-a-sadist-or-just-a-stylist-david-thomson-on-the-boywonder-director-of-pulp-fiction-1444551.html">once summed up</a> his working method as follows: <blockquote> Ultimately all I’m trying to do is merge sophisticated storytelling with lurid subject matter. I reckon that makes for an entertaining night at the movies. </blockquote> I’d say there’s no better way to describe Pulp Fiction.<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/236877/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-mccann-398197">Ben McCann</a>, Associate Professor of French Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> Image credits: Miramax 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/30-years-ago-tarantinos-pulp-fiction-shook-hollywood-and-redefined-cool-cinema-236877">original article</a>. </div>

Movies

Terminally ill 23-year-old's final request

Liam Bulman was working a shift at The Illawarra Hotel in Wollongong last month when he asked to leave early, as he felt unwell. The following week he found himself in "crippling pain" and was rushed to hospital by his friend. After days of intensive testing, the 23-year-old was diagnosed with stage-four High Grade Neuroendocrine Carcinoma — a "rare" cancer that had spread. Now, his family and friends are doing everything they can to raise funds so he can have a "chance to make memories" through ticking off items on his bucket list in this "scary, sad and unknown" time. "He's smart and kind. He's been raised to work hard and contribute to people's lives, and our community. He's incredible," Liam's colleagues from The Illawarra Hotel wrote on the<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/youre-friendly-local-bartender-bulmans-bucket-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> GoFundMe</a> page. So far they have raised over $28,000 of their $50,000 goal, with most of the money raised going towards his medical costs, medical trial attendance and palliative care, and any remaining money will help fund his bucket list. His bucket list includes activities like attending the F1 in Melbourne, going for a joyride in a helicopter, learning to surf and taking a family photo session. Liam's mum, Emily Bulman, revealed his cancer is "incurable" and he has since started a bout of chemotherapy in hope it will "buy him more time" as the cancer has spread to his lymph nodes and lower digestive tract. "This will assist us to aim for longevity, quality of life, a chance to make memories, and receive the care and comfort that suits Liam best," she said on the fundraising page. "Anything we can raise to help take the burden off Liam, we would be incredibly grateful for." Images: GoFundMe/Facebook

Caring

Hollywood legend Kris Kristofferson dies at age 88

Music and movie legend Kris Kristofferson has died at the age of 88. The acclaimed country singer and actor who appeared in A Star is Born alongside Barbara Streisand passed away "peacefully” at his home in Hawaii on September 28th surrounded by family, according to <a href="https://people.com/kris-kristofferson-dead-at-88-7496435">People.</a> No cause of death has yet been announced. The statement from his family read, “It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28 at home. We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.” Throughout his career as a musician, Kristofferson won multiple Grammy's and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004. He was also known for his acting accolades, including a Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a musical for A Star Is Born and starring in the popular Blade franchise. Kristofferson’s death comes three and a half years after he announced his retirement, following what was to be his final concert in Florida in February 2020. Kristofferson was a father to eight children and is survived by his third wife, Lisa Meyers, who he married in 1983. Image credits: Joanne Davidson/Shutterstock Editorial

Caring

200-year-old message in a bottle unearthed

In a discovery that has the archaeology world buzzing (and possibly rolling its ancient eyes), a team of student volunteers in northern France has unearthed something rather unexpected during their dig at a Gaulish village. While they were hoping for the usual – ancient pottery shards, perhaps a coin or two – they instead stumbled upon what can only be described as the 19th-century equivalent of a DM in a bottle. The scene played out like a low-budget historical drama: volunteers painstakingly sifting through centuries-old dirt on the cliff-tops near Dieppe when, voilà! They found an earthenware pot containing a small glass vial, like something you might see in a vintage pharmacy, but with fewer essential oils and more existential surprises. Guillaume Blondel, the team leader and head of the archaeological service for the nearby town of Eu, was immediately intrigued. “It was the kind of vial that women used to wear around their necks containing smelling salts,” he explained, before casually dropping the bombshell: inside the vial was a note. Cue dramatic music. After what we can only assume was a long, suspenseful pause, Blondel and his team opened the note, which turned out to be written by none other than P.J. Féret, a 19th-century intellectual who clearly had a flair for both excavation and theatrics. The note, written with all the panache of a man who had just unearthed Caesar’s salad fork, read: "P.J. Féret, a native of Dieppe, member of various intellectual societies, carried out excavations here in January 1825. He continues his investigations in this vast area known as the Cité de Limes or Caesar’s Camp." Naturally, Blondel was floored. “It was an absolutely magic moment,” he said, no doubt imagining Féret winking at him from the beyond. “We knew there had been excavations here in the past, but to find this message from 200 years ago? It was a total surprise.” Local records confirm that P.J. Féret was indeed the real deal. He wasn’t just a dabbler in dirt – he was a notable dabbler in dirt who had conducted an earlier dig at the site in 1825. In a stroke of irony not lost on Blondel, he mused, “Most archaeologists prefer to think that there won’t be anyone coming after them because they’ve done all the work.” Féret, however, clearly believed in leaving a trail of breadcrumbs – or, in this case, a literal note in a bottle, just to remind future archaeologists that he got there first. Féret: 1, Modern Archaeology: 0. Of course, this whole affair raises some important questions: Did Féret expect someone to find this? Did he laugh to himself as he buried it, imagining Blondel’s reaction? Did Féret know how cliff erosion would eventually turn his humble Gaulish village into a treasure trove for future archaeologists? Or was he simply trolling them from the past? Whatever the case, Féret’s note may not have contained ancient secrets, but it certainly delivered some 19th-century sass. And if we’ve learned anything from this dig, it’s this: archaeology isn’t just about discovering the past – it’s also about being occasionally roasted by it. As Blondel and his team continue their emergency dig (which was ordered due to cliff erosion eating away at the site like a bad buffet), they’ve already uncovered a number of artefacts, mostly pottery, from around 2,000 years ago. But will any of them have the audacity to leave a note for the archaeologists of 2225? We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, Féret is probably laughing somewhere in the afterlife, shaking his head and muttering, “Amateurs”. Images: Guillaume Blondel / Facebook

International Travel

Twelve-year-old boy falls to his death on cruise

A 12-year-old boy has fallen to his death onboard the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas, as guests watched on in horror. The cruise was nearing the end of its itinerary on Sunday and was heading back to Texas after its seven-day cruise around the Western Caribbean when the incident occurred. Witnesses recalled that the boy was playing with a group of friends he had made on the ship before he tumbled over a 13-storey balcony, falling into the internal Central Park area of the ship, a plaza filled with bars, pubs and restaurants. Royal Caribbean staff attempted to resuscitate the youngster, but he died before the ship docked in Texas. The cruise company shared a statement that a death had occurred onboard but refused to share any more information as investigations into the incident began. Witnesses took to a Facebook page for passengers to share their condolences to the boy's grieving family, and share their version of event. "My daughter was friends with him and said he was upset today," posted passenger Sara Tullas. "She is so upset. I wish I would have known he was struggling today." The boy had taken part in the cruise's teen-club, and many passengers said their children had got to know the boy before his death. "The conversations I have had to have with my son really tripped me up," wrote Shannon Elizabeth on the Facebook page. "My son and him actually got really close on the cruise, and he saw too much of what happened." "My family and I saw the incident unfold right before us as we were looking down into Central Park from the pool deck," wrote Christa Schoolfield. "We did not see whether he jumped or was playing around." Another passenger wrote, "I looked over the railing after the emergency alert and wish I didn’t." "All I ask is to please hug your children tight and tell your family members you love them. Life can change in an instant. Today I was hiding ducks in Central Park and one second later a child's life was gone in front of me." Friends said the boy was on board with his family, including two sisters, for a birthday celebration. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Old grocery receipt highlights extortionate increase at supermarkets

An old Woolworths receipt from 2021 has revealed the grim reality of increased grocery prices, and how inflation has crippled many in just a few short years. A social media user on X, formerly Twitter, shared her receipt from a Melbourne Woolworths as she highlighted how much more common household items cost today. She said it showed how Aussies were shelling out for costs that appear to have moved well past official inflation levels, which rose to 3.8 per cent by the end of June. “We all knew we’re being ripped off! Australians are now paying up to 200% more for basic grocery items than they were a few years ago!” she wrote. “Oh but inflations (sic) currently back at around 3.8% … yeah my ass it is!!” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Found an old Woolworths receipt circa 2021. We all knew we re being ripped off! Australians are now paying up to 200% more for basic grocery items than they were a few years ago! Oh but inflations currently back at around 3.8% … yeh my ass it is!! Pink Lady Apply $2.90kg… <a href="https://t.co/9OPS6SnOqI">pic.twitter.com/9OPS6SnOqI</a> — Miss Madeleine (@MadsMelbourne) <a href="https://twitter.com/MadsMelbourne/status/1832282784431534448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2024</a></blockquote> Her docket shows how everyday items like coffee grounds, potato chips and stain removers have skyrocketed in price. In the receipt items such as a 250g packet of Bega cheese is priced at $4.50 – it’s now $6 for the same item, discounted from $7.50 according to online pricing. Deli fresh Champagne leg ham sold for $2.50 for 100g according to the receipt, while current prices put that at $4.20. Ozkleen prewash power stain remover is now currently listed as $7 for a 500ml bottle, more than 200 per cent higher than the $2.75 it sold for three years ago. The woman also posted another smaller receipt from the same year, in which she bought grapes and a watermelon. In addition to sharing the image, she wrote, "Another one to add! No wonder Australia is having a cost of living crises! Woolworths Receipt circa 2021. Grapes were $3.50kg, now $14.16 = 304% increase. Watermelon was $1.50 now $6.38kg = 325% increase." Grocery prices have come under the spotlight amid the cost-of-living crisis, with the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission tasked with probing the sector. “We know grocery prices have become a major concern for the millions of Australians experiencing cost of living pressures,” ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said in January. “When it comes to fresh produce, we understand that many farmers are concerned about weak correlation between the price they receive for their produce and the price consumers pay at the checkout.” Coles and Woolworths have defended the price rises as being pushed by supply chain struggles, while both companies posted profits of more than $1 billion in the last financial year. A spokesperson for Woolworths also released a statement saying "Ongoing economy-wide inflation means it costs more for many supermarket suppliers to manufacture their products than it did a few years ago. "We remain focussed on delivering lower prices where we can, with our average prices coming down in the last six months, and thousands of specials every week. "The price of fruit and vegetables can vary throughout the year due to weather, seasonality, supply and demand. For example, Haas avocados are currently not in season." Image credits: X / Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Hollywood legend dies at age 93

Hollywood acting legend James Earl Jones has died at the age of 93. <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/09/james-earl-jones-dead-1236082801/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deadline</a> revealed that the actor passed away at his home in Dutchess County, New York, although no cause of death has yet been given. Jones was responsible for some of the most memorable roles in modern cinema history, lending his voice to iconic characters including Star Wars’ Darth Vader and The Lion King’s Mufasa. After making his big screen debut in the 1964 film Dr Strangelove, he went on to rack up hundreds of roles and didn't stop working until 2021, with his latest project being in the Eddie Murphy sequel, Coming 2 America. Jones' most notable roles came in films such as the original Coming To America, Field of Dreams and The Hunt for Red October, making him a household name in the movie industry. Throughout his career, Earl Jones won three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and was also inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1985. He went on to receive an honorary Academy Award in 2011, as well as a special Tony for lifetime achievement in 2017. Image credits: Joanne Davidson/Shutterstock Editorial

Caring

Six old-school strategies to cope with disruptive airport tech

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-schaberg-1451119">Christopher Schaberg</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/arts-and-sciences-at-washington-university-in-st-louis-5659">Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis</a> Ten years ago I wrote a book titled “<a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/end-of-airports-9781501305498/">The End of Airports</a>” about how digital technologies and commercial air travel were on a collision course. Earlier this summer, I was proved right. In July, <a href="https://theconversation.com/massive-it-outage-spotlights-major-vulnerabilities-in-the-global-information-ecosystem-235155">a cybersecurity software outage</a> snarled airports around the world. Airlines took weeks to get back to normal. Delta was particularly <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/07/business/delta-passengers-sue-crowdstrike-meltdown/index.html">hard hit</a>, with some <a href="https://apnews.com/article/crowdstrike-technology-outage-fallout-delta-c287aaded657a1092724b222435c3d16">7,000 flights canceled</a> and delays lasting well into August. As an expert on air travel who contemplates flight from <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/textual-life-of-airports-9781441189684/">a humanistic and cultural studies perspective</a>, I think the new technologies woven into air-travel management are a double-edged sword. While they enhance elements of safety and efficiency, they can also make the entire system <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/07/crowdstrike-failure-warning-solutions/679174/">more fragile and vulnerable</a>. <h2>The downsides of digital technology</h2> To be fair, aviation depends on technology. Humans would never have gotten off the ground without it. But new technology can create new problems even as it solves old ones. The latest digital tech offers necessarily imperfect ways to manage a vast, intricate network of places, machines and people. And as the computer systems get more fine-tuned and integrated, they also can result in catastrophic failures, precisely because of the connective nature of tech. And let’s not even talk about <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-hot-weather-and-climate-change-affect-airline-flights-80795">the weather</a>. The past summer’s <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/crowdstrike-outage-bug-bad-data-falcon-update-microsoft/">software glitch event</a> won’t be the last time some unforeseen variable brings air travel to a halt. Fortunately, travelers don’t have to depend solely on airport technology systems or our own smart devices for seamless travel. Here are six analog strategies that travelers can use to cope with air travel debacles: <h2>Old-school flying suggestions</h2> <ol> <li> Pack smart for potential delays. Make sure you have a carry-on that includes whatever you’d need for an unplanned overnight stay at a hotel – or worse, on an airport floor. Take <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/liquids-rule">Transportation Security Administration-approved toiletries</a> and enough clothes so you can deal with a layover somewhere you didn’t expect. And wear comfortable shoes. </li> <li> Be kind to airline employees and airport staff, who can’t control delays or cancellations. Remember that no one airline employee can automatically fix the problem when a software malfunction happens or a freak storm grounds planes. But if you are kind and patient, an airline employee may just comp you a hotel room or give you a more generous rebooking arrangement. Also: It’s just the humane thing to do. </li> <li> Purchase your tickets directly from airlines. It’s not worth saving $20 or $50 on a ticket deal from a third-party vendor. When delays and cancellations happen, if you have such a ticket, the airline will have less interest in aiding you. Buying tickets directly from the airline will help you get back in the air quicker. </li> <li> Have a plan B. In the event that your connecting flight is canceled mid-trip, have you contacted someone you know in that city? Or have you researched hotels easily accessible from the airport? What would it take to get a comfortable spot for a night? A little homework can go a long way if you end up stranded. </li> <li> Bring healthy snacks and other supplies. It’s smart to pack vitamins, zinc, hydration packets, a reusable water bottle, medications, hand sanitizer, or whatever helps bolster your health during a travel stint. If you get waylaid for a few hours or overnight, preplanning some self-care items can help you avoid contagious illnesses and general fatigue. </li> <li> Enjoy the airport. It’s a fascinating place where so many people converge. If you’re <a href="https://stuckattheairport.com">stuck at the airport</a> for several hours, use that time to find interesting things in the concourses. You might discover art shows, a great bookstore, a yoga room or a movie theater. It can be tempting to just stand around the gate area and seethe. But it’s more fun to move around the airport and explore what’s there.<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/237372/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> </li> </ol> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-schaberg-1451119">Christopher Schaberg</a>, Director of Public Scholarship, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/arts-and-sciences-at-washington-university-in-st-louis-5659">Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/if-new-technologies-snarl-your-airline-experience-here-are-old-school-strategies-to-cope-237372">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Can a 10-year-old be responsible for a crime? Here’s what brain science tells us

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/susan-m-sawyer-109573">Susan M. Sawyer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nandi-vijayakumar-1644262">Nandi Vijayakumar</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> The age a child can be arrested, charged and jailed in Australia is back in the spotlight. Last year, the Northern Territory became the first jurisdiction to raise the age of criminal responsibility from ten to 12. Now its new, tough-on-crime government has pledged to <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/incoming-chief-minister-says-age-of-criminal-responsibility-to-be-lowered-to-10-years-old/a1xm9jy9c">return it to ten</a>. It comes after Victoria <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-13/victoria-youth-justice-reform-criminal-age/104217160">walked back</a> its earlier commitment to raise the age to 14, settling instead on 12. But the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child says 14 should be the absolute <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/general-comment-no-24-2019-childrens-rights-child">minimum</a>. It raised this age from its earlier recommendation (in 2007) of 12, citing a decade of new research into child and adolescent development. So what does the science say? What happens to the brain between ten and 14? And how much can those under 14 understand the consequences of their actions? <h2>Who is an adolescent?</h2> Our research shows adolescence is a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30169257/">critical period</a> for development. It’s the time children’s experiences and explorations shape how they develop cognitive skills (including critical thinking and decision making), as well as social and emotional skills (including moral reasoning). Adolescence also lasts longer than we tend to think. Important brain development begins during late childhood, around eight to nine years. Intense changes then follow during early adolescence (ages ten to 14). But these changes continue well into the twenties, and full cognitive and emotional maturity is not usually reached until around age 24. However, everyone’s brain matures at a different rate. That means there is no definitive age we can say humans reach “adult” levels of cognitive maturity. What we do know is the period of early adolescence is critical. <h2>What does puberty do to the brain?</h2> Puberty is a defining feature of early adolescence. Most of us are familiar with the changes that occur to the body and reproductive systems. But the increase in puberty hormones, such as testosterone and oestrogen, also trigger changes to the brain. These hormones <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453017313252?via%3Dihub">increase most sharply</a> between ten and 15 years of age, although gradual changes continue into the early twenties. Puberty hormones change the structures in the brain which process emotions, including the amygdala (which encodes fear and stress) and ventral striatum (involved in reward and motivation). This makes adolescents particularly reactive to emotional rewards and threats. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2019.04.024">Our research</a> has shown the brain’s sensitivity to emotions increases throughout early adolescence until around 14 or 15 years old. At the same time, changes in puberty have <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000172">been linked</a> to increased sensation seeking and impulsive behaviours during early adolescence. This context is crucial when we discuss the behaviour of children in the ten to 14 age range. The way their brains change during this period makes them more sensitive and responsive to emotions, and more likely to be seeking experiences that are new and intense. <h2>How do adolescents make decisions?</h2> The emotional context of puberty influences how younger adolescents make decisions and understand their consequences. Decision making relies on several basic cognitive functions, including the brain’s flexibility, memory and ability to control impulses. These cognitive abilities – which together help us consider the consequences of our actions – undergo some of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1741-13.2013">steepest development</a> between ages ten and 14. By age 15, the ability to make complex decisions has usually <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000315">reached adult maturity</a>. But adolescents at this age remain highly susceptible to emotions. So while their brain may be equipped to make a complex decision, their ability to think through the consequences, weighing up costs and benefits, can be clouded by emotional situations. For example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12085">research has shown</a> 13-14 year-olds were more distracted from completing a task and less able to control their behaviour when they viewed images that made them feel negative emotions. The social world of teenagers also has a significant impact on how they make decisions – especially in early adolescence. One study found that while older adolescents (aged 15-18) are more influenced by what adults think when weighing up risk, adolescents aged 12-14 <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797615569578">look to other teenagers</a>. Experiments <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431616648453">have also shown</a> adolescents aged 12-15 make riskier decisions when they are with peers than by themselves. Their brain responses also suggest they experience a greater sense of reward in taking those risks <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsy071">with peers</a>. <h2>How do teens understand the consequences of their actions?</h2> The concept of <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp2122/Quick_Guides/MinimumAgeCriminalResponsibility">criminal responsibility</a> is based on whether a person is able to understand their action and know whether it is wrong. Moral reasoning – how people think about right and wrong – depends on the ability to understand another person’s mental state and adopt their perspective. These skills are in development <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.09.012">across adolescence</a>. Research suggests it may take more effort for adolescent brains to process <a href="https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn.2009.21121">“social” emotions</a> such as guilt and embarrassment, compared to adults. This is similar when they make <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2014.933714">moral judgements</a>. This evidence suggests teenage brains may have to work harder when considering other people’s intentions and desires. Young adolescents have the cognitive ability to appreciate they made a bad decision, but it is more mentally demanding. And social rewards, emotions and the chance to experience something new all have a strong bearing on their decisions and actions in the moment — possibly more than whether it is right or wrong. <h2>Early adolescence is critical for the brain</h2> There are also a number of reasons adolescent brains may develop differently. This includes various forms of neurodisability such as acquired brain injury, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and intellectual disability, as well as exposure to trauma. Teenagers with neurodevelopmental disorders will likely cope differently with decision making, social pressure, impulse control and risk assessment, and face <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/images/research/strategic-collaborations/Flagships/Neurodevelopment/Neurodevelopment_Flagship_Brochure.pdf">extra difficulties</a>. Across the world, they are <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(19)30217-8/fulltext">disproportionately incarcerated</a>. In Australia, Indigenous children and adolescents are incarcerated <a href="https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/2-11-contact-with-the-criminal-justice-system#:%7E:text=On%20an%20average%20day%20in%202021%E2%80%9322%2C%20there%20were%3A,AIHW%202023d%3A%20Table%20S76a">in greater numbers</a> than their non-Indigenous peers. Each child matures differently, and some face extra challenges. But for every person, the period between ten and 14 is critical for developing the cognitive, social and emotional skills they’ll carry through the rest of their life.<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/237552/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/susan-m-sawyer-109573">Susan M. Sawyer</a>, Professor of Adolescent Health The University of Melbourne; Director, Royal Children's Hospital Centre for Adolescent Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nandi-vijayakumar-1644262">Nandi Vijayakumar</a>, Research Fellow, School of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/can-a-10-year-old-be-responsible-for-a-crime-heres-what-brain-science-tells-us-237552">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

38-year-old message in a bottle washes up on beach

A message in a bottle written almost 40 years ago has been discovered by a four-year-old at a beach in Perth. Meg Prideaux took her son Leo, 4, “looking for treasure” at the beach in their hometown of Lancelin, when he spotted the bottle with a rolled-up note inside. “We brought it home and we waited for my daughter and my husband to come home, but we couldn’t get it open,” she said. “There was a bit of corrosion and a few barnacles had started to grow, so it had been there for a while.” After a bit of trouble, they got the bottle open and unfurled the soggy, but still legible, letter and found it dated from 1985. The message had been written 39 years ago by then-teenagers Joanne Hunter and Louise Pocock, who were 15 when they wrote the note while on holiday. Their note came with a simple request — that anyone who finds the bottle send a return letter to the girls in suburban Perth. With the help of <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/message-in-a-bottle-thrown-into-sea-in-1985-washes-up-on-wa-beach-c-15876207" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>, Meg and Leo Prideaux were able to track down Joanne Hunter, who is now Joanne Evans and aged 54. “I was like, ‘Oh my god. Is that really that?’ I haven’t thought about that in forever,” Evans said. “We wrote it at night and sealed it with wax and then we actually swam it out into the water because, at first, we threw it from the beach and it kept washing back in, so we swam out the next morning." “My family had a beach house directly across the road and Louise came with my family for the school holidays. She was always full of excitement and had such a great imagination, it was her idea to do it.” Pocock died of leukaemia six years ago but her sister, Sarah Martin, said she would have enjoyed “such a kick” knowing the message had been found. “Oh, she’d be so happy, she really would — especially that a little boy found it as well after 39 years just sitting in the sand,” Martin said. “She was a really great, fun, happy-go-lucky sort of person and really did well in her life, very artistic and creative, and she met a wonderful man and married him and had a beautiful little girl. “As time goes on, you feel like they’re slipping further away from you and then this message is such a wonderful thing that just came out of the blue.” The Prideaux family now plan to meet Evans to return the bottle and the message to its original author some time in the near future. Image credits: 7News / Prideaux family

Family & Pets

Popular names Generation Alpha believe are “for old people”

Today's youth have a very different idea of what constitutes an "old person" name, and one mum was left flabbergasted after a conversation she had with her six-year-old daughter about her classmates’ names. “You know what I find wild? I have an eight-year-old and a six-year-old, and the names of their friends, I can’t even pronounce some of them,” Australian entrepreneur and mum-of-two Steph Pase said in a now viral TikTok. “I asked her, so do you have anyone in your year called Sarah, Alex, Jack or Daniel? “She laughed and said ‘they’re old people names!’.” She then probed her daughter with a few other common names saying: “I asked, what about Steph … Michelle … she’s like no,” she laughed. “It just makes me realise, that we are that generation … our parents’ generation. Names like Helen, Karen or Joanna … now we’re that generation. “We have the old people names.” She captioned her video with the text "Millennial names are officially old" and many of her followers agreed with the upsetting revelation. “In my classes we have Vision, Stoney, Diesel, Hennesy, Blaze, Cruze, Kingdom, Ace, Boss, Oasis, Mercedes, Destiny,” one shared. “Luna, Harper & Arlo are the new Ashley, Jessica & Stephanie,” another said. “The names in my kids classes are Lamb, Honey, Hazard, Blu, Bambi,” another added. “My six year old has a girl in his class named ‘Summah’ and another called ‘Phox’ because Fox was too mainstream,” a fourth wrote. “My daughter has a Moses, Twayla, Lorde it’s wild …” a fifth commented. Baby name expert and CEO of Fifth Dimension Consulting Lyndall Spooner told news.com.au that there are a few reasons why there's been a shift in children's names over the years, including popularity, less pressure to follow traditional family names, and a trend towards more gender-neutral names. “Parents want their children to be unique and so they use nouns or verbs as names, or character names from books, TV shows, movies, shopping chains or cars," she said. And while the "millennial names" are not as common, "they are not extinct". “We will continue to see changes in baby names and the ‘recycling’ of older names that become popular again,” she told the publication. Images: TikTok

Family & Pets

Boy accidentally smashes 3500-year old artefact

A 3500-year old jar has been smashed to pieces after a four-year-old boy accidentally knocked it over during a trip to a museum in Israel. The Hecht Museum in Haifa told the BBC that the artefact dates back to the Bronze Age between 2200 and 1500BC - and was considered a rare find because it was so intact. It had been on display near the entrance of the museum without any protective glass around it, as the museum believes there is a “special charm” in showcasing archaeological finds “without obstructions”. The boy's father, Alex, told the publication that his son had only "pulled the jar slightly" because he was "curious about what was inside", causing it to fall. He also said that he was "in shock" to see his son next to the ruined artefact and initially thought "it wasn't my child that did it". After calming his child down, he spoke to a security guard who confirmed what happened. The museum stated they would not be charging the family and they've even invited the child back to the exhibition for an organised tour after the incident occurred a few days ago. “There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police,” Lihi Laszlo from The Hecht Museum told the BBC. “In this case, however, this was not the situation. The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly.” A conservation specialist has also been brought on board to restore the jar, which will be returned to the museum "in a short time". The boy's father said they will feel "relieved" to see the jar restored but added they are "sorry" because "it will no longer be the same item". “Despite the rare incident” the museum told the publication that they intend to continue displaying items without barriers or glass walls, where possible. The ancient jar was likely originally used to carry local supplies like wine and olive oil and predates the time of the Biblical King David and King Solomon and is distinctive of the Canaan region on the eastern Mediterranean coast. Images: Hecht Museum

Travel Trouble

99-year-old woman declared accessory to over 10,000 murders

A court in Germany has upheld the conviction of a 99-year-old woman who, during the Second World War, was the secretary to the SS commander at a Nazi concentration camp. The Federal Justice Court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of Irmgard Furchner, who was convicted of being an accessory to more than 10,000 murders and was given a two-year suspended sentence in December 2022. Furchner was accused of being a key part of the apparatus that helped the camp near Danzig, now the Polish city of Gdansk, function, and was subsequently convicted of being an accessory to murder in 10,505 cases and an accessory to attempted murder in five cases. At a federal court hearing in Leipzig in July, Furchner's lawyers cast doubt on whether she really was an accessory to crimes committed by the commander and other senior camp officials between 1943 and 1945, and on whether she had truly been aware of what was going on at Stutthof. The court said that judges were convinced that Furchner “knew and, through her work as a stenographer in the commandant’s office of the Stutthof concentration camp from June 1st 1943, to April 1st 1945, deliberately supported the fact that 10,505 prisoners were cruelly killed by gassings, by hostile conditions in the camp,” by transportation to the Auschwitz death camp and by being sent on death marches at the end of the war. Germany's main Jewish leader welcomed the ruling. “For Holocaust survivors, it is enormously important for a late form of justice to be attempted,” Josef Schuster, the head of the Central Council of Jews, said in statement. “The legal system sent an important message today: even nearly 80 years after the Holocaust, no line can be drawn under Nazi crimes,” he added. During the original court proceedings, prosecutors said that Furchner’s trial may be the last of its kind, however, a special federal prosecutors’ office in Ludwigsburg tasked with investigating Nazi-era war crimes says three more cases are pending with prosecutors or courts in various parts of Germany. With any suspects now at a very advanced age, questions increasingly arise over suspects’ fitness to stand trial. Image credits: Sky News

Legal

Hollywood legend dies at age 94

The Notebook star Gena Rowlands has passed await the age of 94 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's. Her death was confirmed today by representatives for her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes, who told TMZ that Rowlands died on Wednesday afternoon at her home in Indian Wells, California, surrounded by family including her husband Robert and daughter Alexandra Cassavetes. While no official cause of death has been announced, Rowlands had been suffering from Alzheimer's for five years. In June, director of The Notebook and Rowland's son Nick Cassavetes was discussing the film's 20th anniversary when he shared <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/hollywood-star-s-heartbreaking-health-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">details</a> of his mother's diagnosis and how it was reminiscent of her character in the movie. “I got my mum to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” Cassavetes told <a href="https://ew.com/the-notebook-star-gena-rowlands-has-alzheimers-8668642">Entertainment Weekly</a> of Rowlands’ character, who also had dementia. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.” Gena’s mother, fellow actress Lady Rowlands, had also suffered from the same disease. While The Notebook was Rowlands’ most notable 21st century role, the acting veteran broke into the industry in the 1950s and earned two Academy Award nominations and multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award wins throughout her career. She was known for her frequent collaborations with actor-director husband John Cassavetes in ten films, including 1974’s A Woman Under the Influence and 1980s Gloria. Image credits: New Line Cinema/Demmie Todd/Warner Bros/Spring Creek/Kobal/Shutterstock Editorial <div class="more-coverage-v2" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #e0e1e2; float: right; margin-left: 16px; max-width: 40%; padding: 16px 0px;"> </div>

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