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Matthew Perry’s chilling final words revealed

Matthew Perry's chilling final words to his assistant on the day of his death has been made public for the first time, not long after five people were <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/five-people-arrested-over-matthew-perry-s-death" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> in connection to his death. New details about the star's final weeks alive have been released in relation to the plea deal taken by Perry’s former live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, 59. The former Friends star told his assistant to “shoot me up with a big one,” before he was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles mansion. According to court documents, Perry was injected with a shot of ketamine at around 8.30am, and was administered the second dose while watching a movie at 12.45pm. About 40 minutes later, he asked his assistant to prepare the jacuzzi and shoot him up with the third, and final “big one”, of the day. “Defendant left the residence to run errands... after returning to the residence, defendant found [Mr Perry] face down in the jacuzzi and deceased,” the court documents reportedly said. The newly released police documents also said that Perry had been found unconscious at his home twice before his tragic death in October. Around two weeks before his death it was reported that the doctor accused of supplying the ketamine, Dr Salvador Plascencia, injected him "with a large dose of ketamine", that caused a "significant spike" to his systolic blood pressure and caused his body to "freeze up such that he could not talk or move". Dr Plascencia allegedly told Iwamasa "Let's not do that again" following the scare and later allegedly described Perry as "too far gone and spiralling in his addiction". Despite this the doctor allegedly ordered 10 vials of ketamine for Perry four days before his death, and allegedly contacted Perry's assistant to offer the up for sale. Three other people have been arrested alongside Iwamasa and Dr Plascencia, including Eric Fleming, Dr. Mark Chavez and the so-called “Ketamine Queen of Los Angeles”, Jasveen Sangha. According to Page Six, Iwamasa, Fleming and Chavez all agreed to a deal that saw them plead guilty – while Sangha and Plasencia have pleaded not guilty. Image: Doug Krantz/BFA.com/ Shutterstock editorial

Legal

"Words matter": Why Australia's threat level was just raised to "probable"

Anthony Albanese has announced that Australia's terror level has been raised in the wake of spy agency warnings. The Prime Minister announced the change from “possible to probable” on Monday morning at a press conference in Canberra with ASIO director-general Mike Burgess. “ASIO is raising the national terrorist and threat level from possible to probable," Mr Burgess said. “Our decision reflects that the security environment is degrading. A threat level of probable is reassessed as a greater than 50 per cent chance of attack planning in the next 12 months." “It does not mean that we have intelligence about the current attack planning or expectation of an imminent attack." The National Terrorism Threat Advisory System has a scale of five levels, beginning with Not Expected, Possible, Probable, before rising to Expected and Certain. Mr Burgess said the decision was not taken easily, as he explained, “Our decision is not a direct response to the tragic events in the Middle East. At this stage we do not believe any of the terrorist plots we have investigated in the last year have been inspired by Gaza." “Terrorist leaders offshore are not inspiring attacks onshore. This is why we did not raise the threat level in the immediate aftermath of 7 October.” Mr Albanese said the decision follows a cabinet meeting today and briefings by spy agencies. “My government’s first priority is the safety and security of Australians and this morning, I convened a national-security committee meeting to hear from the director-general," Mr Albanese said. “I want to reassure Australians that probable does not mean inevitable and it does not mean it is intelligence about an imminent threat or danger. But the advice that we have received is that more Australians are embracing a more diverse range of extreme ideologies and it is our responsibility to be vigilant. Mr Burgess said it did not mean there was any imminent threat of a terrorist attack in Australia, but said it was about being vigilant and prepared. “Australia’s security environment is more volatile and more unpredictable, you’ve heard me say many times of espionage and foreign interference, our principal security concerns,’’ he said. “While the threats to our way of life are elevated we are seeing an increase in extremism, more Australians are being radicalised and radicalised more quickly. More Australians are embracing a more diverse range of extreme ideologies and more Australians are willing to use violence to advance their cause." In response to a question from the media on the Greens, who recently accused the Labor Party of being implicit in genocide when it comes to the war in Palestine, the Prime Minister said some of the rhetoric was of concern. “Words matter and it is important that people engage in a way that is respectful, that people don’t make claims that they know are not right in order to try to secure some short-term political advantage,’’ he said. Concluding the press conference, Mr Burgess said it is up to every Australian to say vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour. He said, "This is a matter for everyone, community leaders, politicians, the media, watch your words, watch your actions. Be very careful about that because there is a direct correlation between inflamed language and inflamed tension and violence.” Image credits: LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial

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The voice in your head may help you recall and process words. But what if you don’t have one?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/derek-arnold-106381">Derek Arnold</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Can you imagine hearing yourself speak? A voice inside your head – perhaps reciting a shopping list or a phone number? What would life be like if you couldn’t? Some people, including me, cannot have imagined visual experiences. We cannot close our eyes and conjure an experience of seeing a loved one’s face, or imagine our lounge room layout – to consider if a new piece of furniture might fit in it. This is called “<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-blind-and-deaf-mind-what-its-like-to-have-no-visual-imagination-or-inner-voice-226134">aphantasia</a>”, from a Greek phrase where the “a” means without, and “phantasia” refers to an image. Colloquially, people like myself are often referred to as having a “blind mind”. While most attention has been given to the inability to have imagined visual sensations, aphantasics can lack other imagined experiences. We might be unable to experience imagined tastes or smells. Some people cannot imagine hearing themselves speak. A <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/we-used-to-think-everybody-heard-a-voice-inside-their-heads-but-we-were-wrong">recent study</a> has advanced our understanding of people who cannot imagine hearing their own internal monologue. Importantly, the authors have identified some tasks that such people are more likely to find challenging. <h2>What the study found</h2> Researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09567976241243004">recruited 93 volunteers</a>. They included 46 adults who reported low levels of inner speech and 47 who reported high levels. Both groups were given challenging tasks: judging if the names of objects they had seen would rhyme and recalling words. The group without an inner monologue performed worse. But differences disappeared when everyone could say words aloud. Importantly, people who reported less inner speech were not worse at all tasks. They could recall similar numbers of words when the words had a different appearance to one another. This negates any suggestion that aphants (people with aphantasia) simply weren’t trying or were less capable. <h2>A welcome validation</h2> The study provides some welcome evidence for the lived experiences of some aphants, who are still often told their experiences are not different, but rather that they cannot describe their imagined experiences. Some people feel anxiety when they realise other people can have imagined experiences that they cannot. These feelings may be deepened when others assert they are merely confused or inarticulate. In my own <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1374349/full">aphantasia research</a> I have often quizzed crowds of people on their capacity to have imagined experiences. Questions about the capacity to have imagined visual or audio sensations tend to be excitedly endorsed by a vast majority, but questions about imagined experiences of taste or smell seem to cause more confusion. Some people are adamant they can do this, including a colleague who says he can imagine what combinations of ingredients will taste like when cooked together. But other responses suggest subtypes of aphantasia may prove to be more common than we realise. The authors of the recent study suggest the inability to imagine hearing yourself speak should be referred to as “anendophasia”, meaning without inner speech. Other authors had suggested <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8551557/">anauralia</a> (meaning without auditory imagery). Still other researchers have referred to all types of imagined sensation as being different types of “imagery”. Having <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010945222000417">consistent names</a> is important. It can help scientists “talk” to one another to compare findings. If different authors use different names, important evidence can be missed. <h2>We have more than 5 senses</h2> Debate continues about how many senses humans have, but some scientists reasonably argue for a <a href="https://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/blog/how-many-senses-do-we-have#:%7E:text=Because%20there%20is%20some%20overlap,sensation%20of%20hunger%20or%20thirst.">number greater than 20</a>. In addition to the five senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing, lesser known senses include thermoception (our sense of heat) and proprioception (awareness of the positions of our body parts). Thanks to proprioception, most of us can close our eyes and touch the tip of our index finger to our nose. Thanks to our vestibular sense, we typically have a good idea of which way is up and can maintain balance. It may be tempting to give a new name to each inability to have a given type of imagined sensation. But this could lead to confusion. Another approach would be to adapt phrases that are already widely used. People who are unable to have imagined sensations commonly refer to ourselves as “aphants”. This could be adapted with a prefix, such as “audio aphant”. Time will tell which approach is adopted by most researchers. <h2>Why we should keep investigating</h2> Regardless of the names we use, the study of multiple types of inability to have an imagined sensation is important. These investigations could reveal the essential processes in human brains that bring about a conscious experience of an imagined sensation. In time, this will not only lead to a better understanding of the diversity of humans, but may help uncover how human brains can create any conscious sensation. This question – how and where our conscious feelings are generated – remains one of the great mysteries of science.<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/230973/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/derek-arnold-106381">Derek Arnold</a>, Professor, School of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</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/the-voice-in-your-head-may-help-you-recall-and-process-words-but-what-if-you-dont-have-one-230973">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

Condolence messages that will help you find the right words

<h2>Condolence messages for every situation</h2> When someone you care about has lost someone they care about, it’s important to reach out and show your love. “We’re hard-wired as human beings to connect with others, especially when we’re grieving,” says Abigail Nathanson, a licensed social worker and professor of grief and trauma at New York University. “Being able to talk about the pain and loss and receive support from others is an essential part of the grieving process.” While you may eventually engage in longer discussions, condolence messages are the first step after any loss. These messages of sympathy are a simple and beautiful way to connect with a grieving loved one. But even though death and grief are universal experiences, it can be hard to find the right things to say to someone who is grieving or know what to write in a condolence card—probably because there aren’t any words that can take away their pain. But it’s proper etiquette to say something rather than to stay silent. Otherwise, the person who’s grieving might think you don’t care. <h2>What can you say to comfort someone who’s lost a loved one?</h2> “Just like there is no one ‘right’ way to grieve, there is no one script for what to say to someone who has experienced a great loss,” Nathanson says. “However we do know that there are some things that many people find comforting and supportive.” When thinking of what to say when someone dies, Nathanson offers these tips: <ul> <li>Lead with sympathy or empathy.</li> <li>Offer to listen (and then listen without interrupting).</li> <li>Don’t offer banal platitudes, like: “Everything will turn out for the best.”</li> <li>Don’t tell them how to feel, like: “Your father wouldn’t want you to be sad.”</li> <li>Reinforce your love and support for them.</li> <li>Offer to help in meaningful ways.</li> <li>Don’t offer advice unless they ask for it.</li> </ul> <h2>How to write a condolence message</h2> “Remember that the goal of a condolence message is not to talk the person out of being sad or to ‘cure’ their grief,” Nathanson says. “It’s to offer love and support during a trying time.” Expressing condolences in person is incredibly powerful, but if you can’t be there with them, sending a condolence message is the next best thing. In this digital age, you have lots of options. <ul> <li>Video messages offer the added bonus of face-to-face connection.</li> <li>Condolence text messages are an immediate way to reach out.</li> <li>Email is a great way to share longer thoughts, including pictures or memories of the loved one. They can also be read at the person’s leisure.</li> <li>Handwritten notes show extra care and are often sentimental keepsakes.</li> <li>Comments on social media show public support and allow you to interact with others who may be grieving the loss as well.</li> </ul> Regardless of which method you choose to convey your love and support, keep your message relatively short. Grief can induce brain fog, making it difficult to concentrate on long messages, Nathanson says. And send your message as soon as you can (but better late than never!), and consider attaching it to one of these beautiful sympathy gifts. <h2>Short condolence messages</h2> To help you find the right words, here’s a list of heartfelt short condolence messages messages. Your kind words will be appreciated more than you know. <ol> <li>I’m so sorry for your loss.</li> <li>My heart breaks for you.</li> <li>This hurts, and it sucks!</li> <li>You are in my prayers.</li> <li>My heart is with you at this time.</li> <li>I love you, and I’m here for you.</li> <li>I’m so sorry you are hurting.</li> <li>Sending love and peace.</li> <li>You are in my thoughts.</li> <li>May you find comfort at this time.</li> <li>Blessings for you and your loved ones.</li> <li>I’m with you during this difficult time.</li> <li>I hope you can feel my love.</li> <li>Love and support for you and yours.</li> <li>I wish I could give you the biggest hug.</li> <li>Sending you peaceful and loving vibes.</li> <li>Praying you feel comforted.</li> <li>You can cry on my shoulder.</li> <li>I’m devastated for you.</li> <li>My heart goes out to you at this difficult time.</li> </ol> Image credits: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/inspirational/condolence-messages-that-will-help-you-find-the-right-words" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Caring

"Words fail me": Rod Stewart devastated by passing of iconic rocker

The world of music is mourning the loss of one of its iconic figures as Steve Harley, the frontman of British rock band Cockney Rebel, has passed away at the age of 73. News of his death, reported by BBC, came as a shock to fans and fellow musicians alike. According to reports, Harley's family confirmed that he "passed away peacefully at home". This sad news marks the end of an era for the music industry, as tributes pour in from across the globe. One of the most heartfelt tributes came from Sir Rod Stewart, who expressed his devastation over the loss of his fellow musician. "Absolutely devastated, words fail me," he wrote. "The Cockney Rebel has left us. Loved you and admired you Steve and always will," said Stewart, as reported by the PA news agency. Harley's recent cancellation of tour dates due to cancer treatment had already alerted fans to his health struggles. "Whoever you know him as, his heart exuded only core elements. Passion, kindness, generosity. And much more, in abundance," his family wrote in a statement. "The birdsong from his woodland that he loved so much was singing for him. His home has been filled with the sounds and laughter of his four grandchildren. "We know he will be desperately missed by people all over the world, and we ask that you respectfully allow us privacy to grieve." The announcement of Harley's hiatus from touring, made through his official website, shed light on his ongoing health journey. "Due to ongoing treatment for cancer, Steve cannot commit to any concerts in 2024," the statement read. However, there was a glimmer of hope for the future as it conveyed Harley's optimism for a different outcome in the following year. Born Stephen Malcolm Ronald Nice in Deptford, UK, in 1951, Harley's journey in music began to take shape in the 1970s when he became the frontman of Cockney Rebel. The band, known for its contribution to the glam rock genre, left an indelible mark on the British music scene. Harley's distinctive voice and songwriting prowess, evident in hits like "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)," endeared him to fans and secured his place as a legendary figure in rock history. As fans and the music community come to terms with Harley's loss, his legacy will undoubtedly endure through his timeless music and the memories he created. Images: Instagram \ Wikimedia

Caring

Surprise choice for "Word of the Year"

The Oxford University Press has named its word of the year, and the results are not what you expect. From "Swiftie" (an evid Taylor Swift fan), "situationship" (an informal romantic or sexual relationship) and "prompt" (an instruction given to an AI program), it's clear that this year's line up was heavily influenced by Gen Z. This year's winner truly speaks volumes about the impact of the younger generation, after results from a public vote reveal that "Rizz" is the word of the year. Rizz is believed to come from the middle of the word charisma, and it is often used to describe someone's ability to attract or seduce someone else. The publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary also said that it can be used as a verb as in to "rizz up" which means to attract or chat someone up. "It speaks to how younger generations create spaces — online or in person — where they own and define the language they use," the publisher said. "From activism to dating and wider culture, as Gen Z comes to have more impact on society, differences in perspectives and lifestyle play out in language, too." In a news release, Oxford Languages President Casper Grathwohl said: "Rizz is a term that has boomed on social media, and speaks to how language that enjoys intense popularity and currency within particular social communities — and even in some cases lose their popularity and become passé — can bleed into the mainstream." One of the first instances of a celebrity using it, was when earlier this year Spiderman star Tom Holland said that he had "no rizz whatsoever", during an interview with BuzzFeed. "I have limited rizz," he said at the time, joking about his relationship with co-star Zendaya. Rizz was one of eight words that made it to the shortlist, which included a few other words like: “beige flag”, “parasocial”, “heat dome” and “de-influencing”. Rizz is heavily used online with the hashtag racking up billions of views on TikTok. Image: Getty

Books

Is it normal to forget words while speaking? And when can it spell a problem?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/greig-de-zubicaray-1468234">Greig de Zubicaray</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> We’ve all experienced that moment mid-sentence when we just can’t find the word we want to use, even though we’re certain we know it. Why does this universal problem among speakers happen? And when can word-finding difficulties indicate something serious? Everyone will experience an occasional word-finding difficulty, but if they happen very often with a broad range of words, names and numbers, this could be a sign of a neurological disorder. <h2>The steps involved in speaking</h2> Producing spoken words involves several <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190672027.013.19">stages of processing</a>. These include: <ol> <li> identifying the intended meaning </li> <li> selecting the right word from the “mental lexicon” (a mental dictionary of the speaker’s vocabulary) </li> <li> retrieving its sound pattern (called its “form”) </li> <li> executing the movements of the speech organs for articulating it. </li> </ol> Word-finding difficulties can potentially arise at each of these stages of processing. When a healthy speaker can’t retrieve a word from their lexicon despite the feeling of knowing it, this is called a “tip-of-the-tongue” phenomenon by language scientists. Often, the frustrated speaker will try to give a bit of information about their intended word’s meaning, “you know, that thing you hit a nail with”, or its spelling, “it starts with an H!”. Tip-of-the-tongue states are relatively common and are a type of speech error that occurs primarily during retrieval of the sound pattern of a word (step three above). <h2>What can affect word finding?</h2> Word-finding difficulties occur at all ages but they do happen more often as we get older. In older adults, they can cause frustration and anxiety about the possibility of developing dementia. But they’re not always a cause for concern. One way researchers investigate word-finding difficulties is to ask people to keep a diary to record how often and in what context they occur. <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01190/full">Diary studies</a> have shown that some word types, such as names of people and places, concrete nouns (things, such as “dog” or “building”) and abstract nouns (concepts, such as “beauty” or “truth”), are more likely to result in tip-of-the-tongue states compared with verbs and adjectives. Less frequently used words are also more likely to result in tip-of-the-tongue states. It’s thought this is because they have weaker connections between their meanings and their sound patterns than more frequently used words. Laboratory studies have also shown tip-of-the-tongue states are more likely to occur under <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13825585.2019.1641177">socially stressful</a> conditions when speakers are told they are being evaluated, regardless of their age. Many people report having experienced tip-of-the-tongue problems during job interviews. <h2>When could it spell more serious issues?</h2> More frequent failures with a broader range of words, names and numbers are likely to indicate more serious issues. When this happens, language scientists use the terms “anomia” or “<a href="https://www.aphasia.com/aphasia-library/aphasia-types/anomic-aphasia/">anomic aphasia</a>” to describe the condition, which can be associated with brain damage due to stroke, tumours, head injury or dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. Recently, the actor Bruce Willis’s family <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/16/health/frontotemporal-dementia-definition-symptoms-wellness/index.html">revealed</a> he has been diagnosed with a degenerative disorder known as primary progressive aphasia, for which one of the earliest symptoms is word-finding difficulties rather than memory loss. Primary progressive aphasia is typically associated with frontotemporal or Alzheimer’s dementias, although it can be associated with other <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3637977/">pathologies</a>. Anomic aphasia can arise due to problems occurring at different stages of speech production. An assessment by a clinical neuropsychologist or speech pathologist can help clarify which processing stage is affected and how serious the problem might be. For example, if a person is unable to name a picture of a common object such as a hammer, a clinical neuropsychologist or speech pathologist will ask them to describe what the object is used for (the individual might then say “it’s something you hit things with” or “it’s a tool”). If they can’t, they will be asked to gesture or mime how it’s used. They might also be provided with a cue or prompt, such as the first letter (h) or syllable (ham). Most people with anomic aphasia benefit greatly from being prompted, indicating they are mostly experiencing problems with later stages of retrieving word forms and motor aspects of speech. But if they’re unable to describe or mime the object’s use, and cueing does not help, this is likely to indicate an actual loss of word knowledge or meaning. This is typically a sign of a more serious issue such as primary progressive aphasia. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroimaging">Imaging studies</a> in healthy adults and people with anomic aphasia have shown different areas of the brain are responsible for their word-finding difficulties. In <a href="https://direct.mit.edu/jocn/article-abstract/35/1/111/113588/Neural-Correlates-of-Naturally-Occurring-Speech">healthy adults</a>, occasional failures to name a picture of a common object are linked with changes in activity in brain regions that control motor aspects of speech, suggesting a spontaneous problem with articulation rather than a loss of word knowledge. In anomia due to primary progressive aphasia, brain regions that process word meanings show a loss of nerve cells and connections or <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0148707">atrophy</a>. Although anomic aphasia is common after strokes to the left hemisphere of the brain, the associated word-finding difficulties do not appear to be distinguishable by <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010945215003299">specific areas</a>. There are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02687030244000563">treatments</a> available for anomic aphasia. These will often involve speech pathologists training the individual on naming tasks using different kinds of cues or prompts to help retrieve words. The cues can be various meaningful features of objects and ideas, or sound features of words, or a combination of both. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002199241730014X">Smart tablet</a> and phone apps also show promise when used to complement therapy with home-based practice. The type of cue used for treatment is determined by the nature of the person’s impairment. Successful treatment is associated with changes in activity in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0093934X14000054">brain regions</a> known to support speech production. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for primary progressive aphasia, although <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13607863.2019.1617246">some studies</a> have suggested speech therapy can produce temporary benefits. If you’re concerned about your word-finding difficulties or those of a loved one, you can consult your GP for a referral to a clinical neuropsychologist or a speech pathologist. <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/212852/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/greig-de-zubicaray-1468234">Greig de Zubicaray</a>, Professor of Neuropsychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/is-it-normal-to-forget-words-while-speaking-and-when-can-it-spell-a-problem-212852">original article</a>.

Mind

“If you’re reading this, I have died”: Breast cancer advocate’s powerful last words

Breast cancer advocate Nicky Newman has passed away at the age of 35, leaving a posthumous message to her dedicated followers. The influencer has been documenting her journey battling stage 4 breast cancer with her 300,000 followers on Instagram, sharing the ups and downs of her disease. The British woman’s death was confirmed by her husband Alex, who posted Nicky’s final message to those who supported her through her cancer journey. "If you're reading this it means I have died, I made it 5 & half years though, not bad for a stage 4 breastie hey," the post began. "And none of this 'she fought her battle nonsense', I didn't lose anything, the cancer eventually took over & that's okay, we all knew this would happen." The inspiring woman recalled being told she had breast cancer and how she chose to embrace life during the time she had left. "I don't think we are ever prepared to hear the words, we think we are indestructible & a magic cure will appear, but the truth is we all live this life day to day (we just knew our days are shorter)," she continued. <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/p/CxVtBF7Itxy/?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/p/CxVtBF7Itxy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Nicky & Mr G - Go Grab Life! (@nicknacklou)</a> </div> </blockquote> "So please promise me to cherish those around you and give your friends and loved ones the biggest squeezes! GO GRAB LIFE! "You never truly know what is coming around the corner - so don't take anything for granted." In the hours after Nicky’s last post, Alex shared some thoughts of his own to her Instagram account, explaining why he thought Nicky’s story resonated with so many. He recalled a conversation he had with this wife, saying, "People instantly love and are drawn to you because ever since diagnosis, at the worst time of our lives, we chose not to mourn the time we are losing but rather to celebrate and cherish the time that we have left - however long that may be." "She has created a legacy here, a place where anyone can see that life is for positivity and smiles and happiness. Even through hardship…even if it seems impossible." Both Alex and Nicky’s posts racked up hundreds of thousands of likes, with people flocking to the comments to share how Nicky’s strength had had an impact on their lives. One person wrote, “Life is so unexplainably cruel at times…and even when it was for you, you still came on here and raised awareness for all of us, and our future generations - of the importance of things that without you educating us, we wouldn’t know without having to go and research ourselves.” “Thankyou for putting us first, and for making me see how precious life is, & how important it is to grab it.” Image credits: Instagram

Caring

"Embarrassing" travel pillow frequent flyers swear by

When it comes to travelling in economy, looking glamorous usually takes a back seat, with many people prioritising comfort over anything else. Travelling in cattle class presents its own issues with getting comfy on a plane, especially when sitting in the middle seat. However, a committed frequent flyer has discovered the "travel hack of the year" with an unusual looking travel pillow that means you can get comfy anywhere. “When you got the middle seat for a 13-hour plane ride,” wrote adventurer Annie Wright, 23, in the captions of a viral TikTok testimonial dedicated to the strange-looking, yet in-demand inflatable travel pillow. In the video, which has racked in a whopping 26.6 million views, Ms Wright, a law student in the US, shared footage of herself puffing into the plushy prop that’s offered by <a href="https://www.kmart.com.au/product/inflatable-front-travel-pillow-43238989/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a>. For Aussies, you can snag the innovative travel pillow from <a href="https://www.kmart.com.au/product/inflatable-front-travel-pillow-43238989/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kmart</a> for a breezy $18. “I wasn’t sure if I’d like it and omg SO worth it!” cheered Ms Wright in the clip’s caption. “Total upgrade.” This new pillow puts the round-the-neck pillows to shame, as the expandable cushion, designed with an ergonomic 45-degree angle, offers support to the head and neck and inflates in just seconds. Once inflated, users are meant to position the pillow — created with a face cutout at its apex and two arm holes on its sides — on their passenger tray tables and lean forward into a relaxed position. The hot commodity’s details also noted that it can “help you stay away from injury and insomnia, make you rest more comfortable during the journey, easier to fall asleep, and sleep longer,” according to Amazon. According to the online Kmart reviews of the product, one traveller said it was “awkward looking” but “really comfortable” and perfect for long-haul flights. Folks under the #InflatableTravelPillow TikTok hashtag have hailed the headrest the “travel hack of the year.” However, haters of the portable bedding have deemed it an “embarrassment.” “My back just hurts watching this,” said one commenter beneath Ms Wright’s post. “Yeah I have social anxiety I would be too embarrassed to use it,” penned another. But in response to the criticisms, Ms Wright wrote, “People keep saying this [pillow] is embarrassing, but what’s more embarrassing is being caught with your mouth open just knocked out.” Image credits: TikTok

Travel Tips

Fergie reveals Queen Elizabeth's last words to her before she died

Sarah Ferguson has revealed the last words Queen Elizabeth said to her before she passed away last September. The Duchess of York shared the details of the profound conversation with her former mother-in-law on her podcast Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah. Fergie revealed that the late monarch noticed the Duchess had changed, and used their last conversation to encourage her authenticity. "It’s the last thing that the Queen said to me: ‘Just be yourself, Sarah,’” the duchess said. “And she saw it. She just got so annoyed when I wasn’t being myself. And that’s probably when I got into all the pickles. But now I am myself, and I’m just so lucky to be able to be myself,” she added. In an interview with <a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/video/sarah-ferguson-talks-new-book-intriguing-lady-97676802" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-ylk="slk:Good Morning America,;elm:context_link;itc:0" data-rapid_p="9" data-v9y="1">Good Morning America,</a> the Duchess of York had previously explained that, to some extent, the Queen’s death meant she could now be herself. “I don’t know whether it’s the Queen passing that makes me think I can now openly say what I want to say without worrying I’m going to offend somebody,” she said. “I’m really, truly authentic Sarah now.” She has also expressed her respect and admiration for the late monarch, as the duchess called her a “total idol” back in March. “She put you at ease straight away ... because it’s terrifying, you know?” she told <a href="https://people.com/royals/sarah-ferguson-fergie-idol-queen-elizabeth-adopting-corgis" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-ylk="slk:People;elm:context_link;itc:0" data-rapid_p="10" data-v9y="1">People</a> about the late Queen. “I used to sit there for hours thinking: ‘Oh my gosh, this is somebody’s lifetime to have an audience with the Queen, and I’m sitting having a cup of tea.’” The Duchess continued, “She was so brilliant at putting you at ease. She had the most incredible faith of any single person I’ve ever met. She just knew what to do. She knew how to make people feel good. She never took it onboard as about her. It’s about the monarchy, about making someone feel good. She was my total idol.” Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Kyle Sandiland's reveals baby's first word

Kyle Sandilands has revealed his one-year-old son Otto's first word, as he and former Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby gushed over their kids on KIIS FM's The Kyle and Jackie O Show. Sandilands told co-host Jackie O Henderson and Crosby that his son's first and only word so far has been "Dada". "Otto's walking now. He says Dada only, much to his mum's horror because every time I walk into the room he says 'Dada', but he says no other words," the radio shock jock revealed. While Henderson attempted to provide some reassurance for Sandilands' wife Tegan Kynaston, that it's because the "D" sound is easier for young kids to say, Sandilands quipped: "They say who they love the most, I think, first." The topic came up as Sandilands and Crosby were gushing about their kids. "Oh my God, doesn't it change your life," Crosby said earlier in the segment. The former Geordie Shore star has one daughter with her businessman partner Jake Ankers. "It is like every tiny thing that was so boring before is just so much fun again," she added. "Like I used to walk past the park past my house every day right, and I see some swings… well actually I never even realised there was a park there for so long and if I did, I wouldn't have thought anything of it. Sandilands and his wife are absolutely smitten with their baby boy who was born on August 11, 2022. Just a few weeks ago, the couple threw a "watered down" birthday party for their son amounting to $25,000. Image: Instagram

Family & Pets

20 old words that have new meanings since the birth of the internet

<a href="../Dictionary.com">Dictionary.com</a> has revealed a list of commonly used words that have seen their definition change considerably in the last couple of decades. The changes have been primarily driven by the increased use of social media. While 1995 may seem like it was just yesterday to some of us, 20 years is actually a really long time. The world has change from dial-up modems and VCRs to unlimited broadband and Netflix streaming. Check out the list of 20 words with new meanings below: 1. Bump Then: “to come more or less heavily in contact with.” Now: “to move an online post or thread to the top of the reverse chronological list by adding a new comment or post to the thread.” 2. Cloud Then: “a visible collection of particles of water or ice suspended in the air.” Now: “any of several parts of the Internet that allow online processing and storage of documents and data as well as electronic access to software and other resources.” 3. Core Then: “the central part of a fleshy fruit, containing the seeds.” Now: “the muscles of the torso, which provide support for the spine and pelvis.” 4. Fail Then: “to come short or be wanting in action.” Now: “to make an embarrassing or humorous mistake, be in a humiliating situation, etc., and be subject to ridicule.” 5. Footprint Then: “a mark left by the foot.” Now: “a unique set of characteristics, actions, etc., that leave a trace and serve as a means of identification.” 6. Friend Then: “someone attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.” Now: “to add a person to one’s list of contacts on a social-networking website.” 7. Glance Then: “to look quickly or briefly.” Now: “Information on an electronic screen that can be understood quickly or at a glance.” 8. Goldilocks Then: “a person with golden hair.” Now: “Not being extreme or not varying drastically between extremes, especially between hot and cold.” 9. Like Then: “having the same or similar qualities or characteristics.” Now: “to indicate one’s enjoyment of, agreement with, or interest in website content, especially in social media.” 10. Meme Then: “a cultural element, as a custom or concept.” Now: “A cultural item in the form of an image, video, phrase, etc., that is spread via the Internet and often altered in a creative or humorous way.” 11. Ping: Then: “to produce a sharp, ringing, high-pitched sound.” Now: “to make contact with someone by sending a brief electronic message, as a text message.” 12. Profile: Then: “the outline or contour of the human face, especially as seen from the side.” Now: “the personal details, images, user statistics, social-media timeline, etc., that an individual creates and associates with a username or online account.” 13. Sandbox: Then: “a container holding sand, usually located in an outdoors area.” Now: “an environment in which software developers or editors can create and test new content, separate from other content in the project.” 14. Swipe Then: “a stroke with full swing of the arms.” Now: “to move the fingers across a touchscreen.” 15. Takeaway Then: “food or beverage purchased for consumption elsewhere.” Now: “conclusions, impressions, or action points resulting from a meeting, discussion, roundtable, or the like.” 16. Text Then: “the main body of matter in a book or manuscript.” Now: “to send a text message.” 17. Timeline Then: “a representation of historical events in the form of a line.” Now: “a collection of online posts or updates associated with a specific social-media account, in reverse chronological order.” 18. Tweet Then: “the weak chirp of a young or small bird.” Now: “a very short message posted on the Twitter website.” 19. Unplug Then: “to disconnect by pulling the plug from it or from a power socket.” Now: “to refrain from using digital or electronic devices for a period of time.” 20. Viral Then: “relating to or caused by a virus.” Now: “becoming very popular by circulating quickly from person to person, especially through the Internet.” Image credit: Shutterstock Related links: <a href="../lifestyle/technology/2015/07/eight-tips-for-your-kindle/">8 great things you can do with your Kindle</a> <a href="../news/news/2015/05/new-words-in-merriam-webster-dictionary/">Can you guess what new words have been added to Merriam-Webster dictionary?</a> <a href="../travel/travel-club/2015/05/free-translation-apps/">3 great FREE translation apps to use when travelling </a>

Books

“How dare you”: Drew Barrymore slams tabloids for twisting her words

Drew Barrymore has hit back at tabloids after a quote that she said in a New York Magazine profile was taken out of context. In the original interview with the magazine, Drew opened up about her tumultuous childhood with her mother. “All their mums are gone, and my mum’s not. And I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t have that luxury.’ But I cannot wait,” she told New York Magazine. “I don’t want to live in a state where I wish for someone to be gone sooner than they’re meant to be so I can grow. I actually want her to be happy and thrive and be healthy. But I have to f***ing grow in spite of her being on this planet.” Later on in the interview the actress shared her remorse for her harsh comments. “I dared to say it, and I didn’t feel good,” she said. “I do care. I’ll never not care. I don’t know if I’ve ever known how to fully guard, close off, not feel, build the wall up.” The actress blamed “tabloids” for the quotes which claimed that she “cannot wait” for her mother, Jaid Barrymore, to die, and posted a furious response video to Instagram. “To all you tabloids out there, you have been f**king with my life since I was 13 years old. I have never said that I wished my mother was dead,” she said. “How dare you put those words in my mouth. I have been vulnerable and tried to figure out a very difficult, painful relationship while admitting it is difficult to do while a parent is alive and that, for those of us who have to figure that out in real time cannot wait... as in they cannot wait for the time, not that the parent is dead.” “Don’t twist my words around or ever say that I wish my mother was dead,” she continued. “I have never said that. I never would. In fact, I go on to say that I wish that I never have to live an existence where I would wish that on someone, because that is sick.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtIAMOQAkiK/?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/CtIAMOQAkiK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Drew Barrymore (@drewbarrymore)</a> </div> </blockquote> The E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial actress has been open about her strained relationship with her mum who acted as her manager and took her to Hollywood parties as a child. At 12-years-old the actress was in rehab for drugs and alcohol and then a year later her mum had put her in a psychiatric ward in California. Drew also told the magazine that despite never fully reconciling with her mum, she doesn’t “blame” Jaid for the challenges in her life. “I choose very consciously not to see my life as things that have been done to me,” she said. “I want to see it as the things I did and chose to do. I’m not attracted to people who lay blame on others. I don’t find it sexy.” Image: Instagram

Relationships

Rolf Harris' dying words revealed

Disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris spent the final years of his life struggling to eat, walk and communicate as his health rapidly declined. His <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/rolf-harris-cause-and-date-of-death-confirmed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death</a> at 93 was confirmed on May 23 but it was later revealed his death certificate documented he had passed on May 11 as a result of neck cancer, which he had been suffering from since his release from prison in 2017. An ambulance was spotted outside his home in Berkshire, west of London in May. He lived there with his wife of 65 years, 91-year-old Alwen Hughes, who has Alzheimer’s disease, and both required round-the-clock care. 2022 saw the severity of his illness, with author and private investigator William Merrit telling The Daily Mail, “Rolf has been very sick,” Merrit noted that Harris was still “the entertainer” and would “turn into a big kid” as soon as someone walked into the room, trying to “perform on cue even when he’s unwell”. A neighbour told The Telegraph that his health had declined after the death of his poodle, Bumble. “Only carers and nurses, who care for him 24 hours, come and go. I’m told he can’t eat anymore,” the neighbour, Portia Wooderson, said. His dying words have been revealed, with Harris begging his daughter Bindi to make sure his wife receives the proper care. News Corp Australia reported a source saying Harris told Bindi, “Look after your mum. I always believed we would go on longer together but, if I go first, promise you’ll take good care of your mum.” Image credit: Getty

Caring

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

Late Masterchef judge Jock Zonfrillo has been laid to rest by his loved ones at a private funeral in Sydney. 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. Zonfrillo’s Masterchef 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. Barnes was later joined by his daughter, Mahalia, and the two performed a touching rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’ for the service. 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. 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. “We are two halves that found each other at the exact moment in life when we were ready,” she said, according to The Daily Mail. “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.” 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. “And one of the hardest things to accept is that you won’t be here to see ours grow.” 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.” No wake was held after the funeral, with one attendee informing The Daily Mail that “the family just wants it to happen without any of the attention his death has attracted, which has understandably been overwhelming. “They're trying to keep it as personal as they can. It's critical they be given the space to do that.” Images: Instagram

Caring

The most misused word in the English language

A traffic jam when you’re already late. A free ride when you’ve already paid. The fact that the King James Bible is the most shoplifted book in the United States. One of these three things is an example of irony – the reversal of what is expected or intended. The other two (no offense to Alanis Morissette) are not. The difference between them may be one of the most rage-inducing linguistic misunderstandings you’re likely to read about on the Internet or hear about from the determined grammar nerds in your life. “Ironic” does not, technically, mean “unfortunate,” “interesting” or “coincidental,” despite these terms often being used interchangeably. And that frequent misuse has not escaped linguists. According to the editors at <a href="http://WWW.DICTIONARY.COM">Dictionary.com</a>, “We submit that ironic might be the most abused word in the English language.” That’s a tough claim to prove, but it’s clear that confusion over the definition of irony is persistent and decades old. “Irony” makes Harvard linguist Steven Pinker’s <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-58-most-commonly-misused-words-and-phrases-a6754551.html">list</a> of the 58 most commonly misused words in English, and ranks in the top 1 percent of all word lookups on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary. Even Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald got it wrong, some say, when he claimed in 1939, “It is an ironic thought that the last picture job I took yielded me five thousand dollars five hundred and cost over four thousand in medical attention.” So what does irony mean, really, and where does the confusion come from? Part of the ambiguity probably stems from the fact that there are no fewer than three definitions of irony depending on which dictionary you use. There’s Socratic irony (an ancient rhetorical move), and dramatic irony (an ancient theatrical move), but the definition of irony we care about – and the kind that’s most bitterly debated – is situational irony. Situational irony occurs when, as the Oxford English Dictionary defines it, “a state of affairs or an event… seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often wryly amusing as a result”. The trick, according to purists, is the deliberately contrary part – for a situation to be ironic, it must be the opposite of what is expected, not merely an amusing coincidence. A traffic jam when you’re already late may be an undesirable coincidence, but it is not the opposite outcome one would expect when leaving for work late (especially if that person lives in a major city). In an article titled <a href="http://www.collegehumor.com/post/229130/lines-from-alanis-morissettes-ironic-modified-to-actually-make-them-ironic">Lines From Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic,” Modified to Actually Make them Ironic</a>, College Humor writer Patrick Cassels corrects the situation like this: “A traffic jam when you’re already late… to receive an award from the Municipal Planning Board for reducing the city’s automobile congestion 80 per cent.” Now that’s irony. Not every linguist goes by this limited view, though. Ever the champions of fluid language growth, Merriam Webster <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irony">argues</a> that Mr. Fitzgerald, Ms. Morissette, and anyone else who uses “ironic” to mean “coincidental” isn’t actually wrong, but is actually just trailblazing. “The word irony has come to be applied to events that are merely curious or coincidental,” the editors write, “and while some feel this is an incorrect use of the word, it is merely a new one.” Now isn’t that something. Image credit: Shutterstock Written by Brandon Specktor. This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/our-language/most-misused-word-english-language">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestsubscribe?utm_source=readersdigest&utm_campaign=RDSUB&utm_medium=display&keycode=WRA85S">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Retirement Life

The unusual new words and phrases being considered by the Macquarie Dictionary

Macquarie Dictionary has unveiled their words of the month, with each of them going into the running to be 2023 Word of the Year and possibly included in their next edition. The words and phrases have largely been submitted by the public, with five unique phrases being crowned the words of the month. The words of the month include the phrases gendy nooch, cozzie livs, tiger toast, password child and murder noodle. According to the dictionary, the term “gendy nooch” is a shortening of gender-neutral, which means something not relating or specific to a particular gender. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> An online shortening of gender-neutral to become 'gendy nooch' is gaining traction. Find more new words here. <a href="https://t.co/rO6OF4QuRK">https://t.co/rO6OF4QuRK</a> <a href="https://t.co/3QkYLiNLEA">pic.twitter.com/3QkYLiNLEA</a> — Macquarie Dictionary (@MacqDictionary) <a href="https://twitter.com/MacqDictionary/status/1648861592421801987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2023</a></blockquote> “Cozzie livs” has quickly become slang for the ongoing cost of living crisis, which has been affecting most Australians in 2023. The phrase has become a classic Aussie way of downplaying a quite serious matter. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The words on everybody's lips these days, the 'cost of living'. But have you ever called it the cozzie livs (crisis)? More new words at the link. <a href="https://t.co/rO6OF4QuRK">https://t.co/rO6OF4QuRK</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZXdOhwNdkv">pic.twitter.com/ZXdOhwNdkv</a> — Macquarie Dictionary (@MacqDictionary) <a href="https://twitter.com/MacqDictionary/status/1646302360254177282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2023</a></blockquote> Another phrase that Aussies have been adopting more is the patriotic concept of “tiger toast”, which refers to "toast with a topping of Vegemite and strips of cheese" according to the dictionary. “Password child” is another new phrase recognised by the dictionary, meaning "a child favoured over their siblings, as shown by the use of their name in the parent's online passwords". The final top pick for April words of the month is “murder noodle”, which refers to "a snake, especially one that is venomous". Each of these phrases has now gone in the running to be crowned the 2023 Word of the Year, which the Macquarie Dictionary awards each year to a phrase that has seamlessly been integrated into the Aussie vocabulary. The 2022 Word of the Year was Teal, defined by the dictionary as "a political candidate who holds generally ideologically moderate views, but who supports strong action regarding environmental and climate action policies, and the prioritising of integrity in politics (so called as many of the candidates use the colour teal in their electoral material)”. Image credits: Getty Images

Books

The surprising stories of how these 10 words came to be

Ever hear or read a word and think, “where on earth did that come from?” Well, for the etymologists of the world, that’s exactly what they try to figure out. In a post on online forum <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/4tqrix/etymologists_of_reddit_what_is_your_favorite/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reddit</a>, user russellbeard asked, “Etymologists of Reddit, what is your favourite story of how a word came to be?” The community delivered, and some of what we learnt was very interesting indeed. Here are 10 of our favourites. <ol> <li>The Latin prefix “pen-” comes from the word “paene”, meaning “almost”. Therefore, a “peninsula” is almost an island and something that is “penultimate” is almost last.</li> <li>“Muscle” is derived from the Latin word “musculus”, which means “little mouse”. Physicians used the term after noticing the muscles in the biceps and calves look like little mice running under the skin.</li> <li>“Daisy” comes from the Old English term “day’s eye”, since the flower is open during the day and closes at night.</li> <li>The words “traitor” and “tradition” have the same root as they both denote something being handed over.</li> <li>“Eavesdropping” is named after people who used to spy on their enemies from rooves with wide eaves to listen to their conversations.</li> <li>“An apron” actually used be “a napron”.</li> <li>People often break “helicopter” into “heli-” and “-copter” to make new words like “helipad” and “newscopter”, but it really should be broken into “helico-”, which means “spiral” or “helix” and “-pter” which means “wing”. In fact, that’s why pterodactyl starts with a p.</li> <li>“Sinister” is actually the Latin word meaning “left”. It was given the connotation of “evil” because left-handed people were historically blamed for being demonic and villainous.</li> <li>The word “dunce” comes from the medieval philosopher Johannes Duns Scotus. His enemies disagreed so strongly with his theories that they turned his name into an insult 200 years after he had died. He was, in fact, an incredibly smart man and well known for his debating abilities.</li> <li>“Uppercase” and “lowercase” are named as such because in the days of hand printing, capital letters and lowercase letters were literally kept in different cases.</li> </ol> Images: Getty

Books

As the global musical phenomenon turns 50, a hip-hop professor explains what the word ‘dope’ means to him

After I finished my Ph.D. in 2017, several newspaper reporters wrote about the job I’d accepted at the University of Virginia as an assistant professor of hip-hop. “A.D. Carson just scored, arguably, the dopest job ever,” one <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/03/virginia-ad-carson-hip-hop-professor/435032001/">journalist wrote</a>. The writer may not have meant it the way I read it, but the terminology was significant to me. Hip-hop’s early luminaries transformed the word’s original meanings, using it as a synonym for cool. In the 50 years since, it endures as an expression of respect and praise – and illegal substances. In that context, dope has everything to do with my work. In the year I graduated from college, one of my best friends was sent to federal prison for possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute. He served nearly a decade and has been back in prison several times since. But before he went to prison, he helped me finish school by paying off my tuition. In a very real way, dope has as much to do with me finishing my studies and becoming a professor as it does with him serving time in a federal prison. <h2>Academic dope</h2> For my Ph.D. dissertation in Rhetorics, Communications, and Information Design, I wrote a <a href="http://phd.aydeethegreat.com/">rap album</a> titled “Owning My Masters: The Rhetorics of Rhymes & Revolutions.” A peer-reviewed, mastered version of the album is due out this summer from University of Michigan Press. Part of my reasoning for writing it that way involved my ideas about dope. I want to question who gets to determine who and what are dope and whether any university can produce expertise on the people who created hip-hop. While I was initially met with <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2016/04/clemson-university-arrests/478455/">considerable resistance</a> for my work at Clemson, the university eventually became supportive and touted “<a href="https://news.clemson.edu/clemson-doctoral-student-produces-rap-album-for-dissertation-it-goes-viral/">a dissertation with a beat</a>.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A Dissertation with a Beat. 🔊🎤 🔊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Clemson?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Clemson</a> doctoral student produces rap album for dissertation; it goes viral ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/wgiM9LS6k5">https://t.co/wgiM9LS6k5</a> <a href="https://t.co/r1lmBYXV2S">pic.twitter.com/r1lmBYXV2S</a> — Clemson University (@ClemsonUniv) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClemsonUniv/status/845990987440652289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2017</a></blockquote> Clemson is not the only school to recognize hip-hop as dope. In the 50 years since its start at <a href="https://theconversation.com/hip-hop-holiday-signals-a-turning-point-in-education-for-a-music-form-that-began-at-a-back-to-school-party-in-the-bronx-165525">a back-to-school party</a> in the South Bronx, hip-hop, the culture and its art forms have come a long way to a place of relative prominence in educational institutions. Since 2013, Harvard University has housed the <a href="https://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/institutes/hiphop-archive-research-institute">Hiphop Archive & Research Institute</a> and the <a href="https://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/faq/nasir-jones-hiphop-fellowship">Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship</a> that funds scholars and artists who demonstrate “exceptional scholarship and creativity in the arts in connection with Hiphop.” UCLA announced an <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-03-28/ucla-hip-hop-initiative-chuck-d">ambitious Hip Hop Initiative</a> to kick off the golden anniversary. The initiative includes artist residencies, community engagement programs, a book series and a digital archive project. Perhaps my receiving tenure and promotion at the University of Virginia is part of the school’s attempt to help codify the existence of hip-hop scholarship. When I write about “dope,” I’m thinking of Black people like drugs to which the U.S. is addicted. Dope is a frame to help clarify the attempts, throughout American history, at outlawing and <a href="https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/archives/online_exhibits/100_documents/1853-black-law.html">legalizing</a> the presence of Black people and Black culture. As dope, Black people are America’s constant ailment and cure. To me, dope is an aspiration and a methodology to acknowledge and resist America’s steady surveillance, scrutiny and criminalization of Blackness. By this definition, dope is not only what we are, it’s also who we want to be and how we demonstrate our being. Dope is about what we can make with what we are given. Dope is a product of conditions created by America. It is also a product that helped create America. Whenever Blackness has been seen as lucrative, businesses like record companies and institutions like colleges and universities have sought to capitalize. To remove the negative stigmas associated with dope, these institutions cast themselves in roles similar to a pharmacy. Even though I don’t believe academia has the power or authority to bestow hip-hop credibility, a question remains – does having a Ph.D and producing rap music as <a href="https://theconversation.com/hip-hop-professor-looks-to-open-doors-with-worlds-first-peer-reviewed-rap-album-153761">peer-reviewed publications</a>change my dopeness in some way? <h2>Legalizing dope</h2> Though I earned a Ph.D by rapping, my own relationship to hip-hop in academic institutions remains fraught. Part of the problem was noted in 2014 by Michelle Alexander, a legal scholar and author of “<a href="http://newjimcrow.com/">The New Jim Crow</a>,” when she talked about <a href="http://www.drugpolicy.org/resource/new-jim-crow-whats-next-talk-michelle-alexander-and-dpas-asha-bandele">her concerns about</a> the legalization of marijuana in different U.S. states. “In many ways the imagery doesn’t sit right,” she said. “Here are white men poised to run big marijuana businesses … after 40 years of impoverished black kids getting prison time for selling weed, and their families and futures destroyed. Now, white men are planning to get rich doing precisely the same thing?” I feel the same way about dopeness in academia. Since hip-hop has emerged as a global phenomenon largely embraced by many of the “academically trained” music scholars who initially rejected it, how will those scholars and their schools now make way for the people they have historically excluded? This is why that quote about me “scoring, arguably, the dopest job ever” has stuck with me. I wonder if it’s fair to call what I do a form of legalized dope. <h2>America’s dope-dealing history</h2> In the late 1990s, I saw how fast hip-hop had become inescapable across the U.S., even in the small Midwestern town of Decatur, Illinois, where I grew up with my friend who is now serving federal prison time. He and I have remained in contact. Among the things we discuss is how unlikely it is that I would be able to do what I do without his doing what he did. Given the economic realities faced by people after leaving prison, we both know there are limitations to his opportunities if we choose to see our successes as shared accomplishments. Depending on how dope is interpreted, prisons and universities serve as probable destinations for people who make their living with it. It has kept him in prison roughly the same amount of time as it has kept me in graduate school and in my profession. This present reality has historical significance for how I think of dope, and what it means for people to have their existence authorized or legalized, and America’s relationship to Black people. Many of the buildings at Clemson were built in the late 1880s using “<a href="http://glimpse.clemson.edu/convict-labor/">laborers convicted of mostly petty crimes</a>” that the state of South Carolina leased to the university. Similarly, the University of Virginia was built by <a href="https://dei.virginia.edu/resources">renting enslaved laborers</a>. The University also is required by state law to purchase office furniture from a state-owned company that <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/02/14/public-universities-several-states-are-required-buy-prison-industries">depends on imprisoned people for labor</a>. The people who make the furniture are paid very little to do so. The people in the federal prison where my friend who helped me pay for college is now housed work for paltry wages making towels and shirts for the U.S. Army. Even with all of the time and distance between our pasts and present, our paths are still inextricably intertwined – along with all those others on or near the seemingly transient line that divides “legal” and “illegal” dope. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-the-global-musical-phenomenon-turns-50-a-hip-hop-professor-explains-what-the-word-dope-means-to-him-200872" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

“He yelled the N-word”: Stan Grant speaks out on racist attack

Q+A host Stan Grant has opened up about the time he faced unprovoked racist abuse from a stranger outside of the ABC’s headquarters, just days after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/there-is-no-excuse-for-what-i-saw-stan-grant-calls-on-the-abc-to-do-better">calling for the broadcaster to “do better”</a>. Grant, a Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi man, was attending the national summit on Aboriginal child safety in Adelaide when conversation turned to the incident involving a passerby and “the N-word”. “I was standing outside the ABC filming … and a young man and his girlfriend walked past me and, as they got close to me, he yelled the N-word loudly at me, right at me,” Grant explained. “So what if I’m on television, so what if I stayed in the White House with [former US President] Barack Obama …. so what if I can phone the Prime Minister [Anthony Albanese] and he’ll pick up the phone, so what? In that moment, that’s what I was to that person. “We don’t know when someone’s going to say that. No matter how successful you are, someone can always cut you down. “Racism can touch us anywhere.” When breaking the story, Grant was addressing an audience of approximately 250 individuals from across Australia - primarily First Nations experts and frontline workers - at the summit hosted by KWY. The group is a South Australia-based Aboriginal organisation who, according to their official website, “cover domestic and family violence, child protection, youth work, kinship care, disability, mentoring, Aboriginal education outcomes, perpetrator intervention, and cultural training and consultancy” across Adelaide and other regional centres. During the summit, Aboriginal Children’s Commissioner April Lawrie called on the South Australian government to take action against the rising rates of Aboriginal children who were being taken into state care, declaring that, “we’re removing [children] but we’re not supporting [families].” “It’s a telling story when [I] go into a school community to engage with young fullas … to find that I couldn’t take a photo because most of the Aboriginal children in that school community were a child in care [and can’t be identified]. “That speaks more than what you see in data. That is the compelling story about what is going on in our Aboriginal communities, what is the relationship of the state with our Aboriginal families.” Reportedly, South Australia has a budget in excess of $500m, and only spends roughly $69m per year on early help services for families. As South Australia’s Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard said, the Malinauskas government intends to commit $3.2m to creating a new committee, while increasing the overall budget for family services by $13.4m. “We know that the current system is not working for Aboriginal families and children,” she stated. “Listening to the wisdom and experience of Aboriginal people is utterly fundamental to building a better approach. “This includes our government acknowledging how that legacy of colonisation and experiences of intergenerational trauma and racism influence the issues Aboriginal people face.” Images: Q+A / Youtube

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As the global musical phenomenon turns 50, a hip-hop professor explains what the word ‘dope’ means to him

“He yelled the N-word”: Stan Grant speaks out on racist attack

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