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"What did we do?": Bride shares heartbroken reaction to empty wedding

A bride has recalled the devastating moment she made a grand entrance to her wedding, only to discover almost no guests showed up. Kalina Marie took to TikTok to share the gut-wrenching video of the moment her and her new husband Shane stepped inside the lavishly decorated hall with their son, as they tried to come to terms with the fact that only a handful of people showed to celebrate with them. “This is our entrance to our Masquerade ball,” Ms Marie, who is from Oregon in the US, wrote in the caption of her clip, which has since amassed over seven million views. “The Masquerade ball that I have talked EXCESSIVELY about for the last 10 months. The same ball that I not only digitally invited over 75 people to. But ALSO spent money to send 25 beautiful invitations out to." “FIVE PEOPLE SHOWED UP!!!!!!! Like, are you kidding me!?!? As you see in the video, we enter the venue. And no one is there. The invite said 1pm. My mum messaged me at 1:15pm that no one was there. My husband and I finally showed up at 2 o’clock, to five people, in a venue planned for 40.” <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: currentcolor !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: currentcolor !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7433899067664551198&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40kalina_marie_23%2Fvideo%2F7433899067664551198&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-pu-sign-useast8.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast8-p-0068-tx2%2F7f29587f56a44788903eea92cd974c62_1730839526%3Flk3s%3Db59d6b55%26x-expires%3D1731499200%26x-signature%3DbUQfTW%252F8BrelG0Dy5rCNSzBBbiQ%253D%26shp%3Db59d6b55%26shcp%3D-&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> She said she “dreamt” that she would walk into a bunch of people “hooting and hollering” for them, but instead ended up having to “hold herself together” because she had “no idea” how to deal with her venue being almost completely empty. “All the wasted food and drinks,” Ms Marie continued. “All the empty tables and chairs. Every moment of my reception changed to adapt.” “It just makes me think, like, why? What did we do? Am I that bad of a person? What did my husband ever do to deserve any of this?” she questioned. “Why couldn’t we matter enough for people to show up?” She revealed that it makes her “sick” that she still has “friends” who haven’t even messaged her to congratulate her or tell her why they didn’t come, adding, “I honestly can’t wrap my head around this yet.” The heart-breaking video quickly wrapped up millions of views and comments, with many empathising with the new bride, with one person writing, "This hurts my heart for you." Thousands of others tried to lighten the mood, praising Ms Marie for how beautiful she looked and vowing to attend a do-over wedding. “NAH, RE-DO THIS. WE ALL SHOWING UP,” read a top comment, while another wrote, “Let’s do it over. This time invite me and the rest of us. We’ll show up and out. I love you beautiful and congratulations!!” Image credits: TikTok

Relationships

Readers response: What’s the best book you’ve read recently, and what did you love about it?

With hundreds of new books on the market, it's hard to know what are the best to recommend. We asked our readers what the best book they've read recently is and what did they love about it, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Helen Ulgekutt - The Venice Hotel by Tess Woods, loved it start to finish. Zoy Crizzle - The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George. Great book, so easy to read and an interesting story line. I loved it. Keralie Stack - I have just finished Fallen Woman by Fiona McIntosh. A good read. Karen Peardon - The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston. A great story. Nola Schmidt - The Perfect Passion Company by Alexander McCall Smith. It was clever, witty, and gentle. June Lennie - People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. Interesting story set in different historical periods. Brilliantly written and researched. Christine Hayes - Where the Crawdads Sing, just beautiful. Sandra Moores - All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien. A great debut based in Cabramatta, very compelling read. Greg Cudmore - 'To Alpha From Omega'. Although very much Australian, its themes are universal. Denise Zephyr - The Days I Loved You Most. Such a beautiful story and a beautiful ending. Marie Chong - Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy. I love all her books, she tells a good story. Yvonne Bercov - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, couldn’t put it down. Image credits: Shutterstock

Books

The internet is worse than it used to be. How did we get here, and can we go back?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marc-cheong-998488">Marc Cheong</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wonsun-shin-1300054">Wonsun Shin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> When it comes to our experience of the internet, “the times, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Times_They_Are_a-Changin%27_(song)">they are a-changin’</a>”, as Bob Dylan would say. You can’t quite recall how, but the internet certainly feels different these days. To some, it is “<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/16/1224878097/everyday-users-are-complaining-that-the-internet-is-more-chaotic-than-ever">less fun and less informative</a>” than it used to be. To others, online searches are made up of “<a href="https://www.theverge.com/c/23998379/google-search-seo-algorithm-webpage-optimization?src=longreads">cookie cutter</a>” pages that drown out useful information and are saturated with scams, spam and content generated by artificial intelligence (AI). Your social media feeds are full of eye-catching, provocative, hyper-targeted, or anger-inducing content, from <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-dead-internet-theory-makes-eerie-claims-about-an-ai-run-web-the-truth-is-more-sinister-229609">bizarre AI-generated imagery</a> to robot-like comments. You’re lucky if your video feeds are not solely made up of exhortations to “subscribe”. How did we get here? And can we claw our way back? <h2>Commercial interests rule</h2> One major factor contributing to the current state of the internet is its over-commercialisation: financial motives drive much of the content. This has arguably led to the prevalence of sensationalism, prioritising virality over information quality. Covert and deceptive advertising is widespread, blurring the line between commercial and non-commercial content to attract more attention and engagement. Another driving force is the dominance of tech giants like Google, Meta and Amazon. They reach billions worldwide and wield immense power over the content we consume. Their platforms use advanced tracking technologies and opaque algorithms to generate hyper-targeted media content, powered by extensive user data. This creates <a href="https://www.campaignasia.com/article/the-echo-chamber-effect-how-algorithms-shape-our-worldview/491762">filter bubbles</a>, where users are exposed to limited content that reinforces their existing beliefs and biases, and <a href="https://philarchive.org/archive/NGUECA">echo chambers</a> where other viewpoints are actively discredited. Bad actors like <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/ai-fuel-financial-scams-online-industry-experts/story?id=103732051">cyber criminals and scammers</a> have been an enduring problem online. However, evolving technology like generative AI has further empowered them, enabling them to create highly realistic fake images, deepfake videos and <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/science/annals-of-artificial-intelligence/the-terrifying-ai-scam-that-uses-your-loved-ones-voice">voice cloning</a>. AI’s ability to automate content creation has also flooded the internet with low-quality, misleading and harmful material at an unprecedented scale. In sum, the accelerated commercialisation of the internet, the dominance of media tech giants and the presence of bad actors have infiltrated content on the internet. The rise of AI further intensifies this, making the internet more chaotic than ever. <h2>Some of the ‘good’ internet remains</h2> So, what was the “good internet” some of us long for with nostalgia? At the outset, the internet was meant to be a free egalitarian space people were meant to “surf” and “browse”. Knowledge was meant to be shared: sites such as Wikipedia and The Internet Archive are continuing bastions of knowledge. Before the advent of filter bubbles, the internet was a creative playground where people explored different ideas, discussed varying perspectives, and collaborated with individuals from “outgroups” – those outside their social circles who may hold opposing views. Early social media platforms were built on the ethos of reconnecting with long-lost classmates and family members. Many of us have community groups, acquaintances and family we reach out to via the internet. The “connection” aspect of the internet remains as important as ever – as we all saw during the COVID pandemic. What else do we want to preserve? Privacy. A New Yorker cartoon joke in 1993 stated that “<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20051029045942/http://www.unc.edu/depts/jomc/academics/dri/idog.html">on the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog</a>”. Now everyone – especially advertisers – wants to know who you are. To quote the <a href="https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/your-personal-information/what-is-privacy">Office of the Australian Information Commissioner</a>, one of the tenets of privacy is “to be able to control who can see or use information about you”. At the very least, we want to control what big tech knows about us, especially if they could stand to profit from it. <h2>Can we ever go back?</h2> We can’t control “a changin’” times, but we can keep as much of the good parts as we can. For starters, we can vote with our feet. Users can enact change and bring awareness to problems on existing platforms. In recent times, we have seen this with the <a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-breaking-up-with-twitter-heres-the-right-way-to-do-it-195002">exodus of users</a> from X (formerly Twitter) to other platforms, and the <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/06/26/why-reddit-users-are-protesting-against-the-sites-leadership">platform-wide protest against Reddit</a> for changing its third-party data access policies. However, voting with our feet is only possible when there’s competition. In the case of X, various other platforms – from Mastodon to Threads to Bluesky – enable users to pick one that aligns with their preferences, values and social circles. Search engines have alternatives, too, such as DuckDuckGo or Ecosia. But competition can only be created by moving to decentralised systems and removing monopolies. This actually happened in the early days of the internet during the 1990s “<a href="https://thehistoryoftheweb.com/browser-wars/">browser wars</a>”, when Microsoft was eventually accused of illegally monopolising the web browser market in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft_Corp.">a landmark court case</a>. As users of technology, all of us must remain vigilant about threats to our privacy and knowledge. With cheap and ubiquitous generative AI, misleading content and scams are more realistic as ever. We must exercise healthy scepticism and ensure those most at risk from online threats – such as children and older people – are educated about potential harms. Remember, the internet is not optimised for your best interests. It’s up to you to decide how much power you give to the tech giants who are fuelling theirs.<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/236513/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marc-cheong-998488">Marc Cheong</a>, Senior Lecturer of Information Systems, School of Computing and Information Systems; and (Honorary) Senior Fellow, Melbourne Law School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wonsun-shin-1300054">Wonsun Shin</a>, Associate Professor in Media and Communications, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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-internet-is-worse-than-it-used-to-be-how-did-we-get-here-and-can-we-go-back-236513">original article</a>.

Technology

Readers response: Have you ever experienced culture shock while travelling? How did you handle it?

When it comes to travelling abroad, it's not uncommon to experience culture shocks as part of your holiday. Travelling to unique corners of the globe can often come with stumbling onto potentially uncomfortable and unusual situations. We asked our readers if they have ever experiences culture shocks and how they handled them, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Alison Mahoney - Yes, in the mid 60s got fined for kissing my boyfriend in the street in Athens. How things have changed. Margaret Godfrey - Yes, First time I went to Vietnam - from Hobart. The heat, the sheer number of people just outside the airport door, being grabbed by stall holders in Ben Thanh Market and pulled into their stalls with "You Buy". Had a good cry later in my hotel, then a cup of tea with another woman on tour. After going to dinner with rest of group, got over myself & thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Val Beale - Cambodia was a culture shock for me. Lovely people but so much poverty. Felt overwhelmed. So glad I went though. Jim Janush - Yes, the first time I went to South America, though not the first country there I was visiting. It was in the second country I had trouble accepting how different it was to what I was used to, the strange, backwards manner of simple organisation, almost everything. It grew on me, and after a few days it felt normal, and now it doesn’t feel anywhere near as bad. But the first couple of days were horrific. Bruce Hopkins - On a USA Holiday, we took a Day Bus Trip from San Diego to Tijuana, what reality check it was seeing the Mexican/USA Border. Judi Tracey - Definitely when l went into the Grand Bazaar in Turkey. It was full of males, drinking coffee, smoking and googling at women. I never felt so uncomfortable and concerned for my safety if a fire broke out!! I couldn’t leave quick enough. Kristeen Bon - Bali. Went 25 years ago and hated it…..the heat, the constant harassment, the food, everything. Went back last year thinking maybe things had changed…..nope, still too bloody hot, locals still harassing you, streets, shops and resorts falling apart……..not even a single comfortable chair on one of the island resorts. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Woman “bullied” on plane over budget seating trick

A young woman has recalled a flight from hell when she was “bullied” by a couple who were trying to utilise a seating hack that went viral on TikTok. The solo traveller took to Reddit to recount the story and ask social media users if she was in the wrong for her action. The woman began by saying she usually pays more to select her plane seat ahead of time, but a medical emergency on another plane had her waiting on standby and left with no option other than to sit in a middle seat. When she was finally able to board, she was greeted by a couple who had purchased both the window and aisle seats in a bid to have more space, utilising a travel “trick” that has been popular on TikTok. The method, which has been dubbed the 'poor man's business class', usually leaves travellers with an empty middle seat and more space, and few travellers opt to pick a middle seat. “When I got to my row the man and woman were chatting and sharing a snack... it was obvious they were together. I mentioned to the man that I'm in the middle, and he got up to let me in,” the unsuspecting traveller wrote on Reddit. “I asked them if they would prefer to sit together, I said I was totally okay with that. The woman reacted rudely to this and said ‘you're not supposed to be sitting here anyway’.” After noticing how the plane was full, she offered to show the pair her new ticket with the correct seat number on it. “She flicked her hand at my ticket and made a disgusted sound. I offered again if they wanted to sit together to which she didn't reply, her partner said it's okay and... made some small talk,” she continued. The man’s girlfriend then interrupted their conversation to ask,”'Did you use one of those third party websites to book your flight? It's so frustrating when people cheap out to inconvenience others.” The American woman explained that she had booked her flight directly and she had been placed on standby like everyone else and didn't choose the middle seat - she was assigned it. She then tried to keep the peace by refusing to engage with the furious woman. “I was so done with her attitude, I put my headphones on and attempted to do my own thing,” she explained. But the “entitled” girlfriend wasn't letting it go, as the woman explained, “This woman kept reaching over me and tapping her partner and trying to talk to him in a way that was super intrusive.” “I could tell even her partner was trying to engage her less so that she would hopefully stop, but she didn't.” “I think they tried to pull that tactic where they don't sit together on purpose...hoping no one will sit between them. But on full flights it doesn't work. And even so - it's not the other person's fault.” The traveller's post was met with hundreds of comments slamming the girlfriend’s behaviour, as one person wrote, “It's like a toddler having a tantrum.” “She was disappointed and a total a**hole. Gross entitled people,” another added. Another person applauded the traveller’s level-headed behaviour, writing, “Wow! You are my hero for keeping it classy - I’m afraid I would not have been as kind as you.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Where did money come from?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steven-hail-1302961">Steven Hail</a>, <a href="https://www.torrens.edu.au/">Torrens University Australia</a> For the most part, economists continue to believe a story of money told to generations of students by a series of textbooks over the past 150 years. This story asks us to imagine a pre-monetary barter economy, where people bought goods and services by trading them for other goods and services. Eventually a suitable commodity – perhaps gold or silver – emerged as both an acceptable means of exchange for conducting trade and a convenient unit of account for expressing value. Later, coins were issued – eventually to be monopolised by governments – and later still paper money, credit, and banking systems. The problem with this story is that there is no historical evidence to support it. As was <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/2802221?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">noted</a> by prominent anthropologist Caroline Humphreys: <blockquote> No example of a barter economy, pure and simple, has ever been described, let alone the emergence from it of money … all available ethnography suggests that there has never been such a thing. </blockquote> So where did money come from exactly? One difficulty we face is that writing about money – what gives it value, and how monetary systems work – is not something young economists are generally encouraged to do. As a consequence, among the best articles ever written about money are two now more than 100 years old by British economist Alfred Mitchell-Innes, entitled “<a href="https://www.community-exchange.org/docs/what%20is%20money.htm">What is Money</a>?” and “<a href="https://cooperative-individualism.org/innes-a-mitchell_credit-theory-of-money-1914-dec-jan.pdf">The Credit Theory of Money</a>”. These papers, until recently almost completely ignored by the economics profession, tell a different story, rejecting the idea that money evolved naturally from barter. We can now be confident this version is closer to the truth. And it has big implications for how we think about the role of governments within monetary systems, and what gives money value. Acknowledging the true story of money would force a paradigm shift among economists – no wonder a lot of them don’t want to think about it. <h2>Actually, early governments invented money</h2> The truth is that money predates markets. <a href="https://youtu.be/7cLDFjTt4Bs?si=fDTafcZD_u1S23kD">Governments invented money</a> – it did not emerge independently from pre-existing barter systems. Market economies simply could not develop until money existed. For much of history, the currency tokens people regarded as money had little or no intrinsic value, taking the form of clay tablets, hazelwood tally sticks, base metals, shells or paper. The earliest forms of what Keynes called “modern money” – to distinguish it from gift tokens used for ceremonial purposes in communal groups – go back to the origins of taxation, accounting, and even literacy and numeracy. These early currencies were units of account used to assess the tributes that had to be paid to early governmental institutions in the Middle East. The word shekel is still used as a currency unit, but dates to ancient Babylon and the emergence of money itself, over 5,000 years ago. The idea that the need to pay taxes is what creates a demand for a currency was well understood by colonial governments. They knew how to introduce their currencies into countries they had invaded. To force locals to supply labour or goods to the government, they imposed a tax liability – often, a hut tax. This tax could only be paid using the currency of the colony. Locals had to either work for the colonial government or supply goods to others who did, else they wouldn’t have the specific currency needed to pay taxes. This created a demand for the colonial power’s currency, which the government could then spend. If such a government spent more overall than it withdrew in taxation – running a budget deficit – the community could add the remaining currency to its savings. Taxation and the legal system created a demand for the government’s money and provided the impetus for the development of a monetary economy. Even today, it’s the tax system that drives the monetary system. Demand for a government’s money is guaranteed because people need it to pay federal taxes. <h2>But banks create money too</h2> Actual physical cash makes up a tiny proportion of the money in circulation. Most of what we regard as money is held in our bank deposits, effectively a bunch of numbers on a ledger. Most of these bank deposits are created by banks when they make loans to us, and this is not government money at all – it is private money, created by the banks themselves. When a bank makes a loan to you, that loan becomes an asset for the bank, because you have to pay it back with interest. But at the same time, the loan appears as a deposit of funds in your account, which is a liability for the bank. Technically, you both owe each other. On paper, this means there’s now money in the system that wasn’t there before. The bank hasn’t actually lent you someone else’s money, the loan deposited in your account represents the bank’s IOU to you. Both the loan and the deposit are created by the bank, using nothing more than a computer keyboard. The bank has promised to use its holdings of government money to make payments on your behalf, including tax payments to the government, or to provide you with government money in the form of physical cash. As economist Hyman Minsky once said, “anyone can create money – the problem lies in getting it accepted”. Obviously, private banks don’t issue government currency. The Commonwealth government and its agent, the Reserve Bank of Australia, sit at the top of our own monetary system. Government-issued currency will always have value because it’s the unit of account needed to assess and pay our taxes. How much value the currency holds depends on how much the economy produces, how difficult it is to obtain the currency and on how much tax we have to pay. Here is some food for thought. If we accept that money and markets did not emerge naturally but had to be created by governmental institutions and legal systems, this means that there is no such thing as a genuinely free market, no such thing as a natural rate of unemployment, and no such thing as a natural distribution of income and wealth. The theory that money emerged naturally in the private sector encourages people to believe that free markets are natural systems in which governments only interfere. But in truth, early governments invented the very institutions of money and markets, and the regulatory frameworks that determined how those markets work and in whose interests. Exchange economies have always depended on systems of law and they always will. The more pertinent question concerns who writes those laws – and in whose interests those regulations are applied. <hr /> Correction: This article has been amended to reflect that a loan deposit represents a bank’s IOU to the customer, not to a bank’s other customers, as originally reported.<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/229481/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <hr /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steven-hail-1302961">Steven Hail</a>, Associate Professor, <a href="https://www.torrens.edu.au/">Torrens University Australia</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/where-did-money-come-from-229481">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

"Did you forget?": Nicole Kidman hounded by angry fans

Nicole Kidman, the famous Aussie star with a Hollywood career spanning four decades, has found herself embroiled in controversy after she proudly announced her collaboration with fashion house Balenciaga. The announcement, made via Instagram, featured Kidman showcasing the brand's latest designs during their Fall 2024 show in Los Angeles. However, the excitement from Kidman was met with a swift and vehement response from fans who couldn't overlook the brand's troubling past. Balenciaga had <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/beauty-style/why-people-are-calling-for-nicole-kidman-to-be-cancelled" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously come under fire</a> for a controversial photoshoot that sparked widespread criticism and accusations of "paedophilia" and "child exploitation". The offending campaign featured children clad in bondage harnesses and costumes, causing an immediate uproar online. The hashtag #cancelBalenciaga trended across social media platforms at the time, putting immense pressure on the fashion brand to issue an apology. Despite the global backlash last year, Kidman's recent association with Balenciaga has reignited the flames of discontent. Fans flooded the comments section of her Instagram post with expressions of disappointment and frustration. One user implored Kidman, stating, "Seriously? Come on Nic. You're better than this. UGH." Another echoed the sentiment, saying, "No. You too. Did you forget? This designer has been cancelled. They promote ads the public didn't want. It was wrong." The criticism did not stop there, with another fan expressing their disappointment: "Well, that's disappointing, but not surprising, really." Another comment labelled Kidman's decision as "disgusting", highlighting the continued disapproval of Balenciaga's controversial past. This incident raises questions about celebrities' responsibilities when endorsing brands and the impact of their choices on public opinion. Kidman, who has previously shared her approach to online criticism, has made it clear that her preference is to avoid such feedback to maintain creative freedom. In a recent interview, she revealed, "Don't tell me, I don't really want to know – it will stop me doing what I want to do." Kidman acknowledged the existence of hurtful comments but emphasised her commitment to staying true to her choices. While Kidman's determination to navigate her career with a focus on personal choices and creative freedom is understandable, her association with a brand that has faced severe backlash for controversial practices inevitably places her in the centre of a heated public debate. As the controversy unfolds, it remains to be seen how Kidman will address the mounting criticism and whether this incident will prompt a response from Balenciaga. Images: Instagram

Beauty & Style

You’ve heard of long COVID, but did you know there might also be a long cold?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giulia-vivaldi-1476903">Giulia Vivaldi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queen-mary-university-of-london-1745">Queen Mary University of London</a> At least <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-022-00846-2">10% of people</a> infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, have symptoms that last more than four weeks after the infection. With more than <a href="https://covid19.who.int/">770 million infections</a> to date, this translates to tens of millions of people living with the long-term consequences of COVID, known as “long COVID”. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-022-00846-2">More than 200 symptoms</a> of long COVID have been studied, with some of the most common being fatigue, breathlessness and cognitive difficulties, such as memory problems or “brain fog”. The condition can be debilitating – many people have to <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(23)00387-5/fulltext">reduce their working hours</a> or are <a href="https://ifs.org.uk/publications/long-covid-and-labour-market">unable to work entirely</a>. But COVID may not be alone in causing long-lasting symptoms. In a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(23)00428-5/fulltext">new paper</a>, my colleagues and I report the findings of a study comparing long-term symptoms reported by people who experienced different types of acute respiratory infection. We asked more than 10,000 people to report on 16 symptoms commonly found in long COVID, such as fatigue, breathlessness, aches and pains, and dizziness. We then compared how common these symptoms were among three groups: people who had reported COVID, those who had reported another acute respiratory infection (but had tested negative for COVID), and those who had not reported either infection. We focused on long-term symptoms by only including people who had been infected more than four weeks earlier. We also took into account people’s general health before they were infected, and whether they had any existing respiratory conditions. Our study showed that all the symptoms considered were more common in people with previous COVID than in people with no infections, regardless of whether they reported long COVID. But this finding wasn’t unique to COVID. Almost all the symptoms we looked at were also more common in people with non-COVID respiratory infections than in those with no infection. In other words, our findings hinted towards the existence of a “long cold”: long-lasting health effects from other respiratory infections, such as colds, flu, or pneumonia, that are currently going unrecognised. Some of the most common symptoms of the long cold include coughing, stomach pain, and diarrhoea. These symptoms were reported an average of 11 weeks after the infection. While a severe initial infection seems to increase the risk of long-term symptoms, our research does not yet tell us why some people suffer extended symptoms while others do not. <h2>Important differences</h2> Importantly, we have no evidence that symptoms of the long cold have the same severity or duration as long COVID. In fact, we saw some important differences in the symptoms reported in the two groups, with those recovering from COVID more likely to experience light-headedness or dizziness and problems with taste and smell. These findings shine a light not only on the impact of long COVID on people’s lives, but also other respiratory infections. A lack of awareness, or even the lack of a common term, such as “long cold” or “long flu”, prevents both reporting and diagnosis of these conditions. And people who do report their long cold may still struggle to get a diagnosis, owing to the wide range of symptoms and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01810-6">lack of diagnostic tests</a>. Long-lasting symptoms after respiratory infections are not a new phenomenon. Studies in survivors of two previous coronavirus outbreaks – the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) pandemic and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers) outbreak – have found long-term impacts on <a href="https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/21/1/e68">lung function, quality of life and mental health</a>. And some people hospitalised with influenza A have experienced <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-17497-6">respiratory and psychological problems</a> at least two years after being discharged from hospital. But most of the research so far has focused on people with severe disease, often severe enough to be hospitalised. Little is known about the long-term effects respiratory infections might have among people whose acute disease episode is less severe. Long COVID has bucked this trend, being studied in people with all levels of severity of the initial infection. This is in large part due to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953620306456">strong patient advocacy</a>, showing that it can affect even those with mild initial symptoms. In demanding recognition of their condition, people with long COVID have cast a much-needed spotlight on post-infection syndromes more generally. Now is the time to improve our understanding, diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. Let’s not wait for another pandemic.<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/214995/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giulia-vivaldi-1476903">Giulia Vivaldi</a>, , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queen-mary-university-of-london-1745">Queen Mary University of London</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/youve-heard-of-long-covid-but-did-you-know-there-might-also-be-a-long-cold-214995">original article</a>.

Body

Why did Hamas attack, and why now? What does it hope to gain?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ian-parmeter-932739">Ian Parmeter</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a> In hindsight, the drivers of Hamas’s startlingly well-planned, land-sea-air attack on Israel on Saturday were in plain sight. The operation reflects a pattern of four wars and regular outbreaks of violence between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza since 2005, when Israel withdrew its military posts and <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/middle-east-gaza-withdrawal">forcibly removed</a> 9,000 Israeli settlers from the territory. Each time Hamas has launched rockets at Israel or engaged in similar provocations, it has drawn heavy retaliation from Israel in the form of major bombings on the Gaza Strip. Hamas, however, seems to regard this as a cost of doing business. An important factor motivating Hamas towards violence is that it has to watch its flanks. Other smaller, but increasingly extremist groups, are contesting its authority in Gaza, notably Palestinian Islamic Jihad. These groups have, at times, independently launched rocket attacks on Israel, which bring retribution on the whole territory. On top of this, the Israeli government formed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last December is the most right wing in Israeli history. This government has made no secret of its desire to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/28/benjamin-netanyahu-government-makes-west-bank-settlement-expansion-its-priority">annex</a> the West Bank and has permitted significant expansion of Jewish settlements in the territory, which are illegal under <a href="https://press.un.org/en/2016/sc12657.doc.htm">international law</a>. That has led to conflict between settlers and young West Bank Palestinians, who in the past year have formed a loose grouping known as the “<a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2023/07/07/inside-the-lions-den-the-west-banks-gen-z-fighters">Lions’ Den</a>”. This grouping, comprising independent militants with apparently no central control, has scant regard for the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank and is led by the octogenarian Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian Authority has little real administrative, security or moral authority in the territory. The “Lions’ Den” also vies with Gaza militant groups for influence among Palestinian youth – both in Gaza and the West Bank. Added to this, a minister in Netanyahu’s coalition, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/27/europe/ben-gvir-visit-israel-jerusalem-intl/index.html">Itamar Ben-Gvir</a>, has visited the Temple Mount, the site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest shrines in Islam. This was considered a provocation by all Palestinians – both in the West Bank and Gaza. Further angering Palestinians, Israeli tourists also <a href="https://apnews.com/article/christians-jerusalem-old-city-spitting-524b3b8e92beb4c947b3b8b49e80cc45">travelled</a> to the site over the recent Sukkot holiday. A <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/september-28-2000-ariel-sharon-visits-the-temple-mount-sparking-the-second-intifada/">visit</a> to the Temple Mount by Ariel Sharon in 2000, then the leader of the opposition in Israel’s government, is generally regarded as the spark that ignited the Second Intifada from 2000-2005. Under an agreement predating Israel’s foundation, Jordan has <a href="https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231004-jordan-sends-memo-of-protest-to-israel-over-al-aqsa-settler-incursions/">custodianship</a> of the Al-Aqsa religious complex. Israel aimed to respect Jordan’s role when it signed the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty in 1994. But Palestinians see the visits by Israeli ministers and non-Muslim tourists as disrespectful of the sanctity of the site and counter to this undertaking. Hamas has also claimed these visits have led to the desecration of the Al-Aqsa site, an argument obviously aimed at winning support from Muslims throughout the Arab and wider Islamic world. <h2>Why attack now?</h2> Significantly, Hamas has named its action “<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2023/10/8/there-is-nothing-surprising-about-hamass-operation">Operation Al-Aqsa Flood</a>”. This provides some clues to the primary reason for striking at this time, which emphasises what Hamas sees as Israeli acts of desecration of a holy Islamic site. However, an additional motivating factor was likely the increasing tendency of Arab states to make peace agreements with Israel, as evidenced by the <a href="https://www.state.gov/the-abraham-accords/">2020 Abraham Accords</a>, involving the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. There has recently been strong speculation that Saudi Arabia is about to make its own agreement with Israel. This is of great concern to all Palestinians, not just those in the West Bank, as it further reduces pressure on Israel to reach a settlement with them. Netanyahu has made clear in his public statements that he prioritises peace with Arab states over eventual peace with the Palestinians. Hamas does not recognise Israel, but has said it would <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24235665">observe a truce</a> if Israel withdrew to its 1967 borders. Israel would be unlikely to take Hamas’s word on this and withdraw as demanded. But there would be even less chance of that condition ever being realised if Saudi Arabia were to conclude its own deal with Israel. Another aspect of the timing is that it coincides almost precisely with the 50th anniversary of the start of the Yom Kippur or Ramadan War in October 1973, when Egypt and Syria attacked Israel together. The significance of a Palestinian entity being able to surprise Israel in the same way would not be lost on Hamas. So there were several objectives for Hamas to launch an attack at this time – and possibly a combination of them. Hamas is likely to gain much sympathy from the wider Arab world, but little in the way of material assistance. Hamas’s military operation will likely cause Saudi Arabia to hold back from normalising relations with Israel for now. That said, it’s unlikely any of the Arab states that have signed the Abraham Accords will withdraw from them now in protest over Israeli retaliation against Gaza. <h2>Where the conflict is headed?</h2> Where the conflict is headed is unclear. The Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon has already fired on positions in Israel’s north. But the extent to which it will become seriously involved will depend on its sponsor, Iran. Tehran has generally been seen to want to keep Hezbollah’s considerable rocket and missile strength in reserve in case of an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. There is also the question of whether “Lions’ Den” militants in the West Bank will launch their own attacks, effectively creating a third front against Israel. And a possible fourth front could come from attacks on Jewish Israelis by Arab Israelis living in Israel. US President Joe Biden has <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67049196">already promised</a> support for Israel, so there can be little doubt Israel will eventually get on top of these challenges. Netanyahu has warned of a long war, but it may prove reasonably short if Israel goes all out in its retaliation. The main constraint on Israeli action against Gaza will be the fact that an unknown number of Israeli citizens have been kidnapped by Hamas militants and taken to the strip. Indiscriminate Israeli bombing would certainly put those lives at risk. Israel will also be reluctant to put its defence forces in Gaza because of the risk of heavy casualties. However, it may send special forces if it gains intelligence on the whereabouts of its kidnapped citizens. A further risk for Israel in its retaliation is that too brutal an assault on Gaza could turn Western opinion against it. So far, however, Western governments are strongly supportive of Israel and unsympathetic towards Hamas. The overall lesson for Israel is that it has to develop a policy for managing the Palestinians living in the areas it controls. The current situation, in which hardline militants are contained in Gaza, while Israeli forces curtail the actions of Palestinians living in Israel and the West Bank, has suited the Israeli government for many years. It has been able to ignore Arab and international pressure to negotiate a two-state solution or to acquiesce in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/israels-new-government-doesnt-give-palestinians-much-hope-it-could-be-time-for-a-radical-approach-162077">one-state solution</a>. The real significance of Hamas’s operation is that such a non-policy can no longer continue.<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/215248/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ian-parmeter-932739">Ian Parmeter</a>, Research Scholar, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a> Image credits: CNN / X (Twitter) 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/why-did-hamas-attack-and-why-now-what-does-it-hope-to-gain-215248">original article</a>.

Legal

How did Taylor Swift get so popular? She never goes out of style

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-pattison-1407185">Kate Pattison</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Last week, USA Today/Gannett <a href="https://us231.dayforcehcm.com/CandidatePortal/en-US/gannett/Posting/View/63544">posted a job ad</a> for a Taylor Swift reporter, seeking an experienced journalist and content creator to “capture the music and cultural impact of Taylor Swift”. It’s not the first time Swift has been the focus of professional and academic work. In 2022, New York University’s Clive Davis Institute <a href="https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-course-nyu-clive-davis-institute-1235170200/">announced a course focused on Swift</a>, taught by Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos. They also gave Swift <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2022/march/Commencement_HDs_2020_2021_2022.html">an honorary doctorate in fine arts</a>, as “one of the most prolific and celebrated artists of her generation”. Other universities around the world followed with their own dedicated courses, including “<a href="https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/taylor-swift-is-the-subject-of-a-new-university-course-3483713">The Psychology of Taylor Swift</a>”, “<a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-songbook-class-offered-university-of-texas-1235130293/">The Taylor Swift Songbook</a>” and “<a href="https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/style/taylor-swift-lyrics-course-belgian-university/index.html">Literature: Taylor’s Version</a>”. While musicians and celebrities have been the subject of our fascinations for decades, it’s not often they receive such individualised attention. Swift’s impressive career can be studied from multiple perspectives, including marketing, fandom, business and songwriting, to name a few. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KudedLV0tP0?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>So why Taylor Swift?</h2> From a music perspective, Swift has broken a lot of records. Last month, she became the <a href="https://variety.com/2023/music/news/taylor-swift-spotify-record-monthly-listeners-1235707101/">first female artist in Spotify history</a> to reach 100 million monthly listeners. Swift has achieved 12 number one albums on Billboard, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/17/arts/music/taylor-swift-speak-now-billboard-chart-record.html">the most by a woman artist</a>, overtaking Barbra Streisand earlier this year. She’s the first and only woman solo artist to win the <a href="https://www.grammy.com/artists/taylor-swift/15450">Album Of The Year Grammy</a> three times, for Fearless (2009), 1989 (2015) and Folklore (2020) – each in a different musical genre. It’s a credit to Swift’s masterful songwriting, and demonstrates her ability to adapt her craft for different audiences. There is an expectation for female artists to constantly re-invent themselves, something <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/10/interesting-reinvention-taylor-swift-celebrities">Swift reflected on</a> in her Netflix documentary Miss Americana: <blockquote> The female artists I know of have to remake themselves like 20 times more than the male artists, or you’re out of a job. </blockquote> Over the course of her career, Swift has evolved from an award-winning country music singer to one of the biggest pop stars in the world. Each of her ten original studio albums <a href="https://www.thelist.com/463869/every-taylor-swift-era-explained/">has a distinct theme and aesthetic</a>, which have been celebrated on Swift’s juggernaut Eras Tour. The tour, which has just wrapped up its first US leg, is set to be the highest-grossing of all time, boosting local travel and tourism revenue along the way. A <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-swift-eras-tour-boosted-economy-tourism-federal-reserve-how-much-money-made/">recent report estimates</a> the tour could help add a monumental US$5 billion (A$7.8 billion) to the worldwide economy. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b1kbLwvqugk?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>‘All I do is try, try, try’</h2> But to measure Swift’s impact by her music alone would be limiting. Swift has been instrumental in changing the business game for musicians. She’s taken on record labels and streaming services, advocating for better deals for artists. In 2015, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-33220189">Apple Music changed its payment policies</a> after Swift wrote an <a href="https://www.stereogum.com/1810310/read-taylor-swifts-open-letter-to-apple-music/news/">open letter</a> campaigning for better compensation. Most notably, she took a stand <a href="https://taylorswift.tumblr.com/post/185958366550/for-years-i-asked-pleaded-for-a-chance-to-own-my">against her former record label</a>, Big Machine Records, after it wouldn’t give her an opportunity to buy back her original master recordings. Her back catalogue was eventually sold to music executive Scooter Braun, kicking off a <a href="https://pitchfork.com/news/taylor-swifts-music-ownership-controversy-with-scooter-braun-what-it-means-and-why-it-matters/">very public feud</a>. While she’s not the first artist to go after her masters, she’s generated an enormous amount of attention to an issue that’s often overlooked. Of course, Swift is in a position of privilege – she can take risks many other artists can’t afford to. But with this power she’s driving conversations around contracts and the value of music, paving the way for emerging artists. In an effort to regain control of her earlier work, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-swift-on-lover-and-haters/">Swift announced</a> she would be re-recording her first six albums. Each re-recorded album has included additional <a href="https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-fearless-rerecord-release-date-unreleased-songs-2021-2">vault tracks</a>, previously unreleased songs left off the original recordings. These releases have each been accompanied by a robust promotional campaign, including new merchandise and multiple, limited-edition versions of each record for fans to collect. The release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) marked the halfway point of this process, which has paid off big time. Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Red (Taylor’s Version) and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) <a href="https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-taylors-version-stats-chart-numbers/the-equivalent-album-units-gap/">have all performed better</a> than the originals. This is largely due to the unwavering support from her fans, known as “Swifties”. They’ve embraced the new recordings, shaming anyone who plays the original “stolen” versions. <h2>The power of Swifties</h2> Swift’s loyal fandom are known for their high levels of participation and creativity. Fans have spent an extensive amount of time hand-making outfits for concerts, and discussing elaborate theories online. Swift has a reputation for leaving clues, known as <a href="https://junkee.com/taylor-swift-easter-eggs/219709">Easter eggs</a>, in her lyrics, music videos, social media posts and interviews. There are fan accounts dedicated to analysing these Easter eggs, studying specific number patterns and phrases to uncover hints for what Swift might do next. Swift and Taylor Nation, a branch of her management team, encourage these behaviours by rewarding fans for their participation. For the upcoming release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Swift has unveiled a series of puzzles on Google, which fans must solve together in order to reveal the names of the upcoming vault tracks. Swifties collectively <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2023/09/20/taylor-swift-vault-puzzle-1989-tracks/">solved the 33 million</a> (yes, that’s million) puzzles in less than 24 hours. The games played a dual role - not only did <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CxbFSR1RAOv/?img_index=1">Swift announce the vault track titles</a>, but she’s <a href="https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSN1uHN9R/">reclaimed her Google searches</a> in the process. Swift’s fandom crosses generations. She’s a quintessential millennial, and many fans have grown up with Swift over the past two decades. Some have even started to bring their children along to the concerts, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@folkloreswift_/video/7255857466213158149?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=6972316934294291973">posting videos</a> of them set to the bridge to Long Live. She’s also found a younger audience on TikTok, a platform <a href="https://sproutsocial.com/insights/tiktok-stats/">predominantly used by Gen Z</a>. Affectionately dubbed “<a href="https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/year-on-tiktok-music-report-2021">SwiftTok</a>” by fans (and now <a href="https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSLokp2rQ/">Swift herself</a>), users post videos to engage with other Swifties and participate in the community. Swift’s songs are often used in popular trends. The release of Midnights last year had many dancing to <a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a43488940/taylor-swift-surprised-fan-viral-tiktok-dance-bejeweled-eras-tour/">Bejeweled</a> and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@tatycake/video/7216131364469427499?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=6972316934294291973">Karma</a>, but Swift’s older catalogue has also gotten a good run. A remix of Love Story <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-swift-tiktok-love-story-remix-disco-lines-1035691/">went viral in 2020</a>, which helped a new generation discover her older music. Most recently, her song August has been used for running on the beach and <a href="https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSLok2jRb/">spinning around</a> with your pets. <iframe id="tc-infographic-925" class="tc-infographic" style="border: none;" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/925/cad71d8026910236be1d5880a20a247cdee29c82/site/index.html" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> She’s also closely aligned with young adult shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty, which has <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2023/08/taylor-swift-summer-i-turned-pretty.html">featured 13 of her songs</a> throughout the show’s first two seasons. Swift’s music is so central to the story that <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-08-19/summer-i-turned-pretty-music-jenny-han-taylor-swift">author Jenny Han nearly dedicated</a> the second book to her. Swift continues to dominate the cultural conversation through her music, business decisions and legions of devoted fans. Right now, Swift’s popularity is at an all time high, and it could be easy to dismiss this hype as a passing trend. But if these first 17 years are anything to go by, Swift’s proven she’s in it for the long haul, and worthy of our time.<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/213871/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-pattison-1407185">Kate Pattison</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</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/how-did-taylor-swift-get-so-popular-she-never-goes-out-of-style-213871">original article</a>.

Music

"Where did the time go": Jessica Alba's bittersweet update

Jessica Alba has shared a bittersweet post of her two daughters Honor Marie, 15, and Haven Garner, 12, on their first day back-to-school. The doting mum took to Instagram to share the photos of her two girls with the sweet caption: “10th and 7th -where did the time go… (sigh 💔) my baby girls first day of school!" She also added the hashtags #momlifeisthebestlife #summerisofficiallyover #firstdayofschool. In the first photo, her daughters had their arms wrapped around each other as they posed for their mum in front of their house. In the second photo, the pair were cheesing hard, with their arms still wrapped around each other. Honor rocked a pair of baggy mum jeans, a white tank top and matching sneakers, while Haven had a similar aesthetic with pair black cargo pants, a light blue tank top and black and white sneakers. A few of the star's celebrity friends took to the comments to share their sentiment. "Wherever they went; they went beautifully 😍" Basic Instinct actress Sharon Stone wrote. How to Get Away with Murder actress Viola Davies commented a few crying and red heart emojis. American actor and TV host Mario Lopez also commented red heart emojis. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwgvQrgLIn2/?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/CwgvQrgLIn2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jessica Alba (@jessicaalba)</a> </div> </blockquote> Fans also took to the comments to express their shock at how quickly time flies. "WHAT THE HECK!! Haven was just a baby!! 😩😩😩" wrote one person. "They are so cute!!!! And so grown up. Time flies!" wrote another. "Awww ❤️ can’t believe how fast time goes!!" commented a third. Alba shares her two daughters and 5-year-old son Hayes with her husband Cash Warren. The couple first met on the set of Fantastic Four in 2004 and tied the knot three years later. Images: Instagram

Family & Pets

Readers respond: What did your mum or dad make for dinner growing up that you haven't had in ages?

Sometimes love and affection comes in the form of food, especially when it’s made by our parents. As we grow older and start our own lives we begin to miss the things we got used to as we grow up, especially the food our parents made. Here are some dishes our Over60 readers grew up with that they miss dearly. Keralie Stack - Mums apple pie, lemon meringue pie. Beautiful meat and kidney pies. Roasted meat in winter cooked in the fuel stove , along with a big pot of pea and ham soup in winter, followed with damper and scones for dinner Peter Lord - Mums meat and potato pie! I’ve made it and it’s not bad but it’s nowhere near as good as mum’s! Lee Pavey - A big roast dinner with roast veges & gravy made with the juices of the meat. Jenny Yaun - In my young 8 years old Living in Indonesia I loved Mum's Nasi Goreng made with tin corn beef, I still make now and again. I'm Dutch/Australian Marie Manson - Dads fabulous vege soup.. Dawn Holmes - Triple and onions!!! Can't say I miss it but they liked it!! But then mum was a great home cook with her baked goods and tasty soups and stews!! Jennifer Sabatino - Shepherd’s Pie made with leftover lamb from the Sunday roast and apple sponge (apples with the sponge baked on top), baked custard, baked rice custard and bread & butter pudding. Kathy Bloor - Mince on toast. I have never made it for myself and I am 70 Keith Carter - I haven't had PLOT TOFFEE FOR 65 years. Just got the recipe from my 86 yo sister. So now thats the go. Lorna Turner Prunes - and custard. I still cook all the foods my mum and dad cooked except for prunes and custard.

Food & Wine

"I did it”: 59-year-old grandma finally scores dream Qantas job

A 59-year-old grandmother has gotten her big gig with Qantas after dreaming of being a flight attendant for about 40 years. Jackie Cookson is one of the airline’s latest recruits, having graduated on May 29, with her first flight scheduled for June 3. Cookson can now add flight attendant to her versatile resume, with her previously working as a travel agent, a receptionist on an oncology ward and a newspaper sales rep. The 59-year-old, who calls herself “crazy nana” has shared her journey on TikTok since her first interview with Qantas, through all the assessments and training and to her upcoming graduation. In January 2023, she posted her first video ahead of her first in-person interview with Qantas, which attracted more than half a million views, saying people might think she was crazy to apply given her age, but she was finally following her dreams. The grandmother-of-two revealed she had an interview at another airline when she was 20 years old but never went as she ended up getting married. “In my eyes then if you were married you couldn’t be cabin crew. How bloody stupid was that,” she said. She got the job and relocated from Perth to Sydney for her training. “Crazy nana is going to be a cabin crew, watch out!” she told her followers. Four months on saw Cookson standing proudly in her Qantas uniform, with her certificate in hand. “Can you believe it? Crazy nana’s gone and bloody done it, hasn’t she? I’ve passed, today I’ve graduated. I did it,” an elated Cookson said. “If I can do it, anyone else can do it. Follow your dreams. Don’t give up. Don’t be thinking ‘I’m too old’ or this or that. Look at me, I’ve got my wings.” Cookson, who is originally from England but has been living in Australia for about 30 years, told news.com.au that the older she got, the more she thought she may have missed her chance. “After Covid I took a year off and travelled the world, went back to see my 91-year-old dad in Yorkshire, and I applied while I was on holiday,” she said. “I haven’t studied for a long time, so it’s definitely been a challenge, but I put everything I’ve got into it and I’m thrilled to have gotten my wings. “I fly on my first flight to LA on Saturday. I’m nervous, like any first day on the job, but I know I’ll settle into it, but I’m mostly just really excited. I love people and I’m looking forward to working with our customers.” Image credit: TikTok

International Travel

Readers respond: What did someone do on a plane that made you say "You've gotta be kidding me"?

We've all encountered our fair share of difficult fellow passengers when travelling, but these people took it to the next level. We asked our readers what the worst thing a fellow plane passenger has done, and here's what they said. Carolyn Korlaki - It seems that every time I get on a flight the person in front of me puts their seat right back. Makes it very hard to read, eat, watch a movie, very annoying..... Jan Ceeney - Person next to me in the window seat pulled the shade down for the whole trip. I couldn’t see anything. My first plane trip! Very disappointing. Sue Robson - Recently flew with hubby to Asia. Me window seat, hubby middle and gentleman on end. The guy proceeded to to eat egg sandwiches he brought with him then spent the entire flight farting. It was horrendously bad. Jennifer Pearce - Parents putting their children in seats behind there's then going to sleep and leaving their frightened child coughing and crying all night. Parents should split up and sit with their own children on 13 hour flights. Joy Bollmeyer - A huge over weight man shirt undone then unzipped his trousers, adjusted himself then sat down with everything still undone! Kathleen Black - Flight from Sydney to Doha a child kicked the back of my chair the whole way…..I couldn’t contain myself so I had something to say. And that was in business class! Pip Minikin - Got her nail polish out and painted her nails. Denis Davis - Passenger beside me talking on the phone while taking off. Michael Baker - Gave me Covid. Jo Bolland - Sitting next to a Korean couple, he put his head on her lap and she popped his pimples. He hawked and spat and helped himself to anything he fancied from her tray. Dot Turner - I usually had the same kicking of seats on flight, not from children, but from adults who are arrogant and should know better. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Trouble

"I still don't know what I did wrong": Susan Sarandon reflects on breaking royal protocol

Susan Sarandon has opened up her brush with royalty, and how she was slammed for "breaking royal protocol". The 76-year-old actress recalled attending the Royal Windsor Cup at Guards Polo Club with her youngest son in 2018, where she met Queen Elizabeth. Sarandon said she was given conflicting advice about what to do when she came face-to-face with Her Majesty, as she explains in the documentary Portrait of the Queen. "[When] I got to to England and my friends were like, 'do not bow, whatever you do don't bow, that is so passe'," Sarandon recalled. "You know, there's this push and pull about whether and how much respect you're going to give to the royal family and whatever. They said to me 'don't bow. Do not bow' and I thought, 'well, I'm going to be respectful'." When the day arrived, Sarandon and her son Miles were seated in a different section, where she received a briefing from a royal aide before the Queen arrived for their meeting. "They said: 'Don't ask her any questions. [If] she talks to you, it's okay but don't ask her anything. And this is what you have to do, you know, bow when she comes'," Sarandon recalls. "So I'm all stressed out, I think, 'am I going to bow or am I not going to bow?' "So anyway, the moment came when they finally said: 'Okay, it's your turn to meet the Queen'. And here is what happened - she was sitting down! "So of course, I had to bend over to shake her hand and so it looked like a curtsy. So, at the end of the day, I kind of did bow and the headlines still said after all of that, that I had gone against protocol somehow. I still don't know what I did wrong." At the time, the British press condemned the actress for breaking royal protocol by initiating a handshake with the Queen. Despite the semantics of their meeting, Sarandon said her brief encounter with Her Majesty was perfectly pleasant. "She was lovely to me," Sarandon says. "I don't think we had a very long conversation. I think it was kind of just 'Oh, it's so nice to meet you'. And, and I said 'it's so nice to meet you'. And I remembered that you can't ask her anything." "So that definitely puts a damper on your conversation because she has to be in charge of everything." Image credits: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

"I did a Christian Bale": Hugh Grant loses it on set

Hugh Grant admitted to misdirecting his anger and going off at a “nice local woman” while filming Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. “I lost my temper with a woman in my eye line on day one,” Grant, 62, told Total Film magazine via Yahoo! “I assumed she was some executive from the studio who should have known better,” he said. “Then it turns out that she’s an extremely nice local woman who was the chaperone of the young girl.” The British actor called his temper tantrum “terrible” and explained that his episode ended with “a lot of grovelling,” according to Page Six. “I did a Christian Bale,” Grant teased, in reference to when Bale was caught on tape aggressively yelling at a Terminator: Salvation crew member in 2009. Later, the actor, 49, apologised profusely and called his actions “inexcusable”. This is not Hugh Grant’s first temper tantrum, as he’s previously admitted to occasionally having a short fuse. Former Daily Show host Jon Stewart called Grant one of the worst guests he ever had on his show, referring to the actor as “a big pain in the a**”. Grant held himself accountable, telling Andy Cohen in 2015, “He wasn’t entirely wrong.” “I did have a tantrum backstage. About once a year, I have a really mega-tantrum, and sadly he witnessed one. So he’s absolutely right.” He added. Hugh Grant stars in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves alongside Chris Pine, Justice Smith, Michelle Rodriguez, Sophia Lillis and Regé-Jean Page. He spoke about why he was so drawn to the project, telling Collider that he liked the script was “about losers”. “This little band of comrades, they’re all a bit crap. [Pine’s character is] not great at being a bard. And the magician, played by Justice, is really bad. What do they call magicians in Dungeons & Dragons? Sorcerer. He’s not much good,” he told the outlet. “And Michelle’s character has been thrown out of whatever. What is she? Barbarian. And is still in love with her husband, who is in love with someone else. And I responded to that loser-ish thing about this little band.” he said. Image credit: Getty

Movies

"How did you live with this much pain?": Bindi Irwin hospitalised

Bindi Irwin has issued an emotional statement on social media after undergoing surgery for endometriosis. The beloved Australian conservationist has been battling with the condition for 10 years, and detailed in her post what it had been like to struggle with “insurmountable fatigue, pain & nausea.” She confessed that she had spent a long time wondering whether or not she should share her story, but ultimately believed it to be her “responsibility” to share her story for others like her who haven’t been able to get the help they desperately need for their condition. “I’m aware of millions of women struggling with a similar story,” Bindi wrote, “there’s stigma around this awful disease. I’m sharing my story for anyone who reads this & is quietly dealing with pain & no answers. Let this be your validation that your pain is real & you deserve help. Keep searching for answers.” According to the World Health Organisation, endometriosis - a chronic disease for which there is no known cure - affects approximately 10% of the world’s population of women, girls, and gender diverse individuals of a reproductive age (that’s roughly 190 million people). It is associated with severe pain during periods, bloating, nausea, fatigue, and even infertility. However, the symptoms can be so varied that healthcare professionals often struggle to diagnose the condition, and that many sufferers don’t know enough to put a name to it. Due to this, there are often large spans of time between first noticing symptoms, getting a formal diagnosis, and getting help. “These last 10yrs have included many tests, doctors visits, scans, etc.,” Bindi explained in her caption. “A doctor told me it was simply something you deal with as a woman & I gave up entirely, trying to function through the pain.” “I decided to undergo surgery for endometriosis,” she continued, after noting that a friend had helped steer in the right direction. “Going in for surgery was scary but I knew I couldn’t live like I was. Every part of my life was getting torn apart because of the pain. “To cut a long story short, they found 37 lesions, some very deep & difficult to remove, & a chocolate cyst. @seckinmd’s [Bindi’s doctor] first words to me when I was in recovery were, ‘How did you live with this much pain?’” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpf6o7YJ0xa/?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/Cpf6o7YJ0xa/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a> </div> </blockquote> Bindi, in true Irwin fashion, took the time to pay tribute to the support of her family and friends who had been on that journey with her for over a decade, and wrote of the “indescribable” relief at the “validation for years of pain”. “THANK YOU,” she gushed, “for encouraging me to find answers when I thought I’d never climb out. Thank you to the doctors & nurses who believed my pain. I’m on the road to recovery & the gratitude I feel is overwhelming. “To those questioning the cancelled plans, unanswered messages & absence - I had been pouring every ounce of the energy I had left into our daughter & family. “Things may look fine on the outside looking in through the window of someone’s life, however, that is not always the case. Please be gentle & pause before asking me (or any woman) when we’ll be having more children. “After all that my body has gone through, I feel tremendously grateful that we have our gorgeous daughter. She feels like our family’s miracle.” March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, for more information visit: <a href="https://www.endometriosisaustralia.org/">Endometriosis Australia</a> <a href="https://nzendo.org.nz/2023-march-awareness-month/#:~:text=March%20is%20International%20Endometriosis%20Awareness,years%20before%20they%20are%20diagnosed.">Endometriosis New Zealand</a> Images: Instagram

Caring

What is a ‘shoey’ and why did Harry Styles do one on stage in Australia?

“Shoey” is Australian slang for having a celebratory drink out of a shoe. Usually the beverage is alcoholic and the celebration follows a sweaty quest to victory. The shoey has become a popular part of some sports and music festival cultures. As a cultural phenomenon, the shoey represents overcoming adversity - literally drinking out of the vessels that got you over the line. Newly minted Grammy and BRIT award winner Harry Styles did his first Australian concert – and we assume his first shoey – in Perth this week. Here’s the, um, footage (pun intended, sorry). <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Co5dxQTB4sX/?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/Co5dxQTB4sX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by SHIT YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT (@shityoushouldcareabout)</a> </div> </blockquote> One of the most famous supporters of the shoey is racing driver Daniel Ricciardo - someone for whom Styles has shown <a href="https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/music-icon-harry-styles-rocks-daniel-ricciardo-shirt-amid-mclaren-contract-saga/news-story/5bf4ac0d89138918c9599f2b43500990">his own fandom</a>. Footballers, surfers, musicians and various celebrities have also had a go. Usually, it’s a cultural practice undertaken by men, although marathon runner Des Lindon, inspired by Ricciardo, also celebrated in this way, as did champion golfer <a href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/golf/aussie-golf-star-hannah-green-celebrates-milestone-win-with-a-shoey/news-story/75f2083b8036bac194cc0f94af9b9b21">Hannah Green</a>. Although Australians have claimed the “shoey”, we are not its only practitioners. Drinking from boots, or even delicate high heels, is said to have <a href="https://medium.com/the-practical-mythologist/the-bizarre-history-of-drinking-from-womens-shoes-f9a5cef52ddd">started in Europe</a>. There are US and Russian influences too, including drinking out of <a href="https://vinepair.com/articles/champagne-womens-shoes/&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1676950624379615&usg=AOvVaw0dDNhrnPc7Qk9l7HC-pWPG_">silk ballet flats</a>. <h2>Culture of defiance</h2> The contemporary Aussie shoey is really about defiance – claiming victory against the odds. It’s a type of attitude many different types of Australians have tapped into over generations, a classic trait of the “little battler” or “underdog” stereotype that sees triumph even after a struggle. Importantly, there is clear humour in the shoey - this is not a win steeped in earnest glory, but deliberately crowd-pleasing and silly. The result is a soggy shoe and a terrible taste in your mouth, but also, to tap into another stereotype, making sure tall poppy syndrome is avoided. The shoey is a great leveller – it brings everyone down to the same (albeit pretty basic) level. Like other local party tricks and traditions, it can also bring an international guest into the fold - someone willing to “do a shoey” is inevitably going to be accepted by the crowd. The shoey does have its critics though. It is regularly called out as being messy, gross and just a bit disgusting. Styles played along but clearly didn’t enjoy the actual act, joking it <a href="https://themusic.com.au/news/harry-styles-does-his-first-ever-shoey-i-feel-ashamed-of-myself/dbttaWhram0/21-02-23">made him feel ashamed of himself</a>. <h2>Was the shoey just a shameless local reference?</h2> Big touring artists may see hundreds of cities across a world tour. Typically these massive events are hugely formulaic and stage-managed, necessitated by the stadiums they play in and the scale they need to navigate. To make each show memorable and, importantly, to draw audiences in, many add a specific local reference to the country or city they’re playing in. It could be a nod to the sporting team or attraction, or ideally to local artists to give them some additional exposure. In Australia, some just bring out a stuffed koala or reference a Vegemite sandwich on stage. One of the most creative local references was Amanda Palmer’s ode to local slang with the song Map of Tasmania. Styles’ shoey was definitely an acknowledgement of an aspect of Australian culture - even if the beautiful designer sneaker he sipped from was a world away from a sweaty footy boot. More impressive for mine, and less likely to cause infection, was the inclusion of a cover of Daryl Braithwaite’s 1990 version of Horses, a song that has gone from cool to daggy and all the way back again. Styles hammed it up then proclaimed, "You don’t hear that song very much until you get here, but then it’s like catnip… I can feel the Aussie coursing through my veins!" It’s not the first time Australian audiences have asked Styles for a shoey, but only now has he obliged. At a time when anyone around the world can stream just about any event (mostly legally), finding something special about each place and its audience can be tough. The shoey is something those present won’t forget in a hurry. For the rest of his tour, other Australian oddities Styles might want to look out for are plagues of deadly drop bears, and the “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/adelaide/programs/breakfast/eagle-drop/101848598&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1676950120695484&usg=AOvVaw04i3h1CLbH5ZD2LSn3t00W">Eagle Drop</a>” when Daddy Cool comes on the stereo. Make sure the budgie smugglers are as clean as those sneakers though, hey? Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-shoey-and-why-did-harry-styles-do-one-on-stage-in-australia-200342" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Readers Respond: What did you learn about relationships from watching your parents?

We often emulate the love we received, but we also learn from the mistakes our parents have made. That is the cycle of life. Whether or not our parents' relationships were great, there were always lessons we learned from watching their interactions. We asked our Over60 readers about the valuable lessons in love they’ve learned through their parents' relationship. Here are some of your answers: Sue Petersen - Closeness. They were each other’s best friend. Noela Tziarkas- Respect, patience, loyalty. I was very lucky to have wonderful parents and a blessed childhood. Paulette Bakker - The love, friendship, respect, loyalty for each other, u wavering support, humour. Empathy and joy of being together. So much more. I was lucky to find the same with my husband Teresa James- Faithfulness, resilience, love, respect, responsibility. Denise Fernance - Not much I’m afraid. I never heard ‘I love you’ from them so therefore found it difficult to introduce in to our family but I have as it’s just sooo important. There was no relationship between them that I can recall. Their marriage ended in a nasty divorce resulting in my mother suffering a massive stroke. So, what did I learn? I learnt the best thing in life is to love unconditionally and I do. Margaret Bonnington- My parents never ever had a disagreement in front of us. They maintained that they must always go to bed on good terms. They couldn’t keep from touching each other. They were devoted. Thea Matto- How to be amazing parents and love unconditionally Image: Getty

Relationships

Paramedic who attended fatal accident did not realise it was her own daughter

WARNING: Distressing content A paramedic who unknowingly responded to a serious car crash, involving her own daughter has publicly spoken out about the tragedy. Jayme Erickson from Alberta, Canada was dispatched to a collision at 4:30 pm on November 15 and tended to two injured patients. One of the patients was critically injured and trapped inside a vehicle. In a Facebook post, Erickson explained she tended to the critically injured person trying to free them from the wreckage. Once the air ambulance arrived and took over, Erickson’s shift was done for the day and she went home. However, once she walked through the door, she received the life changing news that her daughter was involved in an accident. “The Royal Canadian Mountain Police were at my door to inform me that my daughter had been in an accident,” Erickson wrote. “The critically injured patient I had just attended to was my own flesh and blood. My only child. My mini-me. My daughter, Montana.” Erickson said she had not recognised the patient as her own daughter because of the horrific nature of her injuries. She rushed to hospital where she was told her 17-year-old would not make it. “I will cherish the memories we made and the time we had together. I am shattered. I am broken. I am missing a piece of me. I am left to pick up the pieces and expected to carry on,” Erickson wrote. Erickson fronted the media on Wednesday, a week after the crash, alongside her co-workers and friends and family. Speaking about her unimaginable loss, several colleagues comforted Erickson when she began to break down. “(Montana) meant the world to all of us,” she said. “This tragedy is not only felt here by this community, it’s felt throughout the province and maybe even the country. “I think every first responder can relate to the pain that we’re feeling. Nobody wants to go through anything like this.” Erickson described her daughter as a “firecracker” and a “fighter”. “She fought until the day she died,” she said. A fundraiser has been set up to help Montana’s parents as they try to navigate the world without their daughter. Image: Nine News A paramedic who unknowingly responded to a serious car crash, involving her own daughter has publicly spoken out about the tragedy. Jayme Erickson from Alberta, Canada was dispatched to a collision at 4:30 pm on November 15 and tended to two injured patients. One of the patients was critically injured and trapped inside a vehicle. In a Facebook post, Erickson explained she tended to the critically injured person trying to free them from the wreckage. Once the air ambulance arrived and took over, Erickson’s shift was done for the day and she went home. However, once she walked through the door, she received the life changing news that her daughter was involved in an accident. “The Royal Canadian Mountain Police were at my door to inform me that my daughter had been in an accident,” Erickson wrote. “The critically injured patient I had just attended to was my own flesh and blood. My only child. My mini-me. My daughter, Montana.” Erickson said she had not recognised the patient as her own daughter because of the horrific nature of her injuries. She rushed to hospital where she was told her 17-year-old would not make it. “I will cherish the memories we made and the time we had together. I am shattered. I am broken. I am missing a piece of me. I am left to pick up the pieces and expected to carry on,” Erickson wrote. Erickson fronted the media on Wednesday, a week after the crash, alongside her co-workers and friends and family. Speaking about her unimaginable loss, several colleagues comforted Erickson when she began to break down. “(Montana) meant the world to all of us,” she said. “This tragedy is not only felt here by this community, it’s felt throughout the province and maybe even the country. “I think every first responder can relate to the pain that we’re feeling. Nobody wants to go through anything like this.” Erickson described her daughter as a “firecracker” and a “fighter”. “She fought until the day she died,” she said. A fundraiser has been set up to help Montana’s parents as they try to navigate the world without their daughter. Image: Nine News

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