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Why do I get so anxious after drinking? Here’s the science behind ‘hangxiety’

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/blair-aitken-1510537">Blair Aitken</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-rothman-2231560">Rebecca Rothman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a></em></p> <p>You had a great night out, but the next morning, anxiety hits: your heart races, and you replay every conversation from the night before in your head. This feeling, known as hangover anxiety or “<a href="https://adf.org.au/insights/what-is-hangxiety/">hangxiety</a>”, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hup.2623">affects around 22%</a> of social drinkers.</p> <p>While for some people, it’s mild nerves, for others, it’s a wave of anxiety that feels impossible to ride out. The “Sunday scaries” may make you feel panicked, filled with dread and unable to relax.</p> <p>Hangover anxiety can make even simple tasks feel overwhelming. Here’s why it happens, and what you can do about it.</p> <h2>What does alcohol do to our brains?</h2> <p>A hangover is the body’s way of recovering after drinking alcohol, bringing with it a range of symptoms.</p> <p><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/23/5691">Dehydration and disrupted sleep</a> play a large part in the pounding headaches and nausea many of us know too well after a big night out. But hangovers aren’t just physical – there’s a strong mental side too.</p> <p>Alcohol is a nervous system depressant, meaning it alters how certain chemical messengers (or neurotransmitters) behave in the brain. Alcohol relaxes you by increasing <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22857-gamma-aminobutyric-acid-gaba">gamma-aminobutyric acid</a> (GABA), the neurotransmitter that makes you feel calm and lowers inhibitions. It decreases <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22839-glutamate">glutamate</a> and this also slows down your thoughts and helps ease you into a more relaxed state.</p> <p>Together, this interaction affects your mood, emotions and alertness. This is why when we drink, we often feel more sociable, carefree and willing to let our guard down.</p> <p>As the effects of the alcohol wear off, your brain works to rebalance these chemicals by <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886918305762">reducing GABA and increasing glutamate</a>. This shift has the opposite effect of the night before, causing your brain to become more excitable and overstimulated, which can lead to feelings of anxiety.</p> <p>So why do some people get hangxiety, while others don’t? There isn’t one clear answer to this question, as several factors can play a role in whether someone experiences hangover-related anxiety.</p> <h2>Genes play a role</h2> <p>For some, a hangover is simply a matter of how much they drank or how hydrated they are. But genetics may also play a significant role. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.12699">Research</a> shows your genes can explain almost half the reason why you wake up feeling hungover, while your friend might not.</p> <p>Because genes influence how your body processes alcohol, some people may experience more intense hangover symptoms, such as headaches or dehydration. These stronger physical effects can, in turn, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/hup.2623">trigger anxiety during a hangover</a>, making you more susceptible to “hangxiety.”</p> <h2>Do you remember what you said last night?</h2> <p>But one of the most common culprits for feeling anxious the next day is often <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0091450915604988">what you do while drinking</a>.</p> <p>Let’s say you’ve had a big night out and you can’t quite recall a conversation you had or something you did. Maybe you acted in ways that you now regret or feel embarrassed about. You might fixate on these thoughts and get trapped in a cycle of worrying and rumination. This cycle can be hard to break and can make you feel more anxious.</p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107619">Research</a> suggests people who already struggle with feelings of anxiety in their day-to-day lives are especially vulnerable to hangxiety.</p> <p>Some people drink alcohol to unwind after a stressful day or to make themselves feel more comfortable at social events. This often leads to <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9756407">heavier consumption</a>, which can make hangover symptoms more severe. It can also begin a cycle of drinking to feel better, making hangxiety even harder to escape.</p> <h2>Preventing hangover anxiety</h2> <p>The best way to prevent hangxiety is to limit your alcohol consumption. The <a href="https://adf.org.au/reducing-risk/alcohol/alcohol-guidelines">Australian guidelines</a> recommend having no more than ten standard drinks per week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day.</p> <p>Generally, the more you drink, the more intense your hangover symptoms might be, and the worse you are likely to feel.</p> <p>Mixing other drugs with alcohol can also increase the risk of hangxiety. This is especially true for party drugs, such as ecstasy or MDMA, that give you a temporary high but can lead to anxiety as they wear off and you are <a href="https://adf.org.au/insights/drug-comedowns">coming down</a>.</p> <p>If you do wake up feeling anxious:</p> <ul> <li> <p>focus on the physical recovery to help ease the mental strain</p> </li> <li> <p>drink plenty of water, eat a light meal and allow yourself time to rest</p> </li> <li> <p>try <a href="https://www.headspace.com/mindfulness/mindfulness-101">mindfulness meditation</a> or deep breathing exercises, especially if anxiety keeps you awake or your mind races</p> </li> <li> <p>consider journalling. This can help re-frame anxious thoughts, put your feelings into perspective and encourage self-compassion</p> </li> <li> <p>talk to a close friend. This can provide a safe space to express concerns and feel less isolated.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Hangxiety is an unwelcome guest after a night out. Understanding why hangxiety happens – and how you can manage it – can make the morning after a little less daunting, and help keep those anxious thoughts at bay.<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/240991/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/blair-aitken-1510537">Blair Aitken</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Psychopharmacology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-rothman-2231560">Rebecca Rothman</a>, PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology, School of Health Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-get-so-anxious-after-drinking-heres-the-science-behind-hangxiety-240991">original article</a>.</em></p>

Mind

"Not much of me left": Elton John's grim health confession

<p>Elton John has made a blunt admission about his health battles. </p> <p>The 77-year-old singer opened up about his many health issues in a speech at the screening of his new documentary<em> Elton John: Never Too Late</em>, at the New York Film Festival on Tuesday. </p> <p>“To be honest with you, there’s not much of me left,” Elton told the audience. </p> <p>“I don’t have tonsils, adenoids or an appendix,” he continued, according to <a href="https://people.com/elton-john-jokes-not-much-of-me-left-listing-missing-organs-documentary-premiere-8721741" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>People</em></a> magazine. </p> <p>“I don’t have a prostate. I don’t have a right hip or a left knee or a right knee. In fact, the only thing left to me is my left hip.</p> <p>“But I’m still here,” Elton continued. “And I can’t thank you [enough], you’re the people that made me.”</p> <p>The documentary is directed by his husband David Furnish, and American filmmaker R.J. Cutler.</p> <p>Throughout the years Elton has struggled with his health, and just last month he revealed he was recovering from a "severe eye infection" that affected his vision. </p> <p>This occured after he underwent knee and hip replacement surgery. </p> <p>The <em>I'm Still Standing</em> singer also got a pacemaker fitted in back in the 90s, and was hospitalised for influenza and a bacterial infection in 2009. </p> <p>In 2013 he had an abscess on his appendix, and three years later he had suffered from "gastric flu". </p> <p>In addition to all of these health woes he has dealt with hearing loss caused by years of touring. </p> <p>The singer also talked about his retirement from touring at the premiere of his new documentary, following a successful five years of performances and more than 300 shows worldwide. </p> <p>“As you know, I decided to stop touring because I’m 77 years of age,” he said.</p> <p>“I’ve done all there is to do, to play. I’ve succeeded. I’ve been there and I’ve done it.”</p> <p>The documentary explores his 50-year career leading up to his final North American show at Dodger Stadium in 2022. It is set to stream on Disney+ in the US on December 13. </p> <p><em>ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA-EFE/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Caring

From cauldrons to cardigans - the lurking prejudices behind the name ‘Granny’

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-burridge-130136">Kate Burridge</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/catherine-barrett-12661">Catherine Barrett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a></em></p> <blockquote> <p>“Honestly, I can’t wait to have grandkids and spoil them — but I don’t want to be called ‘Granny’” (overheard on the No. 96 tram in Melbourne)</p> <p>“I love it. It’s not the word that needs to change, it’s our culture” (Deborah, proud granny)</p> </blockquote> <h2>What’s wrong with “granny”?</h2> <p>From its debut in the early 1600s, “granny” has been more than an affectionate term for grandma — and a cursory glance at its history tells a depressingly familiar story.</p> <p>First, the instability and decline of words associated with women. “Granny” joins a long list of words, particularly for older women, that that have acquired negative meanings — spinsters were originally spinners; sluts were untidy people; slags and shrews were rogues; scolds were poets; bimbos were men, and so on. Many started life referring to men, but quickly narrowed to female application — and with this sexual specification came further decline.</p> <p>Right from the start, grannies were also people engaged in trivial (often self-serving) chatter; in other words, grannies were gossips, tell-tales and nosy parkers. In the 1700s, more negative meanings piled on — grannies became fussy, indecisive or unenterprising persons, and in many places stupid as well.</p> <p>The online crowdsourced Urban Dictionary now has a flourishing of additional disparaging senses for “granny” that have yet to make it into more mainstream collections.</p> <p>In sport, grannies refer to those who perform poorly, or they’re a kind of dead leg injury (which leaves you “<a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Granny">hobbling around</a> like an old granny for the rest of the day”).</p> <h2>“Don’t be a granny”!</h2> <p>Tellingly, the negative uses of granny have never been restricted to women — one <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Folk_speech_of_South_Cheshire.html?id=_6ETAAAAQAAJ&redir_esc=y">19th-century dictionary</a> defines “granny” as “a simpleton: used of both sexes”. It’s another telling asymmetry in our lexicon. Terms for women are insulting when used of men (“Dad, don’t be such a granny”), but terms designating men when used of women have little or no affront. If you were to call a women a grampa or an old man, there’s really no abuse — it just seems odd.</p> <p>Unflattering “granny” compounds are plentiful in English: a “granny knot” is one that’s inexpertly tied, while “granny gear” is an extremely low first gear. New ones are arriving all the time: “granny weed” is low-quality marijuana that is old or dried out; “granny shot” is said of a basketballer with little skill; “granny mode” in video games is a slower speed than normal, “granny pants” (like other “granny-like” items) are naff “old lady” styles (in the fashion world, the phrase ‘not your granny’s’ describes edgy or trendy clothes — not fashion choices made or worn by grandmothers). The Oxford English Dictionary gives 29 “granny” compounds, but provides not a single compound with “grandpa”, “grampa” or “gramps”.</p> <p>These terms for one’s grandfather have also been remarkably stable over time. This dictionary gives a single definition: “One’s grandfather. Also used as a familiar form of address to one’s grandfather or to an elderly man”. Even Urban Dictionary, not known for its politeness, has little in the way of slangy senses for “grandpa” or “gramps” — the closest are playful entries referring to older men or grandfathers. You might compare “codger” or “geezer” — sure, they’re not exactly flattering, but they don’t pack anywhere near same punch as do “crone”, “hag”, “battle-axe”, “old bat”, “old bag” and so on.</p> <h2>Granny goodness and greedy granny</h2> <p>Current films, comics and games reveal another way words for women evolve. To set the scene, consider the fate of “witch”, now a slur for older women. Originally, witches could be male sorcerers, but when used of women they became something very nasty — witches were females who had dealings with the devil. Our jokey image of witches these days can’t capture the potency of this word in early times, but it has never completely shed its connotations of evil. We still retain abusive epithets like “(old) witch” and also expressions like “witches’ cauldron” to describe sinister situations. And now here’s granny in the very same cauldron.</p> <p><a href="https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Granny_Goodness_(DC)">Granny Goodness</a> is one of the most well-known evil grannies in entertainment. Known for her cruelty and manipulation, this super villain hides under a façade of grandmotherly affection. <a href="https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Granny_(Granny)">Granny</a> is a survival video game where the main antagonist, Granny, is a hideously sadistic serial killer who locks people in her house and taunts them for days before brutally killing them.</p> <p>Then there’s <a href="https://dishonored.fandom.com/wiki/Vera_Moray">Granny Rags</a>, a mad, decrepit old woman whose vulnerable and destitute appearance conceals a very dark nature underneath. Of course, there are sometimes dark older male figures too, but they’re not explicitly grandfathers (for example, Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars or Dr Wily, an older, mad scientist who creates robotic menaces to achieve world domination). And they’re not in the same league as those decrepit, old, malicious women — the “witches” of pop culture.</p> <p>And now there’s the <a href="https://www.bigw.com.au/product/greedy-granny/p/89891">Greedy Granny</a> toy for the little ones. The aim is to steal from this grasping grandma and get away with it.</p> <h2>Words make worlds</h2> <p>Words are declarations of social attitudes and belief systems. Through the way we speak, the words we use and our interactions, the language reveals and reinforces psychological and social roles — status, power dynamics and relationships. Here is some context for grannies:</p> <p>• older women are <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/2437426/HILDA-SR-med-res.pdf">the lowest income earning family group</a></p> <p>• 34% of single older women <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/2437426/HILDA-SR-med-res.pdf">live in poverty</a></p> <p>• 60% of older women <a href="https://officeforwomen.sa.gov.au/womens-policy/womens-employment-and-economic-status/superannuation">leave paid work with no super</a> and women with super have <a href="https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/au/pdf/2021/addressing-gender-superannuation-gap.pdf">28% less than men</a></p> <p>• 60% of older women rely entirely <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Economic_security_for_women_in_retirement/Report/c09">on the old age pension</a></p> <p>• 40% increase in <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/homelessness-services/specialist-homelessness-services-annual-report/contents/older-clients">homelessness for older women</a></p> <p>• older women are more likely to <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/speeches/safety-and-security-older-women">experience workplace discrimination</a></p> <p>• 23% of women aged 60 years+ have experienced <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-08/22-01_prevalence-of-elder-abuse.pdf">intimate partner violence</a>.</p> <h2>Don a granny cardy</h2> <p>Negative senses of expressions have a saliency that will dominate and eventually expel other senses. This transformation has a name: <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Forbidden_Words.html?id=b2rCLYHjDMgC&redir_esc=y">Gresham’s Law of Semantic Change</a> (“bad meanings drive out good”).</p> <p>So what can be done to help drag “granny” out of this semantic abyss?</p> <p>Many older women are giving themselves the term and doing this playfully or as a way to reclaim power (for example the <a href="https://www.pastagrannies.com/">Pasta Grannies</a> and the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-30/granny-grommets-albany-western-australia-middleton-beach/102398172">Granny Grommets</a>). Reframing expressions in this way may not neutralise them, but it can make us more aware of the lurking prejudices.</p> <p>And why not slip into a cardigan? September 22 marks the world’s first <a href="https://www.celebrateageing.com/cardiganpride.html">Cardigan Pride Festival</a>. Australians around the country will don cardigans in a call to combat the inequalities older women face — and to show they’ve got older women’s backs (and shoulders) covered.<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/238200/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-burridge-130136"><em>Kate Burridge</em></a><em>, Professor of Linguistics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/catherine-barrett-12661">Catherine Barrett</a>, Director, Celebrate Ageing Ltd, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-cauldrons-to-cardigans-the-lurking-prejudices-behind-the-name-granny-238200">original article</a>.</em></p>

Family & Pets

Beloved teddy bear left in airport lounge rescued by airline

<p dir="ltr">Staff at British Airways have rescued a child’s stuffed teddy bear that was left behind in an airport lounge, documenting the toy’s safe journey home. </p> <p dir="ltr">The treasured teddy was found in the British Airways lounge at London’s Heathrow Airport by nine-year-old Alex, who accidentally left the toy behind before boarding a flight home to Dubai. </p> <p dir="ltr">After staff found the stranded toy, a new flight and boarding pass was created for Postman Bear, while members of the BA team gave the teddy the”'VIP treatment” with a journey on an airport buggy to “catch up” with the Cabin Crew Operations team in the Crew Report Centre.</p> <p dir="ltr">Postman Bear was then taken to meet the cabin crew on his new flight to Dubai and was pictured “patiently” waiting for his flight at the gate, drinking a cup of coffee and enjoying “some great views of the aircraft” while waiting to board. </p> <p dir="ltr">The teddy’s journey home was lovingly captured by British Airways customer manager, Ed Tumath, who sent the snaps back to young Alex to assure him his beloved bear was being looked after. </p> <p dir="ltr">After touching down in Dubai, the cabin crew took Postman Bear to reunite with Alex and the rest of his family for a “bear-y happy reunion”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Stuart, Alex's parent, recalled the moment they knew the teddy was missing, while praising British Airways for their tireless journey to reunite Alex with his bear. </p> <p dir="ltr">Stuart said, “My son had left his teddy bear - huge sentimental value as he has had the teddy since birth - in the British Airways lounge ahead of the flight. We noticed as the aircraft doors were closing so nothing could be done at that point.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“This was very distressing to my son who uses the teddy as a calming item, especially when flying. This was incredibly stressful and we feared that his beloved teddy may be lost forever.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Whilst onboard the flight, I took to a series of Facebook groups to seek help in finding the teddy. A member of the group contacted Ed who came to the rescue. I managed to communicate with Ed on the flight and received a picture showing that the teddy had been found, which calmed my son.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Not only did Ed go out of his way to find the teddy but he communicated so well throughout. He genuinely cared about the situation and worked so hard to get the teddy back to us.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“He arranged for the teddy to board a flight to Dubai a couple of days later and a crew member handed the teddy back to us. Not only did Ed excel in his caring manner and communication, he even provided a few pictures of the teddy's journey, which my son will treasure forever.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“My son was so relieved - words could not express how grateful we are to Ed for his kind act and dedication to getting the teddy back to us. I have been flying with BA for many years - this is the best experience I have had by far and I am overwhelmed by Ed's efforts.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sometimes amazing people do incredible things and show such kindness along the way... these things matter. This meant a huge amount to my family and I, and we will be forever grateful.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: British Airways</em></p>

International Travel

Shocking theory behind grandma's broad daylight murder-suicide

<p><strong><em>Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find upsetting. </em></strong></p> <p>Court papers have revealed the sinister reason behind why a grandmother allegedly killed her daughter-in-law before killing herself. </p> <p>Terminally ill ex-probation officer Kathleen Leigh, 65, fatally shot 45-year-old Marisa Galloway, who shares a child with Leigh’s son, Zachariah Reed, on a New York street before taking her own life. </p> <p>Now Ms Galloway’s grieving parents, Nancy and John, have filed an emergency court petition claiming Mr Reed has run off to his “multimillion-dollar home” in Chicago with their grandchild Lili under the pretext of “mourning” his mother’s death.</p> <p>He has also barred the Galloways from any contact, either in person or via technology, with the child.</p> <p>“Clearly, [Mr Reed’s] mother had a deliberate plan to kill Marisa in order to provide custody for her son,” the court papers charge, according to an exclusive report by the <em><a title="nypost.com" href="https://nypost.com/2024/08/18/us-news/killer-nyc-granny-carried-out-slay-suicide-to-give-son-full-custody-of-child-heartbreaking-suit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a></em>. </p> <p>“Unfortunately, [Mr Reed] has demonstrated an absolute intention to further those same goals of his mother as he has refused to provide us with any access to Lili at all in almost 3 weeks.”</p> <p>According to legal papers filed on Friday, the grandparents, who live a 12 hour drive away in New Jersey, are asking a Manhattan Supreme Court judge to pass on Marisa’s parenting time, hashed out in a 2022 custody agreement with Mr Reed.</p> <p>They are also asking that Mr Reed be forced to live in the New York until Lili is 18 so that she can keep a close relationship with her grandparents and with her half-sister, Mariel, the 1-year-old daughter Marisa had with a sperm donor who currently lives with the grandparents. </p> <p>“While Marisa was always the best mother, we would love to be involved with all aspects of taking care of an infant, toddler, and ultimately the little girl that Lili currently is,” Nancy wrote.</p> <p>Nancy said she is “extremely uncomfortable” being forced to file the petition but worried Lili would become estranged from her mum’s side of the family if they didn’t intervene.</p> <p>The grandmother laid out the history of Marisa and Mr Reed’s “tumultuous relationship” since the pair split and their “contentious” custody battle while she also claimed the pair dated before Marisa became pregnant but said their relationship ended “driven by the interference of [Mr Reed’s] mother.”</p> <p>On the day of the heinous crime on July 26th 2024, Marisa was loading her car and had put Mariel in her seat with plans to visit her parents for a few days. </p> <p>She was approached by Leigh while she was putting something in the boot, and shot her once in the back of the head and again in the back before taking her own life.</p> <p>Before her heinous crime, Leigh scrawled a seven-page letter “For Police” describing how she felt Marisa was trying to alienate Lili from her dad and saying she suspected Marisa of abusing Lili, despite child services clearing Marisa in two probes launched by Mr Reed.</p> <p>“She took away the child’s mother in order to make her son happy … it’s shocking,” a law-enforcement source had told the <em>New York Post</em> of Leigh right after the alleged murder-suicide.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Manhattan Supreme Court</em></p>

Legal

Woman “bullied” on plane over budget seating trick

<p dir="ltr">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. </p> <p dir="ltr">The solo traveller took to Reddit to recount the story and ask social media users if she was in the wrong for her action. </p> <p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">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. </p> <p dir="ltr">“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. </p> <p dir="ltr">“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’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After noticing how the plane was full, she offered to show the pair her new ticket with the correct seat number on it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“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. </p> <p dir="ltr">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.”</p> <p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">She then tried to keep the peace by refusing to engage with the furious woman. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I was so done with her attitude, I put my headphones on and attempted to do my own thing,” she explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">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.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I could tell even her partner was trying to engage her less so that she would hopefully stop, but she didn't.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“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.”</p> <p dir="ltr">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.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“She was disappointed and a total a**hole. Gross entitled people,” another added. </p> <p dir="ltr">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.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Travel Trouble

Man behind viral "democracy manifest" arrest dies

<p>Jack Karlson, the man behind one of Australia's most famous viral memes, has died aged 82. </p> <p>Karlson shot to fame after footage of his 1991 arrest outside the China Sea Restaurant in Brisbane went viral in 2009 when someone uploaded it to the internet. </p> <p>"Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest," he said during the arrest. </p> <p>"What is the charge? Eating a meal - a succulent Chinese meal?"</p> <p>"Have a look at the headlock here. See that chap over there?" he went on.</p> <p>"Get your hand off my penis! This is the bloke who got me on the penis before."</p> <p>Reports at the time suggested that Karlson had been arrested on suspicion of being criminal that was high on Queensland police's wanted list. </p> <p>While he did have a criminal history himself as he was known for several prison escapes throughout his life, he insisted that he was the wrong man. </p> <p>The reporter who reported Karlson's arrest 33 years ago, Chris Reason, confirmed Karlson's death in a social media post on X, tweeting that "Mr Democracy Manifest has died".</p> <p>A fundraiser had been set up for Karlson by his niece in June after he was reportedly diagnosed with prostate cancer and needed surgery for cataracts. </p> <p>“I know Jack’s video has given a lot of people joy and he has inspired many memes, t-shirts and other things over the years but Jack himself is doing it quite tough,” his niece wrote on the fundraiser at the time. </p> <p>“He has never had much money but has always been generous to family and friends. He lives week to week in regional QLD with the help of a voluntary carer.</p> <p>“Hoping people can dig deep – I think he’s worth at least a beer, maybe even a 6-pack.”</p> <p>In an update last week, his niece said that he wasn't doing well. </p> <p>“He has been in Hospital for two weeks now,” she wrote.</p> <p>“He has had multiple procedures but things are not looking good.</p> <p>“One thing that did lift his spirits was that the GoFundMe was taking off. He has been really appreciative of the donations and the comments.”</p> <p>A documentary about his life is currently in production and set to be released in early 2025. </p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Caring

Man arrested over horror crash that left 11-year-old orphaned

<p>A British man has been arrested over a horror crash that left an 11-year-old girl orphaned. </p> <p>Shannen Morgan and Shane Roller have died alongside their two young daughters Rubie, 9, and Lillie, four, when their car collided with a motorbike as the family were travelling home from a walk on Sunday. </p> <p>Christopher Barton, 56, and his wife Janine, 48, who were on the motorbike were also both killed.</p> <p>The couple's son, Lewis, 21 has now been left without his parents, along with Shane and Shannen's 11-year-old daughter Poppie. </p> <p>Shocking pictures taken after the horror crash between Barnsley and Wakefield in northern England, showed the burnt out wreckage of the family's car, who were all declared dead at the scene. </p> <p>Police have confirmed a man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, according to <em>The Sun</em>. </p> <p>Poppie managed to escape the tragic accident because she had gone to a friend's house for dinner, and Lewis was on holiday in Thailand when he found out about his parents death. </p> <p>The 11-year-old was being looked after by family friend, Paul Hepple, at the time, and he said that they were just tucking into a roast dinner when the phone rang with the devastating news. </p> <p>“Her mum actually contacted us and asked if we could watch her because she didn’t want to go on the walk that they went on,” he told <em>Mail Online</em>.</p> <p>“She was with our daughter having fun. And on their way home, that’s when the accident happened.</p> <p>“We were having Sunday dinner as a family, and Poppie's aunty was with us and obviously, Poppie was as well. And then she got a phone call and she ended up leaving really quickly to go and see what happened.”</p> <p>Hepple, has set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-poppie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page for Poppie and has raised almost £380,000 (about $745,000 Australian dollars) to put towards her education, emotional support and future care. </p> <p>The family friend has described Poppie as a “bright and resilient young girl” who has turned to Taylor Swift’s music to find comfort after she “lost her whole world in an instant”.</p> <p>“Despite her unimaginable loss, she shows incredible strength every day,” he wrote on the fundraiser.</p> <p>“Poppie now faces an uncertain future. With her immediate family gone, she needs support to ensure she has a stable, loving environment where she can heal and grow.”</p> <p>Shannen and Shane's devastated friends and family have shared their tributes on social media, vowing to look after Poppie. </p> <p>Shane’s brother Callum said he was “lost for words”, adding: “I’m absolutely heartbroken. I’m gonna miss all of you! You all had a heart of gold. My heart is ripped into a million pieces!”</p> <p>Shannen's friend Chelsea Element wrote: “You are and always will be one of my closest friends.</p> <p>“There are no words to describe the utter loss this has created for family/friends and the community around us. I hope you’re at peace Shannen Morgan and Shane Roller, with your beautiful girls.</p> <p>“Everyone will always look after Poppie, she will never want for anything she has the love of everyone.”</p> <p>Her cousin Beth Brittain said: “My heart just hurts my brain won’t accept what’s happened.</p> <p>“Shannen you were always my extra sister not just my cousin, we grew together. I just can’t speak. No words. Sleep tight my little Roller family your memory will live on for eternity.”</p> <p>Christopher and Janine’s son Lewis, is believed to have flown home immediately after finding out about his parents death. </p> <p>The couple had recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, according to West Yorkshire Police, and they were just 20 minutes from home when the devastating accident occurred. </p> <p>In a tribute released through the police, the couple were described by their son as “a loving, caring mum and dad who always put me before everything else”.</p> <p>Superintendent Alan Travis of Wakefield District Police has urged anyone who has dashcam, doorbell or CCTV footage of the car to contact them and assist with their investigation. </p> <p>They have also issued a public plea for anyone who saw a grey coloured Porsche 911 at the time of the crash to come forward. </p> <p>“This is an absolutely tragic incident which has resulted in the loss of six lives," the Superintendent said. </p> <p>“Our thoughts go out to the families of those who have died who we are working with to provide support at this time.”</p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au</em></p>

Caring

Buckingham Palace finally reveals what's behind the iconic balcony

<p>One of the royal family’s most photographed moments is when they walk onto the famed balcony at Buckingham Palace, and now you can see what goes on behind the curtains. </p> <p>Buckingham Palace is opening its East Wing to the public for the first time, after a five year renovation. </p> <p>Caroline de Guitaut, Surveyor of The King’s Works of Art, told <em>7NEWS</em>: “Everybody knows the facade of Buckingham Palace, with the members of the family on the balcony appearing over the centuries, but I think a lot of people probably think, ‘Gosh what’s behind, what’s through the curtains’.”</p> <p>The East Wing features a corridor that leads to the iconic balcony and is adorned with thousands of artworks and artefacts. </p> <p>During the renovation, more than 3000 pieces of art were taken out, restored, and returned, including the lavish wallpaper, which took about three months to remove and put back on. </p> <p>“It was painstakingly taken off the walls. It took about three months, then cleaned and they put it back up,” Nicola Turner Inman, Curator of Decorative Art at the Royal Collection Trust, told <em>7NEWS</em>.</p> <p>The East Wing will open from next week, and royal fans will finally get to see the main corridor that stretches out across the entire length of the residence. </p> <p>“I’m hoping they are surprised and amazed by the variety of pieces that they see from the royal collection here,” de Guitaut told the outlet. </p> <p>The King's latest portrait will also be a part of the tour. </p> <p>“I think the King is very pleased to see the rooms back looking as resplendent as they do,” de Guitaut said.</p> <p>Tickets for the East Wing are reportedly sold out for this summer, but more tickets will be made available next year, so no royal fan will miss out.</p> <p><em>Images: 7NEWS</em></p> <p> </p>

International Travel

Queen Mary’s wedding dressmaker reveals process behind iconic gown

<p dir="ltr">The Danish designer and dressmaker who designed Queen Mary’s wedding gown has recalled the “rather terrifying” process of making the iconic dress.</p> <p dir="ltr">Birgit Hallstein created the custom gown for the Aussie-born royal for her to marry Prince Frederik in 2004, as the designer recalled having to adhere to an unusual royal tradition when creating the dress. </p> <p dir="ltr">Hallstein said that she put the finishing touches on the dress on the wedding day: a decision that was mentioned to her by Mary's new mother-in-law, Queen Margrethe.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hallstein admits the old tradition, which involves doing the final loops and stitches the morning of the wedding, also helped her process in the long run. </p> <p dir="ltr">"[It] was a thing I did because it's a tradition in some families, but honestly I don't remember if Queen Margrethe would have mentioned such a thing," Hallstein told <em><a href="https://style.nine.com.au/latest/queen-mary-of-denmark-20th-wedding-anniversary-wedding-dressmaker-birgit-hallstein-interview/9f0c57eb-2d7b-44fd-ae0b-487d1b3592a5">9Honey</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Maybe, because she knows a lot of those things... I am sure we talked about it, but anyway it was practical to gather the dress on the day because it's big."</p> <p dir="ltr">The process for Hallstein began in November 2003, as she admitted it was the most important garment she had ever worked on.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It was rather terrifying," she admitted with a laugh.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's a bit like an exam, just a really big one, because if you fail everyone will see."</p> <p dir="ltr">Hallstein worked in a dedicated space at Amalienborg Palace to deliver the gown as well as the outfits worn by the bridesmaids, page boys and flower girls.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The sewing took hundreds of hours, starting in January 2004 and ending right before the wedding," she recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">There was also the added pressure of adhering to royal traditions and protocols around the use of the antique veil and the lace attachment to the petticoat, which was from Queen Margrethe's private collection.</p> <p dir="ltr">"There are rules to follow, [you're] not allowed to cut in it and only skilled repairs [are allowed]," Hallstein said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I had to hide around two or three metres of the antique lace in between layers of organza inside the dress to make sure it was not damaged by high heels, chairs, cars and carriages during the day."</p> <p dir="ltr">In a social media post to mark 20 years since the world got their first look at the classic gown, the dressmaker explained to fans that "the wedding gown consists of three parts".</p> <p dir="ltr">“There's a big tulle petticoat, edged with almost 60 yards of Chantilly lace, on this a big light blue silk bow were placed, to make sure the first born would be a son," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Hounsfield-Klein-Zabulon/ABACA/Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Elderly couple left stranded by cruise ship

<p>An elderly American couple was left behind by a Norwegian Cruise Line while on holiday in Spain this week. </p> <p>Richard and Claudene Gordon- aged 84 and 81 - were on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the Norwegian Viva with plans to celebrate Richard's birthday before things went downhill.</p> <p>The couple decided to take an independent excursion by themselves while the ship was docked in Motril, Spain, but on their return, their bus was delayed for an hour due to poor weather, so they ran late for the 5:30pm all-aboard time ahead of a scheduled 6pm departure.</p> <p>“I am a very experienced traveler and have probably been on as many as 30 cruises during my lifetime,” Richard told <em>CNN</em>. </p> <p>“Never before have we ever missed catching a ship on time at a port. So we are not someone who abuses the system.”</p> <p>Richard claimed that at 5:45pm they notified a relative on board who raised the alarm that they were nearby and running late, but nothing could be done at that point as the ship had to leave on time. </p> <p>By the time the couple arrived at 6:10pm, the boat had left the harbour, but Richard claimed that the cruise line had a tendency to depart behind schedule, and made no attempt to contact them until late Tuesday. </p> <p>“Our cruise began in Lisbon and we departed from Lisbon about one and a half hours after the scheduled departure at 4pm,” he claimed.</p> <p>“Then the next night or two, at least a half-hour late from the dock, so it is clear that they do not always leave on the exact moment scheduled.”</p> <p>The couple were left stranded without their medication, eyeglasses and spare hearing aid batteries, which were left on board. </p> <p>Their daughter ended up having to book her parents a flight to Palma de Mallorca, where the boat was making its next call Wednesday morning, according to the publication. </p> <p>By the time the couple got to Mallorca, they were met with "a beautiful black BMW limousine" which took them back to their ship. </p> <p>"There we were met by the head of ship services who escorted us inside the ship to meet the general manager of the ship, then they escorted us to breakfast, then they escorted us to our cabin.They said they have already complained about the harbour master who was supposed to take care of things for them.</p> <p>"But of course the ship had not contacted us directly for two days so that doesn’t speak so well for them.”</p> <p>The Norwegian Cruise Line disputed the couple’s account of what happened.</p> <p>“After several attempts to contact these guests with the phone numbers provided, as well as trying to phone their emergency contact, we were unable to speak to them directly. However, we worked closely with the local port agents to make arrangements for the guests to rejoin the vessel,” a spokesperson said. </p> <p>“It is important to note that a delayed departure has the potential to impact the ship’s ability to deliver its planned itinerary and thus influence the experience for all guests on-board. While this was a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time.”</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

“Selfish” husband leaves wife behind for first class upgrade on their honeymoon

<p dir="ltr">A woman has shared her frustration over a journey she took with her new husband to their honeymoon destination. </p> <p dir="ltr">The wife’s “selfish” husband was quick to ditch her on their way to Mexico for their honeymoon after he was offered an upgrade to business class. </p> <p dir="ltr">The woman took to Reddit to share the story of what began at the airport shortly after their wedding, while also explaining that as a frequent flyer, she had racked up a hefty amount of points. </p> <p dir="ltr">In comparison, her new husband is an anxious flyer, who often relies on her to keep him calm during take off and landing. </p> <p dir="ltr">“When I booked our flights I requested to use my points if an upgrade to business class became available, but made it clear I only wanted this upgrade if two seats became available... and then I basically forgot about it,” the wife explained in a Reddit thread.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Then comes the day of our flight. I was so excited for this trip, I checked us in online, all is going well, and then when we go to board, the employee scanning our boarding passes stops us.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“She says it seems that my husband was upgraded to business class, but only him and asks if that is okay.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The wife immediately replied, “No, we are on our honeymoon and would like to stay together”, however, her husband interjected, saying, “No it’s fine, I’ll go to business class.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Approximately 500 of her hard earned points went to his upgrade, while she was left alone in economy for the trip. </p> <p dir="ltr">Stunned by his response, she said: “I look at him in complete shock and he tells me that I fly all the time and have been in business class before, but he hasn’t. So he deserves a chance to experience it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I see we are holding up the line, so I feel like I just need to agree and get on the plane.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To say I am p***ed off is an understatement.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After boarding the flight, the woman became overcome with emotion over her new husband’s actions. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Within maybe five to 10 minutes of sitting there, trying to hold back tears because my husband left me alone on our flight during our honeymoon — and use my points for his upgrade no less, he starts to text me saying he feels anxiety over flying.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Instead of expressing sympathy, she decided to ignore his texts.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I stopped looking at my phone,” the wife said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Just one hour into the flight, her husband began looking for her in economy class.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He comes to the back of the plane to find me, offers me half of his business class breakfast and asks me why I was ignoring him... because he was scared and needed me to tell him it’d be okay since I am such an experienced flyer,” she explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I told him maybe he should have thought about that before leaving me alone before our honeymoon even really began.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“He gets angry, tells me that this may be the only time he gets to fly business class and he was giving me half his breakfast to make up for it so I could at least be supportive of his genuine fear.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When they landed in Mexico, she tried to just “move on and forget” about what her husband did so they could enjoy their honeymoon.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But he guilt tripped me about not comforting him via text before take off and now I am wondering if I am being unreasonable and should have just let him enjoy his time in business class and assure him it’d be okay?” she wondered.</p> <p dir="ltr">She asked the internet whether she was being the a**hole for not being supportive of her husband.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many jumped to the wife’s defence, with one suggesting, “Definitely not the a**hole. Tell your husband actions have consequences and since he wanted to be in business class without you, he gets to fly without you. The fact he did this on your honeymoon trip just makes it worse.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em> </em></p>

Travel Trouble

Run out of butter or eggs? Here’s the science behind substitute ingredients

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paulomi-polly-burey-404695">Paulomi (Polly) Burey</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a></em></p> <p>It’s an all too common situation – you’re busy cooking or baking to a recipe when you open the cupboard and suddenly realise you are missing an ingredient.</p> <p>Unless you can immediately run to the shops, this can leave you scrambling for a substitute that can perform a similar function. Thankfully, such substitutes can be more successful than you’d expect.</p> <p>There are a few reasons why certain ingredient substitutions work so well. This is usually to do with the chemistry and the physical features having enough similarity to the original ingredient to still do the job appropriately.</p> <p>Let’s delve into some common ingredient substitutions and why they work – or need to be tweaked.</p> <p><iframe id="IitfH" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/IitfH/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <h2>Oils versus butter</h2> <p>Both butter and oils belong to a chemical class called <a href="https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Map%3A_Fundamentals_of_General_Organic_and_Biological_Chemistry_(McMurry_et_al.)/23%3A_Lipids/23.01%3A_Structure_and_Classification_of_Lipids">lipids</a>. It encompasses solid, semi-solid and liquid fats.</p> <p>In a baked product the “job” of these ingredients is to provide flavour and influence the structure and texture of the finished item. In cake batters, lipids contribute to creating an emulsion structure – this means combining two liquids that wouldn’t usually mix. In the baking process, this helps to create a light, fluffy crumb.</p> <p>One of the primary differences between butter and oil is that butter is only about 80% lipid (the rest being water), while <a href="https://www.nutritionadvance.com/types-of-cooking-fats-and-oils/">oil is almost 100% lipid</a>. Oil creates a softer crumb but is still a great fat to bake with.</p> <p>You can use a wide range of oils from different sources, such as olive oil, rice bran, avocado, peanut, coconut, macadamia and many more. Each of these may impart different flavours.</p> <p>Other “butters”, such as peanut and cashew butter, aren’t strictly butters but pastes. They impart different characteristics and can’t easily replace dairy butter, unless you also add extra oil.</p> <h2>Aquafaba or flaxseed versus eggs</h2> <p>Aquafaba is the liquid you drain from a can of legumes – such as chickpeas or lentils. It contains proteins, kind of how egg white also contains proteins.</p> <p>The proteins in egg white include albumins, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5912395/">aquafaba also contains albumins</a>. This is why it is possible to make meringue from egg whites, or from aquafaba if you’re after a vegan version.</p> <p>The proteins act as a foam stabiliser – they hold the light, airy texture in the product. The concentration of protein in egg white is a bit higher, so it doesn’t take long to create a stable foam. Aquafaba requires more whipping to create a meringue-like foam, but it will bake in a similar way.</p> <p>Another albumin-containing alternative for eggs is <a href="https://foodstruct.com/compare/seeds-flaxseed-vs-egg">flaxseed</a>. These seeds form a thick gel texture when mixed with a little water. The texture is similar to raw egg and can provide structure and emulsification in baked recipes that call for a small amount of egg white.</p> <h2>Lemon plus dairy versus buttermilk</h2> <p>Buttermilk is the liquid left over after churning butter – it can be made from sweet cream, cultured/sour cream or whey-based cream. Buttermilk mostly <a href="https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(06)72115-4/fulltext">contains proteins and fats</a>.</p> <p>Cultured buttermilk has a somewhat tangy flavour. Slightly soured milk can be a good substitute as it contains similar components and isn’t too different from “real” buttermilk, chemically speaking.</p> <p>One way to achieve slightly soured milk is by adding some lemon juice or cream of tartar to milk. Buttermilk is used in pancakes and baked goods to give extra height or volume. This is because the acidic (sour) components of buttermilk interact with baking soda, producing a light and airy texture.</p> <p>Buttermilk can also influence flavour, imparting a slightly tangy taste to pancakes and baked goods. It can also be used in sauces and dressings if you’re looking for a lightly acidic touch.</p> <h2>Honey versus sugar</h2> <p>Honey is a <a href="https://resources.perkinelmer.com/lab-solutions/resources/docs/APP_Analysis-of-Sugars-in-Honey-012101_01.pdf">complex sugar-based syrup</a> that includes floral or botanical flavours and aromas. Honey can be used in cooking and baking, adding both flavour and texture (viscosity, softness) to a wide range of products.</p> <p>If you add honey instead of regular sugar in baked goods, keep in mind that honey imparts a softer, moister texture. This is because it contains more moisture and is a humectant (that is, it likes to hold on to water). It is also less crystalline than sugar, unless you leave it to crystallise.</p> <p>The intensity of sweetness can also be different – some people find honey is sweeter than its granular counterpart, so you will want to adjust your recipes accordingly.</p> <h2>Gluten-free versus regular flour</h2> <p>Sometimes you need to make substitutions to avoid allergens, such as gluten – the protein found in cereal grains such as wheat, rye, barley and others.</p> <p>Unfortunately, gluten is also the component that gives a nice, stretchy, squishy quality to bread.</p> <p>To build this characteristic in a gluten-free product, it’s necessary to have a mixture of ingredients that work together to mimic this texture. Common ingredients used are corn or rice flour, xanthan gum, which acts as a binder and moisture holder, and tapioca starch, which is a good water absorbent and can aid with binding the dough. <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/202036/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paulomi-polly-burey-404695">Paulomi (Polly) Burey</a>, Associate Professor (Food Science), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/run-out-of-butter-or-eggs-heres-the-science-behind-substitute-ingredients-202036">original article</a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

"Cringe worthy": Viewers left speechless after star attacks Elmo

<p>Viewers were left shocked after comedian Larry David unexpectedly attacked Elmo during their appearance on the latest episode of the <em>US Today show</em>.</p> <p>The 76-year-old was there to promote the final season of <em>Curb Your Enthusiasm</em>, while Elmo was in the studio alongside his dad Louie to talk about the importance of mental health resources. </p> <p>As the show was transitioning from segment to segment, David walked over to Elmo and smushed his face in before taking a swing at Elmo's dad. </p> <p>The attack caught the show's hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin, off-guard and they began shouting at his ill-timed act. </p> <p>“Oh, my gosh, you love Elmo, don’t you?” Guthrie said to David as an equally shocked Melvin exclaimed, “Oh, my God!”</p> <p>While Elmo didn't seem too bothered by the encounter, the 76-year-old was lectured by muppet dad Louie for his strange act. </p> <p>“Ask permission before you touch people, Larry,” Louie said.</p> <p>“Get back on the couch and let’s talk about how you feel,” Elmo added.</p> <p>Guthrie also called out David's inappropriate act and said: “Larry, you’ve gone too far this time." </p> <p>Although the <em>Seinfeld </em>star was later on forced to apologise to the plush duo and Elmo accepted his apology, the situation left many viewers disgruntled, given the topic matter that Elmo was there to discuss. </p> <p>“Larry David ruined a beautiful story,” one person commented on a video of the segment shared to Instagram. </p> <p>“I felt like I was watching Will Smith all over again. Very sad.”</p> <p>“I must say, I was shocked – it was cringe worthy,” another person wrote. </p> <p>“I love Larry David, but he should have stayed seated until his own segment.”</p> <p>“Although you tried to play it off, Larry David totally messed it up … guess no one told him the theme of the segment” a third shocked viewer added.</p> <p><em>Image: US Today Show/ Instagram</em></p>

“Now THIS is a gift I can get behind”: Couple praised for unusual wedding request

<p dir="ltr">A young couple have come up with an inventive way to pay off a speeding fine, while asking their friends and family to contribute to the cost. </p> <p dir="ltr">Annabelle and James, from Texas in the US, were less than three weeks away from their wedding when James unfortunately received a speeding fine in the mail. </p> <p dir="ltr">With their wedding budget already at capacity, the young couple weren’t sure how they were going to be able to fork out for the $231 fine. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, they came up with a genius way to deal with the fine: by adding it to their wedding gift registry. </p> <p dir="ltr">Annabelle shared their great idea to TikTok, writing, “Wedding in 26 days, timing couldn't be better.”</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7288095171068103982&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40imthatgurlneb%2Fvideo%2F7288095171068103982&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2FokrbI8IiAf2R6neDQgBDaXXCZ2DEJl8SgCBJIz%3Fx-expires%3D1697760000%26x-signature%3DdT%252FKt%252BrdEhkr8paiK0OSLVuZj0g%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p dir="ltr">In the video, Annabelle showed her fiancé James sitting in front of a computer holding an envelope containing the $231 penalty for driving over the speed limit. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Feel free to support James in his down-bad era on The Knot at Annabelle and James's Wedding Registry,” she wrote in the caption of the clip. </p> <p dir="ltr">In the 15-second-clip, Annabelle showed their registry list on the computer screen, focusing on a section for 'cash fund' on their digital gift wish list and a picture of a police officer issuing the fine.</p> <p dir="ltr">She then zoomed in on James updating their registry, writing 'PLEASE HELP,' as he added the speeding fine to the cash fund.</p> <p dir="ltr">The video has racked up hundreds of thousands of views, with many people praising their inventive way of repaying the fine. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Now this is a wedding gift I can get behind,” one viewer declared.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others also flocked to the comments to share similar stories that happened around their own wedding days. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I got a speeding ticket the night before our wedding... guess it happens to the best of us,” added one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My husband got a speeding ticket the day of our rehearsal dinner, so very relatable,” agreed another. </p> <p dir="ltr">Image credits: TikTok</p>

Relationships

Hunt for Cinderella! Mystery shoe left at Prince Christian's party sparks search

<p>A mystery shoe left at Prince Christian's <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/from-child-to-adult-unseen-pics-of-prince-christian-mark-his-18th-birthday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">18th birthday party</a> inside Christianborg Palace has sparked a search for a real life Cinderella. </p> <p>In the hours after the ball, which saw royalty from around the world attend, the Danish royal household posted a photo of the gold stiletto that was left behind from one of the high profile party guests. </p> <p>The post read, "Is it Cinderella who forgot her shoe last night?"</p> <p>The caption continued, "When the guests at Her Majesty the Queen's gala dinner yesterday had gone home, this lonely stiletto shoe was left at Christiansborg Castle."</p> <p>"The owner is welcome to contact you to get it back."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CydeENrNum2/?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/CydeENrNum2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS 🇩🇰 (@detdanskekongehus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The ball was attended by Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik, along with Christian's younger siblings Princess Isabella, 16, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, both 12.</p> <p>His uncle Prince Joachim, who relocated to America in August, was also there with his wife Princess Marie and their three youngest children Count Felix, 21, Count Henrik, 14, and Countess Athena, 12.</p> <p>A number of future monarchs were also present including royals from Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium.</p> <p>Thankfully, the owner of the shoe was found, with Anne-Sofie Tørnsø Olesen, from Denmark's Egedal region, coming forward to claim the golden stiletto. </p> <p>And it turns out, she left it at the palace on purpose after being inspired by the story of Cinderella who marries her prince after long search.</p> <p>"I thought it was a bit funny myself, and I talked to my family and friends about it before, and they agreed that I should do it," Tørnsø Olesen, 18, told local Danish publication Se & Hør.</p> <p>"It's such a chance you won't get again."</p> <p>She said she was keen to get the shoe back because it was "a memory from a great evening".</p> <p>The lost shoe, by Danish brand Deichmann's Catwalk collection, sparked an immediate flurry of comments on the royal family's Instagram page.</p> <p>The shoe brand said, "If the princess comes from a long way, we will gladly give her a new pair".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram </em></p>

Beauty & Style

Ed Sheeran fans left devastated moments before show

<p>Ed Sheeran has been forced to abruptly cancel his show in Las Vegas, just hours before it was set to begin. </p> <p>The British singer-songwriter, who is coming to the end of his Mathematics World Tour, broke the news to devastated fans on Sunday, saying he was "so sorry" for the last minute cancellation. </p> <p>Sheeran wrote on Instagram, “I can’t believe I’m typing this but there’s been some challenges encountered during the load in of our Vegas show."</p> <p>He continued, “It’s impossible to go forward with the show. I’m so sorry. I know everyone has travelled in for this and I wish I could change it."</p> <p>“The gig will be postponed to Saturday October 28th and all purchased tickets will be valid for that date. I’m so, so sorry x.”</p> <p>Fans were quick to express their disappointment, with many saying they had travelled to attend the show and weren't able to come back for the postponed gig. </p> <p>One fan wrote, “I can’t believe we travelled all the way to Vegas 10 hours to see Ed Sheeran for him to cancel less than an hour before the show."</p> <p>“My poor husband a disabled vet along with so many people standing waiting on 103 degree heat to be turned away!!! I can’t come back in October, and no refund!!”</p> <p>Many demanded an explanation as to how the gig could be cancelled at such short notice, to which Ed took to Instagram again in the hours after the cancellation to shed some light on the issue. </p> <p>According to his statement on Instagram, the show was cancelled over safety concerns when two tall towers, used to hold up the stage and lighting equipment, had become unstable. </p> <p>Despite best efforts to restabilise the structures, the issue then travelled to the safety of the floor, which was set to hold 65,000 concertgoers, and the whole show had to be cancelled. </p> <p>Adding to the explanation, Sheeran wrote, "I really am gutted, this was very much out of my control but I do take full responsibility for everyone that was put out from the cancellation. Of course refunds are available at point of purchase, and there is a rescheduled show October the 28th if people still want to come, I promise it will be special." </p> <p>"We really thought the show was going to happen up until the very last moment but it just couldn’t for safety reasons. Sorry again to everyone affected, and hopefully see you in October x".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Music

Life behind bars for serial killer nurse

<p>British nurse Lucy Letby has been handed a life sentence for the murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of six others in a neonatal ward located in Chester, England.</p> <p>Justice James Goss, adhering to the strictest punishment allowed by British law, issued a whole-life order, ensuring that 33-year-old Letby would spend the remainder of her life incarcerated, as capital punishment is not applicable in the UK.</p> <p>In a trial that spanned ten months, Letby was found guilty of killing five male and two female infants and causing harm to other newborns within the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. This conviction ranks her among the most prolific child serial killers in the UK's history.</p> <p>Despite her absence from the sentencing proceedings, Justice Goss emphasised the calculated nature of Letby's actions, stating, "There was premeditation, calculation and cunning." He further highlighted the malevolence and absence of remorse in her demeanour, emphasising that no mitigating factors were present.</p> <p>Prosecutors detailed Letby's disturbing actions during her tenure in the neonatal unit. As the hospital witnessed an alarming increase in unexplained infant deaths and health deteriorations, Letby was consistently on duty during these incidents.</p> <p>Prosecutors painted her as a constant, ominous presence when these infants experienced collapses or fatalities, using tactics that were difficult to detect. She even deceived colleagues into believing these incidents were normal.</p> <p>The anguish and outrage from the victims' families were palpable during the sentencing, compounded by Letby's absence from the proceedings, which is permitted under British legal protocol.</p> <p>The mother of a girl identified as Child I said in a statement read in court:</p> <p>"I don’t think we will ever get over the fact that our daughter was tortured till she had no fight left in her and everything she went through over her short life was deliberately done by someone who was supposed to protect her and help her come home where she belonged."</p> <p>Because of Letby's absence at the sentencing, calls for legal reform quickly emerged, urging that prisoners should be compelled to attend their sentencings. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his government's intention to address this matter.</p> <p>Medical professionals raised concerns about Letby's behaviour as early as 2015, but their apprehensions were not heeded by management. Some argue that had these concerns been acted upon promptly, lives could have been saved. An independent inquiry will delve into the hospital's response to the alarming rise in deaths and the actions of the staff and management.</p> <p>In conclusion, British nurse Lucy Letby's life sentence for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six others has sent shockwaves through the nation. Her calculated actions, lack of remorse, and absence from the sentencing have ignited discussions about legal reforms and the responsibility of institutions to heed early warning signs.</p> <p><em>Images: Cheshire Constabulary</em></p>

Legal

Behind Aussie actress’ secret wedding

<p dir="ltr">Australian actress Emily Browning has finally confirmed her marriage in a collection of photos shared by her husband, writer and director Eddie O'Keefe.</p> <p dir="ltr">O’Keefe took to Instagram on Monday to share photos of their wedding in April, after years of fans' speculation that the pair were getting married.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Wedding Dump 1", he captioned the first round of photos, hard launching their relationship with a photo of them sharing their first kiss as a married couple.</p> <p dir="ltr">Browning, who is known for her role as Violet Baudelaire in the 2004 version of A Series of Unfortunate Events, looked stunning in a Barbie pink gown with a simple white veil.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair were not afraid to add colour to their wedding, with the groom donning a burgundy suit as friends and family threw colourful confetti to celebrate the couple.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cuxsf1zPG1F/?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/Cuxsf1zPG1F/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Eddie O'KEEFE (@okeeeeeeefe)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The pair tied the knot in an outdoor wedding, with the area adorned with bright flowers overlooking a waterway.</p> <p dir="ltr">O’Keefe also shared a glimpse into a few more intimate moments including photos of the couple posing with their parents and Browning laying against her husband’s chest as they listened to the speeches.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the second photo dump, O’Keefe shared a photo of the bride in a glittering mini dress for their reception.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cuxuj2lPW_e/?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/Cuxuj2lPW_e/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Eddie O'KEEFE (@okeeeeeeefe)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">In the final photo dump, the groom shared a few pictures of the couple celebrating with their close friends.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CuxwLtOPd9Q/?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/CuxwLtOPd9Q/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Eddie O'KEEFE (@okeeeeeeefe)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Browning and O’Keefe first met in 2016 while filming the movie Shangri La Suite.</p> <p dir="ltr">In late 2021, fans noticed that Browning was wearing an engagement ring in one of the photos she posted on Instagram.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans took to the comments to congratulate the couple.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The pink dress!!! You’re both so cute congrats!!” commented one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So dreamy!!! Congrats!!!” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Ahh, I’m so happy for you guys 😭❤️ and I love the pink dress!” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

Kate Winslet reveals behind-the-scenes secrets on Titanic

<p>Kate Winslet has recounted the time she got Sir Peter Jackson into trouble with security.</p> <p>Speaking to Variety magazine, the Oscar-winning actress says she, her<em> Heavenly Creatures </em>director and his partner, screenwriter Fran Walsh, ran afoul of the authorities on the set of <em>Titanic</em> just over 20 years ago.</p> <p>"I've never told this story," she said of Jackson and Walsh's somewhat brief visit to the Los Angeles set of James Cameron's epic drama. "They were in L.A. and said 'oh, we must come down and see you'. I took them on set on a Sunday afternoon. We got out back, and the security guard said, 'You can't be here'. Until that moment, it hadn't occurred to me. They were my friends. What's lovely now is that James Cameron and Peter Jackson have a lot to do with each other because of Weta and <em>Avatar</em>. 'Of course you [Jackson] wanted to come visit! You're so cheeky. Duh.'"</p> <p>Asked what memories she had of the <em>Titanic</em> shoot itself, Winslet said shooting the scene behind the gate where Leonardo Di Caprio's character loses a key was "genuinely scary". "I didn't like shooting that at all".</p> <p>Confessing that she had no idea how big the movie, which came out in December 1997, was going to be, Winslet said she saw the film for the first time at a regular cinema screening in uptown Los Angeles. Absent for the premiere as she was in Morocco filming, Winslet recounted how she put on a baseball cap "because someone told me I ought to do that". </p> <p>"That was a real thrilling experience, to sit and watch a movie that I was in with a proper audience. I hadn't done that before or since."</p> <p>The 42-year-old English actress, currently onscreen in <em>The Mountain Between Us</em>, also contradicted earlier reports that Heavenly Creatures was the only one of her films she'd seen more than once.</p> <p>She told Variety that in fact it was <em>Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind</em>, because "my children love it". </p> <p>“That's really the only thing of mine they can actually see without their mother taking off her clothes or dying."</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span>Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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Why do I get so anxious after drinking? Here’s the science behind ‘hangxiety’

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Elderly couple left stranded by cruise ship

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Run out of butter or eggs? Here’s the science behind substitute ingredients

"Cringe worthy": Viewers left speechless after star attacks Elmo

“Now THIS is a gift I can get behind”: Couple praised for unusual wedding request

Hunt for Cinderella! Mystery shoe left at Prince Christian's party sparks search

Ed Sheeran fans left devastated moments before show

Life behind bars for serial killer nurse

Behind Aussie actress’ secret wedding

Kate Winslet reveals behind-the-scenes secrets on Titanic

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Why do I get so anxious after drinking? Here’s the science behind ‘hangxiety’

"Not much of me left": Elton John's grim health confession

From cauldrons to cardigans - the lurking prejudices behind the name ‘Granny’

Beloved teddy bear left in airport lounge rescued by airline

Shocking theory behind grandma's broad daylight murder-suicide

Woman “bullied” on plane over budget seating trick

Man behind viral "democracy manifest" arrest dies

Man arrested over horror crash that left 11-year-old orphaned

Buckingham Palace finally reveals what's behind the iconic balcony

Queen Mary’s wedding dressmaker reveals process behind iconic gown

Elderly couple left stranded by cruise ship

“Selfish” husband leaves wife behind for first class upgrade on their honeymoon

Run out of butter or eggs? Here’s the science behind substitute ingredients

"Cringe worthy": Viewers left speechless after star attacks Elmo

“Now THIS is a gift I can get behind”: Couple praised for unusual wedding request

Hunt for Cinderella! Mystery shoe left at Prince Christian's party sparks search

Ed Sheeran fans left devastated moments before show

Life behind bars ﻿for serial killer nurse

Behind Aussie actress’ secret wedding

Kate Winslet reveals behind-the-scenes secrets on Titanic

Life behind bars for serial killer nurse