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Cost of living: if you can’t afford as much fresh produce, are canned veggies or frozen fruit just as good?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> The cost of living crisis is affecting how we spend our money. For many people, this means tightening the budget on the weekly supermarket shop. One victim may be fresh fruit and vegetables. Data from the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/australians-consuming-fewer-vegetables-fruit-and-less-milk#:%7E:text=Paul%20Atyeo%2C%20ABS%20health%20statistics,278%20to%20267%20to%20grams.%E2%80%9D">Australian Bureau of Statistics</a> (ABS) suggests Australians were consuming fewer fruit and vegetables in 2022–23 than the year before. The cost of living is likely compounding a problem that exists already – on the whole, Australians don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables. <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating">Australian dietary guidelines</a> recommend people aged nine and older should consume <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/fruit">two</a> serves of fruit and <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/vegetables-and-legumes-beans">five</a> serves of vegetables each day for optimal health. But in 2022 the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/dietary-behaviour/latest-release">ABS reported</a> only 4% of Australians met the recommendations for both fruit and vegetable consumption. Fruit and vegetables are crucial for a healthy, balanced diet, providing a range of <a href="https://theconversation.com/were-told-to-eat-a-rainbow-of-fruit-and-vegetables-heres-what-each-colour-does-in-our-body-191337">vitamins</a> and minerals as well as fibre. If you can’t afford as much fresh produce at the moment, there are other ways to ensure you still get the benefits of these food groups. You might even be able to increase your intake of fruit and vegetables. <h2>Frozen</h2> Fresh produce is often touted as being the most nutritious (think of the old adage “fresh is best”). But this is not necessarily true. Nutrients can decline in transit from the paddock to your kitchen, and while the produce is stored in your fridge. Frozen vegetables may actually be higher in some nutrients such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25526594/">vitamin C and E</a> as they are snap frozen very close to the time of harvest. Variations in transport and storage can affect this slightly. <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jf504890k">Minerals</a> such as calcium, iron and magnesium stay at similar levels in frozen produce compared to fresh. Another advantage to frozen vegetables and fruit is the potential to reduce food waste, as you can use only what you need at the time. As well as buying frozen fruit and vegetables from the supermarket, you can freeze produce yourself at home if you have an oversupply from the garden, or when produce may be cheaper. A <a href="https://www.growveg.com.au/guides/freezing-vegetables-and-herbs-the-garden-foodie-version/">quick blanching</a> prior to freezing can improve the safety and quality of the produce. This is when food is briefly submerged in boiling water or steamed for a short time. Frozen vegetables won’t be suitable for salads but can be eaten roasted or steamed and used for soups, stews, casseroles, curries, pies and quiches. Frozen fruits can be added to breakfast dishes (with cereal or youghurt) or used in cooking for fruit pies and cakes, for example. <h2>Canned</h2> Canned vegetables and fruit similarly often offer a cheaper alternative to fresh produce. They’re also very convenient to have on hand. The <a href="https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can#gsc.tab=0">canning process</a> is the preservation technique, so there’s no need to add any additional preservatives, including salt. Due to the cooking process, levels of heat-sensitive nutrients <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jsfa.2825">such as vitamin C</a> will decline a little compared to fresh produce. When you’re using canned vegetables in a hot dish, you can add them later in the cooking process to reduce the amount of nutrient loss. To minimise waste, you can freeze the portion you don’t need. <h2>Fermented</h2> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723656/">Fermentation</a> has recently come into fashion, but it’s actually one of the oldest food processing and preservation techniques. Fermentation largely retains the vitamins and minerals in fresh vegetables. But fermentation may also enhance the food’s nutritional profile by creating new nutrients and allowing existing ones to be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9352655/">absorbed more easily</a>. Further, fermented foods contain probiotics, which are beneficial for our <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10051273/">gut microbiome</a>. <h2>5 other tips to get your fresh fix</h2> Although alternatives to fresh such as canned or frozen fruit and vegetables are good substitutes, if you’re looking to get more fresh produce into your diet on a tight budget, here are some things you can do. 1. Buy in season Based on supply and demand principles, buying local seasonal vegetables and fruit will always be cheaper than those that are imported out of season from other countries. 2. Don’t shun the ugly fruit and vegetables Most supermarkets now sell “ugly” fruit and vegetables, that are not physically perfect in some way. This does not affect the levels of nutrients in them at all, or their taste. 3. Reduce waste On average, an Australian household throws out <a href="https://www.ozharvest.org/food-waste-facts/">A$2,000–$2,500</a> worth of food every year. Fruit, vegetables and bagged salad are the <a href="https://www.ozharvest.org/food-waste-facts/">three of the top five foods</a> thrown out in our homes. So properly managing fresh produce could help you save money (and benefit <a href="https://endfoodwaste.com.au/why-end-food-waste/">the environment</a>). To minimise waste, plan your meals and shopping ahead of time. And if you don’t think you’re going to get to eat the fruit and vegetables you have before they go off, freeze them. 4. Swap and share There are many websites and apps which offer the opportunity to swap or even pick up free fresh produce if people have more than they need. Some <a href="https://www.charlessturt.sa.gov.au/environment/sustainable-lifestyles/community-fruit-and-vege-swaps">local councils are also encouraging</a> swaps on their websites, so dig around and see what you can find in your local area. 5. Gardening Regardless of how small your garden is you can always <a href="https://www.gardeningaustraliamag.com.au/best-vegies-grow-pots/">plant produce in pots</a>. Herbs, rocket, cherry tomatoes, chillies and strawberries all grow well. In the long run, these will offset some of your cost on fresh produce. Plus, when you have put the effort in to grow your own produce, <a href="https://mdpi-res.com/sustainability/sustainability-07-02695/article_deploy/sustainability-07-02695.pdf?version=1425549154">you are less likely to waste it</a>.<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/229724/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cost-of-living-if-you-cant-afford-as-much-fresh-produce-are-canned-veggies-or-frozen-fruit-just-as-good-229724">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

Mamma Mia! 3 receives confident update from producer

Mamma Mia! Here we go again! Judy Craymer, the creator and producer of the beloved musical comedies, has revealed there could be a third instalment. In an interview with Deadline, discussing the Mamma Mia! I have a Dream talent show on ITV, Craymer shared a confident Mamma Mia! 3 update. "It’s in its earliest stages... I don’t want to over-egg it, but I know there’s a trilogy there. There is a story there, and I do think Meryl should come back — and if the script is right, she would, I think, because she really loved playing Donna,” she said. Craymer’s comments come after a long line of remarks made about a possible third movie, with her saying in 2020 that it was always "meant to be a trilogy." Even though the producer said it's in the early stages of development, it’s unclear when there will be an official announcement from Universal. Familiar faces Stellan Skarsgård, Christine Baranski, Lily James, Dominic Cooper, Colin Firth, and Pierce Brosnan have all expressed interest in returning to reprise their respective roles. Craymer also revealed in her interview that she has come up with a way to bring back all the franchise’s favourite characters, including the iconic Meryl Streep. Bringing back every member of the franchise’s massive ensemble cast might be why the third instalment has made little progress in recent years, but Craymer remains confident that the next instalment will go ahead. Image credit: Getty/Instagram

Movies

5 foods you shouldn’t store in the fridge

There are some foods that simply cannot stand the cold and if stored in the fridge will lose their flavour, texture and freshness. These five items are best stored in your pantry rather than the refrigerator. 1. Cucumbers They’re often stored in the fridge but according to researchers at the University of California, storing the vegetable under 10°C actually causes “chilling injuries” to the cucumber. At low temperatures, the skin shrivels and pits, and the pulp turns mushy. If you like your cucumbers chilled, pop them in the fridge an hour before you want to eat so the cold won’t do damage. 2. Garlic Garlic bulbs are prone to developing shoots if stored in the fridge as the cold environment is similar to their growing conditions. It’s best to store garlic in place where it’s cool and with low humidity, like an airy pantry. 3. Chocolate The fridge may seem like the obvious place to put a melting bar of chocolate, but unfortunately it’s not. Chocolate is sensitive to sudden temperature changes and can develop a white “bloom” that spoils the smooth texture of chocolate if stored in the fridge. Store well-wrapped chocolate at room-temperature, away from strong-smelling foods. 4. Basil Do you store the herb in the fridge to extend in shelf life? As delicate Mediterranean herbs such as basil come from warm, sunny climates, the chilled fridge temperature speeds up oxidisation, turning the leaves black and ruining the herb's scent and flavour. Store fresh basil at room temperature in a jar with water. This will lengthen its shelf life and prevent premature discolouration. 5. Bread This may come as a shock to many but refrigerating bread doesn’t actually prolong its shelf life. While it may stop bread going mouldy, the cool, drying environment dehydrates the bread and speeds up the process of staling. Instead, store your bread in the freezer, which does extend the life of bread. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/05/how-to-stop-crying-when-chopping-onions/">How to stop crying when chopping onions</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/05/kitchen-tricks-foodies-will-love/">16 kitchen tricks foodies will love</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/5-foods-you-should-never-reheat/">5 foods you should never reheat</a>

Home & Garden

Why ‘best before’ food labelling is not best for the planet or your budget

UK supermarkets have <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/03/which-supermarkets-are-scrapping-best-before-dates-and-why-17117556/">removed “best before” dates</a> on thousands of fresh food products in an effort to reduce food waste. One of the major supermarket chains, Sainsbury’s, is replacing these labels with product messaging that says “<a href="https://www.fruitnet.com/fresh-produce-journal/sainsburys-axes-best-before-dates-on-more-fruit-and-veg/247057.article">no date helps reduce waste</a>”. Apples, bananas, potatoes, cucumbers and broccoli are among the most wasted foods. Removing “best before” labels from these foods alone will reduce waste by an estimated <a href="https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/food-drink/initiatives/food-waste-reduction-roadmap">50,000 tonnes a year</a>. In Australia we produce <a href="https://www.fial.com.au/sharing-knowledge/food-waste">7.6 million tonnes of food waste every year</a> – about 300kg per person. <a href="https://workdrive.zohopublic.com.au/external/ba011474a921ef40d77287a482fc9b257083a646708e3b38b6debeea81cdf81b">About 70%</a> of what we throw out is still edible. Why aren’t we following the UK’s example? Some might worry about food safety. But two types of date labels – “best before” and “use by” – are used in Australia. “Use by” labels would still alert us to when food can no longer be regarded as safe to eat. And consumers will still be able to assess the state of fresh produce for themselves. <h2>Food waste has huge impacts</h2> Food waste costs Australia <a href="https://workdrive.zohopublic.com.au/external/ba011474a921ef40d77287a482fc9b257083a646708e3b38b6debeea81cdf81b">A$36.6 billion a year</a>. This waste occurs right across the supply chain, including primary production, manufacturing, distribution, retail and hospitality. However, households produce more than half of the waste, at an average cost per household of A$2,000 to $2,500 a year. In 2017, the Australian government <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/food-waste?state=tas#national-food-waste-strategy">pledged to halve food waste</a> by 2030 when it launched the <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/publications/national-food-waste-strategy">National Food Waste Strategy</a>. This is a complex issue, but one simple solution could be to follow the UK and remove “best before” dates. <h2>How will you know if food is still safe?</h2> Our labelling system is fairly straightforward, but many consumers don’t understand the difference between “best before” and “use by”. This confusion leads them to throw away tonnes of food that’s still suitable for eating. In Australia, the regulatory authority <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/labelling/dates/Pages/default.aspx">Food Standards</a> provides guidance for manufacturers, retailers and consumers on using dates on product labels. These dates indicate how long food products can be sold, and kept, before they deteriorate or become unsafe to eat. Food with a “best before” date can be legally sold and consumed after that date. These products should be safe, but may have lost some of their quality. Products past their “use by date” are considered not safe. The food supplier is responsible for placing date labels on the product. Differences in packaging and date labelling can be subtle. For example, lettuce sold loose or in an open plastic sleeve does not have a “best before” date. The same lettuce packaged in a sealed bag does. Bread is the only fresh food that uses a different system with “baked on” or “baked for” date labels. Some foods, such as canned goods and food with a shelf life of two years or more, don’t have to be labelled with “best before” dates because they usually retain their quality for many years. They are typically eaten well before they deteriorate. Food producers and retailers are keen to keep the labelling status quo, because it makes it easier to <a href="https://www.vox.com/22559293/food-waste-expiration-label-best-before">manage stock</a> and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1509/jppm.14.095">encourages turnover</a>. <h2>The case for packaging</h2> Some packaging is used to separate branded products such as fruit varieties protected by <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-case-of-the-pirated-blueberries-courts-flex-new-muscle-to-protect-plant-breeders-intellectual-property-126763">plant breeders’ rights</a>, organic products and imperfect vegetable ranges. Once packaged, these products require a “best before” date. Plastic packaging can greatly increase the shelf life of some vegetables. In these cases, it effectively reduces food waste. A striking example is cucumbers. Plastic wrap can extend their shelf life from a <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-some-plastic-packaging-is-necessary-to-prevent-food-waste-and-protect-the-environment-117479">few days to two weeks</a>. Vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower contain beneficial anti-cancer compounds called <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2016.00024/full">glucosinolates</a>. Plastic packaging that seals in <a href="https://www.food-safety.com/articles/1324-naturally-preserving-food-with-gases">specialty gas</a> preserves these longer. However, overcooking quickly erases this packaging benefit. <figure class="align-center "></figure> <h2>Dead or alive?</h2> The chemistry of a fruit or vegetable starts changing the moment it is picked. Some types of produce, such as bananas and pears, are picked early so they ripen in the shop and at home. Other produce, such as sweet corn and peas, rapidly decline in the quality and quantity of flavours and nutrients once they’re picked. Snap freezing is an excellent way to preserve this produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables are still alive. Their cells remain full of chemical reactions and enzymatic activity. This is why a cut apple turns brown. It’s also why ethylene gas released from bananas and other fruits can shorten the life of their neighbours in the fruit bowl. Potatoes, one of the most wasted products, are sold with “best before” dates when packaged in plastic bags. But if stored correctly in low light and in a “breathable” bag (paper or hessian), potatoes stay “alive” and edible for months. Just make sure you cut away any green parts, which <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-really-be-poisoned-by-green-or-sprouting-potatoes-63437">contain toxic solanine</a>. As well as fresh produce’s own cellular activity, there is microbial activity in the form of bacteria and fungi. Fortunately, we come equipped with a number of evolved chemical sensors. We can <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-avoid-food-borne-illness-a-nutritionist-explains-153185">feel, see, sniff and taste</a> the state of fruits, vegetables and other products. Trust (and train) your instincts. <h2>Questions to ask yourself</h2> To reduce food waste, we need a combination of approaches, including appropriate packaging, sensible labelling and consumer awareness. Ideally, the <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/pages/default.aspx">Australian and New Zealand Food Standards Code</a> would be updated to reflect a more nuanced view of packaged fresh foods. In the short term, consumer awareness and buying power are the best drivers of change. Ask yourself questions like: <ul> <li> Do I need a packaged product? </li> <li> Does the packaging enhance shelf life? </li> <li> Would I buy less if it wasn’t packaged? </li> </ul> Thinking about these questions will help us reduce the impacts of food waste.<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/189686/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-kilah-599082">Nathan Kilah</a>, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation.</a> Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-best-before-food-labelling-is-not-best-for-the-planet-or-your-budget-189686">original article</a>. Images: Getty

Food & Wine

Give this AI a few words of description and it produces a stunning image – but is it art?

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but thanks to an artificial intelligence program called <a href="https://fortune.com/2022/04/06/openai-dall-e-2-photorealistic-images-from-text-descriptions/">DALL-E 2</a>, you can have a professional-looking image with far fewer. DALL-E 2 is <a href="http://adityaramesh.com/posts/dalle2/dalle2.html">a new neural network</a> algorithm that creates a picture from a short phrase or sentence that you provide. <a href="https://openai.com/dall-e-2/">The program</a>, which was announced by the artificial intelligence research laboratory OpenAI in April 2022, hasn’t been released to the public. But a small and growing number of people – myself included – have been given access to experiment with it. <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ZcWO2AEAAAAJ&hl=en">As a researcher studying the nexus of technology and art</a>, I was keen to see how well the program worked. After hours of experimentation, it’s clear that DALL-E – while not without shortcomings – is leaps and bounds ahead of existing image generation technology. It raises immediate questions about how these technologies will change how art is made and consumed. It also raises questions about what it means to be creative when DALL-E 2 seems to automate so much of the creative process itself. <h2>A staggering range of style and subjects</h2> OpenAI researchers built DALL-E 2 <a href="https://github.com/openai/dalle-2-preview/blob/main/system-card.md#model">from an enormous collection of images</a> with captions. They gathered some of the images online and licensed others. Using DALL-E 2 looks a lot like searching for an image on the web: you type in a short phrase into a text box, and it gives back six images. But instead of being culled from the web, the program creates six brand-new images, each of which reflect some version of the entered phrase. (Until recently, the program produced 10 images per prompt.) For example, when some friends and I gave DALL-E 2 the text prompt “cats in devo hats,” <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronHertzmann/status/1534947118053355522">it produced 10 images</a> that came in different styles. Nearly all of them could plausibly pass for professional photographs or drawings. While the algorithm did not quite grasp “Devo hat” – <a href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/5761baff746fb9f420bb3ffc/1495765600043-HHVOESOJR2LLK7B820SS/?content-type=image%2Fjpeg">the strange helmets</a> worn by the New Wave band Devo – the headgear in the images it produced came close. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "cats in devo hats" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dalle?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dalle</a> <a href="https://t.co/kkFaKF0zUJ">pic.twitter.com/kkFaKF0zUJ</a> — Aaron Hertzmann (@AaronHertzmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronHertzmann/status/1534947118053355522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2022</a></blockquote> Over the past few years, a small community of artists have been using neural network algorithms to produce art. Many of these artworks have distinctive qualities that almost look like real images, <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-ai-art-has-artists-collaborators-wondering-who-gets-the-credit-112661">but with odd distortions of space</a> – a sort of cyberpunk Cubism. The most recent text-to-image systems <a href="https://www.rightclicksave.com/article/clip-art-and-the-new-aesthetics-of-ai">often produce dreamy, fantastical imagery</a> that can be delightful but rarely looks real. DALL-E 2 offers a significant leap in the quality and realism of the images. It can also mimic specific styles with remarkable accuracy. If you want images that look like actual photographs, it’ll produce six life-like images. If you want prehistoric cave paintings of Shrek, it’ll generate six pictures of Shrek as if they’d been drawn by a prehistoric artist. It’s staggering that an algorithm can do this. Each set of images takes less than a minute to generate. Not all of the images will look pleasing to the eye, nor do they necessarily reflect what you had in mind. But, even with the need to sift through many outputs or try different text prompts, there’s no other existing way to pump out so many great results so quickly – not even by hiring an artist. And, sometimes, the unexpected results are the best. In principle, <a href="http://adityaramesh.com/posts/dalle2/dalle2.html">anyone with enough resources and expertise can make a system like this</a>. Google Research <a href="https://imagen.research.google/">recently announced an impressive, similar text-to-image system</a>, and one independent developer is publicly developing their own version that <a href="https://huggingface.co/spaces/dalle-mini/dalle-mini">anyone can try right now on the web</a>, although it’s not yet as good as DALL-E or Google’s system. It’s easy to imagine these tools transforming the way people make images and communicate, whether via memes, greeting cards, advertising – and, yes, art. <h2>Where’s the art in that?</h2> I had a moment early on while using DALL-E 2 to generate different kinds of paintings, in all different styles – like “<a href="https://www.odilon-redon.org/">Odilon Redon</a> painting of Seattle” – when it hit me that this was better than any painting algorithm I’ve ever developed. Then I realized that it is, in a way, a better painter than I am. In fact, no human can do what DALL-E 2 does: create such a high-quality, varied range of images in mere seconds. If someone told you that a person made all these images, of course you’d say they were creative. But <a href="https://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2020/5/244330-computers-do-not-make-art-people-do/fulltext">this does not make DALL-E 2 an artist</a>. Even though it sometimes feels like magic, under the hood it is still a computer algorithm, rigidly following instructions from the algorithm’s authors at OpenAI. If these images succeed as art, they are products of how the algorithm was designed, the images it was trained on, and – most importantly – how artists use it. You might be inclined to say there’s little artistic merit in an image produced by a few keystrokes. But in my view, this line of thinking echoes <a href="https://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2020/5/244330-computers-do-not-make-art-people-do/fulltext">the classic take</a> that photography cannot be art because a machine did all the work. Today the human authorship and craft involved in artistic photography are recognized, and critics understand that the best photography involves much more than just pushing a button. Even so, we often discuss works of art as if they directly came from the artist’s intent. The artist intended to show a thing, or express an emotion, and so they made this image. DALL-E 2 does seem to shortcut this process entirely: you have an idea and type it in, and you’re done. But when I paint the old-fashioned way, I’ve found that my paintings come from the exploratory process, not just from executing my initial goals. And this is true for many artists. Take Paul McCartney, who came up with the track “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUvZA5AYhB4&t=35s">Get Back</a>” during a jam session. He didn’t start with a plan for the song; he just started fiddling and experimenting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Back#Early_protest_lyrics">and the band developed it from there</a>. Picasso <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=dZyPAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PA2&ots=xYVek5tbjg&dq=%22I%20don%27t%20know%20in%20advance%20what%20I%20am%20going%20to%20put%20on%20canvas%20any%20more%20than%20I%20decide%20beforehand%20what%20colors%20I%20am%20going%20to%20use&pg=PA2#v=onepage&q&f=false">described his process similarly</a>: “I don’t know in advance what I am going to put on canvas any more than I decide beforehand what colors I am going to use … Each time I undertake to paint a picture I have a sensation of leaping into space.” In <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aaronhertzmann_aiart/">my own explorations with DALL-E 2</a>, one idea would lead to another which led to another, and eventually I’d find myself in a completely unexpected, magical new terrain, very far from where I’d started. <h2>Prompting as art</h2> I would argue that the art, in using a system like DALL-E 2, comes not just from the final text prompt, but in the entire creative process that led to that prompt. Different artists will follow different processes and end up with different results that reflect their own approaches, skills and obsessions. I began to see my experiments as a set of series, each a consistent dive into a single theme, rather than a set of independent wacky images. Ideas for these images and series came from all around, often linked by a set of <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-15524-1">stepping stones</a>. At one point, while making images based on contemporary artists’ work, I wanted to generate an image of site-specific installation art in the style of the contemporary Japanese artist <a href="http://yayoi-kusama.jp/e/biography/index.html">Yayoi Kusama</a>. After trying a few unsatisfactory locations, I hit on the idea of placing it in <a href="https://mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es/en/">La Mezquita</a>, a former mosque and church in Córdoba, Spain. I sent <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CehcE4DvN1d/">the picture</a> to an architect colleague, Manuel Ladron de Guevara, who is from Córdoba, and we began riffing on other architectural ideas together. This became a series on imaginary new buildings in different architects’ styles. So I’ve started to consider what I do with DALL-E 2 to be both a form of exploration as well as a form of art, even if it’s often amateur art like the drawings I make on my iPad. Indeed some artists, like <a href="https://twitter.com/advadnoun">Ryan Murdoch</a>, have advocated for prompt-based image-making to be recognized as art. He points to the <a href="https://twitter.com/NeuralBricolage">experienced AI artist Helena Sarin</a> as an example. “When I look at most stuff from <a href="https://www.midjourney.com/">Midjourney</a>” – another popular text-to-image system – “a lot of it will be interesting or fun,” Murdoch told me in an interview. “But with [Sarin’s] work, there’s a through line. It’s easy to see that she has put a lot of thought into it, and has worked at the craft, because the output is more visually appealing and interesting, and follows her style in a continuous way.” Working with DALL-E 2, or any of the new text-to-image systems, means learning its quirks and developing strategies for avoiding common pitfalls. It’s also important to know about <a href="https://github.com/openai/dalle-2-preview/blob/main/system-card.md#probes-and-evaluations">its potential harms</a>, such as its reliance on stereotypes, and potential uses for disinformation. Using DALL-E 2, you’ll also discover surprising correlations, like the way everything becomes old-timey when you use an old painter, filmmaker or photographer’s style. When I have something very specific I want to make, DALL-E 2 often can’t do it. The results would require a lot of difficult manual editing afterward. It’s when my goals are vague that the process is most delightful, offering up surprises that lead to new ideas that themselves lead to more ideas and so on. <h2>Crafting new realities</h2> These text-to-image systems can help users imagine new possibilities as well. <a href="https://daniellebaskin.com/">Artist-activist Danielle Baskin</a> told me that she always works “to show alternative realities by ‘real’ example: either by setting scenarios up in the physical world or doing meticulous work in Photoshop.” DALL-E 2, however, “is an amazing shortcut because it’s so good at realism. And that’s key to helping others bring possible futures to life – whether its satire, dreams or beauty.” She has used it to imagine <a href="https://twitter.com/djbaskin/status/1519050225297461249">an alternative transportation system</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/djbaskin_images/status/1533970922146648064">plumbing that transports noodles instead of water</a>, both of which reflect <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathonkeats/2021/02/11/is-twitter-really-offering-verified-badges-for-san-francisco-homes-an-artists-satire-nearly-starts-a-civil-war">her artist-provocateur sensibility</a>. Similarly, artist Mario Klingemann’s <a href="https://twitter.com/quasimondo/status/1533877178496163840">architectural renderings with the tents of homeless people</a> could be taken as a rejoinder to <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronHertzmann/status/1526710430751522817">my architectural renderings of fancy dream homes</a>. It’s too early to judge the significance of this art form. I keep thinking of a phrase from the excellent book “<a href="https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1662-art-in-the-after-culture">Art in the After-Culture</a>” – “The dominant AI aesthetic is novelty.” Surely this would be true, to some extent, for any new technology used for art. The first films by the <a href="https://iphf.org/inductees/auguste-louis-lumiere/">Lumière brothers</a> in 1890s were novelties, not cinematic masterpieces; it amazed people to see images moving at all. AI art software develops so quickly that there’s continual technical and artistic novelty. It seems as if, each year, there’s an opportunity to explore an exciting new technology – each more powerful than the last, and each seemingly poised to transform art and society. Image credits: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/give-this-ai-a-few-words-of-description-and-it-produces-a-stunning-image-but-is-it-art-184363" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. <div style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(51,168,204,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"> <div style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(51,168,204,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"> <div style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(51,168,204,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> </div> </div> <p style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(51,168,204,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">

Art

Producing electricity from your sweat might be key to next wearable technology

Imagine a world where the smart watch on your wrist never ran out of charge, because it used your sweat to power itself. It sounds like science fiction but researchers have figured out how to engineer a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/biology/bacterial-biofilm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacterial biofilm</a> to be able to produce continuous <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/electricity-from-sweaty-fingertips/">electricity fr</a><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/electricity-from-sweaty-fingertips/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">o</a><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/electricity-from-sweaty-fingertips/">m perspiration</a>. They can harvest energy in evaporation and convert it to electricity which could revolutionise wearable electronic devices from personal medical sensors to electronics. The science is in a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32105-6#ref-CR7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new study</a> published in Nature Communications. “The limiting factor of wearable electronics has always been the power supply,” says senior author Jun Yoa, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass), in the US. “Batteries run down and have to be changed or charged. They are also bulky, heavy, and uncomfortable.” But the surface of our skin is constantly moist with sweat, so a small, thin, clear and flexible biofilm worn like a Band-Aid could provide a much more convenient alternative. The biofilm is made up of a sheet of bacterial cells approximately 40 micrometres thick or about the thickness of a sheet of paper. It’s made up a genetically engineered version of the bacteria Geobacter sulfurreducens to be exact. G. sulfurreducens is a microorganism known to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3209890/#:~:text=Interestingly%2C%20Geobacter%20sulfurreducens%20also%20called,electron%20transfer%20through%20the%20biofilms." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">produce electricity</a> and has been used previously in “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-019-0173-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbial fuel cells</a>”. These require the bacteria to be alive, necessitating proper care and constant feeding, but this new biofilm can work continuously because the bacteria are already dead. “It’s much more efficient,” says senior author Derek Lovley, distinguished professor of Microbiology at UMass Amherst. “We’ve simplified the process of generating electricity by radically cutting back on the amount of processing needed. “We sustainably grow the cells in a biofilm, and then use that agglomeration of cells. This cuts the energy inputs, makes everything simpler and widens the potential applications.” The process relies on evaporation-based electricity production – the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-018-0228-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hydrovoltaic effect</a>. Water flow is driven by evaporation between the solid biofilm and the liquid water, which drives the transport of electrical charges to generate an electrical current. G. sulfurreducens colonies are grown in thin mats which are harvested and then have small circuits etched into them using a laser. Then they are sandwiched between mesh electrodes and finally sealed in a soft, sticky, breathable polymer which can be applied directly onto the skin without irritation. Initially, the researchers tested it by placing the device directly on a water surface, which produced approximately 0.45 volts of electricity continuously. When worn on sweaty skin it produced power for 18 hours, and even non-sweating skin generated a substantial electric output – indicating that the continuous low-level secretion of moisture from the skin is enough to drive the effect. “Our next step is to increase the size of our films to power more sophisticated skin-wearable electronics,” concludes Yao. The team aim to one day be able to power not only single devices, but entire electronic systems, using this biofilm. And because microorganisms can be mass produced with renewable feedstocks, it’s an exciting alternative for producing renewable materials for clean energy powered devices. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=200509&title=Producing+electricity+from+your+sweat+might+be+key+to+next+wearable+technology" width="1" height="1" /> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/electricity-from-sweat-biofilm/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/imma-perfetto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Imma Perfetto</a>. Imma Perfetto is a science writer at Cosmos. She has a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Science Communication from the University of Adelaide. Image: Liu et al., doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32105-6 </div>

Technology

Strictly Ballroom producer’s hottest property hits the market

Just two years after dropping a record-setting $10.25 million on a Rose Bay apartment, film producer Antoinette “Popsy” Albert has put her historic Bellevue Hill property up for sale in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs. The asking price is expected to be a high one, with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/film-producer-popsy-albert-lists-bellevue-hill-house-inhigh-20-million-range-1106705/" target="_blank">some sources</a> saying it could be within the “high $20 million range”. Designed by architect Espie Dods in the 1980s, the five-bedroom home features five bathrooms, several formal and informal living rooms, dining areas and a loggia (a covered seated area) that spills out into the garden. The home also boasts a custom theatre, next door to a wine cellar, and one of its bedrooms acts as a self-contained apartment. The 1400-square-metre property is nestled among some of Bellevue’s most famed homes, all found on Ginahgulla Road. The co-producer of Baz Luhrman’s Strictly Ballroom has <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.domain.com.au/10-ginahgulla-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023-2017435033" target="_blank">listed</a> the home with Christie’s realtor Ken Jacobs. Albert and her late husband, music producer Ted Albert, purchased the home in 1982 for $825,000 from the estate of late racehorse owner Allan Lewis. Images: Getty Images, Domain

Real Estate

"She was NOT holding back": Former Ellen producer's parting shot

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in element-type-p"> A former producer on The Ellen Show didn't hold back and slammed Ellen on a breakfast talk show just hours after Ellen announced her final season. Ellen confirmed that she is ending her talk show after an intense year of bullying claims and toxic workplace allegations. Former producer Hedda Muskat said that the show's demise came because viewers have "woken up" to Ellen's true nature. “The viewers have spoken. Her ratings have been in the toilet for a long time now. Her show has not been fun, it has not been interesting, and she’s not really ‘stepping down’ - the viewers fired her.” Muskat said she was one of the show's first hires back in 2003, claiming that Ellen loved "kissing ass with celebrities" and "despised" the non-celebrity human interest guests that Muskat provided. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "She’s not really stepping down, the viewers fired her" Former The Ellen DeGeneres Show Producer <a href="https://twitter.com/heddamuskat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HeddaMuskat</a> delivers a fiery spray against the comedian after she announced the end of her long-running talk show. <a href="https://t.co/Co7wOUAkkj">pic.twitter.com/Co7wOUAkkj</a> — Sunrise (@sunriseon7) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunriseon7/status/1392607321293869060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a></blockquote> “She really was not in a position to interview real people because she really couldn’t carry a conversation with them,” she said. “This is not ‘bah humbug’ on my end, because I just did my job and went home, but I feel that for the guests it was bad goodwill for them. They just really were not able to connect with her.” Ellen plans on sitting down with talk show titan Oprah Winfrey on tomorrow's episode of The Ellen Show to discuss her decision to quit, which is another move Muskat slammed. “Frankly, I am very disappointed that Oprah is lowering herself to interview Ellen,” she told the hosts. “Oprah can interview kings and queens, I love Oprah … and for her to interview Ellen, it’s like, why? Who cares about Ellen anymore?” The talk show hosts were left in shock, with David Koch and Natalie Barr asking the former producer what she thought Ellen had planned next. “I’d like to see her work on a farm where she can relate with all of the animals and the pets and the dogs and the cows and the pigs because if you can relate to animals far more than she does with people,” she said, prompting shocked laughter from the Sunrise hosts. “I was not able to have any connection with her, make any eye contact, and here is the thing: It’s not just me or three of us, there were over 100 employees over the 19 years that walk away with this sickened feeling about working there. “As much as I loved my job as a booker and producer, I was almost relieved when I got fired... I wanted to take a shower, it was like a whole new dawn. I don’t feel like she has the trust anymore of the viewers, and so I don’t think she is going to come back anytime soon.” Barr joked that Muskat didn't hold back, saying "she went for it then". </div> </div> </div>

TV producers name the most difficult celebrities to interview

Mornings can bring out the worst in people – even celebrities, apparently! After chatting to past and present breakfast TV producers, <a href="http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/morning-shows/breakfast-tv-producers-name-and-shame-diva-celebrities/news-story/ffe33983c0b2abf5216bc77a37e81b24">news.com.au</a> has revealed some of the most difficult-to-handle celebrities, and you may be surprised by the results. 1. Elle Macpherson reportedly had to approve all the camera angles, lighting and focus settings. The supermodel even knew all the right technical terms. “She was a very nice person, just super controlling.” 2. Ricky Martin demanded his dressing room had the same lighting as the program’s set. He also had other very specific lighting requests. “His PR person […] discovered that Ricky would be exposed to fluorescent lights during his 50 metre walk from his dressing room to the studio and she told us that Ricky doesn’t do fluorescent lights.” 3. Lady Gaga said she would only drink tea out of antique china. “My colleague went down to Vega and got a floral Royal Doulton teacup,” one producer said. “Gaga had no idea.” 4. Michael Richards (who played Kramer on Seinfeld) was the total opposite of his famous character. “He sat, slumped in a dressing gown, looking like he didn’t want to be there. He wouldn’t chime in on any Seinfeld stories, he just wanted to talk about his tour.” 5. The Kardashians were actually “super nice”, but their support team were quite the handful. “They said the Kardashians weren’t allowed to be addressed in a certain way and they were only allowed to have certain fruit on the platter. But Kim and Khloe couldn’t care less about any of that.” 6. Jessica Alba was surprisingly difficult both on and off-screen. “She made us shut down the air-conditioning to the whole floor before she’d go in the studio. During the interview she made no eye contact and gave, at best, two syllable answers.” Have you ever met a celebrity? Were you pleasantly surprised by them or somewhat disappointed? Share your experience with us in the comments below. Source: <a href="http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/morning-shows/breakfast-tv-producers-name-and-shame-diva-celebrities/news-story/ffe33983c0b2abf5216bc77a37e81b24">news.com.au.</a> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/tv/2016/12/secrets-from-your-favourite-reality-tv-shows/">Secrets from your favourite reality TV shows</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/tv/2016/11/reality-tv-and-narcissism/">Reality TV is related to narcissism</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/tv/2016/11/rolling-stone-list-top-100-tv-shows/">Rolling Stone releases list of the top 100 TV shows of all time</a>

How to make the most of an onion

Better Homes and Gardens’ resident landscaper, Jason Hodges, shares his top tips to make the most out of an onion and prevent unnecessary waste. I hate wasting anything. It’s not just the frittering of money that annoys me. It’s the wasted energy and effort of production and transport that has an effect on our planet. Every little bit helps. Take the humble brown onion. How often do you have the one at the bottom of the bowl, fridge or bag that has sprouted? You’re not sure whether you can still eat it, or eat parts of it, so you steer clear and go without. The good news is you can still use the outer layers and keep the shoots and roots to grow another onion. That means you can eat the same onion twice and I’m not talking about it repeating on you. If you plant the whole onion without removing the outer layers you will grow shoots (and they are useful) but no onion. They can flower and you can grow onions from the seeds but by removing the outer layers you encourage the bulb to reform giving you your next onion. So here’s what I’ve done in the past and I know works. Leave your onions out in a bowl and let them sprout naturally. Once sprouted, place them on a scrunched-up wet paper towel in a bowl. Leave them for a few days to hydrate the root system and encourage the shoots to stand up straight. I use a steak knife with a pointy end to cut through the outer layers. Make sure you don’t cut too deep and damage the shoots. Peel the layers back by hand until you’ve got a clean shoots and root system. Clean between the shoots to remove any soft or wet residue. It’s a little like flossing. <img width="498" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/29207/onion_498x280.jpg" alt="Onion" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> This onion (pictured) has three individual shoots so I can cut down between them and provided I get roots with all three, I should produce three onions. Plant them into a pot for the next few weeks as they are going to be sun-sensitive after being inside for so long. A protected patio or verandah is the perfect spot. As the plant grows you can harvest some of the shoots (sometimes called spring onions or scallions). By removing them you will affect the growth of the bulb but they are delicious sprinkled fresh over salads and they are a common ingredient in stir-fried meals. Within a few weeks you can move the plant out of the shade still in its pot or plant it into your vegie patch. Water them, talk to them and they will grow. They grow easily in well-drained soil and you can keep them in the ground for a long time, meaning you don’t have to harvest them all at the same time. Once you see the bulb emerging from the soil it’s ready to pick but you can leave it there for months until the green shoots start to brown off. That will extend your harvest. A barbecue isn’t a barbecue without onions. Imagine the bragging rights if you’ve grown them yourself. While I’m talking about barbecues, an onion is an excellent way to keep your hot plate clean. I clean off my barbecue after I’ve used it but leave it oily until next time. The oil protects the hot-plate from rusting. When I go to use it again, I fire it up, get it really, really hot and then rub an onion half over the hot plate. It works a treat, smells great and doesn’t cost a cent. You can still cook the remaining onion after cutting off the side that cleaned the barbecue. Save an onion, grow an onion, clean the barbecue and cook up a storm. There you go – weekend planned. Written by Jason Hodges. First appeared on <a href="http://www.domain.com.au/" target="_blank">Domain.com.au.</a> Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/08/the-trick-to-growing-herbs-in-a-pot/">The trick to growing herbs in a pot</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/how-to-make-a-no-dig-garden/">How to make a no dig garden</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/05/garden-fixes-after-heavy-rain/">Garden fixes after heavy rain</a>

Home & Garden

How to make bagged lettuce taste fresher

It’s the pet hate of every savvy shopper – a bag of “fresh” leafy greens that are just plain soggy. Lucky for you, we’ve found a nifty trick to help take away the excess moisture and leave your salads tasting as fresh as if you’d picked the produce yourself, and it’s so simple, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing it for years. Simply open the bag of greens and place paper towel inside. Yep, that’s it. The towel will absorb all the moisture and ensure your salad mixes stay fresher for longer. <img width="500" height="435" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/23270/salad_500x435.jpg" alt="Salad"/> Have you tried this trick before or have another handy way to keep produce fresh? Let us know in the comment section below. Related links: <a href="/news/news/2016/06/keep-avocadoes-fresh-for-6-months/">The easy trick to keep avocados fresh for 6 months</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/how-to-get-rid-of-pantry-moths/">How to get rid of pantry moths</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/04/ripen-avocado-in-10-minutes/">How to ripen avocados in 10 minutes</a>

News

How to extend the life of fruit and veg

Making sure you store your fruits and vegetables correctly can help you cut back on unnecessary wastage and save you money. As part of UK supermarket chain Sainsbury’s “Waste Less, Save More” campaign, Sainsbury has released a helpful guide of what fruit and vegetables to store together and which ones to keep apart. Certain fruit and veg should be stored apart as they produce gas ethylene during the ripening process when stored together, which reduces the shelf-life of other fruit and vegetables nearby. “Apples and watermelons are long-term enemies while bananas don’t play well with others and should be kept on their own,” said spokesman for the supermarket, Paul Crewe. “But cherries are immune to the negative effects of the ethylene produced by others and can therefore be paired with a variety of partners.” Other fruit and veg that produce ethylene as they ripen include apples, pears, apricots, bananas, kiwis, mangoes, peaches and plums. Potatoes and sweet potatoes should be kept away from fruit to prevent early sprouting. Store them somewhere cool and dark. Asparagus, broccoli, carrots, lettuce and green beans are also sensitive to ethylene. Sainsbury’s other tips for extending the shelf-life of produce include refrigerating berries and grapes immediately and keeping carrots, beetroot and parsnips in the fridge. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/04/household-cleaners-hiding-in-your-pantry/">5 household cleaners hiding in your pantry</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/04/tricks-to-cut-vegetables-faster/">Tricks to cut vegetables faster</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/04/foods-that-dont-need-to-be-refrigerated/">10 commonly refrigerated foods that don't need to be</a>

News

The Beatles producer, Sir George Martin, has died at 90

Sir George Martin, the man whose collaboration with The Beatles shot them to fame, died peacefully in his home on Tuesday. The 90-year-old had worked with countless artists over a career that spanned seven decades - the likes of Elton John, Peter Sellers, Shirley Bassey, America, Cheap Trick, Jeff Beck and Celine Dion, to name a few. His fame and influence, however, came from the seven years he spent with The Beatles, the most successful group in music history. Martin is attributed to propelling The Beatles to the top spot with his musical expertise, tasteful arrangements and willing experimentation. The relationship would go on to re define the boundaries of popular music and eventually, pop culture. Paul McCartney said, Martin was "like a second father to me." "If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George," he said in a statement. "From the day that he gave The Beatles our first recording contract, to the last time I saw him, he was the most generous, intelligent and musical person I've ever had the pleasure to know." Adam Sharp, the founder of C A Management, which represents the music producer, said ³In a career that spanned seven decades he wasrecognised globally as one of music's most creative talents and agentleman to the end. The family ask that their privacy be respected at this time. In an interview with Rock Cellar in 2013, Martin was asked if he would do it all again. "No, I wouldn't want to do anything again. I'm not a person to look back. I don't honestly think I could do anything better than what we did." Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/music/2015/10/john-lennons-son-sean/">John Lennon’s son is the spitting image of his father</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/music/2015/11/best-george-harrison-songs/">The top 5 George Harrison songs of all time</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/music/2015/11/best-inxs-songs/">The top 5 INXS songs</a>

News

Fresh produce for February

It’s finally February: the sun is shining, the bees are buzzing and the plants are growing. It’s a green, leafy and sunny month, filled with plenty of fresh produce. Purchasing seasonal foods is a healthy and cost effective way to approach food shopping for each new month. We’ve got the items that need to be top of your grocery list for this February. <ul> <li>Asparagus</li> <li>Beetroot</li> <li>Bok choy</li> <li>Broccoli</li> <li>Brussels Sprouts</li> <li>Cabbage</li> <li>Cauliflower</li> <li>Carrots</li> <li>Celery</li> <li>Grapefruit</li> <li>Kale</li> <li>Lemons</li> <li>Lettuce</li> <li>Leeks</li> <li>Oranges</li> <li>Onions</li> <li>Pears</li> <li>Shallots</li> <li>Sweet Potatoes</li> <li>Tangerines</li> <li>Turnips</li> <li>Rhubarb</li> </ul> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/01/watermelon-sangria/">Watermelon sangria</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/01/mocha-frappe/">Mocha frappe</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/01/pear-pomegranate-and-feta-salad/">Pear, pomegrante and feta salad</a>

Food & Wine

10 clever tips to keep produce fresher, longer

No one likes spending money on fresh produce only to have it go off before you can use it. With these tips, avoid that problem by keeping your food fresher for longer. 1. Wrap the stem of your banana bunch to keep them from ripening as quickly. 2. Put an apple in your bag of potatoes to stop them from sprouting. 3. Line your vegetable crisper with paper towel to absorb excess moisture and prevent sogginess. 4. Keep apples, which contain ethylene gas, away from other fruit to help the rest keep longer. 5. Prevent strawberry mould by washing them in water and vinegar, one part vinegar to three parts water. 6. If you don’t live in a very hot climate, don’t refrigerate your tomatoes to keep their flavour and texture ideal. 7. Store mushrooms in a paper bag to prevent sliminess. 8. Bring new life to limp lettuce by soaking it in ice water. 9. If you only need a bit of lemon juice, skewer a hole into the lemon and squeeze out the juice to avoid prematurely dry lemons. 10. Prolong the life of asparagus by keeping the ends in cold water.

Home & Garden

Film producer turns hand to new projects, remake of Goodbye Pork Pie

The Blondini gang's little yellow mini is roaring back - with a boost from the NZ Film Commission. The producer of Kiwi smash hit The Dark Horse Tom Hern is set to tackle another national icon, Goodbye Pork pie, and things are looking good for a slate of other new projects too. Hern is not new to New Zealand's entertainment industry - fans of the small screen will remember him as the face of religious fanatic Baxter Cormack on Shortland Street, circa 2005. But these days, the 30-year-old is more likely to be found behind the camera. He now runs production company Four Knights Film, alongside longtime collaborator James Napier Robertson, who wrote and directed The Dark Horse, and writer/director Max Currie. Four Knights is one of five production companies to get a cash injection under the New Zealand Film Commission's 'Boost' scheme, with grants of between $50,000 and $130,000 given out to further develop television and feature films at all stages of production. The company has seven feature films and two television shows on the go - one of which is a remake of the 1981 classic Goodbye Pork Pie, with Matt Murphy, the son of original director Geoff Murphy, attached to direct. Hern and Robertson are also working on a follow up to The Dark Horse, an "ambitious project" that has sparked a lot of interest off the back of the success of previous film, Hern says. When Hern started working with Napier Robertson, the idea was that producing would help him create vehicles for his acting. He starred in the pair's first feature I'm Not Harry Jenson in 2009, but quickly fell in love with producing gig, how varied the role was. The two began work on The Dark Horse, a biopic looking at the life of bipolar chess champ Genesis Potini, in 2009. The film was released in New Zealand in July last year, soaring up the box office rankings, grossing more than $3 million. Hern said The Dark Horse has become calling card for the pair, opening doors to bigger and better projects. "We looked at the likes of Niki Caro off the back off Whale Rider and what she was able to do with her follow up feature, we looked at the likes of other hit Kiwi films like Once Were Warriors and what Lee Tamahori was able to do off the back of that film," he said. "We were looking for that high pedigree, quality picture that would announce us to the international market and go, here's what we can do. Now let's talk about what we're going to do next." The film went to festivals like the Toronto International Film Festival, the Rotterdam International Film Festival, where it won the MovieZone Award, and the Palm Springs Film Festival, where it was runner up for best film. At the 2014 New Zealand Film Awards, it picked up best picture, best director, best screenplay and best score. Cliff Curtis took home the best actor Moa for his portrayal of Potini, and James Rolleston was named as best supporting actor as Potini's nephew Mana. The film will have a US release in December. "You can talk about all kinds of strategy … but at the end of the day, if you make great work, the opportunities will come," Hern said. "It's that simple" Written by Kashka Tunstall. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/10/iphone-photo-tips/">8 iPhone photo tips you’ll want to know about</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/10/social-media-health-benefits-study/">Social media good for older people’s health</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/10/people-failed-at-technology/">8 people who utterly failed at technology</a>

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How to extend the life of fruit and veg

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Fresh produce for February

10 clever tips to keep produce fresher, longer

Film producer turns hand to new projects, remake of Goodbye Pork Pie