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Olympic legend delivers his own eulogy

Mourners were brought to tears during the emotional funeral for Australian Olympic legend Dean Woods, who delivered his own eulogy. The track cyclist died in early March after a long battle with lung cancer at 55 years old. Knowing his fate, the sportsman and father decided to address his wife and children, along with the congregation at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre, in a pre-recorded message while wearing the same suit he was to be buried in. His wife and three kids has not previously seen the video before it was shown at the funeral, resulting in emotional scenes for the family. "I'm well prepared, even though I'm in the box in front of you," he said. "This will be the suit I'll be put in the box in. (I've) even got the torch ... in there just in case it gets dark." "Now for me, to say to Meagan and the kids that I'm going out for a two hour ride, and not coming back - now that's a tragedy." Speaking to the <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fleader%2Falbury-wodonga%2Fdean-woods-olympic-legend-brings-audience-to-tears-with-selfread-eulogy%2Fnews-story%2F4bae63017940783605fe46082b383f9e&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-warm-control-score&V21spcbehaviour=append" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herald Sun</a>, Dean's widow Meagan said her and her kids were "devastated". She said, "We're going home tomorrow and I think that's when the reality will hit. Especially for myself and the girls, because we have had such a wonderful distraction." "I think once we get back home and into the swing of things, the silence will be deafening." Dean's service began with footage of Woods and his teammates clinching gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and ended with a tribute from Meagan, his wife of 28 years. Extract of Dean Woods' eulogy "Hello ladies and gentlemen … it's a bit of a sad occasion. I've had a pretty extraordinary life, it's pretty hard for anyone to document that in a simple form, so the best person to do it is me. First of all, today is a sad day, but for me this is just my process with the whole cancer deal. It's not a tragedy, and I saw that for the reason I've spent so much time riding my bike throughout the world, had a lot of near misses, but never had any serious accidents. Now for me, to say to Meagan and the kids that I'm going out for a two hour ride, and not coming back – now that's a tragedy, because everything was fine. I've been fortunate enough, and I do say fortunate enough, to be able to have the time to put a few things in place, to get a few things sorted. Even though, two years ago when I was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer … So the main issue was in the lungs. Which, when you consider someone who's spent 40 years with their lungs in their profession keeping you fit and healthy, it's just one of those things. But I've never once and never will say: 'Why me? Why me?' It's not who I am, and it's not the way to deal with it. It's like if I won 50 billion in the Lotto, would I be saying: 'Why me? Why me?' Absolutely not. So you take the goods with the bads. And that's what I've been able to do. I owe a massive amount of what I know to high performance sport. I've been fortunate enough to be able to put myself through many arduous situations. And you still have that commitment to keep going. There's never that moment you want to stop, even though it does creep in, but you know there's an end goal. And the end goal is to keep going and push through. So even from a young age I've been very fortunate to have those experiences which have served me really well in my two terms of cancer." Image credits: Dean Woods

Caring

Voicemail and a car crash: How Tiger Woods’ cheating scandal emerged

Despite becoming the first athlete to make $USD 1 billion in 2009, it was also the year that saw Tiger Woods’ life crumble around him as <a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/tiger-woods-cheating-scandal-details-elin-nordegren-what-happened-explainer/b93a94da-8d22-4398-a9d3-2c4d58a26c11" target="_blank">it was revealed</a> he had been cheating on his wife Elin Nordegren with multiple women. In November of that year, tabloids reported on Woods’ affair with nightclub manager Rachel Uchitel. Several days later, he crashed his car outside his Florida mansion at 2am, with rumours emerging that he had tried to flee after being confronted by Nordegren. Following the news of his crash, reports of his infidelity continued to surface from a number of women. Some outlets also reported that Nordegren made the discovery while looking at Woods’ phone. A voicemail allegedly left by Woods for one of the women he was seeing was later published by US Weekly. “Hey, it’s Tiger,” a man said in the message. “I need you to do me a huge favour. Can you please take your name off your phone? My wife went through my phone and may be calling you.” Though Woods initially denied the claims, he later admitted they were true and apologised. Over the next few months, women continued to come forward with claims of sleeping with Woods during his eight-year relationship with Nordegren. He would go on to speak about the situation and share new details at a press conference several months later. “I was unfaithful, I had affairs and I cheated. What I did was unacceptable,” he said at the time. “I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me.” A year later, Woods and Nordegren announced they would be getting a divorce. According to The Daily Beast, the couple had a prenuptial agreement that would see Nordegren receive $20 million after 10 years of marriage. Though Woods allegedly tried to negotiate their existing prenup to get Nordegren to stay – allegedly including an immediate $5 million payment and an added $55 million to the original value - the divorce was finalised. According to TMZ, she received $USD 100 million ($AUD 129 million or $NZD 106 million). Despite their marriage ending, Woods and Nordegren have maintained a good relationship. The former couple share two children: Sam Alexis, 14, and Charlie Axel, 12. “We communicate so much better now, it’s incredible,” Woods told US Weekly in 2019. “I wish we would have done that earlier on, but it’s been incredible to have a best friend like that.” Image: Getty Images

Relationships

Tiger Woods' secret Kiwi home hits the market

An estate on the Kāpiti Coast, to the north of Wellington, which has been home to diplomats, Danish heavy metal icons, and famed golfer Tiger Woods has entered the market in a rare sale. The 40s-styled manor is surrounded by manicured gardens and native bushland and features an extensively remodeled interior that is just as luxurious. But, it’s guest-list has been kept tightly under wraps by its current owners Ralph Green, his wife Letizia Columbano, and their son Lorenzo Green. “We don’t kiss and tell about our guests,” Green <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/houses/127024230/inside-tiger-woods-secret-kiwi-hideaway-beloved-of-nottobenamed-rock-stars-and-foreign-dignitaries" target="_blank">said</a>. “Tiger Woods was rather hard to hide. He was meant to be a secret, but it got out because he’s like that. Other guests… I’m struggling to remember on purpose.” Woods stayed at the 1.89-hectare Greenmantle estate in 2002 while competing in the New Zealand Open. Before Green took over the property in 2012, the then-owner was the former head of New Zealand’s Criminal Investigation Bureau. “This was just after September 11, and there was a lot of scuttlebutt around that they were going to target an American ison, and that New Zealand was seen as a soft target area,” Green explained. “So there was something like 13 police patrolling around this place, the security was unusually high.” More recently, Green said the Greenmantle estate had been approved to host heads of state by the diplomatic protection squad. “We have quite high clearance,” he said. Without revealing too many details, he said the most “surprising” celebrities he’s hosted had included “well-known” rock stars, with the lead singer of a Danish metal band with a quite profane name topping the list. But the chance to host A-list guests wasn’t the reason why Green and his family took over the property. After seeing the “beautiful pink house sitting proudly up a lovely drive” while growing up in the area, Green and Columbano jumped at the chance to tour the property when it hit the market years later. “We went in there and fell in love,” Green said, referring to the tour he and his wife took of the gardens and the nikau forest behind the house. “To have a virgin nikau forest in your backyard, it was just too much. We surprised the real estate agent by saying, ‘yes, we’ll take it’. He was a little shocked. After the previous owner had run the home as a boutique hotel, Green and Columbano converted it into “a luxury lodge”. “Having a home and income combined quite usefully. THat’s how we ended up here, because of the gardens, the birdlife, looking at Kāpiti [Island], and having something that’s quite distinctive,” he said. The house boasts six bedrooms - each with balconies and stunning views - as well as seven bathrooms, two separate guest cottages, a heated outdoor pool, and a permanent marquee house nearby. Within the nikau forest, walking trails lead to a secluded spa. “It’s like going to Indonesia but without the heat or the insects,” Green said. “There is an area we call the nikau amphitheatre that people seem to want to get married in. It’s so nice to sit under all these nikau and listen to the sound of the owls at night.” Having just become grandparents, Green and Columbano are saying a reluctant farewell to the property and moving to be with their daughter in Venice. “It’s a question of priorities, we’ve become grandparents for the first time, and we want to be grandparents,” Green said. Having last sold for $2.05 million in 2012, propertyvalue.co.nz values the property between $3.25 and $3.5 million now. The property, which is expected to sell for an even higher price, is on sale for tender by <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzsothebysrealty.com/purchasing/property/wtn10334/" target="_blank">Sotheby’s International Realty</a> and closes on Thursday, December 9. Images: Getty Images, Sotheby's International Realty

Real Estate

Tiger King star found dead at 53

Erik Cowie, star of Tiger King has died aged 53. The zookeeper’s body was found “face down in a bedroom of a residence” in New York on Friday. Sources say there is nothing suspicious about the death at this point and no drugs were found on the scene, though a toxicology test will likely still be performed” according to TMZ reports. Erik appeared on the Netflix reality series as one of Joe Exotic’s eccentric animal caretakers. After Joe was imprisoned, Cowie stayed and took care of the big at the GW zoo. He later went on to testify against former boss Joe Exotic who is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence after allegedly trying to hire two hitmen to kill business rival, Carole Baskin. Erik Cowie’s death comes four months after he was arrested driving under the influence following a car accident in the US. Allegedly the Netflix star had been drink-driving when he crashed into another vehicle. In 2020 Carole Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue was awarded complete control over GW Zoo as part of the settlement in her long-standing lawsuit against Exotic. Carole went on to sell the Oklahoma property with one of the provisions being the land cannot be used as a zoo for 100 years. In a statement released from prison, Exotic suggested Erik Cowie succumbed to a drug and alcohol addiction. “I did everything I could to help him and save him from himself and he turned on me for fame. And Money” he wrote. “RIP Erik. I will be making a donation in his name to a drug and alcohol treatment centre”.

News

Tiger Woods $50 million mansion: See inside one of the world’s most expensive celebrity pads

Tiger Woods bought his incredible home in 2019, and it remains one of the classiest mega-mansions celebrities have ever seen. The top-ranked golfer splurged on the pad located on Jupiter Island, Florida, for an estimate of over $50 million. Spanning over 10 acres, the ocean-view mansion is a sight for sore eyes. See the incredible home below.

Real Estate

Germans turn to the woods for mindfulness

Of all the German words without a direct English equivalent, one has seen a resurgence during the coronavirus epidemic. Waldeinsamkeit - which translates to “solitude of the forest” according to Google Translate - can be best described as the sublime feeling that can come from being completely alone and at peace in the forest. With more free time, flexibility, and pressure at home - without many other options to occupy free time - Germans are visiting forests to find that kind of solitude in greater numbers than before. Recent research by the European Forest Institute has confirmed it, finding that visits to a monitored tract of woods in North-Rhine-Westphalia experienced an unprecedented jump in visitors during the first and second lockdowns. The authors concluded that forests were a critical infrastructure for national public health and society at large, with the German people once again seeking forest solitude during the pandemic. “In our recent study, visitors said finding tranquility was by far the number one motivation to go to the forest,” European Forest Institute researcher Jeanne-Lazya Roux said. “Another new study we are working on shows there is a renaissance in valuing forests for their spiritual attributes, or re-spiritualisation of the forest, as we call it.” A resurgence Professor Nikolaus Wegmann, a Germanist and literary historian at Princeton University, told the BBC waldeinsamkeit is seeing revalidation as people absorb the philosophy of the word in their post-pandemic lives. “On one level, waldeinsamkeit is a simple compound of the word ‘forest’ (wald) and ‘loneliness’ (einsamkeit), but on another it represents the soul and deeper psyche of Germany,” said Wegmann. “Nowadays, the term is taking on a new meaning because of coronavirus: the isolation and loneliness of the forest, in contrast to the world of the city, is increasingly attractive.” With 90 billion trees, 76 tree species and about 1,215 species of plants within Germany’s forest, which cover 33 percent of the country’s land area, it’s not hard to see where the attraction comes from. “The concept of going into the woods is part of everyday life for us Germans,” Wegmann said. “Even though we’re one of the most industrialised nations in the world, you don’t need to go looking for a forest here. We are forest people, even as far back as the Roman empire when the Romans described us as such.” Over time, the term has come to represent Germany’s culture too, with many throughout history citing the practice as a cure for stress. “Waldeinsamkeit is a visible strain throughout German culture and history and the term might have fallen out of favour, but it continues to convey a very romantic notion of the country,” said Austen Hinkley, a doctoral candidate at Princeton’s Department of Comparative Literature. “The claim the term is untranslatable and indescribable to non-Germans is also important. It can only really be explained by first-hand experience - total immersion in the German landscape.” Image: dinner / Instagram

International Travel

Police reveal cause of horrific Tiger Woods car crash

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Authorities have revealed that golf star Tiger Woods was driving at an "unsafe" speed nearly double the 70km/h speed limit when he crashed in California in February. The SUV was travelling up to 140km/h before it veered off the road and rolled several times, leaving Woods with a shattered right leg. “The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway,” said Alex Villanueva. “Estimated speeds at the first area of impact were 84 to 87 miles per hour (135-140km/h).” There were “no signs of impairment” or evidence of any “distracted driving”, and Woods voluntarily allowed the results of the investigation to be made public, officials said. Fans have complained that Woods hasn't been charged for speeding, but police said as there were no witnesses or police present, he won't be charged. The crash would have been investigated further “if there was a significant injury or fatality” and had involved another person, said Captain James Powers. Woods himself doesn't recall the incident, but investigators did not check his phone or test his bloodwork as there was "no evidence of any impairment or intoxication", according to Powers. Sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed this in a Facebook Q&A with reporters. “He was lucid, no odour of alcohol, no evidence of any medication, narcotics or anything like that,” Villanueva said. “That was not a concern so no field sobriety test and no drug expert needed to respond. This is what it is — an accident. “We don’t contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash. “This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime, they do happen unfortunately. “The Deputy on the scene assessed the condition of Tiger Woods and there was no evidence of any impairment whatsoever. “He was not drunk … we can throw that one out.” </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

Tiger Woods hospitalised after serious car crash

Tiger Woods was taken to hospital with "multiple leg injuries" after being involved in a serious car crash in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning (AEDT). The 45-year-old was driving alone when his vehicle rolled over around 7 am local time and had to be extricated from his car with the jaws of life. There are now fears for the golf superstars' wellbeing and career, with an outpouring of support from the sports world. The LA Sherriff's Department confirmed it had responded to a single vehicle rollover on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Ranchos Palos Verdes. Woods’ vehicle was travelling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road, when it crashed. “The vehicle sustained major damage,” the LASD said in a statement. “Mr. Woods was extricated from the wreck with the ‘jaws of life’ by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries.” Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg released a short statement confirming Woods had “suffered multiple leg injuries. “He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and support,” Steinberg said. ESPN’s Michael Eaves reported Woods injuries were not considered life-threatening. “Local police source said the initial report from the scene of the accident indicated the possibility of multiple leg fractures,” he tweeted. Woods, who has two children, Charlie and Sam, was in LA for the US PGA Genesis Invitational, where he serves as tournament host. Former US president Donald Trump led a host of wellwishers, saying: “Get well soon, Tiger. You are a true champion.”

News

Golf fans go wild over shot of Tiger caddying for his son

Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, is dominating the junior field at just 11 years of age. Charlie played at a US Kids Gold-sanctioned event at Hammock Creek Golf Club recently, resulting in a mind-blowing final score. Woods has commended his son in the past for his natural knack on the golf course, and his scorecard has proven exactly that. Charlie won the nine-hole event in the boys 11-year-old division with a three-under 33. He finished with no bogeys and three birdies. But fans went wild after seeing photos of the golfing legend helping his son carry his golf clubs. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> It’s happening. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheSecondComing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheSecondComing</a> <a href="https://t.co/YmtPEP4lOx">pic.twitter.com/YmtPEP4lOx</a> — Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) <a href="https://twitter.com/RiggsBarstool/status/1295165776098361345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Looks like we found the next Tiger Woods. I would of never guessed his son. 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/Z0bxE52Jvr">https://t.co/Z0bxE52Jvr</a> — Titus Conrad (@KCSportsfan18) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCSportsfan18/status/1295232348620029959?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Imagine playing in a junior tournament and the caddie for your opponent is Tiger Woods <a href="https://t.co/1lUSZP8SUb">https://t.co/1lUSZP8SUb</a> — Jordan (@JordanStarley1) <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanStarley1/status/1295169730530234371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2020</a></blockquote> Last month, Tiger said playing with his son took him back to his childhood. “He’s starting to get into it,” Woods said to Golf Digest. “He’s starting to understand how to play. He’s asking me the right questions. I’ve kept it competitive with his par, so it’s been just an absolute blast to go out there and just, you know, be with him. It reminds me so much of me and my dad growing up.” Woods even said he hoped he could replicate his son’s swing, but is unable to due to injuries sustained from his career. “I wish I had his move,” Woods added. "I analyse his swing all the time. I wish I could rotate like that and turn my head like that and do some of those positions, but those days are long gone, and I have to relive them through him.”

International Travel

Mother's Day tragedy: Five-year-old kills brother with gun he found in the woods

A young child has accidentally killed his 12-year-old brother on Saturday after shooting him with an abandoned gun he found in the woods behind their home, according to police reports. The five-year-old told officials that after coming across the weapon, he thought it was a toy and accidentally shot his brother in the chest, said the police department in Griffin, Georgia. His brother was taken to hospital where he died from his injuries. Before the incident happened, Griffin police revealed, officers attempted a traffic stop in the area, but three men escaped the vehicle and fled “behind houses in close proximity to where this shooting occurred.” Police searched the area after the men fled and found a bag suspected to contain MDMA, but they found no weapons at the time. “The children were out here peacefully playing in the backyard on the trampoline,” neighbor Tom Whitehead, who owns an auto body shop in front of the family’s home, told CNN affiliate WGCL. “The little one found a gun ... Turns around, thinks he’s playing, says ‘bang bang.’ It was loaded and killed him. “Think about that mother. “The next day, Mother’s Day, and one boy is dead by the hand of his younger brother.” The police department’s Criminal Investigation Division is looking for the person suspected of abandoning the gun. A spokesperson for Griffin police told CNN they anticipate charges against those who discarded the gun and left it where young children were able to find it. “We will leave no stone unturned as we search for the individuals responsible for the abandonment of this weapon,” police chief Mike Yates said in a statement.

Family & Pets

Heartbroken zoo announces tiger tested positive for coronavirus

A tiger at Bronx Zoo in New York City has tested positive for coronavirus, which has been confirmed by the Wildlife Conservation Society in a statement today. Six other tigers and lions at the zoo are also showing symptoms but have not yet been tested for the disease. Nadia, a four-year-old Malayan tiger, was tested with an “abundance of caution” after she had developed a dry cough and a decrease in appetite. The Wildlife Conservation Society, the parent company of the Bronx Zoo, said in a <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/14010/A-Tiger-at-Bronx-Zoo-Tests-Positive-for-COVID-19-The-Tiger-and-the-Zoos-Other-Cats-Are-Doing-Well-at-This-Time.aspx" target="_blank">statement</a> that "appropriate preventive measures are now in place for all staff who are caring for them". They added: "Though they have experienced some decrease in appetite, the cats at the Bronx Zoo are otherwise doing well under veterinary care and are bright, alert, and interactive with their keepers." "It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but we will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries." <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-j2Migp6oU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-j2Migp6oU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Bronx Zoo (@bronxzoo)</a> on Apr 4, 2020 at 6:10am PDT </div> </blockquote> It is believed that the cats were infected by a person caring for them, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society. “Our cats were infected by a person caring for them who was asymptomatically infected with the virus or before that person developed symptoms. Appropriate preventive measures are now in place for all staff who are caring for them, and the other cats in our four WCS zoos, to prevent further exposure of any other of our zoo cats,” they wrote. While the tiger is the first known animal to test positive for coronavirus within the US, there are reports of animals catching the virus in other countries.

Caring

‘Wood’ shavings tasty indeed

Justine Tyerman learns the ancient art of bonito processing... and eats ‘wood’. “Try this,” said guide Yohei holding out a plate of wood shavings. “No thanks... I’m not THAT hungry,” I replied somewhat mystified as my fellow hikers munched away on slivers of wood. I had tried all sorts of new food on the <a href="https://walkjapan.com/tour/izu-geo-trail">Izu Geo Trail</a> with <a href="https://walkjapan.com/">Walk Japan</a> but this was one delicacy I decided I could live without. We were visiting a family-run business in Nishi-izu that produces katsuobushi, the dried bonito flakes that are used extensively in Japanese cuisine. Here we met Yasuhisa Serizawa, the fifth generation owner of the Kanesa Dried Bonito Store founded in 1882. Standing where the fish are processed with members of the family working away in the background, we heard all about the fascinating history of bonito processing in the Tago district of Nishi-izu which dates back centuries. Written records in the ancient capital of Japan show that ‘ara-gatsuo’ (salted or dried bonito) from the region was used as a currency to pay taxes more than 1300 years ago, suggesting it was already regarded as a luxury food back then. This simple preserved food was then improved to become ‘shio-katsuo’ (bonito preserved in salt), which is said to be the origin of bonito ‘dashi,’ the stock used in Japanese soup. Shio-katsuo was once made all over Japan. Nishi-izu was home to many bonito fishing boats and in the mid-20th century, there were more than 40 shops selling dried bonito. But the number decreased as small, packaged, dried bonito shavings and granulated or liquid substitutes for dashi became widely used. Shio-katsuo, bonito dipped in high concentrations of salt, is now only made in the Tago district of Nishi-izu. Shio-katsuo is regarded as the New Year fish in the town, so residents still practise the tradition of offering shio-katsuo decorated with rice straws at the Shinto altar. They pray for protection at sea, good fish catches and a bountiful harvest. Today there are no bonito fishing boats in Nishi-izu, and only four dried bonito shops remain. Mr Serizawa is now the sole person left in Japan who can make the rice straw-decoration for shio-katsuo. We also learned about the making of honkare-katsuobushi (fermented dried bonito) or tago-bushi, a complex, multi-stage process taking six months. Tago-bushi dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868), when Izu was designated as one of three major dried bonito-producing fiefs. Among the three, Izu was the closest to Edo (now Tokyo), the headquarters of the government and a large consumer market. To make tago-bushi, filleted bonito is fumigated and dried repeatedly using the ‘tebiyama’ (manual smoking) method, the oldest in Japan, a technique established in Tago district. The first smoking session is done by direct heat of more than 130 degrees Celsius, concentrating the umami (flavour) of the fillets. The wood used for smoking is from oak and cherry trees collected exclusively in the Izu region. The smoked fillets are then left to cool down. This procedure of drying by heat and resting is repeated ten times. Finally, the fillets are coated and fermented with ‘koji’ (fungus), sun-dried, and stored away to ferment and further siphon out residual moisture. The whole process is repeated over a period of approximately six months. The finished fermented dried bonito product can be stored at room temperature for a long time. Tago-bushi is regarded as a premium product because most of the process is done by hand, requiring time, effort, and the practised eyes and hands of trained artisans. Mr Serizawa brought his presentation to life by demonstrating the cutting up of a fish on a model. He then produced what appeared to be a hunk of wood which he shaved with a plane-like tool into paper-thin slivers of tago-bushi. Finally, I understood — very tasty indeed! Kanesa Dried Bonito Store holds workshops to pass on the technique of preserving and making shio-katsuo decorations and develop modern shio-katsuo-based dishes and food products. Mr Serizawa has participated in international events such as Asio Gusto (2013), the Japanese food event in Florence, Italy (2014), Milano Expo (2014), and Terra Madre Salone del Gusto (2014 and 2018), international Slow Food events to promote shio-katsuo. The product was registered with the Ark of Taste in 2014. Fact File: * <a href="https://walkjapan.com/tour/izu-geo-trail">The Izu Geo Trail</a> is a 7-day, 6-night guided tour starting in Tokyo and finishing in Mishima. The trail explores the Izu Peninsula in the Shizuoka Prefecture, one of the most unique geological areas on Earth. The mountainous peninsula with deeply indented coasts, white sand beaches and a climate akin to a sub-tropical island, is located 150km south west of Tokyo on the Pacific Coast of the island of Honshu, Japan. * An easy-to-moderate-paced hiking tour with an average walking distance of 6-12km each day, mostly on uneven forest and mountain tracks including some steep climbs and descents. Justine Tyerman was a guest of <a href="https://walkjapan.com/">Walk Japan.</a>

International Travel

Young boy reels in massive record-breaking shark

An eight-year-old Australian boy is enjoying his 15 minutes of fame after reeling in a monster shark last weekend. Jayden Millauro caught a tiger shark weighing 314 kilograms, which beats the previous 1997 world record holder by 2 kilograms. Jayden explained to Nine News that he had been fishing since he was one-and-a-half and was with his father Jonathan Millauro and captain Ibby Dardas when he caught the monster shark. "The adrenalin was pumping from the moment we all spotted the shark at the boat," Jayden's dad Mr Millauro told <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/shark-world-record-boy-nsw-port-hacking-081535670.html" target="_blank">Nine News</a>. "So Jayden grabs the rod, we harnessed him up." The family is currently waiting for confirmation on whether or not Jayden holds the world record, the Australian record as well as the NSW record for the monster shark. The trio were out fishing off the coast of Browns Mountain, which is 160kms south of Sydney. Jayden weighs around 40 kilograms himself, so hauling in the fish was no small feat. He admitted to The Daily Telegraph that he was nervous he’d lose the fish off the line. “I don’t want to lose it. I was really excited when they got it,” he told the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/eightyearold-challenges-world-record-with-314kg-tiger-shark/news-story/0bd69f800d41d9524ba4d9e0e10248dc" target="_blank">Daily Telegraph.</a> Scroll through the gallery to see Jayden with the record breaking shark.

Travel Trouble

6 hacks to remove water stains from wood

Grab any of these household products and you’ll be able to buff out those water rings, easy. 1. Baking Soda Get those white marks—caused by hot cups or sweating glasses—off your coffee table or other wooden furniture by making a paste of one tablespoon baking soda and one teaspoon water. Gently rub the spot in a circular motion until it disappears. Remember not to use too much water to remove water stains from wood. 2. Petroleum Jelly Your most recent party left lots of watermark rings on your wood furniture. To make them disappear, apply petroleum jelly and let it sit overnight. In the morning, wipe the watermark away with the jelly. 3. Toothpaste You leave coasters around, but some people just won’t use them. To get rid of those telltale watermark rings left by sweating beverages, gently rub some non-gel toothpaste with a soft cloth on the surface to remove water stains from wood. Then wipe it off with a damp cloth and let it dry before applying furniture polish. For even stronger cleaning power, mix equal parts white toothpaste and baking soda. Rub the paste parallel to the wood grain, wipe it off, and then polish with lemon oil. 4. Salt Make watermarks left from glasses or bottles disappear by mixing one teaspoon salt with a few drops of water to form a paste. Gently rub the paste onto the ring with a soft cloth or sponge and work it over the spot until it’s gone. Restore the lustre of your wood with furniture polish. 5. Car Wax Someone forgot to use a coaster and now there’s an ugly white ring on the dining room table. When regular furniture polish doesn’t work, try using a dab of car wax to remove water stains from wood. Trace the ring with your finger to apply the wax. Let it dry and buff with a soft cloth. 6. Vinegar To remove white rings left by wet glasses on wood furniture, mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply it with a soft cloth while moving with the wood grain. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine it up. To get white water rings off leather furniture, dab them with a sponge soaked in full-strength white vinegar. Did you know that vinegar can not only remove water stains from wood but also remove blood stains? This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.ca/home-garden/cleaning/how-to-remove-water-stains-from-wood/">RD.com</a>

Art

Good news: The number of tigers in India has increased

Indian tiger numbers are up, according to one of the most detailed wildlife surveys ever conducted. Tiger populations have risen by 6%, to roughly 3,000 animals. The <a href="https://projecttiger.nic.in/News/20_Newsdetails.aspx">massive survey</a> may set a new world standard in counting large carnivores. The encouraging results validate India’s impressive investments in tiger conservation. A mammoth effort Large, solitary predators hate being seen. They owe their entire existence to being able to avoid detection by prey and sneak close before attacking. Hence, when we want to count tigers, the tigers don’t help. But accurate population numbers are fundamental to good conservation. Every four years since 2006, the Indian government conducts a <a href="https://projecttiger.nic.in/Index.aspx">national census</a> of tigers and other wildlife. The efforts the project team undertakes to derive the tiger population estimate are nothing short of phenomenal: 44,000 field staff conducted almost 318,000 habitat surveys across 20 tiger-occupied states of India. Some 381,400 km² was checked for tigers and their prey. (There is an application in with the Guinness Book of World Records to see if this is the largest wildlife survey ever conducted anywhere in the world.) The team placed paired camera traps at 26,760 locations across 139 study sites and these collected almost 35 million photos (including 76,523 tiger and 51,337 leopard photos). These camera traps covered 86% of the entire tiger distribution in India. Where it was too dangerous to work in the field (14% of the tigers’ distribution) because of <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/myanmar-army-to-continue-crackdown-on-indian-insurgents-2169501.html">political conflict</a>, robust models estimated population numbers. Count the tigers Collecting this volume of data would be an utter waste of time if it were poorly analysed. The teams took advice from some of the world’s foremost experts to sort the photos: pattern matching experts who could identify whether a photo of a tiger taken in the monsoon matched that of a tiger taken in the dry season while walking at a different angle, machine learning experts to speed up species identification, and spatial analysis experts to estimate the populations of tigers and their prey. The research team took this advice and coupled it with their own knowledge of tiger ecology to develop a census that is unique among large carnivore studies. We were fortunate enough to be among the non-Indian scientists invited to review this process. Peer review is a crucial part of any scientific endeavour, and especially important as early Indian tiger surveys were notoriously unreliable. Actual numbers So how did they do? A total of 2,461 individual tigers older than one year of age were photo-captured. The overall tiger population in India was estimated at 2,967 individuals (with an error range of roughly 12%). Out of this, 83.4% were estimated from camera-trap photos, and the rest estimated from robust modelling. Tiger numbers have increased by 6% per year, continuing the rate of increase from the 2014 census. This is a wonderful success for Indian conservation efforts. However not all is rosy. There has been a 20% decline in areas occupied by tigers in 2014 to today, although tigers have moved into some new areas (some 8% of their Indian range is new). The coordinators of the tiger survey – Yadvendradev Jhala and Qamar Qureshi – conclude that while established and secure tiger populations in some parts of India have increased, small, isolated populations and those along corridors between established populations have gone extinct. This highlights the need for conservation efforts to focus on improving connectivity between isolated populations, while incentivising the relocation of people out of core tiger areas, reducing poaching and improving habitat to increase prey resources. This will be no easy task with India’s burgeoning population, but investment from private sector tourist corporations in land acquisition along corridors and the creation of community conservancies could supplement government funding for expanding protected corridors. The success of India’s census has led the governments of Nepal and Bangladesh to employ the same project team to help estimate their own tiger populations. These methods can – and should – be employed for other iconic, charismatic species that can be individually identified, such as jaguars in South and Central America; leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas in Africa, and possibly even quolls in Australia. Written by Matt Hayward and Joseph K. Bump. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/some-good-conservation-news-indias-tiger-numbers-are-going-up-121055">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Tiger Lily living in a London squat: "I've never received any money from dad's estate"

The daughter of late INXS front man Michael Hutchence should be living the high life. However, the reality of Tiger Lily Hutchence's living situation is quite different than what can be assumed, and according to a close friend of the former INXS singer revealed, the 22-year-old is living in a “squat.” The estate of Michael is estimated to be worth millions of dollars, considering his band sold over 60 million records internationally. <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByVpDiUhfjk/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ByVpDiUhfjk/" target="_blank">A post shared by India rose (@ponatoralove)</a> on Jun 5, 2019 at 11:28am PDT </div> </blockquote> Director and long-time friend of INXS, Richard Loweinstein, told the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/tiger-hutchencegeldof-living-in-a-squat-as-she-waits-for-inheritance-from-michael-hutchences-estate/news-story/59edb69ff527df0e64b42bce75991b07" target="_blank">Herald Sun</a> the shocking truth about Michael's daughter. “I met up with Tiger for dinner in London. We went to her flat to watch the documentary and it was like a little squat,” he explained. “I said, ‘Where's the money from your dad's estate?’ and she said, ‘I've never received anything from anyone. I had a meeting once with an accountant that was so bad I didn't want to do it again’.” The 22-year-old was expected to claim her inheritance when she turned 21. Lowenstein directed a new documentary about the late INXS member where part of his research involved meeting the only daughter of the musician, who appears to live a reclusive life in England. The director said he showed Tiger an edit of the new programme which she gave her blessing for. “She loved it. She was very emotionally moved by watching it. In fact, she said I don't think I ever want to see that again,” he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/tiger-lily-michael-hutchence/0d1f6fc7-0ca1-44fd-8386-259351e5dbcf" target="_blank">A Current Affair</a>. Michael was tragically found dead in a hotel room in Double Bay, Sydney on November 22, 1997. Later, his death was ruled as a suicide by hanging. Three years later, Tiger’s life was hit with another tragedy – the death of her mother Paula Yates, who died of a heroin overdoes on September 17, 2000. In a world without both her parents, a young Tiger was left an orphan before she was formally adopted by British musician Bob Geldof, who had been married to Paula before she left him for Michael in February 1995. She lived with Bob as a young girl, years later revealing she wasn’t aware Bob wasn’t her father during her childhood. She was raised alongside her three half-siblings whose mother was also Paula – Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches and Pixie.

Money & Banking

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood renews wedding vows with wife

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood has renewed wedding vows with his 40-year-old wife Sally in an intimate commitment ceremony to mark their fifth anniversary together. The 70-year-old rocker has 23-month-old twins with the theatre producer. Speaking to <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/" target="_blank">Hello magazine</a>, Sally Wood said, 'We do celebrate our anniversary, we always go for dinner at the Dorchester and then last year we renewed our vows. “Ronnie and I had a blessing in a church in Berkhamsted, just with our twins, so the four of us. It was lovely. And then it was the Hamilton opening night that evening and we had been invited so, for me, that was amazing.” Sally believes her bond with Woods, who has four children with previous marriages, has only grown stronger in the years since they originally tied the knot. The two are also reportedly looking forward to the royal wedding. “I am so excited about the wedding of Harry and Meghan. We are having a party. I had one when Kate and William got married,” Sally said. “We will probably have about 30 people round and I will send out invites saying dress for a wedding. “It will be fun, like a mini street party in the house. I will be putting up the bunting. And I think we will do a sweepstake on the dress. Meghan will look amazing.” What are your thoughts?

Music

Robert Wagner named as new “person of interest” in wife Natalie Wood’s death

<div class="replay"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply_body"> <div class="body_text "> Thirty-six years on from actress Natalie Wood’s mysterious death, her husband, TV star Robert Wagner, has been officially named as a “person of interest”. The Oscar-winning actress, known for her roles in West Side Story, Miracle on 34th Street and Rebel Without a Cause, was found dead in the water off California’s Catalina Island, where she had been travelling with husband Wagner, and friend and fellow actor Christopher Walken along with the ship’s captain Dennis Davern. The case was closed two weeks after her body was discovered, with investigators ruling it an accident. However, after being reopened by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 2011, Wood’s official cause of death was changed from “accidental drowning” to “drowning and other undetermined factors”. Investigators told CBS’s 48 Hours program they are ready to speak to Wagner, now 87 years old, and who has refused to speak with officials about his wife’s death since the case was reopened. At the time of the incident, Wagner, Walken and Davern told authorities that Wood “took off in a dinghy and went ashore,” despite the actress previously saying on a number of occasions that she was terrified of the water. Since the original investigation, Wagner and Davern have both changed their stories. In 2011, Davern said he heard Wagner shouting at Walken, “Do you want to f*** my wife?” before smashing a bottle and demanding Walken “get off my f***ing boat”. Lieutenant John Corina, who has been investigating the case for six years, says the details in Wagner’s story don’t match up with other witnesses. “I think he’s constantly changed his story a little. And his version of events just don’t add up,” Lieutenant Corina said. As for the autopsy of Wood’s body, Ralph Hernandez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told 48 Hours, “She looked like a victim of assault,” and was covered in fresh bruises. “I think it’s suspicious enough to make us think that something happened,” Lieutenant Corina added, suggesting Wagner knew more about his wife’s death than he had previously let on, as he was the last person to see her alive. Do you remember when Natalie Wood died? Tell us in the comments below. </div> </div> </div> </div>

Movies

Tiger Lily loses out on dad Michael Hutchence's millions

Tiger Lily Hutchence, the daughter of INXS member Michael Hutchence, has missed out on a large amount of royalties from her father’s music. These royalties are believed to amount to tens of millions of dollars. An investigation by ABC’s Four Corners found that the rockstar’s former lawyer Colin Diamond instead controls much of the estate and owns the company holding the music rights. Uncovered in the Paradise Papers offshore tax haven leak, were handwritten papers revealing that a company called Helipad Plain was created in Mauritius in 2015 as part of a deal between Mr Diamond and music entrepreneur Ron Creevey. Four Corners reported that the company’s stated aim was the “commercial exploitation of the sound recordings, images, films and related materials embodying the performance of Michael Hutchence.” Rhett Hutchence has said that his late brother wanted any money from his estate to be split with 50 per cent going to Tiger Lily, then 10 per cent each to this father, mother, sister, brother and partner Paula Yates. It has been discovered that the intellectual property rights were never part of Michael Hutchence’s estate but instead owned by a British Virgin Islands company called Chardonnay Investments. Mr Diamond became the sole owner upon Hutchence’s death. “The reason for this is that he was a trusted friend of Michael Hutchence and because of that and the fact that he (MH) had various family issues, he left Colin Diamond to deal with the assets of Chardonnay,” a lawyer for Mr Diamond wrote in an email contained in the Paradise Papers. Tiger Lily declined to comment and although she has received some money from Mr Diamond, it is nothing like the full amount of her father’s music rights. “My understanding is that Colin Diamond is well disposed to Tiger Lily and discusses matters with her, but that is between them,” Mr Creevey told the program. “I am no longer involved in the unreleased music side of things.” Rhett Hutchence also questioned how Mr Diamond came into possession of Hutchence’s most personal belongings after he took his own life in the November 1977. “Two days after Michael died, Colin Diamond went into the Rose Bay Police Station, acting as Michael’s attorney, and took hold of all of Michael’s possessions that he had with him in Australia,” he told Four Corners. “He kindly left the belt that Michael used for my father to pick up. My father was — I mean, the whole family was completely shocked that he had actually taken all this stuff. None of that stuff has ever been released to the family. That should have been part of the estate. It’s the family stuff.” “I think it’s about time we had a platform and told what’s been going on, because it’s, it’s injustice, you know? What has happened is injustice.” Mr Diamond has previously claimed that he kept Hutchence’s diary and other personal items “for Tiger for many years”.

Money & Banking

Photos of feeding sharks bust common misconceptions

Photographer and conservationist Tanya Houppermans has bravely captured images of a sand tiger shark feeding on a huge bait ball. With Tanya taking photos from beneath the sharks, the images show the top half of the shark’s body diving into thousands of fish. Tanya took the remarkable images in waters off the coast of Morehead City in North Carolina. She explained that in all her time diving, she had never witnessed a bait ball as big as the one she encountered in these photographs. “I am always amazed by how incredibly graceful and beautiful sharks are,” she said. “Here is an animal that has been around in one form or another for a few hundred million years, and is so perfectly suited for its environment that you can’t help but be awe-struck seeing one in the wild.” “They will look at you and watch you; sometimes their curiosity will motivate them to come in for a closer look, and other times they’ll err on the side of caution and retreat.” Tanya hopes these images will disprove misconceptions about sharks, saying that are not creatures to be feared. There have been no reported human fatalities caused by a sand tiger shark. “One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding sharks is that they will seek out and attack people who happen to be in the water nearby. This is simply untrue,” she said. “Sharks are often quite cautious and timid around people. They will typically retreat if they feel threatened.” Scroll through the gallery above to see the remarkable photographs. Image credit: Tanya Houppermans

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Young boy reels in massive record-breaking shark

6 hacks to remove water stains from wood

Good news: The number of tigers in India has increased

Tiger Lily living in a London squat: "I've never received any money from dad's estate"

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood renews wedding vows with wife

Robert Wagner named as new “person of interest” in wife Natalie Wood’s death

Tiger Lily loses out on dad Michael Hutchence's millions

Photos of feeding sharks bust common misconceptions