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A man scouring Google Earth found a mysterious scar in the Australian outback – and now scientists know what caused it

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p>By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matej-lipar-1372667">Matej Lipar</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p>Earlier this year, a caver was poring over satellite images of the Nullarbor Plain when he came across something unexpected: an enormous, mysterious scar etched into the barren landscape.</p> <p>The find intrigued scientists, including my colleagues and I. Upon closer investigation, we realised the scar was created by a ferocious tornado that no-one knew had occurred. We outline the findings in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/ES24023">new research</a> published today.</p> <p>Tornadoes are a known threat in the United States and elsewhere. But they also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2016.03.011">happen in Australia</a>.</p> <p>Without the power of technology, this remarkable example of nature’s ferocity would have gone unnoticed. It’s important to study the tornado’s aftermath to help us predict and prepare for the next big twister.</p> <h2>Australia’s tornado history</h2> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-05381-8">Tornadoes</a> are violent, spinning columns of air that drop from thunderstorms to the ground, bringing wind speeds often exceeding 200 kilometres an hour. They can cause massive destruction – uprooting trees, tearing apart buildings and throwing debris over large distances.</p> <p>Tornadoes have been reported on every continent except Antarctica. They most commonly occur in the Great Plains region of the United States, and in the north-east region of India–Bangladesh.</p> <p>The earliest tornado observed by settlers in Australia occurred in 1795 in the suburbs of Sydney. But a tornado was not confirmed here by Western scientists until the late 1800s.</p> <p>In recent decades, documented instances in Australia include a <a href="https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/tornado-murray-river-townships-victoria-2013/#:%7E:text=Tornado%20%2D%20Murray%20River%20townships%2C%202013&text=At%20approximately%208.00pm%20on,border%20of%20New%20South%20Wales.">2013 tornado</a> that crossed north-east Victoria and travelled up to the New South Wales border. It brought winds between 250–300 kilometres an hour and damaged Murray River townships.</p> <p>And in 2016, a severe storm produced <a href="https://theconversation.com/severe-thunderstorms-are-sweeping-through-southern-australia-but-what-makes-a-thunderstorm-severe-241555#:%7E:text=In%202016%2C%20huge%20rotating%20supercell,after%20taking%20down%20six%20towers.">at least seven tornadoes</a> in central and eastern parts of South Australia.</p> <p>It’s important for scientists to accurately predict tornadoes, so we can issue warnings to communities. That’s why the Nullarbor tornado scar was useful to study.</p> <h2>A whirlwind mystery</h2> <p>The Nullarbor Plain is a remote, dry, treeless stretch of land in southern Australia. The man who discovered the scar had been using Google Earth satellite imagery to search the Nullabor for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24267-0_11">caves</a> or other karst features.</p> <p>Karst is a landscape underlain by limestone featuring distinctive landforms. The discovery of the scar came to the attention of my colleagues and I through the collaborative network of researchers and explorers who study the Nullarbor karst.</p> <p>The scar stretches from Western Australia over the border to South Australia. It lies 20 kilometres north of the <a href="https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/trans-australian-railway">Trans-Australian Railway</a> and 90 kilometres east-north-east of Forrest, a former railway settlement.</p> <p>We compared satellite imagery of the site over several years to determine that the tornado occurred between November 16 and 18, 2022. Blue circular patterns appeared alongside the scar, indicating pools of water associated with heavy rain.</p> <p>My colleagues and I then travelled to the site in May this year to examine and photograph the scar and the neighbouring landscape.</p> <p>Our results have been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/ES24023">published today</a> in the Journal of Southern Hemisphere Earth Systems Science.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=315&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=315&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=315&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="map of Australia's southwest coast with dots showing recorded tornadoes" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Map showing tornado events in Western Australia and South Australia between 1795 and 2014. The location of the tornado scar in the study is shown with a red dot.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Source: Severe Thunderstorm Archive/Australian Bureau of Meteorology</span></span></figcaption></figure> <h2>What we found</h2> <p>The scar is 11 kilometres long and between 160 and 250 metres wide. It bears striking patterns called “cycloidal marks”, formed by tornado suction vortexes. This suggests the tornado was no ordinary storm but in the strong <a href="https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19720008829">F2 or F3</a> category, spinning with destructive winds of more than 200 kilometres an hour.</p> <p>The tornado probably lasted between seven and 13 minutes. Features of the scar suggest the whirling wind within the tornado was moving in a clockwise direction. We also think the tornado moved from west to east – which is consistent with the direction of a strong cold front in the region at the time.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="spiralling masks in dry earth" /><figcaption><span class="caption">‘Cycloidal marks’ in the tornado scar, caused by multiple vortexes.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Google Earth satellite imagery</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Local weather observations also recorded intensive cloud cover and rainfall during that period in November 2022.</p> <p>Unlike tornadoes that hit populated areas, this one did not damage homes or towns. But it left its mark nonetheless, eroding soil and vegetation and reshaping the Earth’s surface.</p> <p>Remarkably, the scar was still clearly visible 18 months after the event, both in satellite images and on the ground. This is probably because vegetation grows slowly in this dry landscape, so hadn’t yet covered the erosion.</p> <h2>Predict and prepare</h2> <p>This fascinating discovery on the Nullarbor Plain shows how powerful and unpredictable nature can be – sometimes without us knowing.</p> <p>Only three tornadoes have previously been documented on the Nullarbor Plain. This is likely because the area is remote with few eye-witnesses, and because the events do not damage properties and infrastructure. Interestingly, those three tornadoes occurred in November, just like this one.</p> <p>Our research provides valuable insights into the tornadoes in this remote and little-studied region. It helps us understand when, and in what conditions, these types of tornadoes occur.</p> <p>It also emphasises the importance of satellite imagery in identifying and analysing weather phenomena in remote locations, and in helping us predict and prepare for the next big event.</p> <p>And finally, the results are a stark reminder that extreme weather can strike anywhere, anytime.</p> <hr /> <p><em>Hero Image: Author supplied/Google Earth</em></p> <p><em>This article has been amended to clarify that a reference to early tornado observations relates only to the period after British colonisation.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/239867/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matej-lipar-1372667">Matej Lipar</a>, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-man-scouring-google-earth-found-a-mysterious-scar-in-the-australian-outback-and-now-scientists-know-what-caused-it-239867">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Domestic Travel

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"Super uncomfortable for everyone": Qantas plays R-rated movie for every passenger

<p>Qantas has issued an apology after an R-rated movie was played for every passenger onboard a flight from Sydney to Tokyo. </p> <p>On Saturday, the flight was delayed by an hour due to problems with the in-flight entertainment system, which resulted in cabin crew only being able to play one film on everyone's individual screens. </p> <p>After requests were taken by passengers, the movie <em>Daddio</em> was chosen. </p> <p>The 2023 drama stars Sean Penn and Dakota Johnson as a taxi driver and his passenger as they discuss their relationships, including an affair Johnson’s character had with a married man.</p> <p>One passenger took to Reddit to share their experience of the flight, saying it was "extremely inappropriate", due to scenes of “graphic nudity and a lot of sexting”.</p> <p>“The kind where you could literally read the texts on screen without needing headphones,” the passenger wrote.</p> <p>“It was super uncomfortable for everyone, especially with families and kids on board.”</p> <p>Another passenger said the airline made the switch to <em>Inside Out 2</em> followed by a New Zealand nature show after playing “40 minutes of penis and boobs”.</p> <p>“These poor kids and the parents because y’all should’ve heard the audible gasps across the plane,” the passenger said.</p> <p>Cabin crew members attempted to fix the screens of those who didn't want to watch the R-rated film, but when this didn't work, resorted to switching the movie entirely. </p> <p>“The movie was clearly not suitable to play for the whole flight and we sincerely apologise to customers for this experience,” a Qantas spokesperson stated.</p> <p>“All screens were changed to a family-friendly movie for the rest of the flight, which is our standard practice for the rare cases where individual movie selection isn’t possible."</p> <p>“We are reviewing how the movie was selected.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Flu shots play an important role in protecting against bird flu. But not for the reason you might think

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/allen-cheng-94997">Allen Cheng</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>A current strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has become a global problem. The virus has affected <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/data-map-commercial.html">many millions</a> of birds, some other <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/mammals.html">animal species</a>, and a <a href="https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/influenza/avian-and-other-zoonotic-influenza/joint-fao-oie-who-preliminary-risk-assessment-associated-with-avian-influenza-a(h5n1)-virus.pdf?sfvrsn=faa6e47e_28&amp;download=true">small number of people</a>.</p> <p>Last week, the Australian government <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/australians-issued-new-health-risks-travel-warning-for-europe-asia-and-the-americas/gmh1hk9py">issued a warning</a> to residents travelling to Europe, North America, South America and Asia about the risk of bird flu.</p> <p>The alert, published on the <a href="https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/news-and-updates/highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-outbreak">Smartraveller website</a>, included advice to ensure your flu vaccine is up to date. If you are about to go travelling, this generally means if you’ve had a flu jab this year, although if it has been 3–6 months since your vaccine you should discuss this with your doctor.</p> <p>But the seasonal flu vaccine we get each year doesn’t actually prevent bird flu in humans. So why is it being recommended in this context?</p> <h2>Some bird flu background</h2> <p>Smartraveller notes <a href="https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/news-and-updates/highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-outbreak">several strains</a> of bird flu are currently circulating.</p> <p>The most concerning strain, called the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-38415-7">2.3.4.4b clade</a>, emerged a few years ago from a type of influenza A (H5, or A/H5) that has been circulating for several decades.</p> <p>Clade 2.3.4.4b primarily affects birds, including wild birds and poultry. It has had <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk-poultry-can-roam-free-outside-again-but-bird-flu-risk-hasnt-gone-away-203361">devastating effects</a> on bird populations, as well as farmers and others involved in the poultry industry.</p> <p>In recent years, clade 2.3.4.4b has adapted to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44298-024-00039-z">infect some mammals</a>. Unfortunately it seems to cause severe disease in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11083745/">certain animals</a>. Some marine mammals have been hit particularly hard, with mass mortality events <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/08/mass-deaths-elephant-seals-penguins-bird-flu-antarctic-ecological-disaster-aoe">reported</a> in elephant seals and sea lions. In the United States, bird flu has also spread <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/mammals.html">among dairy cows</a>.</p> <p>Compared to the huge number of animal cases, there have been a relatively small number of <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/joint-fao-who-woah-preliminary-assessment-of-recent-influenza-a(h5n1)-viruses">humans infected with bird flu</a>. Since 2003, <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/cumulative-number-of-confirmed-human-cases-for-avian-influenza-a(h5n1)-reported-to-who--2003-2023--3-october-2023">878 cases</a> of A/H5N1 influenza have been reported in humans, with a small proportion of these reported since 2020 when <a href="https://www.outbreak.gov.au/emerging-risks/high-pathogenicity-avian-influenza">clade 2.3.4.4b first emerged</a>. The reported cases have been people who have had close contact with infected animals. It does not appear to spread from person to person.</p> <p>As such, the <a href="https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/infectious-disease-topics/z-disease-list/avian-influenza/threats-and-outbreaks/risk-assessment-h5">risk to travellers is low</a>. There are some situations where the risk may be greater, such as for people visiting live markets, or those who are travelling specifically to work with wildlife or animals in food production.</p> <p><a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/joint-fao-who-woah-preliminary-assessment-of-recent-influenza-a(h5n1)-viruses">Infections in humans</a> with H5 influenza can vary significantly in severity, from mild conjunctivitis up to fatal pneumonia. H5 influenza strains appear to be <a href="https://asm.org/articles/2024/june/what-you-should-know-about-avian-influenza-a-h5n1">sensitive to antivirals</a> (oseltamivir, also known as Tamiflu) and they are generally <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/hcp/novel-av-treatment-guidance/">recommended</a> as treatment for human infection, but it’s <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01307-2/fulltext">not clear</a> whether they reduce the risk of death in those with severe disease.</p> <p>To date, one case of A/H5 influenza (not 2.3.4.4b) has been <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-22/bird-flu-avian-influenza-human-detection/103879886">reported in Australia</a>, in a child who had recently returned from overseas.</p> <p>While <a href="https://www.fao.org/animal-health/situation-updates/global-aiv-with-zoonotic-potential/en">clade 2.3.4.4b has been detected</a> in all continents <a href="https://www.outbreak.gov.au/emerging-risks/high-pathogenicity-avian-influenza">except Australia</a>, other avian influenza strains (A/H7) <a href="https://www.outbreak.gov.au/current-outbreaks/avian-influenza">have been reported here</a> earlier this year.</p> <h2>Seasonal flu vaccines are not effective against bird flu</h2> <p>Seasonal influenza refers to the flu strains that circulate each year. Since the COVID pandemic, three different strains have circulated in various proportions – influenza A H1N1 (descended from the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature08182">2009 swine flu strain</a>), influenza A H3N2 (which has <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6149781/">circulated since 1968</a>) and an influenza B strain. Interestingly, a second influenza B strain (the Yamagata lineage) <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2314801">appears to have vanished</a> during the COVID pandemic.</p> <p>Seasonal influenza vaccines contain up-to-date variants of these types (A/H1N1, A/H3N2 and B) that are recommended by the World Health Organization each year. They are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5912669/">moderately effective</a>, reducing the risk of hospitalisation by about 40–60%.</p> <p>Influenza vaccines are quite specific in the protection that they provide. For seasonal vaccines, even the very small changes that occur in the virus from year to year are enough to allow them to “escape” vaccine-induced immunity. Therefore seasonal flu vaccines <a href="https://www.cdc.gov.au/topics/avian-influenza-bird-flu">do not provide any protection</a> against A/H5 influenza.</p> <h2>Preventing a hybrid bird-human strain</h2> <p>The rationale for recommending travellers have a flu shot in the context of the current bird flu outbreak is that seasonal flu vaccines may help reduce the risk of simultaneous infection with both A/H5 and a seasonal influenza strain.</p> <p>When this occurs, there is potential for a “recombination” of the genetic code from both viral strains. This could have the transmissibility of a seasonal human virus with the severity of an avian influenza virus. The 2009 swine flu strain <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra0904322">arose from the recombination</a> of several strains over years to become more transmissible in humans.</p> <p>Obviously a more effective vaccine would include a H5 strain, to generate immune responses specific to the H5 flu strain. Vaccine manufacturers have <a href="https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/celldemic">developed H5 vaccines</a> over the years, but to date <a href="https://thl.fi/en/-/avian-influenza-vaccinations-begin-vaccine-to-be-offered-to-persons-at-increased-risk-of-infection">only Finland</a> has deployed a H5 vaccine in a small group of people who work closely with potentially infected animals.</p> <p>Currently the <a href="https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/infectious-disease-topics/z-disease-list/avian-influenza/threats-and-outbreaks/risk-assessment-h5">level of risk</a> posed by H5 to humans is not thought to be sufficient to require a specific vaccine program, as the potential benefits are small compared to the costs and the potential risks associated with any new vaccine program.</p> <h2>The value of a flu shot for travellers</h2> <p>Seasonal flu vaccines protect against influenza infection, and may also reduce the risk of simultaneous infection with human and bird flu strains. Bird flu aside, for most travellers who haven’t received a flu shot this year, reducing the risk of illness disrupting travel plans should be enough of a reason to get one.</p> <p>For those who have already received a flu shot this season, similar to COVID jabs, protection after vaccination appears to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8499703/">wane over time</a>. So if you’re travelling to the northern hemisphere during the winter months, and it’s been more than 3–6 months since you received a flu vaccine, your doctor may recommend you have another.</p> <p>Bird flu is only a small risk to most travellers, but people may want to take sensible precautions, such as avoiding close contact with birds at markets.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/237859/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/allen-cheng-94997">Allen Cheng</a>, Professor of Infectious Diseases, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/flu-shots-play-an-important-role-in-protecting-against-bird-flu-but-not-for-the-reason-you-might-think-237859">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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"Skippy ain't playing": Urban kangaroo stuns with epic leap

<p>A landscaper has captured the moment a hopping mad kangaroo leapt metres into the air and over a fence. </p> <p>Nathan Xuebsy was at work with his colleagues in the town of Beveridge, 37 kilometres north of Melbourne's CBD, when they were confronted with the bounding kangaroo. </p> <p>The marsupial jumped past their bobcat and into a vacant lot, when the workers opened a gate to the fenced-off area to help let the animal out, but the kangaroo had its own escape plan. </p> <p>The kangaroo jumped onto the fence and then used it to vault metres higher to clear it, stunning Xuebsy, who filmed the whole thing.</p> <p>The trio of workers immediately went to check on the kangaroo, who was uninjured and hopped away unfazed. </p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A9vjuJ1xmbI?si=jUe2vJC_7WiK8Yxo" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>"I took a screenshot of the video when the kangaroo was at its highest," Xuebsy said. "I put it on Facebook and said I think I just took the best photo I ever will in my life."</p> <p>The video quickly went viral, raking up thousands of hilarious comments as one person wrote that the roo was going "Straight to the next Olympics", while another added, "Oh, Skippy ain't playing."</p> <p>Another person said, "Poor suburban roo looks like that ain't his first rodeo," while others said the roo was showing off his dance moves with the jump saying "Roo did a better job than RayGun."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / Nathan Xuebsy</em></p>

Family & Pets

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What it's like to play the baddest opera villain in the world

<p>As we mark the 100th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini’s passing, Opera Australia is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the legendary Italian composer with two of his most celebrated works at the iconic Sydney Opera House this winter. Kicking off the season is Edward Dick’s five-star production of <em>Tosca</em>, which had its opening night on June 25.</p> <p>This electrifying new take on Puccini’s action-packed thriller is captivating audiences with its compelling narrative and intense emotional depth. <em>Tosca</em> unfolds over a swift 24-hour period, weaving a tale of passion and power, jealousy and betrayal, love and tragedy. It's a perfect introduction to opera for newcomers and a beloved classic for seasoned fans, promising an edge-of-your-seat experience.</p> <p>Renowned for his ability to breathe fresh life into classic works, Director Edward Dick has assembled an award-winning creative team to deliver a visually stunning production. Tom Scutt's set design brilliantly juxtaposes Renaissance grandeur with contemporary elegance, featuring a suspended gilded dome revealing a breathtaking Renaissance fresco. BAFTA-winning costume designer Fotini Dimou dresses the performers in chic, modern attire, while Lee Curran's stadium-style lighting adds a dramatic flair.</p> <p>The cast is equally stellar. Making her Opera Australia debut, Northern Irish soprano Giselle Allen has taken on the titular role of Tosca, sharing the stage with OA favourite Karah Son, who received critical acclaim for her performance in Melbourne.</p> <p>Joining them is Korean tenor Young Woo Kim, debuting at the Sydney Opera House as the love-struck painter Cavaradossi. The role of the villainous Scarpia will be portrayed for the first half of the show's run by Armenian dramatic baritone Gevorg Hakobyan, also making his OA debut, until award-winning local baritone Warwick Fyfe takes over the role for the second half of the run, beginning on July 31 until the run's conclusion on August 16.</p> <p>Over60 was thrilled to be given the chance to interview Fyfe in the lead-up to his Sydney performance. </p> <p><em><strong>O60: Firstly, by way of an introduction to Warwick Fyfe the Australian Helden bass baritone – can you summarise your career?</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Fyfe: </strong>“In <em>Yes, Minister</em>, Sir Humphrey once – referring to Bernard – used the expression “a low flyer supported by occasional gusts of hot air”. I suppose I’m a bit like that. But I have a single major achievement, to wit: I’m still here! Over several decades I’ve seen hot shots come and go and change careers but I’m still earning a living at singing. Moreover, I think I might at last be getting the hang of it.” </p> <p><strong><em>O60: What is your history with this opera Tosca by Puccini?</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Fyfe: </strong>“I sang the Sacristan in the 1995 Victoria State Opera production. That was the start. The director John Copley was very supportive and taught me a lot. Also, I got to know the great John Wegner, having previously only seen him from the auditorium. He was a great influence even though he and I were very different. I’d watch him every night from the wings during Act 2. Then years later, having done countless Sacristans, I did a Scarpia of my own, taking over from John at the tail end of a season. Then in 2022 I was to sing Scarpia for West Australian Opera. Alas, the season was severely damaged when I caught Covid. I only did the first and last shows and not very well. This current production allows me at last to put my stamp on the role and do it properly. It went well in the Melbourne run.” </p> <p><em><strong>O60: How do you approach learning the role of Scarpia and connecting with a villainous character?</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Fyfe: </strong>“Tosca is very standard repertoire and additionally I was the Sacristan early in my career so that I had an osmotically acquired sense of the thing from early on. Also, the donkey work of learning and memorising the notes and words is a task of only moderate proportions with this role. So one just sits down at the piano and starts hacking away at it. </p> <p>“The other two bits of the equation (which can’t actually be separated) are the singing of the role and the inhabiting of the character. Vocally, it requires that I be at peak form. I can sing it much better than when I was young but it requires much more conscious effort to sustain it. My teacher Christina Henson Hayes has helped me enormously on that front. </p> <p>“Dramatically, it’s almost always possible to find in some dark recess of oneself something which is reflected in the character. Having found this way in, one can push it and stretch it and eventually pop out like a newborn into the new fictional world where that person lives. But equally important, especially for the in-the-round, creaturely and not at all stylised characters of verismo, one needs to have lived and absorbed that which is around one. Read good books, watch great actors – not in an ad hoc sense but generally. Be a cultural sponge. Make reading good books and watching great actors as constant and inevitable a part of life as eating. Read everything, listen to everything, observe everything. If the singer has no cultural hinterland, it is to be hoped that the director is a magician!” </p> <p><em><strong>O6O: You recently performed in this production in Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena – the first opera to be staged on the tennis court. How did you find that experience and will anything about your performance be different for the Sydney season?</strong></em></p> <p>“Well, it was lovely because all my colleagues were lovely. As well as all my Opera Australia chums, there were people new to me such as Nadine Benjamin and Young Woo Kim – people so warm and friendly, not to mention talented, that one feels almost abashed and instinctively tries in response to be the best colleague one knows how to be. </p> <p>“Nevertheless, I’m a traditionalist who believes that opera will always be better for all concerned in a conventional, properly appointed theatre. Opera singers do not like being miked. For me, however good the technicians, the sense of one’s sound being only partially in one’s own control is uncomfortable. On the other hand, feeling one’s voice commanding a huge space as if one were a Rabelaisian giant is quite thrilling and of course it opens up possibilities for the company commercially.” </p> <p><em><strong>O60: Opera Australia is presenting several Puccini works this year in celebration of the legendary composer as 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of Puccini’s death, so let’s chat about Puccini’s contribution to the world of opera. He was a champion of verismo; can you explain what that means? What should audiences expect from the performance?</strong></em></p> <p>“Verismo is simply realism. Characters presented in the round rather than as two-dimensional types or figures of heightened allegory. In place of a stylised, artificial or high-flown approach, the composers wished to present real people in plausible dramatic settings. Of course this presents an apparent contradiction because in real life we don’t sing at each other. However, in practice you can have your cake and eat it because the genius of Puccini, from a starting point of a verisimilitudinous situation and story, can take it to another plane of intensity and power. But the roots in reality are unbroken. That reality is in the DNA of every cell of the artwork which rises majestically from those roots. Hence the opera feels real despite the built-in artificiality of the art form. By contrast, a composer of another era and school might take his subject away from reality to a more rarefied place. Audiences should expect an intense, purely human drama.” </p> <p><em><strong>O60: Puccini is known for his innovative use of the orchestra and an expansive use of instruments; what should audiences be listening for when they come to Tosca?</strong></em></p> <p>“Different composers have their preferred palettes. This also varies on national as well as individual lines. As Puccini is the supreme figure in verismo, he IS the archetype so that I can answer the question in a circular way by saying that it will sound very Italian, very verismo. Lush, yes, but a Puccinian version thereof rather than a Straussian one. </p> <p>“There are also exquisite touches, sort of musical special effects used judiciously and sparingly enough so as not to seem gimmicky. For example, the bells and spoken Latin of the Te Deum or the distanced effect of the oratorio in Act 2. The arias are of course high points but much of the interest lies in the meat connecting those moments.” </p> <p><em><strong>O60: Which of Puccini’s works is your preferred or do you find one most revolutionary?</strong></em></p> <p>“For brutal intensity, <em>Tosca</em> represents the high-water mark, especially Act 2. I love the kaleidoscopic richness of <em>Turandot</em>. The story is horrible but this is not a negative if one accepts it as a fable which has different rules from those applying to a pungently realistic tale. Also, <em>Turandot</em> is structurally flawed because he didn’t finish it. It is, however, musically astonishingly good. If you said I had to see a Puccini opera tonight but I could choose which one, I’d definitely choose <em>La Fanciulla del West</em>. Not only is it a masterpiece, it doesn’t get done nearly enough.”</p> <p>---</p> <p>Don't miss this extraordinary celebration of Puccini's legacy. Whether you're an opera aficionado or a first-time attendee, this production of <em>Tosca</em> is set to be an unforgettable highlight of the cultural calendar. Get ready to be swept off your feet by the sheer drama, passion, and beauty of Puccini’s masterpiece. Visit <a href="https://opera.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://opera.org.au/</a> for more info.</p> <p><em>Images: Opera Australia</em></p>

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Judge finds Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins and dismisses Network 10 defamation case. How did it play out?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-clift-715691">Brendan Clift</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Bruce Lehrmann has lost his defamation suit against Channel Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson after the media defendants proved, on the balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann raped his colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019.</p> <p>After a trial lasting around a month, Federal Court Justice Michael Lee – an experienced defamation judge – concluded that both Lehrmann and Higgins had credibility issues, but ultimately <a href="https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2024/2024fca0369">he was persuaded</a> that Lehrmann raped Higgins, as she’d alleged and he’d denied.</p> <h2>Criminal trials by proxy</h2> <p>Ordinarily, charges like rape would be resolved through the criminal courts, but Lehrmann’s criminal trial was <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-27/jury-discharged-in-trial-of-bruce-lehrmann-brittany-higgins/101583486">aborted</a> in October 2022 after juror misconduct. The charges against him were soon <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/bruce-lehrmann-sexual-assault-charge-dropped-dpp-confirms/news-story/3f82dd388d2cfa38680f7d4f4ceb1c5e">dropped</a>, nominally over concerns for Higgins’ mental health.</p> <p>Higgins, however, foresaw civil proceedings and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/05/brittany-higgins-volunteered-to-be-defamation-trial-witness-as-she-would-not-let-rapist-become-a-millionaire-ntwnfb">offered to testify</a> should they arise. That they did, as Lehrmann, free from the burden of any proven crime, sued several media outlets for defamation over their reporting into the allegations (<a href="https://www.fedcourt.gov.au/services/access-to-files-and-transcripts/online-files/lehrmann">the ABC</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/06/abc-agrees-to-pay-bruce-lehrmann-150000-to-settle-defamation-claim-court-documents-reveal">News Corp</a> both settled out of court).</p> <p><iframe class="flourish-embed-iframe" style="width: 100%; height: 550px;" title="Interactive or visual content" src="https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/17195035/embed" width="100%" height="400" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></p> <div style="width: 100%!; margin-top: 4px!important; text-align: right!important;"><a class="flourish-credit" href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/17195035/?utm_source=embed&amp;utm_campaign=visualisation/17195035" target="_top"><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/made_with_flourish.svg" alt="Made with Flourish" /></a></div> <p>Like Ben Roberts-Smith’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/dismissed-legal-experts-explain-the-judgment-in-the-ben-roberts-smith-defamation-case-191503">recent defamation suit</a> against the former Fairfax papers, this became another case of civil proceedings testing grave allegations in the absence of a criminal law outcome.</p> <p>The form of proceedings made for some key differences with the aborted criminal trial. In criminal cases, prosecutors are ethically bound to act with moderation in pursuing a conviction, which requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, while defendants have the right to silence. By contrast, this trial featured detailed accounts from both sides as each sought to convince, in essence, that their contentions were likely to be correct.</p> <p>Also like the Roberts-Smith case, live streaming of the trial generated very high levels of public engagement. Today’s stream reached audiences of more than 45,000 people. It gave us the chance to assess who and what we believe, and to scrutinise the parties’ claims and the media’s reporting. The Federal Court doesn’t have juries, but we, the public, acted as a de facto panel of peers.</p> <p>We saw accusations and denials, revealing <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-23/bruce-lehrmann-defamation-trial-network-ten-lisa-wilkinson-ends/103260752">cross-examination</a> of the protagonists, witness testimony from colleagues, CCTV footage from nightclubs to Parliament House complete with lip-reading, expert testimony on alcohol consumption and consent, and lawyers constructing timelines which supported or poked holes in competing versions of events.</p> <p>The complexity of high-stakes legal proceedings was on display, with Justice Lee issuing many interim decisions on questions of procedure and evidence. Whenever transparency was at stake, it won.</p> <p>The preference for full disclosure led to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2024/apr/02/bruce-lehrmann-defamation-trial-network-10-fresh-evidence-bid-lisa-wilkinson-brittany-higgins-delay-ntwnfb">case being re-opened</a> at the eleventh hour to call former Channel 7 producer Taylor Auerbach as a witness, providing a denouement that the judge called “sordid”, but which had little relevance to the final result.</p> <h2>An argument over the truth</h2> <p>Lehrmann had the burden of proving that the defendants published matter harmful to his reputation. That matter was Wilkinson’s interview with Higgins on Channel Ten’s The Project in which the allegations were made.</p> <p>A statement is only defamatory if it’s untrue, but in Australian law, the publisher bears the burden of proving truth, should they opt for that defence. And more serious allegations usually require more compelling proof, as the law views them as inherently more unlikely.</p> <p>This can be onerous for a defamation defendant, but it also involves risk for the plaintiff, should the defendant embark on an odyssey of truth-telling yet more damaging to the plaintiff’s image. That happened to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-65717684">Ben Roberts-Smith</a> and it happened to Lehrmann here.</p> <p>On the other hand, if the media hasn’t done their homework, as in <a href="https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2023/2023fca1223">Heston Russell’s case</a> against the ABC (also presided over by Justice Lee), the complainant can be vindicated.</p> <p>This case was a manifestation of Lehrmann’s professed desire to “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/26/how-bruce-lehrmanns-media-interviews-cost-him-his-anonymity-in-toowoomba-case">light some fires</a>”. Few players in this extended saga have emerged without scars, and here he burned his own fingers, badly.</p> <p>As Justice Lee put it, Lehrmann, “having escaped the lion’s den [of criminal prosecution], made the mistake of coming back to get his hat”.</p> <h2>How was the case decided?</h2> <p>Lehrmann denied having sex with Higgins, whereas Higgins alleged there had been non-consensual sex. The defamatory nature of the publication centred on the claim of rape, so that was what the media defendants sought to prove.</p> <p>This left open the curious possibility that consensual sex might have taken place: if so, Lehrmann would have brought his case on a false premise (there had been no sex), but the media would have failed to defend it (by not proving a lack of consent), resulting in a Lehrmann win.</p> <p>That awkward scenario did not arise. The court found sex did in fact take place, Higgins in her heavily-inebriated and barely-conscious state did not give consent, and Lehrmann was so intent on his gratification that he ignored the requirement of consent.</p> <p>Justice Lee found Lehrmann to be a persistent, self-interested liar, whereas Higgin’s credibility issues were of lesser degree, some symptomatic of a person piecing together a part-remembered trauma. The judge drew strongly on the evidence of certain neutral parties who could testify to incidents or words spoken in close proximity to the events.</p> <h2>Defamation laws favour the aggrieved</h2> <p>Australian defamation law has historically favoured plaintiffs and, despite recent <a href="https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/civil/defamation/2021-law-reform/">rebalancing attempts</a>, it remains a favoured legal weapon for those with the resources to use it.</p> <p>This includes our political class, who sue their critics for defamation with unhealthy frequency for a democracy. In the United States, public figures don’t have it so easy: to win they must prove their critics were lying.</p> <p>In Australia, the media sometimes succeeds in proving truth, but contesting defamation proceedings comes at great financial cost and takes an emotional toll on the journalists involved.</p> <p>Nor can a true claim always be proven to a court’s satisfaction, given the rules of evidence and the fact that sources may be reluctant to testify or protected by a reporter’s guarantee of confidentiality.</p> <p>But this case demonstrates that publishers with an appetite for the legal fight can come out on top.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/225891/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-clift-715691"><em>Brendan Clift</em></a><em>, Lecturer of law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/judge-finds-bruce-lehrmann-raped-brittany-higgins-and-dismisses-network-10-defamation-case-how-did-it-play-out-225891">original article</a>.</em></p>

Legal

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Play School star's heartbreaking health update

<p>Trisha Goddard, who was the host of <em>Play School</em> in the 1990s, has shared a devastating health update. </p> <p>The 66-year-old revealed that her breast cancer - which she was first diagnosed with in 2008 - has returned, and this time it's terminal. </p> <p>“It’s not going to go away,” Goddard revealed to <em>HELLO!</em> magazine.</p> <p>“And with that knowledge comes grief, and fear.</p> <p>“But I must keep enjoying what I have always enjoyed.”</p> <p>The English TV presenter shared that she found out that she had stage four cancer 19 months ago, but only just decided to make the news public. </p> <p>“I won’t hide it anymore,” she said, after sharing that her illness had become more apparent. </p> <p>“I can’t lie. I can’t keep making up stories.</p> <p>“It gets to a stage, after a year and a half, when keeping a secret becomes more of a burden than anything else.”</p> <p>Following the interview, Goddard took to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3f_eJmvZbk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> to share an updated photo of her with a cropped blonde hairstyle. </p> <p>"Doing this is tough. .." she began in the caption.</p> <p>"I’ve been keeping a difficult secret for 19 months now, but like my new hairstyle – I can’t hide it anymore." </p> <p>Fans took to the comments to share their support for the TV personality. </p> <p>“You look beautiful Trisha. Only wish this image was accompanying brighter news,” one fan wrote. </p> <p>“Sending you strength, ease and all you need to get through this again 🖤.”</p> <p>“I saw your pic and thought how amazing you look ... which tells me all your good energy is going to get you through this,” another added. </p> <p>“You’re an inspiration, Trisha you’ve got this.”</p> <p>Goddard hosted<em> Play School </em>between 1987 and 1998 alongside Colin Buchanan. </p> <p><em>Images: 7NEWS</em></p>

Caring

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Family of missing Ballarat woman suspect foul play

<p>The family of missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy have shared their theories behind the 51-year-old's disappearance, believing foul play may have been involved. </p> <p>Samantha was last seen 12 days ago, in the early hours of the morning on February 4th when she went out for her daily run. </p> <p>Now, Samantha's aunt and uncle have shared their theories on their niece's disappearance, both suggesting she may have been abducted. </p> <p>"It's just like she's gone off the face of the Earth. There's nothing," Janice Robson, Samantha's aunt, told <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13085895/Samantha-Murphy-missing-Ballarat-family-break-silence.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a></em>. </p> <p>"I would say that somebody would have been watching her. I can't think it would be anything else."</p> <p>Mrs Robson said police had not been forthcoming with any information about the investigation other than what is already known among the general public. </p> <p>"Any information (the police) have they'll sit on it. They don't want to spook anyone," Allan Robson said.  </p> <p>Their comments come just hours after Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton confirmed detectives now believe Ms Murphy's disappearance is suspicious, ramping up their investigation. </p> <p>Mr Robson said his niece was financially secure and pondered whether someone may have hurt her in a robbery gone wrong, saying "Mick [Samantha's husband] had so many cars he couldn't fit them in his garage."  </p> <p>"I don't think it's an opportunist. I think it's been someone who has been stalking her. Someone who she didn't even know was stalking her."</p> <p>He also went on to suggest the alleged stalker knew her patterns and daily routines, explaining why she went missing during her morning run. </p> <p>The elderly couple said Ms Murphy was a clever and careful person who had the ability to defend herself if someone attempted to harm her. </p> <p>"She would have put up a bloody good fight," Allan said. </p> <p>"And I think if she suspected something, I don't think she'd hang about. She was a runner. She would have got out of that area," Mrs Robson added. </p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News / Victoria Police </em></p> <p class="mol-para-with-font" style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; min-height: 0px; letter-spacing: -0.16px; font-family: graphik, Arial, sans-serif;"> </p>

Legal

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Foul play suspected in tragic death of TV star's 15-year-old niece

<p dir="ltr">Police are investigating the death of TV star Audrina Patridge’s 15-year-old niece, after her cause of death was revealed to be a drug overdose. </p> <p dir="ltr">Young Sadie passed away in February just nine days after her 15th birthday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police are still looking into the exact manner of how the teenager died, as they are investigating different avenues of how the drugs entered her system.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sources have been trying to figure out how the teenager got her hands on narcotics, adding that police have learned that she allegedly used Snapchat to procure Percocet that was laced with fentanyl.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug, which can be up to 100x stronger than typical opioid drugs like morphine. </p> <p dir="ltr">Fentanyl, a very fast acting medication, is a prescription drug used during surgeries and prescribed for very severe pain, often in late-stage cancers.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite being an effective pain reliever, Fentanyl is also manufactured illegally and may be sold as powder, fake pills or mixed in with other illicit drugs, like heroin, with this combination being especially deadly.</p> <p dir="ltr">Audrina, known for her role on <em>The Hills</em>, shared the heartbreaking news in February that her niece had passed away in a 10-slide Instagram tribute.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My heart hurts to even write this. My beautiful niece is now in heaven,” she captioned the slide show that looked back on cherished memories.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know it’s not goodbye forever, but it is the hardest to say goodbye for now. We will miss you and cherish every single moment we had with you. Rest in peace Say Say!! We love you forever &amp; ever!”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

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Rebecca Loos claims Beckham is "playing the victim" over affair scandal

<p>Rebecca Loos, the woman at the centre of the alleged <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/woman-at-the-centre-of-alleged-beckham-affair-breaks-silence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">affair scandal</a> with iconic football legend David Beckham, has recently shared her thoughts on the new <em>Beckham</em> docuseries, which was released on Netflix.</p> <p>Loos, now 47 and residing in Norway with her husband and two children, expressed her concerns regarding the way the affair was handled in the docuseries, which was produced in collaboration with Beckham's production company.</p> <p>In the early 2000s, Loos gained notoriety for her claims of a romantic involvement with David Beckham during his time as a football superstar. In the docuseries, the Beckhams primarily discussed the media frenzy that ensued following Loos' revelations in 2003, but skirted around the specifics of the affair itself.</p> <p>It was during that tumultuous period that Loos had declared her connection with the football player while working as his personal assistant, even suggesting that the Beckhams had been dealing with marital issues before her involvement came to light. At the time, the celebrity couple vehemently denied any wrongdoing and even considered legal action against Loos.</p> <p>Victoria Beckham, 49, revealed in the docuseries, "It was the most unhappy I have ever been in my entire life," while David Beckham, 48, tearfully stated, "Victoria is everything to me. To see her hurt was incredibly difficult… what we had was worth fighting for."</p> <p>Loos, however, took issue with David's statement. In a <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12657157/rebecca-loos-affair-david-beckham-netflix.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">candid interview with the Daily Mail</a>, she expressed her frustration: "The [worst] bit for me is that he says he didn't like seeing his wife suffer. That bothered me. Because he's the one that's caused the suffering. He can say whatever he likes, of course, and I understand he has an image to preserve, but he is portraying himself as the victim and he's making me look like a liar, like I've made up these stories. He is indirectly suggesting that I'm the one who has made Victoria suffer."</p> <p>Loos also argued that the docuseries had thrust the affair back into the spotlight, an issue that many had forgotten about since the news first broke 20 years ago, thereby further impacting her reputation. She emphasised, "Yes, the stories were horrible, but they're true. He talks in the documentary about this ultimately being his private life, shutting it down. I think it's one thing to keep your private life to yourself. It's another thing to mislead the public."</p> <p>She suggested that David could have chosen to acknowledge that it was not one of his proudest moments or characterised it as a challenging period and moved on from the subject. However, she felt that he continued to phrase his statements in a way that indirectly shifted the blame onto her.</p> <p>"If you don't want to take responsibility for things because of your family and your children, that's absolutely fine," Loos commented, "But he specifically made it look like… my fault, that he had nothing to do with this."</p> <p>Loos, after the 2003 allegations, embarked on a path as a media personality, participating in various English and Dutch TV shows. In 2008, while filming the Dutch TV show <em>71 Graden Noord</em>, she crossed paths with her future husband, Norwegian doctor Sven Christjar Skaiaa. After becoming pregnant, the couple decided to relocate to Norway in 2009. Today, she works as a yoga teacher and a massage therapist in Norway while raising her two sons and only occasionally making media appearances.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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"Google it ya lazy mongrels”: Hollywood star's powerful post on Voice Referendum

<p>Hollywood superstar Jason Momoa has divided his 17 million followers after endorsing the Yes campaign for the upcoming Voice referendum. </p> <p>The <em>Aquaman</em> actor, 44, who is of Indigenous Polynesian descent, took to Instagram to repost a  viral ‘Yes vote’ video that was released on Thursday, and features Indigenous musician and writer Adam Briggs and comedians Jenna Owen and Vic Zerbst. </p> <p>"The post read: “#yes23 is a referendum taking place in Australia on October 14. The aim is to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people a Voice in parliament so they can weigh in on issues that affect their lives.</p> <p>“Simple as that. How do I know this? I googled it. But many Australians are confused or freaked out about what it means. </p> <p>"Don’t be! It’s a good thing! Just do good things! Also Google it ya lazy mongrels.”</p> <p>He also added  “VOTE YES to THE VOICE on OCT 14.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cx9zZMDOkZg/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cx9zZMDOkZg/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jason Momoa (@prideofgypsies)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Momoa's stance divided his followers, with some claiming that he had no right to weigh in on Australian politics, despite his indigenous heritage.</p> <p>“Stay out of Australian politics mate, do your thing in America and that, but putting your 5 cents in terms on the Yes or No vote is not with you,” wrote angry follower. </p> <p>“Celebrity puppets sharing government propaganda campaigns. The world continues to get weirder,” another added. </p> <p>However, many praised the star for using his platform and lending his voice to the Yes campaign. </p> <p>“Thanks for sharing this. It is a big deal here and causing a lot of controversy and misinformation,” one fan commented. </p> <p>“Thank you and Taika for the solidarity. The lead up to the referendum has been really rough on our communities and it’s actually really nice to get some encouragement from our Indigenous brothers from across the seas,” another added. </p> <p>“I can’t even begin to thank you for sharing this. I will not read any more of the comments,” a third commented. </p> <p>“Thank you for adding your voice to the thousands across Australia who will be voting yes. Every voice counts,” added a fourth. </p> <p>The video itself is a three-minute skit-style clip where Briggs talks to two ignorant women - who had casual biases echoing the No campaign - about the upcoming Voice referendum.</p> <p>He kindly calls them out for their lack of information, with their excuse being that they haven't “had heaps of time” because of "life".</p> <p>“Have you got your phone? Let’s see what you do have time for,” Briggs asks in the clip and as he opens up their search history, and jokingly says: “‘Did Aaron leave Love Island 13 because he had gonorrhoea?’ Big questions." </p> <p>He then googles the proposal and finds a basic explainer in seconds. </p> <p>“The Voice referendum means we are voting to have a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice who may make representations to parliament on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.</p> <p>"The Voice will give independent advice to parliament and will be chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people based on the wishes of communities. That advice then goes to parliament who continues to hold the ultimate power for legislative change," they said. </p> <p>“OK, well, that is quite clear, I’d just vote yes to that?” the woman adds. “How did you find that? You went on Google, and it’s, the first result? OK, well you need to tell people about that Google thing.”</p> <p>The clip ends with a message that says: "Vote Yes to that referendum thing."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ Getty: </em><em>Mike Marsland/WireImage </em></p>

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New actor to play Superman finally named

<p>An exciting announcement has been made regarding the newest upcoming<em> Superman</em> movie, as it introduces a fresh actor to take on the iconic superstar role.</p> <p>Actor David Corenswet, aged 29, has been chosen to take over the mantle from Henry Cavill in the highly anticipated 2025 film, titled <em>Superman: Legacy</em>.</p> <p>Corenswet will make his debut as the main protagonist in this rebooted film series, portraying the iconic character Clark Kent. He will be joined by Rachel Brosnahan, aged 32, who will be stepping into the role of Lois Lane, previously played by Amy Adams, according to a report by <em>Deadline</em>.</p> <p>Corenswet, known for his role as Jake in the 2022 Netflix film <em>Look Both Ways</em> alongside Lili Reinhart, has previously showcased his talent in productions such as<em> Hollywood</em>, <em>The Politician</em>, and the A24 film <em>Pearl</em>.</p> <p><em>Superman: Legacy</em> is scheduled to be released on July 11, 2025, and will explore the dynamic between Superman's Kryptonian heritage and his upbringing as a human.</p> <p>During the casting process, Corenswet and the marvellous star of <em>The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel</em>, Rachel Brosnahan, were among a select group of actors who auditioned in front of DC co-chairs Peter Safran and director James Gunn while fully dressed in Superman costumes and makeup.</p> <p>The auditions spanned two days and involved three actors who had been meticulously chosen after an extensive search for the new leads.</p> <p>Henry Cavill, who had been widely anticipated to reprise his role as the Man of Steel after appearing in a teaser for <em>Black Adam</em> in October 2022, delivered the "sad news" in January that he had been removed from the cast by the bosses at DC Studios.</p> <p>In his announcement, Cavill expressed his respect for the decision, acknowledging that changes in casting occur in the entertainment industry. He mentioned his meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran and their vision for building a new universe.</p> <p>Despite being instructed by the studio to announce his return in October, prior to their involvement, he accepted the situation, understanding that it is a part of life's ever-evolving nature.</p> <p><em>Image: Netflix</em></p>

Movies

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“I was wrong”: Dominic Perrottet admits Catholic faith played a role in gambling reform


<p>Dominic Perrottet has changed his tune. After reflecting on his decision to implement a new gambling policy, he admits his Catholic faith played a role.</p> <p>Last week ClubsNSW CEO Josh Landis made a comment claiming the premier’s “conservative Catholic gut” was linked to his decision to implement cashless poker machines across all venues in NSW. As a result, the ClubsNSW board decided to fire Landis.<br />Perrottet responded to the comment and claimed his views were “not informed by the fact that I’m Catholic.”</p> <p>Since then, Perrottet has changed his mind. He admitted that the decision was influenced by his Catholic faith. “Certainly my upbringing and my faith has had an impact,” the premier said.<br />“I don’t think that is something I should be ashamed of.”</p> <p>When asked why this policy is such a priority for him, he reflected on his time as NSW treasurer, “We were receiving revenue and profit from people’s misery.”</p> <p>Perrottet has been the state’s premier since October 2021, dealing with the state opening up after COVID and the Omnicron wave. “I haven't got everything right in the time I've been in politics, but you learn from it,” he said.</p> <p>“Politics is not easy. It's difficult and there will always be the external events and mistakes get made.”</p> <p>If Perrottet is re-elected this year, the gambling law overhaul will begin early next year with the roll-out of cashless poker machines.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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“Unfortunate timing” for Play School’s underwater adventure

<p dir="ltr">Aussie children’s show <em>Play School </em>has prompted debate online after airing an episode focussed on the underwater adventure of two characters. </p> <p dir="ltr">The episode, while harmless enough on its own, caused eyebrows to raise over its timing - with ABC airing the content in the wake of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/surprising-cause-of-death-revealed-for-missing-titan-sub-crew">the Titanic-bound Titan submersible’s implosion</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The segment in question, titled ‘Sea and Space: 2’, saw characters Jemima and Kiya dive deep to the ocean’s “cold and dark” midnight zone at the hands of hosts Kaeng and Rachel.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rachel was delighted to inform audiences that the dolls were “going to the bottom of the sea”, with a close-up shot showcasing the dolls’ descent in their submarine-like prop vessel. </p> <p dir="ltr">“They’ve made it all the way to the bottom of the sea floor,” Rachel went on to share, before revealing that it was “very dark” down there, and wondering whether or not the explorers would get to see any creatures. </p> <p dir="ltr">After taking a look around, Rachel sang about how “two explorers went to sea sea sea to see what they could see see see see, but all that they could see see see was …”</p> <p dir="ltr">Rachel’s fellow host, Kaeng, got involved then to show off a torch fish, and the dolls had the opportunity to check out a whole host of deep-sea creatures along with another few verses of the song.</p> <p dir="ltr">But that wasn’t the end of it, with some concerned viewers taking issue with the timing of the episode, and taking to social media to share their thoughts with like-minded users. </p> <p dir="ltr">One Reddit user shared a clip from the episode, noting that it was “bad timing for the scheduling this morning.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another shared a screenshot from the same segment, writing that the show was “trolling with an episode this morning about submarines”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“OMG I saw this and thought the same,” one shared. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Disgusting!” someone else declared. </p> <p dir="ltr">“<em>Play School </em>just rubbing it in! How vicious,” another said. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, others were not so quick to condemn the network, instead suggesting that the episode - and <em>Play School</em>’s schedule - had been planned out months beforehand, and the timing was not intentional, just unfortunate. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Not sure this was a fresh episode probably just an unaware scheduled repeat,” one wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Unfortunate timing for this morning's Play School broadcast," someone thought. </p> <p dir="ltr">And as another put it, “you do realise how far in advance these are filmed and scheduled, right?”</p> <p dir="ltr">And while social media had had plenty to offer, a spokesperson for ABC confirmed to news.com.au that they’d so far received no complaints over the episode. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Play School / ABC</em></p>

TV

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Showy, impractical to play, and looks like the 1980s: why we keep falling for the keytar

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-mac-mcdermott-1439419">Paul (Mac) McDermott</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>This year, Perth synth-metal band Voyager finally succeeded in their long-running dream of representing Australia at Eurovision. After multiple attempts, they were directly chosen by the post-Australia Decides <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/australias-voyager-though-to-eurovision-grand-final-how-did-they-get-into-the-contest/wancd9kyf">“committious mysterious”</a> and hopped on the long haul to Liverpool.</p> <p>They did not disappoint, making it through to the final. Their song, Promise, was voted ninth by an adoring fanbase. Not bad indeed!</p> <p>But what even is synth-metal?</p> <p>Traditionally, synths in metal, particularly onstage, were generally frowned upon and seen as a sign of inauthenticity. In the 1990s, I swore allegiance to baggy clothes, instrumental techno and synthesisers. The black t-shirt-wearing grunge fans worshipped guitar riffs, screamo lyrics and mosh pits.</p> <p>We kept in our lanes and followed the rules.</p> <p>Voyager’s proud embrace of synthesisers reject this rather 1990s separation and return metal to the melodic pomp of Van Halen’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwYN7mTi6HM">Jump</a> or Europe’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw">The Final Countdown</a>. The band can still rock hard, but like the taco ad says, “Why not both?”</p> <p>If you were coming to the finals fresh, Promise followed the classic Eurovision three-act strategy to maximum effect.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GSoy_mJMlMY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Beginning with synthesised staccato pulses playing rich harmonic progressions, it feels like a classic Euro-trance anthem, not unlike the Swedish winner, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE2Fj0W4jP4">Tattoo</a>. We find lead singer Daniel Estrin onstage driving his 1980s convertible, hair half-shaved and half in luscious locks. His mysterious passenger, bathed in neon – a red keytar.</p> <h2>A what? I haven’t seen one of those in ages!</h2> <p>The word “keytar” is a portmanteau of keyboard and guitar. It looks like a keyboard but is hung around the neck and played like a guitar.</p> <p>The first verse of Voyager’s song begins its ascent, “if you haven’t ever done anything like this before then you haven’t been alive”.</p> <p>I suppose not – I really need to get out with my keytar more often, this looks like fun.</p> <p>The keytar stays in its seat as the band rolls through stadium rock, synchronised guitar swings, hard drum hits and distorted guitar stabs. In the second act, Voyager are now death metal.</p> <p>It’s deep growls, drop-tuned power riffs, and scattergun kick drums. The audience’s collective mind explodes.</p> <p>After one more melodic pre-chorus, it’s time for the third and final act. With one boot threatening to scratch the duco of the car, the lead guitar solo lifts us up to melodic rock heaven.</p> <p>But wait. For the second half, Estrin grabs the red keytar and joins in. He throttles its neck and finishes with a lightning-fast arpeggiated flourish that ELO’s Jeff Lynne would be proud of.</p> <p>The finale repeats and ascends until we all rise to metal nirvana. A quick, traditional pyro-pop ends it all. That was truly genius!</p> <p>The power of the keytar is restored.</p> <h2>An instrument of mixed feelings</h2> <p>The keytar tends to be loved or loathed. Created in the late 1970s and popularised throughout the 1980s, it looks like a product of its time.</p> <p>Made of shiny plastic, shaped like the future, it’s showy and rather impractical to play.</p> <p>If you want to play chords, it is easier to play them on a horizontal keyboard, like a traditional synthesiser.</p> <p>The primary advantage of the keytar is portability and pose-striking. Like its distant ancestor, the piano accordion, a player is free to move around, finally free of the horizontal grip of gravity.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6TltAi_XbHY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Most guitarists thought of it as a joke, whereas new-wave synth players saw it as a cool accessory to their modern sound and fashion-forward hair.</p> <p>This was the future, as viewed from 1980.</p> <p>One early adoptor was Edgar Winter. His instrumental track <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8f-Qb-bwlU">Frankenstein</a> topped the Billboard chart in 1973. A multi-instrumentalist who played guitar, sax, percussion and keyboards, he took conventional synths and simply added shoulder straps to wear them like a guitar.</p> <p>While this is a cool look, it is not great for the spine.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P8f-Qb-bwlU?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>The first manufactured keytars were released in the late 1970s, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mattson_(synthesizer_inventor)#The_Syntar">PMS Syntar</a> (see what they did there?) being exhibited at Atlanta’s 1979 NAMM show (National Association of Music Merchants).</p> <p>It was a time of extremely contrasting genres that nevertheless all had synthesisers at the core of their sound. More traditional progressive rock acts such as Yes vied with the new vision of electropunk by Devo. Glam metal bands adopted its look, while synth-driven electrofunk artists could overturn conventional rock theatrics.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j_QLzthSkfM?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>The fall and the rise</h2> <p>The new, standardised MIDI language created an ecosystem that allowed musos to access any synth from any manufacturer, rather than being beholden to one. This quickly resulted in cheaper, easier-to-use synthesisers becoming more widely accessible, leading to the home recording boom we all enjoy today.</p> <p>This bastion of the future soon became as passe as the flat-tops, mohawks and mullets of the people who played them. As we moved into the 1990s, the joyous excesses of 1980s pop bands would soon be seen as daggy. Replaced by faceless DJs, flannel-wearing rockers and choreographed dancers, it was time to sell your keytar or put it into storage.</p> <p>But after a couple of decades of respectful silence, the humble keytar slowly began to re-emerge. Lady Gaga led the charge on her Fame Ball Tour in 2009. The keytar does make sense for such a look-driven, 1980s-influenced artist.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PecJgs75RxQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>So all hail the keytarists of the world. Thank you Thomas Dolby, A-Ha and Dave Stewart. Respect to Chick Korea, Herbie Hancock and Prince. To Muse, Arcade Fire, John Paul Jones and Lady Gaga, may you shred in space, without a hair in place. Thank you Voyager!<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/205640/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-mac-mcdermott-1439419">Paul (Mac) McDermott</a>, Lecturer in Contemporary Music, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/showy-impractical-to-play-and-looks-like-the-1980s-why-we-keep-falling-for-the-keytar-205640">original article</a>.</em></p>

Music

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Hit your head while playing sport? Here’s what just happened to your brain

<p>It’s Friday night, your team is playing, and scores are nail-bitingly close. A player intercepts the ball, and bam! A player tackles his opponent to the ground. Trainers and doctors gather nervously while the commentators wait for confirmation: a concussion, mild traumatic brain injury, head knock, strike, tap, bump, blow … there are many terms for it.</p> <p>How to prevent and treat such injuries is the subject to a <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Headtraumainsport">Senate inquiry</a>, with public hearings this week.</p> <p>But what exactly are these injuries? What’s going on in the brain?</p> <h2>What is concussion?</h2> <p>Concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Concussion typically falls at the milder end of the spectrum, and so is often called mild TBI.</p> <p>Concussions happen most often when the head directly hits against something. But it can also happen without head impact, when a blow to the body causes the head to move quickly.</p> <p>The brain is a soft organ in a hard case, floating in a thin layer of <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/cerebrospinal-fluid-csf-analysis/">cerebrospinal fluid</a>. The brain can be damaged away from the site of impact for this reason, as it bounces with force within the skull.</p> <p>Concussions that happen during sport can be complex because the head often rotates as the person falls. This “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3979340/">rotational acceleration</a>” can cause more damage to the brain. This is especially the case for cells in the long tracts of white matter responsible for relaying signals around the brain.</p> <p>As well as causing initial damage to brain cells at the time of injury, concussion sets off a cascade of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4479139/">chemical and biological changes</a>. These occur within minutes and may last for days or even weeks after concussion.</p> <p>Cell membranes become permeable (more leaky), causing an imbalance of brain chemicals inside and outside cells. Cellular functions shift into overdrive to try to restore balance, using more fuel in the form of glucose. At the same time, blood flow to the brain is often reduced, resulting in a mismatch between energy supply and demand.</p> <p>The structural scaffolding of cells in the white matter may begin to weaken or break, preventing or reducing the ability of cells to communicate.</p> <p>Sensing danger, cells from the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28910616/">immune system</a> begin to migrate to the brain in an attempt to stem the damage, spouting chemical signals to recruit other inflammatory cells to the sites of injury.</p> <p>These initial responses to concussion typically resolve over time, but the recovery period may be different for each person, and may persist even after symptoms go away.</p> <h2>What are the symptoms?</h2> <p>Concussion <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/symptoms-causes/syc-20355594">symptoms</a> can differ depending on the person and the circumstances of injury.</p> <p>Some people have more obvious symptoms like loss of consciousness, vomiting and confusion; others may have headaches, problems with their vision, or thinking and concentration. Some people may have one symptom while others have many. Some people’s symptoms may be severe, and others may have only mild symptoms.</p> <p>So diagnosing and managing concussion can be difficult. Most people who have a concussion will find their symptoms subside within days or weeks. But around <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26918481/">20% of people</a> will have persistent symptoms beyond three months after their concussion.</p> <p>Ongoing symptoms can make it harder to perform at work or school, to socialise with friends and to maintain relationships. Scientists don’t know why recoveries are different for different people. We have no way to <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/5/e046460.info">predict</a> who will recover from concussion and who won’t.</p> <h2>How about repeat blows to the head?</h2> <p>People who play contact sports are more likely to have multiple concussions over a playing career. Higher numbers of concussions tend to mean <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28387556/">worse symptoms and slower recovery</a> for subsequent concussions.</p> <p>This indicates the brain doesn’t get used to concussions, and each concussion is likely to impart additional damage.</p> <p>Emerging evidence suggests repeated concussions may lead to <a href="https://n.neurology.org/content/88/15/1400.short">ongoing changes</a> in people’s brain cell structure and function.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32326805/">Inflammation</a> may persist inside and outside the brain. Inflammation may also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30535946/">cause or contribute</a> to someone developing symptoms, and long-term brain functional and structural changes.</p> <p>Prolonged symptoms and long-term brain changes may be worse in the long run for people who experience their concussions as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6595074/">young adults</a> compared to people who have concussions as older adults.</p> <p>Scientists are also starting to find differences in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30618335/">symptoms</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8596946/">brain alterations</a> in males and females. These could be related to newfound sex differences in the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29104114/">scaffolding proteins</a> of male and female brains, making female brains more susceptible.</p> <h2>We’ve known about this for a long time</h2> <p>The long-term brain and behaviour changes resulting from repeated sports concussions have been reported since at least the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/1/3306/816">1920s</a>. Back then, it was seen in boxers and termed dementia pugilistica, or <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/260461">punch-drunk syndrome</a>.</p> <p>We now call this condition <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1934148211005296">chronic traumatic encephalopathy</a> (CTE). People found to have CTE don’t always experience severe symptoms. Instead, symptoms tend to emerge or worsen later in life, even decades after injury or at the end of a playing career.</p> <p>People also have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8166432/">varied symptoms</a> that can sometimes be hard to measure, like confusion, impaired judgement and aggression. This has made diagnosis difficult while people are alive. We can only confirm CTE after someone dies, by detecting altered structural proteins of the brain in <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12024-023-00624-3">specific brain areas</a>.</p> <p>There is still a lot to learn about CTE, including the exact processes that cause it, and why some people will develop it and others won’t.</p> <h2>Concussion is common</h2> <p>Concussion is a common injury almost <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7048626/">30%</a> of us will experience in our lifetime.</p> <p>Although we have a lot still to learn, the current advice for people who experience concussion is to seek medical advice to help with initial management of symptoms and guide decisions on returning back to playing sports.</p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/hit-your-head-while-playing-sport-heres-what-just-happened-to-your-brain-203038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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Fiddler on the Roof star passes away

<p>Chaim Topol has passed away at the age of 87.</p> <p>The Israeli actor, known around the world for his role as Tevye the Milkman in <em>Fiddler on the Roof</em>, died at home with his loved ones at his side. He is survived by his wife and three children.</p> <p>Topol’s son had previously confirmed that the actor had been diagnosed with dementia in 2022, while <em>The Times of Israel</em> reported that the 87-year-old had been battling with Alzheimer’s for years. </p> <p>Israel’s president Isaac Herzog announced Topol’s death in a statement, describing him as a “gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and overseas, filled the cinema screens with his presence, and most importantly entered deep into our hearts.” </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">President <a href="https://twitter.com/Isaac_Herzog?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Isaac_Herzog</a> mourns the passing of Chaim Topol: <a href="https://t.co/PXWYUKq8iY">pic.twitter.com/PXWYUKq8iY</a></p> <p>— Office of the President of Israel (@IsraelPresident) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelPresident/status/1633716213925724160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Topol was just 30 years old when he first stepped into the role of Tevye in 1996 for the stage musical <em>Fiddler on the Roof</em>. At the time, he was required to wear makeup and special costuming to make him look older than he was, but by the time he finished performing in 2009, he had to act younger, as he was then in his 70s. </p> <p>It has been estimated - and claimed by Topol himself in 2014 - that he had portrayed Tevye in the stage play over 4000 times. </p> <p>His credits weren’t limited just to the stage, however, with the actor also diving in as the beloved character for the 1971 screen adaptation. For this work, he secured himself nominations for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. While he did not win the Oscar, he did go home with the Golden Globe award. </p> <p>He also received a Tony Award nomination in 1991 for the Broadway revival.</p> <p>Throughout his career, Teyve was the first character people recognised him for, though Topol didn’t seem to mind. In a 2015 interview, he said “how many people are known for one part? How many people in my profession are known worldwide?”</p> <p>Production took him across the globe with <em>Fiddler on the Roof</em>, and saw him visit everywhere from Australia to Europe, Asia, and Israel. </p> <p>“Sometimes I am surprised when I come to China, or when I come to Tokyo, or when I come to France, or when I come to wherever, and the clerk at immigration says ‘Topol, Topol, are you Topol?’” he said, “many people saw [the play] and it’s not a bad thing.” </p> <p>Topol also starred in the likes of <em>Galileo</em>, <em>Flash Gordon</em>, and <em>For Your Eyes Only</em>, as well as providing his voice for Hebrew dubs of both <em>The Jungle Book</em> and two Harry Potter films. </p> <p>His later years, however, saw him turn to writing and illustrating books. </p> <p>And in 2015, the actor was awarded The Israel Prize by the State of Israel, something that is considered to be one of the state’s top cultural honours.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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“I didn’t come to play”: Bruce Willis’ wife smacks down trolls

<p>Emma Heming Willis has been forced to shut down the heartless trolls targeting her in the wake of husband Bruce Willis’ dementia diagnosis. </p> <p>In a video posted to social media, the 44-year-old model throws away claims that she’s been using Bruce for her “five minutes” of fame, and instead declares that she will turn them “into 10 because I'm always going to advocate for my husband.”</p> <p>Emma - who has spoken openly about her support for Bruce - once again stressed that she would be using this opportunity to raise awareness, before she was “going to turn my grief, and my anger, and my sadness, and do something good, around something that feels less than.”</p> <p>“So, watch this space,” she said, “because I didn’t come to play.”</p> <p>Emma’s message comes barely three days after she <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/any-tips-bruce-willis-wife-posts-heartfelt-plea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reached out to followers</a>, “caregivers, or dementia care specialists navigating this world” alike, seeking advice on how to help “get your loved ones out in the world safely”.</p> <p>“If you are someone who is looking after someone who has dementia,” she said in the clip, “you know how difficult and how stressful it can be, just to get them out into the world and navigate them safely - even just to get a cup of coffee.”</p> <p>And while the response to her post was overwhelmingly positive, the cruel few determined to make things worse for everyone just had to say their piece, and to prompt Emma’s fight back. </p> <p>They were nowhere to be seen in her latest post - possibly hiding with their tails tucked between their legs - and instead, she was once more met with an outpouring of support. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cpf2KBOOVc7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cpf2KBOOVc7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Emma Heming Willis (@emmahemingwillis)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“HELL YES!” wrote Bruce’s eldest daughter, Rumer. “I am so so proud of you!”</p> <p>“As a Registered Nurse, I appreciate you being a patient advocate for your husband,” said another, before requesting Emma do the exact opposite of what the internet trolls craved, “please don’t stop, we need people like you in the medical community!!! Hang in there. You are doing beautiful.”</p> <p>One now-supporter, who admitted that her previous perception of Emma had been negative and generated by the paparazzi, said, “Good for you … so sorry for what you and your family are going through. You truly are a woman of substance and power. I will be listening and learning.”</p> <p>“You go girl! There is an army of people behind you,” urged another. </p> <p>“Having to deal with your husband’s illness is bad enough but also having to deal with rude and intrusive press is unimaginable,” one said. “Keep shouting, keep protecting. He deserves the best life imaginable!!”</p> <p>“Emma, how sad is it when people don't get it,” another wrote, “this is such a problem in our society today...the lack of empathy. Why would people choose to believe that this is something you are doing for attention? Your family is going through hell - their foundation rocked, but it's a ploy??? Advocating for and protecting your family is what mama bears do!!!”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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“Such intimacy is rare in everyday life”: The benefits of playing music can’t be understated

<p dir="ltr">Whether you’re driving in the car, riding in a lift, or attending a concert, music is everywhere. For many, our involvement in creating music stopped outside of high school music classes and attempts to learn the recorder, keyboard, guitar, or to sing.</p> <p dir="ltr">Or it might have included playing in the school band, taking music lessons as a child, or maybe even continuing to play at university.</p> <p dir="ltr">But playing music is something that often falls to the wayside as we get older, with the demands of work, home and family taking priority.</p> <p dir="ltr">Given that playing music has benefits for our mental health, including easing anxiety and depression, feelings of satisfaction with life and health, and even reduced alexithymia - a dysfunction affecting emotional awareness, social attachment and how we relate to others - it’s an activity that many of us can reap benefits from.</p> <p dir="ltr">For Stephen O’Doherty, the conductor and musical director of Golden Kangaroos Concert Band, music has been an outlet for expressing himself creatively and maintaining his wellbeing - and he has seen similar effects in many of the players he works and plays with.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Having outlets to express myself creatively through musical performance has been absolutely essential in maintaining my wellbeing and having a stable quality of life,” he tells OverSixty.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The (Golden Kangaroos) have many members who have joined later in life. For some it is a chance to take up the same opportunity they gave their children, encouraging them to learn music at school and wishing they could have done the same. </p> <p dir="ltr">“For others it is the idea that playing music will help them to keep their brains active as they enter later life. For others, or perhaps for all of the above, joining a community band is a way of finding their tribe, their people, a safe place where people of a like mind can learn, grow, and contribute together. </p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-fabcb08c-7fff-1eb6-5df0-bb5fac8b7edd"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Knowing the many life stories of our members, I can say with absolute alacrity that band contributes to their identity and self-fulfilment in ways that may never be explicitly known but are formative and extremely significant.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/gks0.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">With the benefits of playing music established, taking music into a community environment brings with it additional benefits to our wellbeing. In a study <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1163211.pdf">published</a> in the London Review of Education, Dr Debra Rodgers, whose PhD focused on community music and mental health-related stigma, argued that community music can be beneficial in helping both to distract participants from their personal worries and as a place where they can interact without fear or judgement.</p> <p dir="ltr">O’Doherty agrees, adding that playing in a group is a way for many to truly be themselves.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We know that learning music has beneficial effects intellectually and emotionally. Learning or performing with others adds a social dimension that, I think, is critically important,” he says.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At its best, playing in a well-run musical group helps us to express our emotions in a safe and structured way, and that is good for the soul. We are part of something bigger than ourselves and, when we play for an audience, we are (hopefully) gifting them a great experience. Enriching others also enriches us.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For many, band is the place where they are most fulfilled. Where their contribution matters. Where they will be missed if absent. Where they are safe when expressing their creativity.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To play music alone is good. It is personally satisfying and should not be underrated. But to play with others and achieve a pleasing outcome for an audience is a whole new level. It both fosters and requires a level of interpersonal communication between performers that is beyond words.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e143aaae-7fff-6987-5ac0-405baa4ff163"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Such intimacy is rare in everyday life. It enriches the human experience in a unique and very special way.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/gks2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">For O’Doherty, playing music has had added benefits when it comes to his own mental health, including managing the symptoms of depression.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Depression is a serious and debilitating condition which, untreated, will attack our self-worth and seriously affect our quality of life. I have lived with this condition for my entire life,” he explains.</p> <p dir="ltr">“... if I can’t perform music I am not being fully me. I am somehow less than whole. Music is a way I find wholeness, an acceptance of who I am and of what I can contribute to the world around me. </p> <p dir="ltr">“When a black mood sets in and starts attacking my self-worth, playing music is one of the few things that can restore me, and I find joy and purpose in seeing the beneficial impact on the members of our group.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As for those who may have played music in the past or have always wanted to learn, O’Doherty suggests finding a safe place to give it a go.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Many people go through the stage of leaving their earlier musical learning behind. After school or Uni life gets busy!” he says.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I want to encourage people however to think about this: when you were the best version of yourself, was performing music part of the equation?</p> <p dir="ltr">If the answer is yes (or even maybe) then do you not owe it to yourself and your loved ones to return? And if you’ve not yet tried to learn an instrument but have a yearning desire to express your creative instincts in this way, what do you have to lose? </p> <p dir="ltr">“Find a safe place to explore your interest and give it a go! Creative expression is part of what it is to be truly human. Perhaps music is your pathway to a more fulsome life.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-809fc7b0-7fff-8434-37d7-a78b2cd98287"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Stuart Coster (Supplied)</em></p>

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“I’ll be playing for Liam”

<p dir="ltr">Rugby player Alexander ‘AJ’ Brimson has dedicated the rest of his NRL career to his late friend Liam Hampson, who was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/missing-queensland-cup-rugby-league-player-found-dead">found dead in a Barcelona nightclub</a> last month.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brimson was one of a group of friends travelling with Hampson through Europe when he went missing for 30 hours, with the Redcliffe Dolphins player later found by workers at the nightclub Sala Apolo.</p> <p dir="ltr">The two athletes had known each other since high school and later lived together in southern Queensland for four years.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 24-year-old made the dedication while speaking to the media on Wednesday, the first time he has done so since his friend’s death.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The club has been really good, and it's been good getting into a routine again, not just sitting at home all day," Brimson said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And hanging out with the mates, it's been a good distraction.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I don't want to be corny... but obviously I dedicate my season and my career to Liam.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I've got to get some sort of tattoo where it won't be under my jersey so I can point to it if I score a try or something.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-aace88cb-7fff-a188-ec0d-13e9554f6941"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">"I'll definitely be playing for Liam."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cj__oI8rO8q/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cj__oI8rO8q/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by AJ Brimson (@brimmmo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Brimson went on to describe his mate as “a legend bloke” and “a good footy player” who “lived life to the fullest”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He was stingy as, never showered,"  he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Nah, he was a good bloke. We lived together for four years, went to school together from year nine to year 12. A legend bloke, a good footy player. He was probably on the verge of cracking NRL up there at (Redcliffe).</p> <p dir="ltr">"He was actually unlucky not to get a pre-season here (at the Titans) after his 2021 season with Tweed.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Happy as, lived life to the fullest, never stressed about anything."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-abbe14bb-7fff-c15f-9ded-d370a4ce9fcb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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