Search

“A lot has to be done”: Kyle Sandilands recalls personal domestic violence ordeal

Warning: This article contains details of domestic violence that some readers may find distressing. Kyle Sandilands has opened up about his traumatic childhood and his first-hand experience with domestic violence, just days after pleading with the Prime Minister to make huge changes for victims. The KIISFM spoke candidly about experiencing violence at the hands of his father, as the conversation of domestic abuse in Australia has escalated given a recent spate of deadly violence. Sandilands recalled his childhood to co-host Jackie O, saying, “You’ve got to remember that I was a young child living in a domestic violence situation with my little brother and my mother.” “My father would kick off,” he said. “It was horrific. And I would remember I was only really little. And my brother, we’d go into my room and I’d create a land of fantasy in my room with the matchbox cars, and they’d be screaming and things would be smashed. And I would spend all of my time [there].” He went on to say he would do everything to comfort his brother, who is four years younger, during times of increased violence in his house, adding, “And I was little, I didn’t even know what was going on.” The radio host revealed that while he and his father mended their fractured relationship just before his death in 2016, the psychological effects of his difficult childhood remain. “And I don’t like to bring this up because my father is dead now. And we fixed any problems we had and he apologised, but still we had to live with it,” he shared. “He grabbed my mother by the back of her hair with one hand. And ripped her out of the bath backwards and dragged her kicking and screaming down the hallway in front of two little kids. And I can still see that as if it just happened half an hour ago. These things, they don’t leave little minds. They are in your head forever.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6aq3qQPBNw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6aq3qQPBNw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo)</a> </div> </blockquote> Sandilands then went on to discuss the Albanese government's new plan to give those trying to flee domestic violence situations $5,000 as part of the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/anthony-albanese-s-new-925-million-pledge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leaving Violence Program</a>. "That’s all good and well, but sometimes the women don’t have access to a bank account." “You don’t want to put the $5000 into a joint bank account that the bloke has access to,” he said. “A lot has to be done.” “I know a lot of people are on the side of the victims here, but governments can sometimes try and do the right thing. But at the end of the day, the money must get to the victim. Not stuck in some bank account somewhere.” On Monday's radio show, Sandilands said that it would be more important to set up safe houses for those fleeing violent situations, rather than giving them funds. “I think the first thing we need to do is make the safe haven a place where a mum can get her kids at three in the morning, ring someone, get picked up and taken away and be safe,” he said on the show. “I think that’s where it should start because that’s something we can do immediately.” If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual abuse or family violence contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Counselling Service 24-hour helpline <a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAt_PuBRDcARIsAMNlBdoOykv3RTO6q7pBf-PwIhINGV5jyQMqIFIdcYqX3Y52-h7w3-PI4BEaArwXEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1800 RESPECT</a> on 1800 737 732. Image credits: KIISFM

Caring

Australia's oldest person bids farewell to iconic beach house

In a heartwarming tale that speaks to the enduring love for cherished places and the passing of generational torches, Marija Ruljancich, Australia's oldest person, has bid farewell to her beloved holiday retreat. The Sorrento pile, nestled on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, has found new hands, marking the end of an era and the dawn of a promising new chapter. Marija, who reached the remarkable milestone of 110 years in 2023, has been the guardian of this beachside haven for countless years. With its origins tracing back to 1960, when it was designed by the esteemed architect Daryl Jackson AO for local businessman Robert Riley, the house has stood as a testament to timeless design and cherished memories. The sale of this iconic property has not only captured the attention of locals but also stirred the hearts of many across the nation. Despite its undisclosed transaction sum, it's understood that the sale falls within the property's estimated range, a fitting exchange for a home steeped in history and affection. What truly warms the soul is the buyer's commitment to honouring the legacy of Riley House. With plans to restore the dwelling to its original glory, there's a palpable sense of joy and relief within Marija's family. The Melbourne-based buyer, driven by a passion for preserving architectural heritage, sees beyond the bricks and mortar; they envision a continuation of the house's story, enriched by their own memories and experiences. As Liz Jensen of Kay & Burton Portsea recounts the emotional journey of the sale, it's evident that this isn't merely a transaction; it's a celebration of life, love, and the power of preservation. "Congratulations to Australia’s oldest living person," Liz wrote on Instagram, "as today she successfully sells her long-held and much loved Sorrento mid century beachside family holiday home designed by Architect Daryl Jackson AO." The buyer's dedication to retaining even the smallest details, such as the built-in speaker nestled within the dining room cupboard, speaks volumes about their reverence for the past and their vision for the future. Amid whispers of demolishing the home, the decision to uphold its structure stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of community and connection. For those who walked through its halls during inspections, the house isn't just a property; it's a repository of memories, a canvas upon which stories of old Sorrento are painted with every creaking floorboard and whispering breeze. For Marija and her family, and for all those who have been touched by its charm, the legacy lives on – a timeless reminder of the beauty found in preserving the past while embracing the promise of tomorrow. Images: Instagram | Kay & Burton Portsea

Real Estate

Carrie Bickmore's heartbreaking personal news

Carrie Bickmore has taken to social media to share some devastating personal news. The former Project host revealed that her close friend, Donna Nottage, has lost her battle with brain cancer, aged just 38. Bickmore shared a heartfelt tribute with clips of the mum-of-two before her death, including her inspirational participation in Hobart’s fun run and recreational walk, Point To Pinnacle, in the midst of her battle. “Donna I am so sorry we couldn’t find a cure in time,” Bickmore began in the tribute. “It’s hard to believe you climbed Point To Pinnacle with us just a few months ago and now you are gone. What a brutal disease.” “Donna was an absolute ray of sunshine, determined to ‘See the Colour’ no matter what this horrible disease ‘Terry the Bastard’ (as she called it) threw at her,” she continued. She added that Nottage was determined to fight to the very end. “She was determined to raise funds for vital brain cancer research to give her more time with her beautiful boys, and to help others in the future,” Bickmore, who started her own charity in 2015, called Carrie’s Beanies for Brain Cancer, added. “As you can see in this video she supported our foundation, every beanie campaign and it’s devastating that Donna has passed away in the middle of our beanie week,” she said. “We’ll wear one in your honour, Donna.” "Our hearts go out to her husband Sean, gorgeous boys Huxley & Reeve whom she adored, Mum Pauline and all of her family," she ended the post. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4Za2mxvz_a/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4Za2mxvz_a/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Carrie Bickmore (@bickmorecarrie)</a> </div> </blockquote> Bickmore lost her own husband, Greg Lange, to brain cancer in 2010, after a nine year marriage. The couple shared a son, Oliver, who was born in 2007. “Every time I look at my son, I’m seeing Greg – he looks so much like him,” she told The Australian Women’s Weekly in 2016. She continued her husband's legacy by starting Carrie’s Beanies for Brain Cancer, and launched her latest campaign by launching new beanies. “Grab your cap and help support brain cancer research,” she captioned the photos. “Together we can make a difference." Images: Instagram

Caring

War in Ukraine affected wellbeing worldwide, but people’s speed of recovery depended on their personality

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/luke-smillie-7502">Luke Smillie</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> The war in Ukraine has had impacts around the world. <a href="https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/ripple-effects-russia-ukraine-war-test-global-economies">Supply chains</a> have been disrupted, the <a href="https://news.un.org/pages/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/GCRG_2nd-Brief_Jun8_2022_FINAL.pdf?utm_source=United+Nations&utm_medium=Brief&utm_campaign=Global+Crisis+Response">cost of living</a> has soared and we’ve seen the <a href="https://www.unhcr.org/hk/en/73141-ukraine-fastest-growing-refugee-crisis-in-europe-since-wwii.html">fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II</a>. All of these are in addition to the devastating humanitarian and economic impacts within Ukraine. Our international team was conducting a global study on wellbeing in the lead up to and after the Russian invasion. This provided a unique opportunity to examine the psychological impact of the outbreak of war. As we explain in a new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-44693-6">Nature Communications</a>, we learned the toll on people’s wellbeing was evident across nations, not just <a href="https://ijmhs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13033-023-00598-3">in Ukraine</a>. These effects appear to have been temporary – at least for the average person. But people with certain psychological vulnerabilities struggled to recover from the shock of the war. <h2>Tracking wellbeing during the outbreak of war</h2> People who took part in our study completed a rigorous “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2773515/">experience-sampling</a>” protocol. Specifically, we asked them to report their momentary wellbeing four times per day for a whole month. Data collection began in October 2021 and continued throughout 2022. So we had been tracking wellbeing around the world during the weeks surrounding the outbreak of war in February 2022. We also collected measures of personality, along with various sociodemographic variables (including age, gender, political views). This enabled us to assess whether different people responded differently to the crisis. We could also compare these effects across countries. Our analyses focused primarily on 1,341 participants living in 17 European countries, excluding Ukraine itself (44,894 experience-sampling reports in total). We also expanded these analyses to capture the experiences of 1,735 people living in 43 countries around the world (54,851 experience-sampling reports) – including in Australia. <h2>A global dip in wellbeing</h2> On February 24 2022, the day Russia invaded Ukraine, there was a sharp decline in wellbeing around the world. There was no decline in the month leading up to the outbreak of war, suggesting the change in wellbeing was not already occurring for some other reason. However, there was a gradual increase in wellbeing during the month after the Russian invasion, suggestive of a “return to baseline” effect. Such effects are commonly reported in psychological research: situations and events that impact our wellbeing often (<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237535630_Adaptation_and_the_Set-Point_Model_of_Subjective_Well-BeingDoes_Happiness_Change_After_Major_Life_Events">though not always</a>) do so <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7062343_Beyond_the_Hedonic_Treadmill_Revising_the_Adaptation_Theory_of_Well-Being">temporarily</a>. Unsurprisingly, people in Europe experienced a sharper dip in wellbeing compared to people living elsewhere around the world. Presumably the war was much more salient for those closest to the conflict, compared to those living on an entirely different continent. Interestingly, day-to-day fluctuations in wellbeing mirrored the salience of the war on social media as events unfolded. Specifically, wellbeing was lower on days when there were more tweets mentioning Ukraine on Twitter/X. Our results indicate that, on average, it took around two months for people to return to their baseline levels of wellbeing after the invasion. <h2>Different people, different recoveries</h2> There are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31944795/">strong links</a> between our wellbeing and our individual personalities. However, the dip in wellbeing following the Russian invasion was fairly uniform across individuals. None of the individual factors assessed in our study, including personality and sociodemographic factors, predicted people’s response to the outbreak of war. On the other hand, personality did play a role in how quickly people recovered. Individual differences in people’s recovery were linked to a personality trait called “stability”. Stability is a broad dimension of personality that combines low neuroticism with high agreeableness and conscientiousness (three traits from the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/big-five">Big Five</a> personality framework). Stability is so named because it reflects the stability of one’s overall psychological functioning. This can be illustrated by breaking stability down into its three components: <ol> <li> low neuroticism describes <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2212154120">emotional stability</a>. People low in this trait experience less intense negative emotions such as anxiety, fear or anger, in response to negative events </li> <li> high agreeableness describes <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-63285-010">social stability</a>. People high in this trait are generally more cooperative, kind, and motivated to maintain social harmony </li> <li> high conscientiousness describes <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112331">motivational stability</a>. People high in this trait show more effective patterns of goal-directed self-regulation. </li> </ol> So, our data show that people with less stable personalities fared worse in terms of recovering from the impact the war in Ukraine had on wellbeing. In a supplementary analysis, we found the effect of stability was driven specifically by neuroticism and agreeableness. The fact that people higher in neuroticism recovered more slowly accords with a wealth of research linking this trait with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10573882/">coping difficulties</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5428182/">poor mental health</a>. These effects of personality on recovery were stronger than those of sociodemographic factors, such as age, gender or political views, which were not statistically significant. Overall, our findings suggest that people with certain psychological vulnerabilities will often struggle to recover from the shock of global events such as the outbreak of war in Ukraine.<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/224147/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/luke-smillie-7502">Luke Smillie</a>, Professor in Personality Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/war-in-ukraine-affected-wellbeing-worldwide-but-peoples-speed-of-recovery-depended-on-their-personality-224147">original article</a>.

Mind

“It’s not personal”: New mum shares divisive list of rules

An expecting mum has divided opinions with an extensive list of strict rules her family and friends must follow if they want to meet her new baby. KIIS FM hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O read out the list live on air, as they debated the rules and regulations put in place by the pregnant woman. The rules included not touching the baby, being vaccinated and only going to see the child if you've been asked, with the hosts asking listeners if they thought the rules were “too strict” or “reasonable”. “We're drawing closer to the birth of our daughter, and we couldn't be more excited, but unfortunately we have to implement some boundaries. We hope you can respect our wishes and no one takes these personally,” the mum's announcement read. First, the mum declared that there will be no information about the baby put online, including photos and information of the child’s name, or even an announcement that she had given birth. “If we want you to know, you'll know,” the mum outlined. Next, she said that only those who have “checked in” with the expecting parents since the announcement of the pregnancy will be notified of the birth. The mum took a brutal swing at anyone else she hasn't heard from and wrote, “Otherwise we have taken your silence as not being interested in our friendship and it is also reciprocated.” The couple went on to add that for the first two weeks following the birth, they will not be having any visitors. “No exceptions, no texts, no calls,” the mum wrote in capital letters, further explaining that no visitors will be welcome at either the hospital or at home. The couple also expect those who want to meet the baby to be vaccinated. “Don't be offended if we ask for proof. We will not be putting her health at risk,” the point read. The mum also asked visitors to “not smell of cigarettes or wear cologne or perfume that is too strong when meeting the baby”. Lastly, if family or friends visit the couple at home they will need to bring their own snacks and drinks. “Please do not expect to be hosted. Mum will probably be tired,” the list read. After sharing a video on TikTok, some mentioned the number one parenting rule of all: “their baby, their rules”. “Not a single one of those rules is unreasonable,” one person commented online. “The people triggered over this are the type of people these boundaries are intended for,” another added. However, others deemed the list as “passive aggressive”. “Yeah right, nice knowing ya,” one wrote, while another said, “I hope she knows what she's doing.” Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Alzheimer’s may have once spread from person to person, but the risk of that happening today is incredibly low

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-macfarlane-4722">Steve Macfarlane</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> An article published this week in the prestigious journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02729-2">Nature Medicine</a> documents what is believed to be the first evidence that Alzheimer’s disease can be transmitted from person to person. The finding arose from long-term follow up of patients who received human growth hormone (hGH) that was taken from brain tissue of deceased donors. Preparations of donated hGH were used in medicine to treat a variety of conditions from 1959 onwards – including in Australia from the mid 60s. The practice stopped in 1985 when it was discovered around 200 patients worldwide who had received these donations went on to develop <a href="https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/epidemiology-fact-sheets/creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-cjd/">Creuztfeldt-Jakob disease</a> (CJD), which causes a rapidly progressive dementia. This is an otherwise extremely rare condition, affecting roughly one person in a million. <h2>What’s CJD got to do with Alzehimer’s?</h2> CJD is caused by prions: infective particles that are neither bacterial or viral, but consist of abnormally folded proteins that can be transmitted from cell to cell. Other prion diseases include kuru, a dementia seen in New Guinea tribespeople caused by eating human tissue, scrapie (a disease of sheep) and variant CJD or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, otherwise known as mad cow disease. This raised <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_BSE_outbreak">public health concerns</a> over the eating of beef products in the United Kingdom in the 1980s. <h2>Human growth hormone used to come from donated organs</h2> Human growth hormone (hGH) is produced in the brain by the pituitary gland. Treatments were originally prepared from purified human pituitary tissue. But because the amount of hGH contained in a single gland is extremely small, any single dose given to any one patient could contain material from around <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000563.htm">16,000 donated glands</a>. An average course of hGH treatment lasts around four years, so the chances of receiving contaminated material – even for a very rare condition such as CJD – became quite high for such people. hGH is now manufactured synthetically in a laboratory, rather than from human tissue. So this particular mode of CJD transmission is no longer a risk. <h2>What are the latest findings about Alzheimer’s disease?</h2> The Nature Medicine paper provides the first evidence that transmission of Alzheimer’s disease can occur via human-to-human transmission. The authors examined the outcomes of people who received donated hGH until 1985. They found five such recipients had developed early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. They considered other explanations for the findings but concluded donated hGH was the likely cause. Given Alzheimer’s disease is a much more common illness than CJD, the authors presume those who received donated hGH before 1985 may be at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by presence of two abnormally folded proteins: amyloid and tau. There is <a href="https://actaneurocomms.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40478-017-0488-7">increasing evidence</a> these proteins spread in the brain in a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8086126/">similar way to prion diseases</a>. So the mode of transmission the authors propose is certainly plausible. However, given the amyloid protein deposits in the brain <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/estimates-amyloid-onset-may-predict-alzheimers-progression">at least 20 years</a> before clinical Alzheimer’s disease develops, there is likely to be a considerable time lag before cases that might arise from the receipt of donated hGH become evident. <h2>When was this process used in Australia?</h2> In Australia, donated pituitary material <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2022/07/the-cjd-review-final-report.pdf">was used</a> from 1967 to 1985 to treat people with short stature and infertility. <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2022/07/the-cjd-review-final-report.pdf">More than 2,000 people</a> received such treatment. Four developed CJD, the last case identified in 1991. All four cases were likely linked to a single contaminated batch. The risks of any other cases of CJD developing now in pituitary material recipients, so long after the occurrence of the last identified case in Australia, are <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2010/193/6/iatrogenic-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-australia-time-amend-infection-control">considered to be</a> incredibly small. Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (defined as occurring before the age of 65) is uncommon, accounting for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4356853/">around 5%</a> of all cases. Below the age of 50 it’s rare and likely to have a genetic contribution. <h2>The risk is very low – and you can’t ‘catch’ it like a virus</h2> The Nature Medicine paper identified five cases which were diagnosed in people aged 38 to 55. This is more than could be expected by chance, but still very low in comparison to the total number of patients treated worldwide. Although the long “incubation period” of Alzheimer’s disease may mean more similar cases may be identified in the future, the absolute risk remains very low. The main scientific interest of the article lies in the fact it’s first to demonstrate that Alzheimer’s disease can be transmitted from person to person in a similar way to prion diseases, rather than in any public health risk. The authors were keen to emphasise, as I will, that Alzheimer’s cannot be contracted via contact with or providing care to people with Alzheimer’s disease.<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/222374/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-macfarlane-4722">Steve Macfarlane</a>, Head of Clinical Services, Dementia Support Australia, & Associate Professor of Psychiatry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/alzheimers-may-have-once-spread-from-person-to-person-but-the-risk-of-that-happening-today-is-incredibly-low-222374">original article</a>.

Mind

14 personal finance tips you were never taught – but need to know

Take a day to think about large purchases to avoid impulse buys “Delaying your purchases for a day gives you time to think about whether or not you really need the items, and it curbs regrettable impulse buys,” advises Marc Diana, CEO of MoneyTips. “Sale items may be an exception to this rule, but even then, question how badly you need the item compared to saving or investing the money you would use to purchase it. When times are tough, and you’re cutting expenses, would you rather have a rarely worn $300 pair of shoes or $300 cash?” Budgets are freeing, not constricting Says financial educator Tiffany Aliche, “Keeping a budget allows you to say yes to your goals in a strategic way. If you have a budget, you can save for the holiday, house or car you want to get. You can look at it as ‘No dining out,’ but I see it as ‘Yes to a trip to Paris.’ A budget is not a NO plan, but a YES plan with actual steps towards achieving your goals.” Budget with the 50/20/30 rule Lynn Toomey, co-founder of Your Retirement Advisor, suggests following this easy budgeting rule: Use 50 per cent of your income for non-discretionary necessities like food, rent/house payment, utilities, and transportation. Put aside 20 per cent of your income for an emergency fund (three to six months’ salary is a good target), retirement, savings, and to pay off any debts. Use 30 per cent of your income for discretionary (non-essential) spending such as entertainment, holidays and gifts. Penny-pinching is not the road to wealth Spending less doesn’t mean you’ll have more. Saving is a good way to stabilise your finances, but you still need to invest. “Pretend there are two islands,” advises Aliche, who is also known as The Budgetnista: “Financially Stuck Island and Wealthy Island.” She says that your savings can be like a car – you can’t drive off Financially Stuck Island without a bridge. Investing is the bridge to financial success. “To get from one island to another, you need to get in your savings car and drive it over your investment bridge.” It’s OK to put yourself before your kids Many people want their kids to go to university, says Aliche, “but it’s more important for you to save enough for retirement. Because the best gift you can give your child is not a free ride to school, but rather not to be a financial burden on them when it’s time to start their own family. Kids can get student loans; no one is going to lend you money without collateral when you’re retired.” Financial advisors aren’t only for wealthy people Millions of people have trillions invested in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other stock exchange investments, but just because you can easily make trades yourself doesn’t mean you should. “Why not do what you do best to earn money and let a trained professional invest it for you?” asks Brian Saranovitz, president of Your Retirement Advisor. “A recent Vanguard Investments study indicated that integrating proper retirement strategies can add as much as 3 per cent efficient return to a retirement portfolio.” Adds Aliche, “You need to purposefully seek out knowledge. If you break a leg, you know that you need to go to a doctor. With personal finance, people have got the notion that they could just fix it themselves. When it comes to investing, don’t be afraid to seek professional help.” Get a clear picture of yourself at 80 Barring tragedy, you will live to a ripe, old age. Aliche recommends naming your 80-year-old image of yourself. “Mine is Wanda. I imagine Wanda sitting on the front steps in her yard. People feel disconnected from their older self. The more you can picture her, the better. I don’t want to see her mopping floors at 80. When I’m making a decision, I think, ‘How will this affect Wanda?’ If I dip into my retirement funds to buy an expensive car, that’s going to hurt Wanda.” If it’s easier, pretend you’re living with your grandfather or grandmother. “You’re not going to tell Granny, ‘You have to go to work. We need the money,’” she says. You can never have too much retirement savings Says Lynn Toomey, co-founder of Your Retirement Advisor, “Life is good. Retirement is better, if you are prepared.” She points out that retirement is laden with potential costs, such as healthcare, longevity, market volatility and inflation. “Even if you think you’re saving enough and have assets, it still may not be enough. The earlier you start saving and investing, the longer compound interest can work its magic to help you achieve a successful retirement.” Don’t blow your tax refund “What are you planning on doing with your tax refund?” asks financial advisor Mike Zaino. “If you’re like most people, the world of instant gratification is beckoning. It could be extremely damaging to your retirement account, however, especially given the time value of money and what Albert Einstein called ‘The eighth wonder of the world” – compound interest.” Ask current lenders for a better rate “Banks, credit unions and other lenders are keenly aware of their competition,” says Diana of MoneyTips.com. “If your credit score qualifies you for a better rate from another credit card issuer or lender, ask them to match the rate. There’s no downside to asking; the worst they could do is refuse.” Asking for your credit limit to be raised can improve your credit score Keep your credit utilisation – the amount of credit you use compared to your credit limit – low to boost your all-important credit, advises Diana. “You can borrow less, or you can ask for a raise in your credit limit.” A recent study from CreditCards.com found that only 28 per cent of respondents have never asked for an increase in their credit limit. However, a whopping 89 per cent of those who asked for a credit limit increase received one. Unless they have a high annual fee, don’t close your old credit cards “The longer your stable credit history, the better it reflects on your credit score,” explains Diana. “The age of accounts is averaged over all of your credit accounts, so closing an older account that is infrequently used actually harms your credit score in two ways: it lowers your credit limit, which raises your credit utilisation; and it lowers your average account age. If you have an old card with a decent credit limit, use it at least annually to keep it open. But don’t forget to pay the bill on time!” Don’t ever co-sign a loan “Co-signing a loan isn’t just vouching for someone’s character,” explains Toomey. “Understand that if the borrower doesn’t pay, then you’re responsible for every single missed payment. If they don’t pay, it’s your credit that will be ruined.” Being debt-free should not be your goal Says Aliche, creator of the Live Richer Challenge, “People focus on getting out of debt. If they use that money to grow wealth instead of getting rid of debt, they could be debt-free faster. Do you pay off your student loans to get debt-free, or invest money in your business to grow and secure wealth for yourself? If you focus on being debt-free, that’s all you’ll be. If you focus on building wealth, then you can be wealthy and debt-free.” Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/14-personal-finance-tips-you-were-never-taught-but-need-to-know?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Money & Banking

"Proud to pay more": The billionaires who want to pay more tax

Over 250 millionaires and billionaires have issued an <a href="https://proudtopaymore.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open letter</a> to global leaders encouraging them to implement wealth taxes to combat the cost-of-living crisis. This comes just as a report by the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/shocking-amount-australia-s-richest-people-earn-per-hour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oxfam Charity</a> revealed that the global wealth of billionaires have only grown in the last three years despite inflation. The open letter, signed by super-rich individuals from 17 countries, includes signatories like Abigail Disney, the grand-niece of Walt Disney, Succession actor Brian Cox, and American philanthropist and Rockefeller family heir Valerie Rockefeller. They said that they would be "proud to pay more taxes" in order to address the inequality. "Elected leaders must tax us, the super rich," the letter read. "This will not fundamentally alter our standard of living, nor deprive our children, nor harm our nations' economic growth. "But it will turn extreme and unproductive private wealth into an investment for our common democratic future." Austrian heir Marlene Engelhorn is also among the voices demanding that they pay more in taxes. "I've inherited a fortune and therefore power, without having done anything for it. And the state doesn't even want taxes on it," Engelhorn, who inherited millions from her family who founded chemical giant BASF, said. The letter was released just as global leaders gather in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum. Abigail Disney, whose net-worth is measured at more than $100 million, said that lawmakers need to come together to make a meaningful economic and social change. "There's too much at stake for us all to wait for the ultra rich to grow a conscience and voluntarily change their ways," she said. "For that reason, lawmakers must step in and tax extreme wealth, along with the variety of environmentally destructive habits of the world's richest." A recent <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63fe48c7e864f3729e4f9287/t/6596bfb943707b56d11f1296/1704378297933/G20+Survey+of+those+with+More+than+%241+million+on+Attitudes+to+Extreme+Wealth+and+Taxing+the+Super+Rich.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> of almost 2400 millionaires found that 74 per cent of them supported the introduction of a wealth tax to fund improved public services and deal with the cost-of-living crisis. The open letter also said that one-off donations and philanthropy "cannot redress the current colossal imbalance" of societal wealth. "We need our governments and our leaders to lead," the letter said. "The true measure of a society can be found, not just in how it treats its most vulnerable, but in what it asks of its wealthiest members." Images: Getty

Money & Banking

Shocking amount Australia's richest people earn per hour

Three of Australia's richest people — Gina Rinehart, Andrew Forrest and Harry Triguboff — have more than doubled their wealth since 2020, according to the charity Oxfam. A report from the charity published on Monday, found that the fortune of Australia's richest people doubled at a staggering rate of $1.5 million per hour. The report also found that the total wealth of the country’s billionaires increased by $120 billion in that same period, which is over 70 per cent. Tech tycoons Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, are among the top five richest men worldwide, with the report finding that it would take them 476 years to spend all of their wealth if they spent $1.5 million daily. The global wealth of billionaires grew three times faster than the inflation rate, and they are $4.9 trillion richer today than they were in 2020, despite nearly five billion people worldwide growing poorer. According to the Australian Council of Social Services, one in eight adults are living in poverty, earning half of the median household income which ranges from $489 a week for a single adult to $1,027 for a couple with two kids. The report was released to raise concern over the growing global inequality, as they urge the federal government to reduce the wealth gap by scrapping the stage three tax cuts coming into effect on July 1. The tax cuts will lower marginal tax rates for high-earning Australians. Oxfam Australia chief executive Lyn Morgain has urged governments to step up. “We cannot accept a society that promotes the gross accumulation of wealth alongside widespread global poverty,” she said. “One of the best mechanisms we have to address this is progressive taxation. “The shame of our woeful global response to catastrophic disasters, displacement, famine and the climate crisis cannot be attributed to a scarcity of resources, it is distribution — and that’s a problem all governments, including the Australian government, need to tackle urgently.” Oxfam have also called for a wealth tax on the world's millionaires and billionaires that it claims could bring in $2.7 trillion each year. The report also called to cap CEO pay and break up private monopolies, which have gained significant power thanks to surging stock prices. Images: Getty

Money & Banking

Surprise choice for Time's 2023 Person of the Year

Hold onto your hats, folks: Taylor Swift has been crowned Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2023, leaving the world collectively scratching its head and asking, "Did we miss the memo that we're living in Taylor's world now?" Traditionally reserved for influential political figures or those who've left an indelible mark on the global stage – you know, like Russian President Vladimir Putin, King Charles III, Barbie – this time the Person of the Year honour has been bestowed upon a pop sensation who can make you both weep and dance in the span of a three-minute song. In a statement that surely made a few historians raise an eyebrow, Time's editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, explained, "In a divided world, where too many institutions are failing, Taylor Swift found a way to transcend borders and be a source of light." Because when we think of bridging divides and bringing people together, we immediately think of "Shake It Off" and "Love Story". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Time Magazine: We’d like to name you Person of the Yea- Me: Can I bring my cat. <a href="https://t.co/SOhkYKSTwG">https://t.co/SOhkYKSTwG</a> — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) <a href="https://twitter.com/taylorswift13/status/1732406430857093501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2023</a></blockquote> While past Persons of the Year have included world leaders and political heavyweights, Swift's victory signals a definite paradigm shift. Apparently, in 2023, the ability to make millions of people sing along to your breakup anthems and inspire an army of fans to don cat ears for Halloween is a more valuable global contribution than, say, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy being honoured for his courage in resisting Russia's invasion. In 2023, it seems we've collectively decided that what the world really needs is more "Bad Blood" and less, well, actual bad blood between nations. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hollywood strikers also found themselves on the shortlist, along with Barbie, who apparently had a banner year as the highest-grossing film of 2023. Forget geopolitics; it's all about the dollars and sense. Swift also triumphed over King Charles III, Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, and even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Apparently, even the promise of artificial intelligence couldn't outshine the real magic of Taylor Swift. In the end, T-Swift's ability to sell out stadiums and break box office records with her concert movie proved that in a world full of political turmoil and global challenges, what we really need is a good sing-along. Images: Twitter / X

Books

New fines of over $100k for owners of dogs that attack a person

Queensland is taking a strong stance on dog attacks with the introduction of new legislation aimed at holding owners accountable for the actions of their pets. The proposed laws, set to be introduced into the state parliament, come as a response to the increasing incidents of serious harm caused by dangerous dogs. If passed, the legislation will not only significantly increase fines for irresponsible dog owners but will also enforce a ban on five specific breeds deemed as posing a higher risk. The breeds targeted by the legislation include Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, American Pit Bull Terrier or Pit Bull Terrier, and Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario. These breeds have been singled out due to their perceived potential for aggression and the severity of harm they can inflict. The legislation aims to mitigate the risks associated with these breeds by implementing strict measures. Under the proposed legislation, owners whose dogs cause death or grievous bodily harm and have not taken "reasonable steps" to prevent such incidents could face fines of up to $108,000. This marks a significant increase from the current fines outlined in the Animal Management Act. Additionally, the legislation introduces the possibility of a maximum three-year jail term for owners found guilty of negligence in preventing their dogs from causing harm. The laws assure that dogs of the prohibited breeds won't be euthanised. Instead, they will be "grandfathered out", meaning they will not be allowed to have puppies. Furthermore, the legislation puts a halt to the importation of these breeds into Queensland, aiming to curb the growth of the population of potentially dangerous dogs. Mark Furner, Queensland's agriculture minister, emphasised that these laws are designed to put dog owners on notice to be responsible. He pointed out that over the last decade, there has been a 64% increase in emergency department presentations due to attacks by dangerous dogs. Furner stated, "On average each year, councils in Queensland declare 500 dogs as dangerous," highlighting the need for a legislative framework that addresses irresponsible ownership. The new legislation is geared towards making the community safer by placing a heightened focus on the owners of dogs deemed irresponsible. Furner shared a harrowing incident involving a toddler girl who suffered severe wounds from a dog attack, underlining the urgency of such laws to prevent similar tragedies. Notably, 81% of dog attacks in Queensland on average are reported to involve children. In addition to the penalties for serious incidents, the legislation grants local council officers the authority to issue fines to owners who exhibit a "lack of control" over their dogs at off-leash parks. This provision aims to ensure that owners maintain control over their pets, even in public spaces where they may interact with other dogs and people. Queensland's proposed legislation marks a significant step towards promoting responsible dog ownership and safeguarding the community from the risks associated with dangerous breeds. If successfully passed, these laws could serve as a model for other regions grappling with similar issues related to dog attacks and irresponsible ownership. Image: Britannica

Family & Pets

The enduring appeal of Friends, and why so many of us feel we’ve lost a personal friend in Matthew Perry

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-gerace-325968">Adam Gerace</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> The <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/videos/world/friends-star-matthew-perry-dies-aged-54/cloatn0ae00ea0jqbpdz0h8td">death of Matthew Perry</a>, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the television series Friends, has seen an outpouring of grief from fans and the Hollywood community. His passing at age 54 has shocked both those who admired his acting work, as well as those who followed his efforts to bring awareness to <a href="https://people.com/tv/matthew-perry-opens-up-about-addiction-new-memoir/">the pains of addiction</a>. Tributes to Perry have understandably focused on his star-making turn on the incredibly popular television sitcom. Scenes, catchphrases, and his character’s lines have been lovingly repurposed across the internet to memorialise the gifted actor. Meanwhile, many viewers have situated their <a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/friends-fans-mourn-matthew-perry-new-york-apartment-1235772520/">recollections</a> of Perry and the series within the context of their own experiences. Viewers who came of age, or were the characters’ ages during the show’s original run, have reminisced about what the work of Perry and his co-stars meant to them at formative times in their lives. Newer viewers have similarly shared how important the series has been to them – their relationship with the show often beginning long after production ended. For many, Friends was the television equivalent of the soundtrack to their lives. To appreciate the staying power of the series for original and <a href="https://www.etonline.com/streaming-friends-how-a-90s-sitcom-became-gen-zs-new-favorite-show-132624">newer viewers alike</a> almost 30 years since it debuted, we need to consider what functions television viewing serves and the bonds we form with its characters. <h2>Enduring appeal</h2> Part of Friends’ popularity lies in its timing. The show premiered in 1994, a period when network television was still dominant. By its end a decade later, while the power of the big television networks had <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08838150701820924">eroded</a>, the series had maintained <a href="https://www.ratingsryan.com/2022/09/friends-nbc-ratings-recap.html">an average</a> of more than 20 million viewers each season. The 2004 finale brought in a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/08/arts/friends-finale-s-audience-is-the-fourth-biggest-ever.html">record-breaking</a> 52.5 million viewers in the United States. The series then entered repeats around the world. It hasn’t left our screens since. The late 90s and early 2000s have sometimes been referred to as the end of monoculture. While a <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/12/17/21024439/monoculture-algorithm-netflix-spotify">contested and controversial idea</a> because of, among other concerns, who was included and excluded on our screens, monoculture meant we watched <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/bestmusic2012/2012/12/21/167836852/the-year-in-pop-charts-return-of-the-monoculture">many of the same things</a>. One of the most popular shows of its era, Friends brought people together. It was a show we watched with our families or friends, spoke about the next day with colleagues, and it provided a common connection. It allowed bonding with real friends as much as fictional ones. Friends did not only reflect style of the time; it also frequently created it. Jennifer Aniston’s haircut, coined “<a href="https://www.bustle.com/style/the-rachel-haircut">The Rachel</a>”, or Perry’s lovable smart-alecky cadence, typified with Chandler’s catchphrase of “Could I be any more…”, were endlessly imitated. I know I attempted to replicate Chandler’s <a href="https://www.gq.com.au/style/celebrity/unexpectedly-great-fashion-inspiration-courtesy-of-friends/image-gallery/f55ac75cc180e31c462525da961295fc">sweater vests</a> and light blue denim look. Participation provided viewers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5931.2011.00866.x">a sense</a> of identity. As people enter their 30s and 40s, they often <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208595">gravitate</a> towards the memories made during their formative adolescent and young adult years. So perhaps it’s no surprise Friends endures for original viewers as it represents – and was a part of – their lives at this important time. <h2>Likeable characters</h2> Television and other fictional media meet our needs for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2009.01368.x">both</a> pleasure and extracting meaning. We get excited, entertained and moved by television. As part of this, we bond with fictional characters. We cannot help but <a href="https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327825MCS0403_01">empathise</a> with them. A series like Friends with its characters and their combinations of breakups, makeups and other mishaps allowed us to safely use our empathy muscles to cheer on and sometimes commiserate with the group of six. It helped that each character was flawed but inherently likeable. Fictional characters also allow us to <a href="https://theconversation.com/neighbours-vs-friends-we-found-out-which-beloved-show-fans-mourned-more-when-it-ended-212843">experience lifestyles</a> we might not otherwise. In the case of Friends, who didn’t want to live in a rent-controlled apartment like Monica’s, or regularly meet their supportive and funny pals for coffee at Central Perk? As a teen, I imagined such a world for myself in the not-too-distant future. Younger generations might be more aware of how out-of-reach that lifestyle was, or find the show’s <a href="https://ew.com/tv/jennifer-aniston-friends-offensive-new-generation/">humour sometimes dated</a>. But the idea of what the friends’ lifestyle represented – possibility, freedom, a chosen family – evidently still holds appeal. <h2>Fictional relationships, but real sadness</h2> In forming relationships with fictional characters, we form bonds with the performers who bring them to life. The lines between character and creator become blurry, both because of the knowledge about actors’ lives celebrity culture affords us, but also because their characters seem so real. When the actors pass away, we <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.06.042">feel real grief</a>. It’s important for fans of Matthew Perry to <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/why-with-all-the-sht-happening-in-the-world-its-still-okay-to-grieve-a-celebritys-death/">acknowledge</a> their loss. Even though his character is fictional, and you didn’t know him personally, you can still feel sad. Watching the series may be difficult right now. With time, it will become easier. Matthew Perry wanted <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/matthew-perry-death-addiction-alcoholism-drugs-b2437980.html">his legacy</a> to be awareness of addiction and the help he provided to people struggling with this disorder. Hopefully what will be felt now, alongside collective sadness, is an empathy for those facing addiction. That may be the power of television, and of a character named Chandler, and the actor who brought him to life, who many considered their friend.<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/216626/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-gerace-325968">Adam Gerace</a>, Senior Lecturer and Head of Course - Positive Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-enduring-appeal-of-friends-and-why-so-many-of-us-feel-weve-lost-a-personal-friend-in-matthew-perry-216626">original article</a>.

Unlocking the wealth in your home for a better retirement

In an era where the cost of living continues to rise, Australian retirees are facing unique financial challenges. Many find themselves in a situation where the bulk of their wealth is tied up in their family homes, leaving them with limited options to fund their retirement comfortably. That’s where <a href="https://householdcapital.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Household Capital</a> steps in. As a specialist retirement funding provider, Household Capital offers a solution that empowers retirees to make the most of their home’s value. Through a helpful and enlightening Q&A session with Household Capital, we explore how their innovative approach allows retirees aged 60 and above to access their home wealth responsibly, providing flexible options such as regular income streams, lump sum payments, and even assistance for those still paying off mortgages! Whether you're looking to beat the cost-of-living crisis, help your children enter the property market, or simply secure a more comfortable retirement, Household Capital offers a pathway to a brighter financial future. Here’s how: <h3>Q: What does Household Capital do?</h3> A: Household Capital is a specialist retirement funding provider that provides responsible long-term access to your home wealth. Our approach aims to provide you with the best of both worlds – to continue living in your family home with the confidence to enjoy the retirement lifestyle you deserve. <h3>Q: How does Household Capital help retired Australians?</h3> A: If you’re like most Australian retirees, the majority of your wealth is probably tied up in your family home. This wealth is a valuable resource that could be used to improve your retirement funding and enhance your retirement lifestyle. Our Household Loan helps Australian homeowners aged 60 plus to unlock that wealth and put you in control of your retirement. Your home wealth can be drawn as a regular income, a lump sum payment to renovate your home, buy a new car or cover medical expenses, or both! Importantly, it provides flexibility and choice, so you can look to the future with confidence. <h3>Q: How can Household Capital help me beat the cost-of-living crisis?</h3> A: Many Australians are grappling with the rising cost of living. Food, medical costs, insurance premiums, petrol prices – it seems never ending. How do retired Australians manage this on a fixed income? In many cases, they don’t. Some give up doing things they love – other forgo necessities. Unlocking the wealth in your home can provide a regular income to supplement that received from your superannuation or government pension. You don’t have to go without. You can enjoy the lifestyle you deserve. <h3>Q: I’m over 60 and still paying a mortgage – can you help me?</h3> A: You may be one of the millions of Australians aged over 60 still paying off their home loan. Those principal and interest repayments can really stress budgets, especially as the interest rate for ‘old loans’ may be much higher than current rates for younger borrowers. For some over 60s, it means they can’t retire when they want to. For others, it’s having to find that monthly repayment from a fixed income that’s already been stretched by increasing rates and inflation. There is a better way. Many of our customers use a Household Loan to refinance their bank loan. Because a Household Loan does not require regular repayments, your retirement income is freed up. Notably, there is no risk of foreclosure if you miss repayments – because regular repayments are not required. You can stay in your home as long as you want with guaranteed lifetime occupancy and retain 100 percent ownership, meaning you benefit fully from any growth in your home’s value. <h3>Q: How can I help my kids get onto the property ladder?</h3> A: Did you know the ‘bank of mum and dad’ is consistently ranked among Australia’s top ten lenders? Typically, funds are drawn from retirement savings, which can have a detrimental impact on the ‘bank’ over the longer term. If your retirement funding needs are in hand, you can use your home wealth to contribute to a first home buyers deposit or help children with mortgage expenses. This enables you to help children and grandchildren when they need it most and use your home wealth to help the next generation build theirs. <h3>Q: How much home wealth could I unlock?</h3> A: The amount of home wealth you could unlock is dependent on the Loan to Value ratio (LVR). The calculation takes multiple factors into account including the age of the youngest borrower and the value of your property. The LVR for a Household Loan starts at 20 percent of the agreed property value for those aged 60 and increases one percent per year thereafter. To see how much home wealth you could unlock, check out Household Capital’s <a href="https://householdcapital.com.au/home-equity-calculators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online calculator</a> or call and speak to one of their Australian-based retirement specialists on 1300 734 720. Applications for credit are subject to eligibility and lending criteria. Fees and charges are payable, and terms and conditions apply (available upon request). Household Capital Pty Limited ACN 618 068 214, Australian Credit Licence 545906, is the Servicer for the credit provider Household Capital Services Pty Limited ACN 625 860 764 Image: Supplied. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Household Capital.

Retirement Income

"His worst moment as a person": Sean Penn unleashes on Will Smith's Oscar's slap

Sean Penn has become visibly angry as he recalled the infamous moment at the 2022 Oscars ceremony when Will Smith stormed the stage to slap Chris Rock. Penn recalled the award ceremony moment as he reflected on the Academy's decision to not let Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speak at the ceremony. The actor has been a strong advocate for the people of Ukraine in their ongoing war against Russia, and even traveling to the war-torn region to help in their fight. Speaking to <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/features/sean-penn-slams-will-smith-slap-ai-oscars-1235720417/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety</a>, Penn shared how frustrated he was that Zelenskyy was silenced, while Smith's actions were the real problem. “The Oscars producer thought, ‘Oh, he’s [Zelenskyy] not lighthearted enough.’ Well, guess what you got instead? Will Smith.” Variety noted that the actor was visibly infuriated speaking on the subject, even turning red during the interview. “I don’t know Will Smith. I met him once,” Penn said. “He seemed very nice when I met him. He was so f***ing good in King Richard.” “So why the f**k did you just spit on yourself and everybody else with this stupid f***ing thing? Why did I go to f***ing jail for what you just did? And you’re still sitting there? Why are you guys standing and applauding his worst moment as a person?” the 63-year-old said, referencing his 1987 arrest and jail stint for punching a film extra in the face. “This f***ing bulls**t wouldn’t have happened with Zelenskyy,” Penn added. “Will Smith would never have left that chair to be part of stupid violence. It never would have happened.” Penn was so shocked and infuriated by the moment that he chose to destroy his two Oscars. "I thought, ‘Well, f**k, you know? I’ll give them to Ukraine. They can be melted down to bullets they can shoot at the Russians,’” he said. When visiting Zelenskyy in Ukraine last fall, Penn showed his support by giving the leader one of his Oscars. At the 2022 Oscar's ceremony, Will Smith stormed the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. After returning to his seat, Smith shouted out, “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!” Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

Kyle Sandilands' toddler's jaw-dropping wealth

Kyle Sandilands has revealed the shocking bank balance his one-year-old son Otto has, an amount that most dream of having. The radio shock jock revealed his son's staggering wealth on the The Kyle & Jackie O Show on Thursday morning, confessing that Otto's wealth will one day eclipse his. “Otto's already been loaded up by his great-grandfather,” he said, revealing that his wife Tegan’s “wealthy” grandfather had set up a bank account for Otto on his first birthday. "My child's already a millionaire. He's already got $1,000,000 in his bank." The radio host told co-star Jackie O that he was jealous of his son. “He’s not even one, what an a**hole. I'm jealous of my own kid.” Although Sandilands himself has a reported net worth of $40 million, making a rumoured $40,000 every morning on The Kyle & Jackie O Show, he has hinted that his wife is wealthier. This comes just one month after the radio host revealed that the couple splurged $25,000 on their son's<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/inside-kyle-sandilands-son-otto-s-first-birthday-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> first birthday</a>. The pair are known for their lavish way of living, after they tied the knot in a $1 million <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/kyle-sandilands-lets-slip-insane-cost-of-wedding-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wedding</a> earlier this year, followed by a $500,000 <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/the-astronomical-price-of-kyle-sandilands-honeymoon-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">honeymoon</a>. Image: Instagram

Family & Pets

7 simple wealth creation ideas for over 60s

In today's world of rising costs and economic uncertainties, building wealth after the age of 60 might seem like a daunting task. However, it's essential to remember that it's never too late to take control of your financial future and explore innovative ways to boost your income and savings. The latest Retirement Standard from the super industry body ASFA reveals that singles aged 65-84 need an annual income of approximately $50,207 for a 'comfortable lifestyle' in retirement, while couples require a combined income of $70,806 per year. With the full age pension often falling short of these numbers, many seniors are seeking alternative ways to supplement their income during retirement. Let’s delve into some practical and achievable wealth creation ideas tailored to older Australians who are looking to secure their financial well-being in their golden years. <ol> <li>Intentional Spending</li> </ol> Cutting down on non-essential spending is a powerful way to save money. Review your discretionary expenses and identify areas where you can make reductions. For instance, consider cooking at home instead of dining out, exploring free or low-cost local activities for entertainment, and delaying the purchase of luxury items. Prioritise experiences that provide value without straining your budget. <ol start="2"> <li>Pressure Test Your Retirement Strategy</li> </ol> It's essential to regularly review your retirement plan, taking into account the evolving financial landscape, legislative changes, and opportunities to minimise costs. By doing so, you can maximise the funds under your control and make informed decisions that align with your retirement goals. Keep in mind that the financial world is dynamic, and staying proactive in managing your retirement assets can lead to a more secure and comfortable retirement. <ol start="3"> <li>Get rid of things you don't need by selling online</li> </ol> Embrace the digital age and leverage online marketplaces to turn your unneeded possessions into cash. If you're not tech-savvy, don't hesitate to enlist the help of your grandchildren or any trusted youngster who can guide you through the process. Selling items online not only declutters your living space but also opens up opportunities to supplement your retirement income. Embracing technology can be empowering and profitable at any age! <ol start="4"> <li>Part-Time Job Opportunities in the Gig Economy</li> </ol> Embrace the gig economy by exploring part-time job opportunities. Various platforms offer flexible work arrangements suitable for seniors, such as rideshare driving or food delivery services. These roles allow you to set your own hours and supplement your retirement income. <ol start="5"> <li>Freelancing or Consulting</li> </ol> Your years of experience and expertise are valuable assets. Consider venturing into part-time freelancing or consulting opportunities within your field. Many businesses are eager to hire experienced professionals for specific projects or advisory roles, providing an opportunity to boost your income without a full-time commitment. <ol start="6"> <li>Renting Out a Spare Room</li> </ol> If you have extra space in your home, consider renting out a spare room to short-term guests. Websites like Airbnb make it easy to find renters, providing a consistent source of income and helping to cover housing costs. <ol start="7"> <li>Compare and Save</li> </ol> Once you've reviewed your spending habits, identify areas where you can potentially save money by shopping around and obtaining comparison quotes. Renegotiating bills and subscriptions can also yield significant savings. Don't forget to review your insurance policies, adjusting the coverage and excess to potentially reduce premiums. Creating wealth in your golden years may seem challenging, but with the right approach and determination, it's entirely achievable. By exploring these simple and practical ideas, older Australians can take steps toward securing their financial future and enjoying a comfortable retirement. Remember that every financial decision should align with your individual circumstances and objectives. However, it's crucial to note that earning extra income during retirement can impact age pension payments. It can be worth seeking financial advice about the best way to increase income during retirement without compromising any other entitlements, so consider seeking professional guidance to make informed choices on your path to financial security, ensuring a comfortable and worry-free retirement. Amanda Thompson, author of Financially Fit Women, is a sought-after speaker and qualified financial adviser. As the founder of Endurance Financial, Amanda is driven to renew personal and confidence by providing the financial knowledge and guidance to have a great relationship with money allowing you to become your own CFO (Confident, Focussed & On top of your Finances). For more information visit <a href="http://www.endurancefinancial.com.au">www.endurancefinancial.com.au</a> Image credits: Getty Images

Retirement Income

Jackie O's candid admission about her wealth

Jackie O Henderson, who is one of the most well-paid women in Australia's entertainment industry, has opened up about how "embarrassed" she feels by the reports of her wealth, and how daunting it is to earn so much. The radio star made the candid admission on Stellar’s Something To Talk About podcast, where she shared the “scary” reality of being a self-made female millionaire. “I do sometimes get embarrassed to talk about money. I hate showing off wealth. I’ve always been like that … I want a nice bag, car and house, but I don’t want to flaunt it,” she said. The breakfast host and her co-star Kyle Sandilands were rumoured to earn around $7-8 million each per year, when they renewed their contract for The Kyle and Jackie O show with ARN in 2019. “But [at the same time] I shouldn’t be embarrassed about it, so I am trying to take more ownership of that," she added. Henderson shared her own struggles of navigating conversations around wealth. “And as a man, they’d absolutely be owning that, and as a female, when you’re single, it’s quite scary to earn a lot of money, because a lot of men can be intimidated by that. “And so your instinct is to downplay it for that reason.” She added that although she is grateful for such a successful career, she preferred the "chase" over the destination. “I am grateful for it, I am, but sometimes I think … I wish I was just back in my 20s and trying to buy my first apartment,” she added. “Isn’t that weird? It’s only a thought I had a couple of weeks ago … I don’t know. I keep asking myself why I’m thinking that way. “All I’ll say is, as women, we just need to be proud a little more.” Images: Instagram / Stellar Magazine

Money & Banking

What your glasses are secretly revealing about your personality

Colourful frames are for creative types Glasses frames come in every imaginable colour nowadays. While black and brown frames still exist, they are no longer the only options. Those who do dare to colour their vision are typically very creative, says optometrist Lynn Green. “Artists love colour,” she says. “They are very particular with what they like and they know what they like.” But artists aren’t the only ones who gravitate towards colour frames. Both the extrovert and the introvert veer toward this kind of eye wear. “Usually bright, bold colours are somebody that’s fun and outgoing,” Green discerns, “but what’s nice about fun colours is somebody…who’s always been neutral and blends in, they’ve gotten to a point in their life where they’re like, ‘You know what, I need a change.’” While it is very natural for an outgoing person to pick up a pair of attention-grabbing glasses, shy people who are trying to break out of their shell can use these glasses as a means of putting themselves out there. Thick black frames are trendy Thick black frames go largely to the young, hipster crowd. The people who wear these glasses are definitely trying to make a statement about themselves. Green describes this type as, “That bold, ‘look-at-me’ frame.” It has been her observation that the dark, thick, heavier frames have been the favourite of people in the late teens to 20s age range. These are the glasses that are one of the biggest trends. A person that has a pair of these glasses is probably young, bold, opinionated, and trendy. Patterned frames are cheerful In terms of demographics, Green has also surmised that it is mostly women who tend to opt for colour and different patterns on their frames. Not only that, but bright colours with patterns are also preferred by older people who want to feel the fun of youth again. Sometimes they even have designs by the temples, like little flowers. These cute and stylish glasses express a cheerful nature and someone who doesn’t like to take life too seriously. Aviators are for the adventurous Another person who has an intimate relationship with fashion and eye wear is fashion designer Larisa Ginzburg. According to her, those who have a penchant for aviators are quite the adventurers. “If you’re a fan of the aviators frame, chances are you’ve always been a risk taker. Just like you, this style is classic, but not concerned with respecting the rules and will stand out in its modern reinterpretations. The wearer is an active, devoted person who knows what they want and they’re not afraid to live for the moment. An undying staple of coolness, aviator glasses are a favourite among outspoken people who don’t just talk, but walk the talk.” If you’ve got at least one pair of aviators, you’re the kind of person whose presence is always felt. You enter a room and people notice, and you usually end up being the life of the party. Fake glasses are a confidence boost Yes, people really do wear fake glasses, and it’s more common than you’d think. According to Green, the whole “glasses make you look smart” thing still applies. “I had a patient come in,” Green shares, “[and] she was going for a very important job interview. She did not have a prescription. She wanted glasses that made her look very confident, and we found the perfect Tom Ford classic look. She brought us all chocolate because she got the job, and she said it was the glasses that did it.” Other than just for career, there are a lot of reasons that people wear fake glasses. As Green observes, glasses are now just as much an accessory as they are a necessity. Like shoes or purses or earrings, people buy glasses to intentionally convey something about themselves. People who wear fake glasses are very concerned with how the world sees them and may be somewhat insecure. At the same time, they could also be fashionistas who want to complete their perfect look. Simple, clean lines are pragmatic We’ve talked a lot about the creative person, but what about people who are more logically, mathematically, or scientifically driven? In her two decades of being an optician, Green has noticed that these types of people tend to pay less attention to style and more attention to function. “They go for structure,” she says. “They’re very detail oriented. They usually go with a more simple, clean line look.” For this type of person, glasses are more about pragmatism and not so much about showing off. Big round frames are quirky These are the glasses that Green refers to as “The Harry Potter frames.” They’re not as common as they used to be, but people do still rock that big, circular frame. “In that round shape is a very classic style,” she says. “It’s old Hollywood.” People who wear these glasses in the modern era tend to be men in their 30s to late 40s, she explains. They’re a little bit quirkier then your average person and might have an appreciation for history or vintage style. Browline frames are for those who mean business Last on the list are browline frames (aka club masters or semi-rimless frames). Just because they appear at the end of this list doesn’t mean they aren’t popular, though. These are the glasses that have a bold upper frame and a thin bottom frame. Ginzburg says, “[They] are both smart and stylish, and they say that you mean business! They are a classic power accessory for your professional life, and a favourite among knowledgeable hipsters who aim high in life. This style reflects the fact that you are quick on your feet, and have a well-rounded personality.” Browline frames are the great compromise between being bold and being simple. If you wear these, you’re not afraid to make a statement but you also don’t let your ego get you in trouble. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/what-your-glasses-are-secretly-revealing-about-your-personality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Beauty & Style

These 12 common terms started life as a real-person’s name

Oscar And the Academy Award for the ‘Golden Statuette’s Eponym’ is … a mystery! But, there are a few theories circulating. Actress Bette Davis supposedly claimed that the statue’s backside bore a striking resemblance to her husband Harmon Oscar Nelson. While Sidney Skolsky, a columnist, gives himself the title of ‘eponym creator’ because he thought the nickname negated pretension from the esteemed award. And the Academy’s librarian Margaret Herrick reportedly declared that the statuette reminded her of her uncle, Oscar Pierce. We may never know its true origins. Shirley Temple Your favourite childhood mocktail was definitely named after none other than the curly-haired child star, Shirley Temple. The story goes that the wait staff at a Hollywood restaurant overheard the little girl whining when her parents wouldn’t give her a sip of their old-fashioned cocktails. A member of the staff mixed up a kid-friendly version made with a splash of grenadine, a cup of ginger ale, and garnished it with a signature maraschino cherry to emulate the old-fashioned cocktails her parents drank. One sip of the sweet, fizzy drink was all it took to quiet her cries. Boycott During the 1870s, history began to repeat itself as another agricultural crisis wreaked havoc in Ireland. The crisis threatened to recreate the horrific famine and mass evictions that occurred a mere thirty years prior. In an effort to campaign against rent increases and evictions by landlords, the Irish farmers banded together to form the Irish Land League. The group targeted one apathetic English land agent, in particular, Charles Cunningham Boycott, a man responsible for kicking out tenant farmers who refused to pay their rents. Boycott’s angered laborers and servants quit, his crops rotted to the ground, and the word ‘boycott’ defined as ‘refusing to deal with a country, organisation, or person to protest or punish them’ was named after him. In a way, karma got him good. Dunce No one wants to be crowned the dunce of the group, in other words, the dumb, dopey one. But there was a time when being called a dunce was the greatest form of flattery. Long ago, everyone wanted to think just like John Duns Scotus, the greatest medieval philosopher of his time. In fact, his followers referred to themselves as ‘dunsmen.’ Unfortunately, Scotus’ beliefs faded with the times and soon people criticised his convictions as being antiquated and dumb. Thus, ‘dunsman’ was shortened to “duns” – no longer a term for a great thinker, but instead a slow-witted person. Bloomers The women’s rights activist, Amelia Bloomer, helped popularise the bloomer craze, despite the fact that other progressive women wore them much earlier than she did. As part of a women’s dress-reform movement, Bloomer started wearing loose-fitting blouses and short skirts with long pantaloons underneath to protest the heavy petticoats and bone-crushing corsets that women were forced to wear in the 1850s. Many people ridiculed her outlandish outfit that went against every gender norm. She lashed back at her critics in an article she wrote for a women’s rights newspaper that said, “Let men be compelled to wear our dress for a while, and we should soon hear them advocating for change.” Soon after the article’s publication, everyone called the pantaloons ‘bloomers’ – a new symbol for women’s rights. Cardigan Your favourite winter knit-wear wasn’t named after a seamstress or fashion designer. In fact, you can thank British general, James Brudenell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan, for reportedly popularising the timeless fashion item. During the Crimean War in 1854, Cardigan’s regiment donned wool knit waistcoats, which were later called cardigans, to keep them warm on the battlefields of the Crimean Peninsula. No one is sure why cardigans were named after a man who didn’t invent the article of clothing. But some people theorise that his highbrow tastes for elegance and extravagance amongst his troop’s uniforms helped cardigans gain traction as a fashion statement well after the war. Saxophone This object was actually named after its inventor, Adolphe Sax. The Belgian-French instrument maker wanted to combine the best of brass, woodwind and stringed instruments into one masterpiece. By 1841, he had created his first working model of the bass horn, the saxophone’s former name. But a French reporter had a much ‘saxier’ name for the instrument and dubbed it the saxophone. Sax patented the saxophone in 1846 and the name has stuck ever since! Sideburns Sideburns were all the rage in the American Civil War well before Elvis Presley was even born. The popular male hair trend of bushy whiskers on the cheeks was originally called burnsides after the Union Army General Ambrose E. Burnside. His wildly different facial hair first caught people’s attention during a parade in Washington DC as he led his regiment of Rhode Island volunteers. By the 1880s, the name was switched to sideburns. Silhouette Before there were selfies, painted or paper cut-out silhouettes were the most affordable portraits that adorned people’s homes during the 18th century. Many people loved their silhouette selfies, but the man for who they were named after was anything but loved. France’s finance minister at the time, Étienne de Silhouette, had a reputation for being a frugal French man and was often seen making the cut-paper shadow portraits, himself, in his free time. Because of his cheap ways and favourite hobby, the French phrase “à la Silhouette” came to mean ‘on the cheap’ and the shadow portraits were named after Silhouette to poke fun at him as well. Sandwich John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich who lived from 1718 to 1792, may have created the classic lunch staple. It was no secret in town that Montagu’s vice was gambling. Legend has it that the gambler once spent an entire 24 hours at the gambling table eating nothing but slices of cold beef wedged between two pieces of toast. And if the story bears any truth, it’s how the sandwich was invented. Casanova You may have dated a casanova or two in your life. Giacomo Girolamo Casanova inspired the well-known term for a promiscuous male. The Italian adventurer and author wrote a memoir that bragged about his many ‘conquests’ along his travels. Dahlia The vibrant flower with colourful hues from Mexico was named after Anders Dahl, an 18th-century Swedish botanist. Dahl must have been a highly admired plant expert of his time because many botanists have been credited for bestowing his name upon the flower. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/12-common-words-that-were-inspired-by-real-life-people?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Caring

Bees have appeared on coins for millennia, hinting at an age-old link between sweetness and value

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adrian-dyer-387798">Adrian Dyer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> In 2022, the Royal Australian Mint issued a $2 coin decorated with honeybees. Around 2,400 years earlier, a mint in the kingdom of Macedon had the same idea, creating a silver obol coin with a bee stamped on one side. Over the centuries between these two events, currency demonstrating a symbolic link between honey and money is surprisingly common. In a recent study in <a href="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/assets.mmxgroup.com.au/ACR/Bee+Article.pdf">Australian Coin Review</a>, I trace the bee through numismatic history – and suggest a scientific reason why our brains might naturally draw a connection between the melliferous insects and the abstract idea of value. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536400/original/file-20230709-15-2u5ywn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A Royal Australian Mint 2022 two-dollar coin representing 200 years since the introduction of the honeybee to Australia.</figcaption></figure> <h2>What is currency and why is it important?</h2> Money is a store of value, and can act as a medium of exchange for goods or services. Currency is a physical manifestation of money, so coins are a durable representation of value. Coins have had central role in many communities to enable efficient trade since ancient times. Their durability makes them important time capsules. Ancient Malta was famous for its honey. The modern 3 Mils coin (<a href="https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces1775.html">1972-81</a>) celebrates this history with images of a bee and honeycomb. According to the information card issued with the coin set, <blockquote> A bee and honeycomb are shown on the 3 Mils coin, symbolising the fact that honey was used as currency in Ancient Malta. </blockquote> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536403/original/file-20230709-23-drk2lj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A circulating 3 Mils coin from Malta showing a honeybee on honeycomb.</figcaption></figure> In ancient Greece, bees were used on some of the earliest coins made in Europe. A silver Greek obol coin minted in Macedon between 412 BCE and 350 BCE, now housed in the British Museum, shows a bee on one side of the coin. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536411/original/file-20230709-182252-v4evxr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>An ancient obol from Macedon, dated between 412 BCE and 350 BCE, shows a bee one side.</figcaption></figure> Bees also feature on coins minted elsewhere in the ancient Greek world, such as a bronze coin minted in Ephesus dated between 202 BCE and 133 BCE. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536407/original/file-20230709-27-a2jvo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A bronze coin minted in Ephesus, dated between 202BCE and 133BCE, featuring a honeybee.</figcaption></figure> The use of bees on ancient coins extended for many centuries including widely circulated bronze coins, and new varieties <a href="https://coinweek.com/bee-all-that-you-can-bee-honeybees-on-ancient-coins/">continue to be discovered</a>. <h2>Why we might like bees on coins</h2> Why have bees appeared so often on coins? One approach to this question comes from the field of neuro-aesthetics, which seeks to understand our tastes by understanding the basic brain processes that underpin aesthetic appreciation. From this perspective, it seems likely the sweet taste of honey – which indicates the large amount of sugar it delivers – promotes positive neural activity <a href="https://brill.com/view/journals/artp/10/1/article-p1_2.xml">associated with bees and honey</a>. Indeed, primatologist Jane Goodall once proposed that obtaining high-calorie nutrition from bee honey may have been <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0066185668800032">an important step</a> in the cognitive development of primates. Our brain may thus be pre-adapted to liking bees due to their association with the sweet taste of honey. Early usage of bees on coins may have been a functional illustration of the link between a known value (honey) and a new form of currency: coins as money. <h2>The bee on modern coins</h2> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536393/original/file-20230709-17-jywq3f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=738&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A 1920 Italian bronze ten-centesimi coin featuring featuring an Italian honeybee on a flower.</figcaption></figure> The use of bees as a design feature has persisted from ancient to modern times. A honeybee visiting a flower is shown on a series of ten-centesimi bronze coins issued in Italy from <a href="https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces1960.html">1919 to 1937</a>. (As an aside, the world’s last stock of pure Italian honeybees is found in Australia, on Kangaroo Island, which was declared a sanctuary for Ligurian bees by an <a href="https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/home/historical-numbered-as-made-acts/1885/0342-Lingurian-Bees-Act-No-342-of-48-and-49-Vic,-1885.pdf">act of parliament</a> in 1885.) <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=737&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=737&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536416/original/file-20230709-15-60yst8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=737&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>A coin from Tonga showing 20 honeybees emerging from a hive.</figcaption></figure> More recently, a 20-seniti coin from the Pacific nation of Tonga shows 20 honeybees flying out of a hive. This coin was part of a series initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to promote sustainable agricultural and cultural development around the world. Bees are relevant here because their pollinating efforts contribute to about one-third of the food required to feed the world, with a value in excess of <a href="https://zenodo.org/record/2616458">US$200 billion per year</a>, and they are threatened by climate change and other environmental factors. <h2>Bees on coins, today and tomorrow</h2> Public awareness of bees and environmental sustainability may well be factors in the current interest in bee coins. The diversity of countries using bees as a design feature over the entire history of coins suggests people have valued the relationship with bees as essential to our own prosperity for a long time. In Australia, the 2022 honeybee $2 coin is part of a series developed by the <a href="https://www.ramint.gov.au/about-mint">Royal Australian Mint</a>. In 2019, the Perth Mint in Western Australia also released coins and stamps celebrating native bees. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&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/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536405/original/file-20230709-15-iditcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>Australian native bee coin and stamps released in 2019 by the Perth Mint.</figcaption></figure> Despite the decline of cash, bee coins still appear to be going strong. The buzzing companions of human society are likely to be an important subject for coin design for as long as coins continue to be used.<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/208912/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adrian-dyer-387798">Adrian Dyer</a>, Associate Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Image credits: Australian Royal Mint / NZ Post Collectables 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/bees-have-appeared-on-coins-for-millennia-hinting-at-an-age-old-link-between-sweetness-and-value-208912">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

“A lot has to be done”: Kyle Sandilands recalls personal domestic violence ordeal

Australia's oldest person bids farewell to iconic beach house

Carrie Bickmore's heartbreaking personal news

War in Ukraine affected wellbeing worldwide, but people’s speed of recovery depended on their personality

“It’s not personal”: New mum shares divisive list of rules

Alzheimer’s may have once spread from person to person, but the risk of that happening today is incredibly low

14 personal finance tips you were never taught – but need to know

"Proud to pay more": The billionaires who want to pay more tax

Shocking amount Australia's richest people earn per hour

Surprise choice for Time's 2023 Person of the Year

New fines of over $100k for owners of dogs that attack a person

The enduring appeal of Friends, and why so many of us feel we’ve lost a personal friend in Matthew Perry

Unlocking the wealth in your home for a better retirement

"His worst moment as a person": Sean Penn unleashes on Will Smith's Oscar's slap

Kyle Sandilands' toddler's jaw-dropping wealth

7 simple wealth creation ideas for over 60s

Jackie O's candid admission about her wealth

What your glasses are secretly revealing about your personality

These 12 common terms started life as a real-person’s name

Bees have appeared on coins for millennia, hinting at an age-old link between sweetness and value

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

“A lot has to be done”: Kyle Sandilands recalls personal domestic violence ordeal

Australia's oldest person bids farewell to iconic beach house

Carrie Bickmore's heartbreaking personal news

War in Ukraine affected wellbeing worldwide, but people’s speed of recovery depended on their personality

“It’s not personal”: New mum shares divisive list of rules

Alzheimer’s may have once spread from person to person, but the risk of that happening today is incredibly low

14 personal finance tips you were never taught – but need to know

"Proud to pay more": The billionaires who want to pay more tax

Shocking amount Australia's richest people earn per hour

Surprise choice for Time's 2023 Person of the Year

New fines of over $100k for owners of dogs that attack a person

The enduring appeal of Friends, and why so many of us feel we’ve lost a personal friend in Matthew Perry

Unlocking the wealth in your home for a better retirement

"His worst moment as a person": Sean Penn unleashes on Will Smith's Oscar's slap

Kyle Sandilands' toddler's jaw-dropping wealth

7 simple wealth creation ideas for over 60s

Jackie O's candid admission about her wealth

What your glasses are secretly revealing about your personality

These 12 common terms started life as a real-person’s name

Bees have appeared on coins for millennia, hinting at an age-old link between sweetness and value

Our Partners

Join Over60