Placeholder Content Image

Aussie designer wins lawsuit against Katy Perry

<p dir="ltr">One of Katy Perry’s companies has been found guilty of infringing the trademark of a Sydney fashion designer.</p> <p dir="ltr">Katie Jane Taylor has designed and sold her own line of clothing under her label ‘Katie Perry’ since 2008.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the pop superstar Perry, born Katheryn Hudson, initially fought the Australian registration of the Katie Perry brand, she later withdrew it. </p> <p dir="ltr">Taylor sued the singer for infringement in the Federal Court in 2019, more than a decade after the <em>Firework</em> singer started selling her own brand of merchandise, including clothing, under her stage name. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This is a tale of two women, two teenage dreams and one name,” Justice Brigitte Markovic wrote in a judgement published on April 29 2023.</p> <p dir="ltr">Judge Markovic found Hudson had infringed the mark on Twitter ahead of one of her Australian tours in 2014.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the infringement, the judge concluded that the singer did not owe any compensation to the designer as she had used the trademark in “good faith”.</p> <p dir="ltr">One of the singer’s other businesses Kitty Purry however is liable for damages because of the sale of clothing during her 2014 tour. </p> <p dir="ltr">A bid by the star and her companies to cancel the Katy Perry trademark was dismissed by the Federal Court.</p> <p dir="ltr">Markovic is yet to determine the amount of damages owed by Kitty Purry. </p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-6c0faee1-7fff-5497-933e-14ee948d4dac"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

”Life begins again”: Neighbours actress shares incredible news

<p>Former Neighbours actress Katie Keltie, who played Michelle Scully on the beloved soap has announced she is now “cancer free”, just months after it was revealed she had stage four breast cancer.</p> <p>The star’s diagnosis was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/fight-of-her-life-neighbours-star-s-devastating-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared in November 2022 </a>when her friend Ebonie Gilbert created a GoFundMe page to help raise $25,000 to cover medical costs for the actress' “extremely aggressive” cancer.</p> <p>The page raised more than $37,000 for Keltie and has since been taken down.</p> <p>The last post on the fundraiser was an update posted by the actress, claiming she was “cancer free”.</p> <p>“I recently received results of my latest scan and was told that there had been a complete metabolic response to diseased areas,” she told the <em>Daily Mail</em>.</p> <p>“In other words, it seems I am cancer free.</p> <p>“The last six months have been the most challenging time I have ever experienced to say the least.</p> <p>“The diagnosis completely turned my world upside down and it’s something I hope to never go through again.</p> <p>“I couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you.</p> <p>“Your support played a huge part in my navigating this horrible time.</p> <p>“It will forever be something I remember and am truly grateful for.”</p> <p>In her message, the actress thanked the “amazing team” at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne as well as her “beautiful family and friends”.</p> <p>“The nature of my cancer, having travelled through the blood stream, means that I will receive monthly infusions indefinitely, with no side effects,” she said.</p> <p>“Surgery is also off the table at this point.</p> <p>“Life begins again.”</p> <p>Speaking to the <em>Daily Mail</em>, the actress’ uncle Michael Keltie said, “When she went back with her mother and father, the doctor said, ‘It’s gone – it’s completely gone’.”</p> <p>“They didn’t know what they were hearing when they were told.</p> <p>“They said, ‘What do you mean, it’s gone?’ He said, ‘It’s completely gone’.</p> <p>“So that is a really positive story what happened with Kate.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty/GoFundMe</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Katie Price opens up after “unprovoked” attack in home

<p>British personality Katie Price has admitted how shocked she is after being assaulted “unprovoked” in her home.</p> <p>Price, 43, was taken to hospital in the early hours of the morning following the alleged attack and is reportedly “devastated” by the incident.</p> <p>A man in his 30’s has been taken into custody.</p> <p>Katie claims she ran to her eldest son, Harvey’s house, after she was “punched” in her home.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843380/katie-price-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/94732c33a5d04b7494faacbfca0acd0e" /></p> <p><em>Katie Price with her son, Harvey, who is 19. Image: Instagram</em></p> <p>“I’ve got a big bruise, my face is all puffy, and I went to hospital. I’m still all dazed. I’m devastated. I’ve told police that I was assaulted, and am in shock that this happened,” Price admitted to The Sun.</p> <p>“I ran away after being punched. I ran to Harvey’s house nearby and have now done damage to my feet, which I previously injured.</p> <p>“The fight was unprovoked. I was just sitting there watching telly when the assault happened.</p> <p>“I can’t say any more.”</p> <p>Essex police said in a statement: “We were called by colleagues in the ambulance service to reports of an assault shortly after 1.30 am this morning, Monday 23 August.</p> <p>“We arrived and found a woman had sustained a facial injury which required hospital treatment.</p> <p>“In a further statement, Essex police added: “Our investigations are continuing at the scene today.”</p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Use this Sherlockian trick to improve your memory

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have seen the BBC adaptation of </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sherlock Holmes</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> starring Benedict Cumberbatch, you are probably familiar with a technique called the “mind palace”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the show, Holmes appears to visit an imaginary place in his mind where he performs associations between words, places, and objects, until he finds the information he wants to remember.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite appearing in a fictional TV show, this technique actually exists and is one of the older known mnemonic techniques.</span></p> <p><strong>How does the “mind palace” technique work?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The “mind palace” memory technique is also known as the method of loci, which was used as a rhetorical technique by Roman speakers so they could remember and recite long speeches.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Generally, the first step is to imprint a series of places on the memory. Common place systems that people imagine are architectural, such as a house with a variety of rooms and different spaces, decorated with statues and other ornaments.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The next step involves inserting images related to the thing you want to remember. The more absurd the images, the easier it is to remember too. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, if you want to remember the phrase, “The world is suffering due to the pandemic of the new coronavirus”, you could imagine a globe sitting on a couch in the lounge room, sneezing and coughing while being tormented by the image of a giant coronavirus.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For the technique to work, a person would “walk” through their imagined house, observe the objects in each of the rooms, and establish a story so they can remember what they want.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As another example, imagine you want to remember a shopping list that includes bananas, milk, eggs, and cheese. To remember the items and the order they appear in, you could imagine walking around a particular room and seeing bananas sitting in armchairs and drinking milk. After that, you walk down the hallway and see a picture hanging on the wall of a family of eggs on holiday. Then, when you turn into the next room on the right, you find a cheese sleeping soundly in bed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though distributing objects throughout your imagined house is part of the technique, the key component is the narrative created from the relationship between what you want to remember and the spatial arrangement within the “mind palace”.</span></p>

Mind

Placeholder Content Image

Katie Holmes shares rare post of Suri on 15th birthday

<p>Katie Holmes has paid tribute to her daughter Suri Cruise as she celebrates her 15th birthday.</p> <p>The Hollywood starlet shared a series of black-and-white photographs with her daughter, who she shares with actor Tom Cruise.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840809/katie-holmes.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0c331dd5772949279a344db21159a45a" /></p> <p>"Happy 15th Birthday Sweetheart! I love you!!!!!!!! ❤️💕😘 I can't believe you are already 15," Holmes wrote.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840807/katie-holmes-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/46925df50a334459889eb648db807a42" /></p> <p>Holmes, 42, and Tom, 58, welcomed Suri in 2006 — the same year they got married.</p> <p>The pair quickly divorced in 2012.</p> <p>Cruise also has two older children, Isabella, 28, and Connor, 26, whom he shares with his ex-wife Nicole Kidman.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840805/katie-holmes-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4e09562f7b2b4f7db9f8b3bde5a08656" /></p> <p>In March last year, Holmes revealed to<span> </span><em>InStyle</em><span> </span>that she loved moving to New York City with Suri.</p> <p>"That time was intense, It was a lot of attention, and I had a little child on top of it," Holmes said.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840808/katie-holmes-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0e7dbb4f2df8432d91d51954385bfad0" /></p> <p>"[Suri and I] had some funny moments out and about in public."</p> <p>"We were followed a lot when she was little. I just wanted her outside, so I would walk her around to find parks at, like, six in the morning when nobody would see us," she said.</p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Where are the films starring successful women entrepreneurs?

<p><a href="https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-inventor-out-for-blood-in-silicon-valley">The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley</a>, now streaming in Australia on Binge, depicts Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes as a bewitching sociopath.</p> <p>Holmes wanted to revolutionise health care by providing a simple and cheap way to perform blood tests using only a finger prick. In 2003, she founded Theranos, with a vision of the company’s machines in every home in America.</p> <p>But, as the Wall Street Journal’s John Carreyrou <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/theranos-has-struggled-with-blood-tests-1444881901">revealed</a> in 2015, Holmes created an intricate web of deception. Even as machines found their way into chemists and were being used by medical insurance companies, they never actually worked.</p> <p>Holmes put patients’ lives at risk and cost investors millions of dollars.</p> <p>The documentary is compelling viewing, but as it enters a very slim field of movies about female entrepreneurs it is worth questioning the impact of the stories we choose to tell.</p> <p><strong>Fall from grace</strong></p> <p>The journey Holmes took from young idol to spectacular failure is a story about systemic issues and the <a href="https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/silicon-valley-work-culture/">sometimes toxic</a> culture of the world of start-ups.</p> <p>Prior to the scandal breaking, Holmes was <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/12/15/blood-simpler">celebrated in the media</a>. She was portrayed as a Stanford University dropout with a vision for changing the world. She raised hundreds of millions of dollars from powerful men in a start-up landscape known for its <a href="https://hbr.org/2020/01/how-the-vc-pitch-process-is-failing-female-entrepreneurs">discriminating funding practices</a>.</p> <p>She made the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/elizabeth-holmes/#338f337c47a7">cover</a> of Forbes magazine in 2014 as the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. Holmes represented a heady mix of tech, science and business. She was the golden girl of the start-up world.</p> <p>This made her fall from grace even more spectacular.</p> <p>But compare Holmes’ portrayal with another well known example of a deceitful male entrepreneur: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/28/wolf-of-wall-street-jordan-belfort-sex-drugs">Jordan Belfort</a>, the “wolf of Wall Street”.</p> <p>Belfort ran an elaborate crime scheme linked to manipulating the stock market and was jailed for 22 months for securities fraud. Nonetheless, his <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/522776.The_Wolf_of_Wall_Street">autobiography</a> and Martin Scorsese’s 2013 <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0993846/">film adaptation</a> depict Belfort’s story as celebration of wealth and power, rather than a critical review of his fraudulent behaviour.</p> <p><strong>Where are all the good stories?</strong></p> <p>Feature films about female entrepreneurs are few and far between.</p> <p><a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/AMBPP.2020.21276abstract">Research</a> from one of the authors examined English-language films from 1986 to 2016 with female entrepreneurs as the central character. Over the 30-year period, only 11 films about women entrepreneurs were identified – fewer than the number of <a href="https://www.macworld.co.uk/news/apple/steve-jobs-movies-documentaries-to-watch-3786148/">films about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs</a> alone.</p> <p>From <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092605/">Baby Boom</a> (1987), where Diane Keaton’s character starts a baby food business, to Melissa McCarthy’s brownie empire in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2702724">The Boss</a> (2016), these films overwhelmingly depicted female entrepreneurs as running small-scale kitchen table businesses in female-dominated industries.</p> <p>These movies told stories of cleaning, as in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2446980/">Joy</a> (2015) and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0862846/">Sunshine Cleaning</a> (2008); fashion, as in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2361509/">The Intern</a> (2015); and not-for-profit work, as in the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116313/">First Wives Club</a> (1996).</p> <p>Businesses depicted typically had low numbers of paid employees. The entrepreneurs were resource-poor, and most often it was a supporting male character who helped the female entrepreneur succeed.</p> <p>Additionally, the study found a woman starting her own business is seemingly not enough to hold audience attention: all films included a parallel romantic storyline.</p> <p><strong>The female entrepreneur as role model</strong></p> <p>Celebrating successful female role models <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167487011000353">encourages women</a> to dream big and succeed in male dominated arenas.</p> <p>Role models provide a source of inspiration and contribute to self-belief. As the quantity of entrepreneurship related media increases, so does the amount of <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11365-006-0018-8.pdf">entrepreneurial activity</a>.</p> <p>However, negative portrayals of careers may <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1997-04591-001">prevent</a> people from considering a profession.</p> <p>The case of Holmes and Theranos is damaging for the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2018-03-14/theranos-misled-investors-and-consumers-who-used-its-blood-test">betrayed</a> customers and investors, but also for the field of entrepreneurship, which only in recent decades has seen its reputation overhauled.</p> <p>Entrepreneurship was once the <a href="http://cup.columbia.edu/book/a-brief-history-of-entrepreneurship/9780231173049">domain of racketeers</a>. Over time, it has evolved to be the domain of tech celebrities, socially conscious founders and a vehicle for upward social mobility – but still, too often, a domain of men.</p> <p><a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780429279836/chapters/10.4324/9780429279836-26">One study</a> investigated how female entrepreneurs are featured on the cover of Entrepreneur magazine. Women were vastly outnumbered by men on the cover, and were often portrayed in a stereotypical female fashion.</p> <p>Words surrounding images of women tended to be about nurturing, health, beauty and fashion. Wording accompanying images of male entrepreneurs talked of power, innovation and risk taking.</p> <p>Women were “glamified” in full make-up and focus given to their face, while men were more likely to be standing and set against a corporate colour palette.</p> <p>How we tell stories of female entrepreneurs matters.</p> <p>In order to achieve equity in entrepreneurship, we need to acknowledge the role of the media in filling the entrepreneurship pipeline.</p> <p>Positive depictions of innovative women act as a mirror, showing girls and women what they can achieve. We need more, and better, stories about female entrepreneurs so stories about female innovation aren’t limited to failure and fraud.</p> <p><em>Written by Bronwyn Eager and Louise Grimmer. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-inventor-tells-a-story-of-a-fraudulent-female-billionaire-where-are-the-films-starring-successful-women-entrepreneurs-145922">The Conversation.</a> </em></p>

Movies

Placeholder Content Image

“We’re working our way through it”: The Chase star opens up about wife after cheating scandal

<p>The Chase’s Mark Labbett revealed he is trying to patch things up with his wife Katie, despite her allegedly cheating on him. </p> <p>The 53-year-old genius TV star, best known as The Beast, told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/9901866/the-chase-star-mark-labbett-wife-katie-reunion/" target="_blank"><em>The Sun</em></a> he and his 26-year-old partner were “working through a rough patch”. </p> <p>This news comes just a mere four months after Katie confirmed the couple had split after she began dating another man.</p> <p>New reports said she had been having an affair with a 28-year-old metal worker. </p> <p>However, on Tuesday, despite the debacle surrounding the couple, Mark said on the British talk show <em>Loose Women</em> they were trying to make things work. </p> <p>“Like a lot of relationships, you go through a rough patch. We’re working our way through it,” he said.</p> <p>“A newspaper offered us a sum of money and we kindly denied. We’re quite private, there’s no pictures of our son online and I’m not going to name him until he’s old enough to make the decision.”</p> <p>After photographs were uncovered of Katie with her secret beau, she came forward to say her and Mark have been “drifting for a while”. </p> <p>“Mark and I had been talking about separating for some time — we have been drifting for a while.</p> <p>“He works away a lot and that’s been hard. A lot of people think it’s the age difference but we don’t see that as the factor.</p> <p>“It’s more that we don’t have mutual friends, and our lives are just very different.</p> <p>“I met Scott by accident, on a night out, and we just clicked. It wasn’t intentional, it just happened. But Mark always knew — straight from the off I was honest.</p> <p>“He knew I was going out and who I was seeing. He was incredibly understanding. If it was anybody else it wouldn’t matter, but because Mark’s in the limelight people have been gossiping. It’s frustrating.</p> <p>“We remain good friends and he is happy for me that I’ve met Scott — and I’d be fine if he met someone else.</p> <p>“So I just want to set the record straight now as I’m sick of all the speculation. I want us all to be able to get on with our lives.”</p> <p>Mark met Katie after they began chatting on Facebook, and eventually their friendship grew into a serious relationship. </p> <p>Katie moved from Dubai to be with The Chase TV star and they went on to marry in 2014 at Arundel Castle in West Sussex. </p> <p>Interestingly enough, it turns out the couple are second cousins - a fact they didn’t know until after they wed.</p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

All grown up! Suri Cruise steals the show

<p><span>Many celebrities appeared at New York’s Z100 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball over the weekend, but 11-year-old Suri Cuise stole the show.</span></p> <p><span>Suri joined her mother Katie Holmes onstage at Madison Square Garden to introduce Taylor Swift to perform the final song of the night.</span></p> <p><span>Holding her mother’s hand, Suri announced the singer with a big smile.</span></p> <p><span>"She's one of our favourite performers and who is it tonight?" Katie asked the crowd, before Suri replied, "Taylor Swift!"</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Katie?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Katie</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Holmes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Holmes</a> and Suri <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cruise?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cruise</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Surprise?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Surprise</a> Fans at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jingle?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jingle</a> Ball and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Introduce?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Introduce</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Taylor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Taylor</a> Swift: Katie Holmes and child Suri Cruise shocked concertgoers on Friday when they appeared at Z100 s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2017 at Madison Square Garden and… <a href="https://t.co/tHB5QAqHxP">https://t.co/tHB5QAqHxP</a> <a href="https://t.co/MRljEm4LYN">pic.twitter.com/MRljEm4LYN</a></p> — Hetflix (@hetflixdotcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/hetflixdotcom/status/939526868109352961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2017</a></blockquote> <p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span></p> <p><span>Showing the Christmas spirit, Suri wore a star-patterned navy dress with a big red bow in her hair.</span></p> <p><span>Katie looked classy in a high-cut blouse, jeans and black heels.</span></p> <p><span>Taylor Swift concluded the evening by singing “Shake It Off”, “Look What You Made Me Do” and “…Ready For It?” She also performed “I Don’t Want To Live Forever”. </span></p> <p><span>Earlier in the night, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran joined together to sing their duet “End Game”.</span></p> <p><span>Other performers included Niall Horan, Sam Smith, Kesha and Demi Lovato. </span></p>

Movies

Placeholder Content Image

David Cassidy completely cuts daughter Katie out of will

<p>The late Partridge Family star David Cassidy has completely cut his estranged daughter, actress Katie Cassidy, from his will, according to documents reported by <a href="https://theblast.com/david-cassidy-will/" target="_blank">The Blast</a>.</p> <p>Instead the late actor and musician left most of his estate to his son Beau, whom he shared with now ex-wife Susan.</p> <p>According to the publication, David’s will and testament stated that "while he has two children — Beau and Katie — any references to his 'child or children' are only to Beau and not to Katie."</p> <p>He wrote: “It is my specific intent not to provide any benefits hereunder to Katherine Evelyn Cassidy.”</p> <p>David, who passed away on November 21, 2017 aged 67, left approximately $200,000 in various assets to Beau.</p> <p>Items considered "music memorabilia" will go to David’s three half-siblings.</p> <p>The will was filed in 2004 and named Susan as the personal representative, but David's cousin assumed the role after David and Susan divorced in 2016.</p> <p>Katie, who currently stars on the TV superhero drama Arrow, has had a chequered history with her father.</p> <p>Following his death, she shared her father’s last words, writing on Twitter: "Words can't express the solace our family’s received from all the love &amp; support during this trying time. My father’s last words were 'So much wasted time.' This will be a daily reminder for me to share my gratitude with those I love as to never waste another minute....thank you."</p> <p>But Cassidy and his daughter, whose mother is model Sherry Williams, revealed in an interview with People earlier this year that he was merely her father by biology.</p> <p>“I never had a relationship with her. I wasn’t her father,” David told <a href="http://people.com/celebrity/david-cassidy-talks-relationship-son-daughter/">People </a>in February. “I was her biological father but I didn’t raise her. She has a completely different life.”</p> <p>Katie was mostly raised by her stepfather, Williams’ husband, Dr Richard Benedon.</p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

David Cassidy’s daughter Katie reveals dad’s touching last words

<p>Katie Cassidy has spoken for the first time about her father David Cassidy, who died of organ failure last Tuesday at the age of 67.</p> <p>Taking to Twitter, the 30-year-old actress wrote: “Words can’t express the solace our family’s received from all the love &amp; support during this trying time. My father’s last words were ‘So much wasted time.’ This will be a daily reminder for me to share my gratitude with those I love as to never waste another minute… Thank you.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Words cant express the solace our family’s received from all the love &amp; support during this trying time. My father’s last words were “So much wasted time”. This will be a daily reminder for me to share my gratitude with those I love as to never waste another minute....thank you.</p> — Katie Cassidy (@MzKatieCassidy) <a href="https://twitter.com/MzKatieCassidy/status/934148630319128577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>Katie had a complicated relationship with her father. She was raised by her mother, former model Sherry Williams, and her stepfather, Richard Benedon, but David still played a role in her life.</p> <p>“Because I didn’t raise her, I didn’t have to parent her,” David <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://people.com/archive/david-katie-cassidy-vol-72-no-10/">told PEOPLE in 2009</a></strong></span>. “I’m always here and totally nonjudgmental.”</p> <p>“To be able to go to someone I’m genetically linked to, tell them anything and know that they’re not going to judge me — it’s unbelievable,” Katie said at the time. “It’s nice when your dad can be your friend.”</p> <p>But over time, the pair drifted apart. In February, David confessed that the two were not longer in contact.</p> <p>“I wasn’t her father. I was her biological father but I didn’t raise her. She has a completely different life,” he explained. “[But] I’m proud of her. She’s very talented. It’s hard for me to even accept how old she is now.”</p> <p>In addition to Katie, David is survived by son Beau Cassidy, brothers Shaun, Patrick and Ryan, and stepmother Shirley Jones.</p>

Music

Placeholder Content Image

Finding the best gin in New Zealand

<p><em><strong>Rachel Hall is at the leading edge of gin-making. Katie Farman meets the head distiller for premium New Zealand craft gin label Lighthouse Gin, days after filling the biggest order of her career.</strong></em></p> <p>It took Rachel Hall six months to fulfil an order of 17,500 bottles of Lighthouse Gin for a leading UK based client. It took three months of distilling the liquor every day - making a batch of 100L of overproof gin daily – and another three months to number each bottle and then apply by hand the distinctive red and white striped stickers that are inspired by the spectacular Cape Palliser Lighthouse on the southernmost tip of the North Island of New Zealand. All the while this was done whilst fulfilling standard orders for fans of the premium gin label made in Martinborough, a pretty wine village an hour’s drive or train ride from Wellington, and being “mum” to her two children.</p> <p>It was a crazy start to 2017 but the reward came in the positive reaction by thousands of new fans dotted all around the world.</p> <p>“People loved it. They absolutely loved our gin and the feedback and positive reaction we received just made my day,” says Rachel.</p> <p>Rachel is now the head distiller at Lighthouse Gin, since taking over the reins from founder Neil Catherall in 2014. Neil conceived the company with Wairarapa businessmen Andrew Wright and James Graham in 2005 with the view to create a truly authentic New Zealand gin made with native botanicals.</p> <p>During his years of research, Neil designed a 200 litre copper still from scratch and had it built by a local craftsmen before creating his botanical formula with pine and juniper berries; spices including coriander seeds from Central Otago, cinnamon quills, almonds, cassia bark, orris and liquorice root, and citrus including yen ben lemons and oranges from Gisborne and Kerikeri.</p> <p>Rounding out the recipe is pure water, which comes from a natural spring located at the base of the Rimutaka Ranges on the estate of Wharekauhau Luxury Lodge. Rachel uses one enormous container a week and makes the 100km round trip to collect it each time.</p> <p>The result, she says, is a gin that is pure and complex with citrus and herbal characteristics, a smooth finish and a lovely lingering flavour. Its great served the classic way with tonic and lime but also delicious in cocktails such as blending the gin with Elderflower tonic, Black Raspberry Liqueur and lemon juice.</p> <p>While Rachel is an expert on gin these days, it wasn’t always that way.</p> <p>In fact, the Wairarapa born and raised distiller, had dreams of becoming a butcher but as she got older changed her mind.</p> <p>“I knew I wanted to do something that wasn't ordinary or expected but I never really knew what that was until I found Lighthouse Gin,” she says.</p> <p>The introduction to Lighthouse Gin came through working for Andrew and Sue Wright, founding members of the label, at their previous businesses, Swingers Golf Driving Range, Mondo gift store and Mela juice. These were all located in nearby Greytown, which was just voted New Zealand’s most beautiful small town (population under 5000), where Lighthouse Gin was first based.</p> <p>“Whilst I was working in the Wright’s apple juice business Mela, the Wrights were setting up Lighthouse Gin so I began doing sales and marketing for them. But I just found the gin side of things so interesting that I kept asking Neil Catherall question after question. Lucky for me he was happy to answer them and then share his amazing distilling knowledge with me. I still pinch myself really … I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.”</p> <p>The distillery is now based at Martinborough Vineyard, after Lighthouse Gin was bought by American Billionaire Bill Foley of Foley Family Wines who also own other properties in the Wairarapa including Wharekauhau Lodge where Prince William and Princess Katherine stayed during their 2014 New Zealand visit, and TK and Martinborough vineyards.</p> <p>The gin can be brought at either vineyard or in the village at the Martinborough Wine Merchants. In addition events are held during the summer which showcase Lighthouse Gin such as November’s Lighthouse Gin Cocktails, Canapes and Jazz Music evening at Martinborough Vineyard and the monthly Te Kairanga farmers market, which are held on the first Sunday of each month.</p> <p><em>For more information on Lighthouse Gin visit <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.lighthousegin.co.nz/" target="_blank">www.lighthousegin.co.nz</a></strong></span> or if you are visitingMartinborough this summer, then why not coincide it with one of the town’s popular events.</em></p> <p><strong>The New Zealand Cycle Classic</strong></p> <p>This five-stage elite international men’s road <a href="http://www.cycletournz.com" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>cycling race</strong></span></a> is the only Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) sanctioned stage race to be held in New Zealand in 2018.  Staged entirely in the Wairarapa from January 16 – 21, it will feature routes that showcase incredible scenery including stages which finish in the Martinborough Square. </p> <p><strong>The Martinborough Fairs</strong></p> <p>Held annually on the first Saturday of February and March, this fantastic <a href="http://www.martinboroughfair.org.nzwww.martinboroughfair.org.nz" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>summer market</strong></span></a> sees hundreds of stalls radiating out from the Martinborough Town Square. New Zealand made goods, arts and fresh food and produce are all available. </p> <p><strong>Round the Vines</strong></p> <p>Held each March this 10km or 21km <a href="http://www.roundthevines.org.nz" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>walking or running event</strong></span></a> sees entrants pass through quiet country roads and otherwise inaccessible vineyards. Themed drink stations throughout the event feature live music as well as samples of local wines for those who have a more relaxed approach to the day! This is a fundraiser for Martinborough School. </p> <p><strong>Jazz in Martinborough</strong></p> <p>Held each spring, this <a href="http://www.jazzinmartinborough.co.nz" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>three-day festival</strong></span></a> attracts jazz musicians from all over New Zealand and sees the village come alive Free gigs are played in the town’s cafes and restaurants while tickets events are performed daily.</p> <p><strong>Martinborough Charity Fun Ride</strong></p> <p>This fun <a href="http://www.mcfr.org.nz" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>road cycling event</strong></span></a> held each spring offers riders three distances of 48km, 67km and 115km taking in rural scenery, and passed vineyards and olive groves. Enjoy the best of local hospitality afterwards.</p> <p><strong>How to get there:</strong></p> <p>Martinborough is located at the lower right-hand corner of New Zealandʼs North Island. It is only an hour’s drive or train ride north-east of Wellington, which has daily domestic and international flights, and lies at the heart of the Classic NZ Wine Trail, a self-drive experience along SH2. There is a wide variety of accommodation nearby including luxury lodge Wharekauhau and 5 star hotels to motels and charming cottages. Martinborough is a short drive to the Wairarapa’s other townships of Featherston, Greytown, Carterton and Masterton.</p> <p><em>For more information visit</em> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.wairarapanz.com/" target="_blank">www.wairarapanz.com</a></strong></span></p>

Domestic Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Suri Cruise looks just like dad Tom in this eerily similar new photo

<p>We’ve always seen Suri Cruise as almost a <a href="/news/news/2017/03/katie-holmes-new-photo-of-suri/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">carbon copy of her mum, Katie Holmes</span></strong></a>, but it seems as the 11-year-old grows up, she’s <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2017/08/suri-cruise-looks-just-like-tom/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">taking after her famous dad Tom</span></strong></a> more and more.</p> <p>Over the weekend, Katie treated her daughter to a night out at the hockey to see the New Jersey Devils take on the New York Rangers, and we couldn’t help but notice how much Suri is starting to look like Tom.</p> <p><img width="499" height="595" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44296/1508113205010_suri-cruise-2_499x595.jpg" alt="1508113205010_suri -cruise -2 (1)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Can’t quite see the resemblance? Take a look at this retro shot of Tom from the ‘80s.</p> <p><img width="499" height="595" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44297/1508113209856_tom-cruise_499x595.jpg" alt="1508113209856_TOM-CRUISE" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>The similarities – especially their eyes and smiles – are striking.</p> <p>It must be bittersweet for the youngster to look so much like dad but never get to see him – in fact, <a href="http://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/tom-cruise-daughter-suri-exclusive-133056" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">recent reports</span></strong></a> suggest they haven’t had contact in almost four years.</p> <p>But Suri still has a father figure in her life after Katie debuted her relationship with actor Jamie Foxx <a href="http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/hook-ups-break-ups/all-the-times-katie-holmes-and-jamie-foxx-nearly-got-caught-out/news-story/1535f48dfa8e468613c4f11b1a9743ee" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>last month</strong></span></a> – four years after rumours began swirling that the two were dating. And judging by the grins on both Suri and Katie’s faces, they’re both more than content with family life at the moment.</p> <p>What do you think of the uncanny resemblance between Suri and Tom Cruise? Tell us in the comments below. </p>

Movies

Placeholder Content Image

Tom Cruise makes first public comment about Suri in years

<p>For the past few years, Tom Cruise has remained silent when asked about his 11-year-old daughter, Suri – that is, until Monday. The star, currently in Australia to promote his new film The Mummy, made a rare comment about his daughter with Katie Holmes in an interview with the <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/tom-cruise-on-suris-acting-future-russell-crowes-break-from-spotlight-for-sons-20170522-gwaphw.html" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Sydney Morning Herald</span></strong></em></a>.</p> <p>Upon being asked if Suri might be interested in pursuing an acting career, Cruise responded, “You never know, you never know,” before changing the subject.</p> <p>Tom and Suri’s troubled relationship made headlines last year, when an insider revealed to <em>Star</em> magazine that the 11-year-old had been trying to stay in contact with her dad. “Suri has been talking to Tom behind Katie’s back,” they claimed. “He looks forward to her texts.”</p> <p>It’s believed that Suri is not permitted to talk to her father in public due to his powerful position in the church of Scientology. “Katie is very concerned about Suri being brainwashed,” the source added. “That’s why she wanted to monitor every conversation. She’s well aware of how powerful Scientology is, and she doesn’t want Tom luring Suri away from her. It’s a constant fear.</p> <p>“It’s not surprising that Suri is confused by the lack of communication between her parents. She’s growing up, asking more questions and it’s becoming harder to shield her from the whispers. She wants to speak to her dad.”</p>

News