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Would you be happy as a long-term single? The answer may depend on your attachment style

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-pepping-1524533">Christopher Pepping</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/geoff-macdonald-1527971">Geoff Macdonald</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-toronto-1281">University of Toronto</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tim-cronin-415060">Tim Cronin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuthika-girme-1494822">Yuthika Girme</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a> Are all single people insecure? When we think about people who have been single for a long time, we may assume it’s because single people have insecurities that make it difficult for them to find a partner or maintain a relationship. But is this true? Or can long-term single people also be secure and thriving? Our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jopy.12929">latest research</a> published in the Journal of Personality suggests they can. However, perhaps unsurprisingly, not everybody tends to thrive in singlehood. Our study shows a crucial factor may be a person’s attachment style. <h2>Singlehood is on the rise</h2> Singlehood is on the rise around the world. In Canada, single status among young adults aged 25 to 29 has increased from <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220713/dq220713b-eng.htm">32% in 1981 to 61% in 2021</a>. The number of people <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220713/dq220713a-eng.htm">living solo</a> has increased from 1.7 million people in 1981 to 4.4 million in 2021. People are single for many reasons: <a href="https://www.ucpress.edu/ebook/9780520971004/happy-singlehood">some choose</a> to remain single, some are focusing on <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12147-020-09249-0">personal goals and aspirations</a>, some report <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/08/20/nearly-half-of-u-s-adults-say-dating-has-gotten-harder-for-most-people-in-the-last-10-years/">dating has become harder</a>, and some become single again due to a relationship breakdown. People may also remain single due to their attachment style. Attachment theory is a popular and well-researched model of how we form relationships with other people. An <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=attachment+theory">Amazon search for attachment theory</a> returns thousands of titles. The hashtag #attachmenttheory has been viewed <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/20/why-attachment-theory-is-trending-according-to-dr-amir-levine.html">over 140 million times</a> on TikTok alone. <h2>What does attachment theory say about relationships?</h2> Attachment theory suggests our relationships with others are shaped by our degree of “anxiety” and “avoidance”. Attachment anxiety is a type of insecurity that leads people to feel anxious about relationships and worry about abandonment. Attachment avoidance leads people to feel uncomfortable with intimacy and closeness. People who are lower in attachment anxiety and avoidance are considered “securely attached”, and are comfortable depending on others, and giving and receiving intimacy. Single people are often stereotyped as being <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/01461672231203123">too clingy or non-committal</a>. Research comparing single and coupled people also suggests single people have <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2012.00793.x?casa_token=6iiCm5PjHgkAAAAA:0kBeofx3M-72YrkVppmNxdWBIAImFwm3lAakCnuiNXL20SVP1zaW7UeDIahW_43imAjSRXgtyN0hLVI">higher levels of attachment insecurities</a> compared to people in relationships. At the same time, evidence suggests many single people are choosing to remain single and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17456916221136119">living happy lives</a>. <h2>Single people represent a diverse group of secure and insecure people</h2> In our latest research, our team of social and clinical psychologists examined single people’s attachment styles and how they related to their happiness and wellbeing. We carried out two studies, one of 482 younger single people and the other of 400 older long-term singles. We found overall 78% were categorised as insecure, with the other 22% being secure. Looking at our results more closely, we found four distinct subgroups of singles: <ul> <li> secure singles are relatively comfortable with intimacy and closeness in relationships (22%) </li> <li> anxious singles question whether they are loved by others and worry about being rejected (37%) </li> <li> avoidant singles are uncomfortable getting close to others and prioritise their independence (23% of younger singles and 11% of older long-term singles) </li> <li> fearful singles have heightened anxiety about abandonment, but are simultaneously uncomfortable with intimacy and closeness (16% of younger singles and 28% of older long-term singles). </li> </ul> <h2>Insecure singles find singlehood challenging, but secure singles are thriving</h2> Our findings also revealed these distinct subgroups of singles have distinct experiences and outcomes. Secure singles are happy being single, have a greater number of non-romantic relationships, and better relationships with family and friends. They meet their sexual needs outside romantic relationships and feel happier with their life overall. Interestingly, this group maintains moderate interest in being in a romantic relationship in the future. Anxious singles tend to be the most worried about being single, have lower self-esteem, feel less supported by close others and have some of the lowest levels of life satisfaction across all sub-groups. Avoidant singles show the least interest in being in a romantic relationship and in many ways appear satisfied with singlehood. However, they also have fewer friends and close relationships, and are generally less satisfied with these relationships than secure singles. Avoidant singles also report less meaning in life and tend to be less happy compared to secure singles. Fearful singles reported more difficulties navigating close relationships than secure singles. For instance, they were less able to regulate their emotions, and were less satisfied with the quality of their close relationships relative to secure singles. They also reported some of the lowest levels of life satisfaction across all sub-groups. <h2>It’s not all doom and gloom</h2> These findings should be considered alongside several relevant points. First, although most singles in our samples were insecure (78%), a sizeable number were secure and thriving (22%). Further, simply being in a romantic relationship is not a panacea. Being in an unhappy relationship is linked to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316">poorer life outcomes</a> than being single. It is also important to remember that attachment orientations are not necessarily fixed. They are open to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X18300113">change</a> in response to life events. Similarly, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721413510933">sensitive and responsive behaviours</a> from close others and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231162390">feeling loved and cared about</a> by close others can soothe underlying attachment concerns and foster attachment security over time. Our studies are some of the first to examine the diversity in attachment styles among single adults. Our findings highlight that many single people are secure and thriving, but also that more work can be done to help insecure single people feel more secure in order to foster happiness.<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/227595/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-pepping-1524533">Christopher Pepping</a>, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/geoff-macdonald-1527971">Geoff Macdonald</a>, Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-toronto-1281">University of Toronto</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tim-cronin-415060">Tim Cronin</a>, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuthika-girme-1494822">Yuthika Girme</a>, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser 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/would-you-be-happy-as-a-long-term-single-the-answer-may-depend-on-your-attachment-style-227595">original article</a>.

Relationships

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

Taste depends on nature and nurture. Here are 7 ways you can learn to enjoy foods you don’t like

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-archer-181464">Nicholas Archer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/astrid-poelman-1481227">Astrid Poelman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> You’re out for dinner with a bunch of friends, one of whom orders pizza with anchovies and olives to share, but you hate olives and anchovies! Do you pipe up with your preferred choice – Hawaiian – or stay quiet? This scene plays out every day around the world. Some people ferociously defend their personal tastes. But many would rather expand their palate, and not have to rock the boat the next time someone in their friend group orders pizza. Is it possible to train your tastebuds to enjoy foods you previously didn’t, like training a muscle at the gym? <h2>What determines ‘taste’?</h2> Taste is a complex system we evolved to help us navigate the environment. It helps us select foods with nutritional value and reject anything potentially harmful. Foods are made up of different compounds, including nutrients (such as proteins, sugars and fats) and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P_0HGRWgXw">aromas</a> that are detected by sensors in the mouth and nose. These sensors create the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZn2PMUWO-Y">flavour of food</a>. While taste is what the tastebuds on your tongue pick up, flavour is the combination of how something smells and tastes. Together with texture, appearance and sound, these senses collectively influence your food preferences. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MZn2PMUWO-Y?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Flavour is the overall impression you get when eating.</figcaption></figure> Many factors influence food preferences, including age, genetics and environment. We each live in our own sensory world and no two people will have the same <a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-do-some-people-find-some-foods-yummy-but-others-find-the-same-foods-yucky-77671">experience while eating</a>. Food preferences also change with age. Research has found young children have a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24452237/">natural preference</a> for sweet and salty tastes and a dislike of bitter tastes. As they grow older their ability to like bitter foods grows. Emerging evidence shows bacteria in saliva can also produce enzymes that influence the taste of foods. For instance, saliva has been shown to cause the release of sulphur aromas in cauliflower. The <a href="https://www.acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2021/acs-presspac-september-22-2021/childrens-dislike-of-cauliflower-broccoli-could-be-written-in-their-microbiome.html">more sulphur that is produced</a>, the less likely a kid is to enjoy the taste of cauliflower. <h2>Nature versus nurture</h2> Both genetics and the environment play a crucial role in determining food preferences. Twin studies estimate genetics have a moderate influence on food preferences (between 32% and 54%, depending on the food type) in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000291652305027X?via%3Dihub">children</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27385609/">adolescents</a> and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/twin-research-and-human-genetics/article/dietary-patterns-and-heritability-of-food-choice-in-a-uk-female-twin-cohort/8507AAF01330C599BAC62BCC0EF4CF06">adults</a>. However, since our cultural environment and the foods we’re exposed to also shape our preferences, these <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24452237/">preferences are learned</a> to a large degree. A lot of this learning takes place during childhood, at home and other places we eat. This isn’t textbook learning. <a href="https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/9780851990323.0093">It’s learning</a> by experiencing (eating), which typically leads to increased liking of the food – or by watching what others do (modelling), which can lead to both positive or negative associations. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000291652305027X?via%3Dihub">Research</a> has shown how environmental influences on food preferences change between childhood and adulthood. For children, the main factor is the home environment, which makes sense as kids are more likely to be influenced by foods prepared and eaten at home. Environmental factors influencing adults and adolescents are more varied. <h2>The process of ‘acquiring’ taste</h2> Coffee and beer are good examples of bitter foods people “acquire” a taste for as they grow up. The ability to overcome the dislike of these is largely due to: <ul> <li> the social context in which they’re consumed. For example, in many countries they may be associated with passage into adulthood. </li> <li> the physiological effects of the compounds they contain – caffeine in coffee and alcohol in beer. Many people find these effects desirable. </li> </ul> But what about acquiring a taste for foods that don’t provide such desirable feelings, but which are good for you, such as kale or fatty fish? Is it possible to gain an acceptance for these? Here are some strategies that can help you learn to enjoy foods you currently don’t: <ol> <li> eat, and keep eating. Only a small portion is needed to build a liking for a specific taste over time. It may take 10–15 attempts or more before you can say you “like” the food. </li> <li> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329302001106">mask bitterness</a> by eating it with other foods or ingredients that contain salt or sugar. For instance, you can pair bitter rocket with a sweet salad dressing. </li> <li> eat it repeatedly in a positive context. That could mean eating it after playing your favourite sport or with people you like. Alternatively, you could eat it with foods you already enjoy; if it’s a specific vegetable, try pairing it with your favourite protein. </li> <li> eat it when you’re hungry. In a hungry state you’ll be more willing to accept a taste you might not appreciate on a full stomach. </li> <li> remind yourself why you want to enjoy this food. You may be changing your diet for health reasons, or because you’ve moved countries and are struggling with the local cuisine. Your reason will help motivate you. </li> <li> start young (if possible). It’s easier for children to learn to like new foods as their tastes are less established. </li> <li> remember: the more foods you like, the easier it’ll become to learn to like others. </li> </ol> A balanced and varied diet is essential for good health. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666315003438?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=82a5fd5069821f63">Picky eating</a> can become a problem if it leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies – especially if you’re avoiding entire food groups, such as vegetables. At the same time, eating too many tasty but energy-dense foods can increase your risk of chronic disease, including obesity. Understanding how your food preferences have formed, and how they can evolve, is a first step to getting on the path of healthier eating.<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/215999/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-archer-181464">Nicholas Archer</a>, Research Scientist, Sensory, Flavour and Consumer Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/astrid-poelman-1481227">Astrid Poelman</a>, Principal Researcher, Public Health & Wellbeing Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/taste-depends-on-nature-and-nurture-here-are-7-ways-you-can-learn-to-enjoy-foods-you-dont-like-215999">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

Is Eurovision finally cool? That depends on your definition – ‘cool theory’ expert explain

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vanessa-brown-142590">Vanessa Brown</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/nottingham-trent-university-1338">Nottingham Trent University</a> With an aesthetic dependent on novelty and spectacle, and a structure that’s both disjointed and drawn-out, Eurovision – for some – cannot fail to fail. In its “failed seriousness” (the phrase writer Susan Sontag <a href="https://www.artandobject.com/news/what-camp-met-tries-define-ineffable">used to describe “camp”</a>), the song contest has all the exaggerated expressiveness that audiences associate with kitsch. So, how could it possibly be cool? I’m interested in viewing the show through the lens of <a href="https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/45239/1/1507168_Brown.pdf">cool theory</a> (which identifies different kinds of cool and breaks those down into core qualities). “Coolness” itself is a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14797585.2021.2000837">slippery and controversial term</a> that can mean almost opposing things. For some, “cool” is simply what is fashionable. It can also be a rebellion against what is fashionable. Or an anti-social attitude in which nothing and no one else matters beyond your own stylish persona. Indeed Sam Ryder – the UK’s near-win Eurovision act of 2022 whose high energy performance combined epic, earnest vocals with flowing natural locks, pearly teeth and a bejewelled one-piece – told the Guardian in 2022 that cool is “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/may/19/cool-is-the-enemy-eurovision-hero-sam-ryder-on-how-he-ditched-his-ego-and-found-his-joy">the enemy</a>”. The profile of Ryder claimed he had no interest in the “detached rock star” exterior. This refers to the sense of unwillingness of “cool” musicians to have their dignity compromised by other people’s rules – an unwillingness to be caught making an effort. But Eurovision is all about effort. A publicised drama of rehearsals and heats, nervous waving and nail biting in the green room – the performers are just generally far too eager. Because whether it’s death metal or pared back electronica, being liked is what these musicians are here for. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RZ0hqX_92zI?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Sam Ryder’s 2022 Eurovision performance.</figcaption></figure> On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine the uber-cool 1960s <a href="https://www.loudersound.com/features/krautrock-communism-and-chaos-the-anarchic-story-of-can">krautrock band Can</a> giving two hoots what a jury in Brussels would make of their genre-defining understated rock. Nor the jazz men Miles Davis, Charlie Parker or Lester Young, who set the parameters of cool performance with their sharp, formal attire and <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/cool-shades-9780857854643/">refusal to acknowledge the audience</a>. <h2>What kind of ‘cool’ is Eurovision?</h2> Although the performers of Eurovision aren’t detached, the audience can be. Sociologist Janna Michael’s <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1469540513493206?journalCode=joca">2015 study</a> of European urban hipsters revealed that the point of cool is not what is liked, so much as how it is liked. This goes some way to explaining Eurovision’s appeal. Since the 1980s, Eurovision has been presented (certainly in Britain) as something to enjoy in a specifically detached way, through irony. From 1973 to 2008, former commentator Terry Wogan’s flippant narration allowed the audience to collude in a knowing superiority over the event, finding its failed seriousness funny. The cult following of Eurovision among those with a camp sensibility was further endorsed by the appointment of comedian Graham Norton as Wogan’s more obviously camp successor. Do these fans love Eurovision because they enjoy the catharsis of the unabashed release of “bad taste”? Or because they enjoy feeling superior to those people (and nations) who genuinely engage with the drama of the competition? This is a side of <a href="https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780719066153/Kitsch-Cultural-Politics-Taste-Ruth-0719066158/plp">cool’s ironic detachment that celebrates disdain for others</a>. However, many British fans now speak enthusiastically about the tolerance and openness of Eurovision. As <a href="https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/showbiz-news/eurovisions-rylan-clark-blown-away-26873868">host Rylan Clark said this year</a>: “Everyone is welcome.” In recent years Eurovision has become more obviously and consciously open to gender diversity and aligned to LGBTQ+ tastes. This was crystallised by bearded Austrian drag queen Conchita’s winning performance in 2014. The <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2023/05/11/eurovision-alesha-dixon-and-hannah-waddingham-turned-into-drag-queens-18770837/">drag makeovers given to all three semi-final hosts this year</a> confirmed the contest’s status as a space which endorses self-creation, individuality and tolerance – all aspects of the cool attitude. <h2>Becoming mainstream</h2> In the past, scholars of the theory of coolness have often focused too heavily on men and masculine, emotionally blank forms of “cool”, with composure and self-possession at their heart. Though this brand of cool is eloquently expressed in jazz, it is also visible in the consummate performer of drag. Thanks to the popularity of shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race, drag – once enjoyed purely in LGBTQ+ subcultures – is now mainstream entertainment. This is perhaps one reason Eurovision has suddenly become perceived as “cool” <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120607180110.htm">by some</a>. But experiences of exclusion and marginalisation have historically been the conditions in which modern cool has been forged. The very fact that Eurovision has been viewed for decades as a cultural white elephant, a place of almost inconsequential melodrama, gives it the potential to be resurrected as cool. Liking Eurovision was once an anti-mainstream position. This gave the show the potential to become “cool”, through both its exaggeration of qualities seen as undesirable by dominant social tastes, and its willingness to push the boundaries of convention, despite the detractors. The concept of cool is complicated – and it is changing. Indeed, <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120607180110.htm">some recent studies</a> have shown that perception of coolness is connected to activism and pro-social traits. Eurovision may seem like sparkly fluff, but perhaps now more than ever, it is also a vehicle for promoting greater acceptance of other ways of life. It’s all cool.<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/205600/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vanessa-brown-142590">Vanessa Brown</a>, Course Leader MA Culture, Style and Fashion, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/nottingham-trent-university-1338">Nottingham Trent 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/is-eurovision-finally-cool-that-depends-on-your-definition-cool-theory-expert-explains-205600">original article</a>.

Music

Keanu Reeves mourns the sudden death of John Wick co-star

Keanu Reeves is mourning the loss of good friend and John Wick co-star Lance Reddick, who passed away suddenly aged 60. “We are deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Lance Reddick,” Reeves, 58, and director Chad Stahelski said in a joint statement to Variety. “He was the consummate professional and a joy to work with. Our love and prayers are with his wife Stephanie, his children, family and friends.” Reeves and Stahelski have shared they will dedicate John Wick: Chapter 4, which will be released in cinemas on March 23, to Reddick’s “loving memory”. “We will miss him dearly,” they said, Page Six reported. Reddick’s wife, Stephanie, whom he married in 2011, shared a message on his Instagram for his 139,000 followers. “Lance was taken from us far too soon,” she said. “Thank you for all your overwhelming love, support and beautiful stories shared on these platforms over the last day. I see your messages and can’t begin to express how grateful I am to have them.” “And to the thousands of Destiny players who played in special tribute to Lance, thank you,” she added. “Lance loved you as much as he loved the game.” Reddick, perhaps best known for his role in the crime series The Wire, also played Commander Zavala in the Destiny franchise. Representatives for the actor confirmed his death in a statement to People, saying that he “passed away suddenly this morning from natural causes”. “Lance was best known for his roles in The Wire, Bosch, Netflix’s Resident Evil and the John Wick films,” his reps added. “He is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and children, Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick. “Lance will be greatly missed. Please respect his family’s privacy at this time.” Reddick’s body was discovered by police at his home in Studio City, California, according to TMZ. Wendell Pierce, who co-starred with Reddick on the hit HBO show The Wire, mourned the loss of a “man of great strength and grace” on Twitter. “As talented a musician as he was an actor,” he tweeted. “The epitome of class. An [sic] sudden unexpected sharp painful grief for our artistic family. An unimaginable suffering for his personal family and loved ones. Godspeed my friend. You made your mark here. RIP.” Ben Stiller, who worked alongside Reddick’s late mother, Anne Meara, in the play Afterplay, also took to Twitter to honour the actor. “Lance Reddick was an [sic] beautiful and compelling actor,” he tweeted. “And a beautiful person … He was exquisite in that and all he did. Nothing is lost.” In December 2021, the late actor praised his working relationship with Reeves, describing him as “someone who’s very generous as an actor and then all about the work”. “On one hand I feel like I don’t know him very well, but on the other, I just adore that guy,” he had told Vulture. “He’s such a wonderful human being.” Image credit: Getty

Caring

Jetlag hits differently depending on your travel direction. Here are 6 tips to get over it

After a few difficult years of lockdowns and travel restrictions, people are finally winging their way across the globe again; families are being reunited and sights are being seen. Yet the joys of international travel often come with a side of jetlag, which can make it hard to initially enjoy a holiday, and to settle in once you return home. Why do people experience jetlag? And is there anything you can do to lessen its effects? <h2>What causes jetlag?</h2> The term “jetlag” describes the physical and cognitive symptoms people experience when travelling quickly across several timezones. Before you leave for a trip, you’re synchronised to your local time. Once you enter a new timezone, your body’s rhythms are no longer lined up with the clock on the wall. That’s when jetlag symptoms hit. You’re sleepy when you want to be awake, and wide awake when you want to be asleep. You’re hungry in the middle of the night, and might feel bloated or nauseous if you eat during the day. Until your body clock and all the rhythms it controls line up with the new local time, you are physiologically and mentally discombobulated. Not a happy holiday vibe! <h2>Jetlag isn’t the same for everyone</h2> Interestingly, the experience of jetlag varies between people. That’s because we all tick along to our own internal rhythm. Most of us have a natural daily cycle of about 24.2 hours. So if we lived in a cave and didn’t see any light, our sleep/wake cycle and other daily rhythms would tick along at about 24.2 hours. Researchers think <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsfs.2019.0098">this is an evolutionary adaptation</a> that allows us to adjust to different day lengths across the year. But some people have slightly longer cycles than others, and this may play a role in how a person experiences jetlag. <a href="https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000418">Research suggests</a> if you have a longer cycle you might adjust quicker to westward travel, such as when travelling from Australia to South Africa, but we don’t know if a shorter cycle helps going the other way. We also get a little less resilient as we age, so the older among us might have worse jetlag symptoms. <h2>Does direction of travel matter?</h2> More generally, many people find westward travel, where you “gain” time, a bit easier. Say Jasmine and Sarah depart Adelaide at the same time. Jasmine lands in Perth in the afternoon, where it’s about 2.5 hours earlier in the day. She sees some sights and easily falls asleep at about 8.30pm local time. She then wakes up very early and starts her day. Because Jasmine’s body clock naturally delays – shifting a little later relative to the local time each day – after a few days she is fully synchronised. Sarah, meanwhile, lands in Auckland which is about 2.5 hours later in the day. She takes advantage of the balmy evening and some of the night, and is wide awake until 2am. She then struggles out of bed when the alarm goes off at 7am, because it’s still 4.30am on her body clock. Sarah will likely feel the effects of jetlag more severely than Jasmine, and for longer. <h2>Is jetlag just ‘psychological’?</h2> Some people might wonder if jetlag is just in your head. Well, in a way it is, because it’s a mismatch between your body’s internal time (which is determined in your brain) and your local time. But that doesn’t mean you can talk yourself out of jetlag. It’s better thought of as a physiological condition, rather than a psychological one. Luckily, there are a few simple ways to alleviate jetlag symptoms and help your body clock adjust. This is particularly important <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01502-0">for elite athletes</a> who travel to compete. <ol> <li> First, decide whether it’s worth trying to adapt to the new time or not. If it’s only a short trip, it might make more sense to stay on your home time. If it’s longer than three days, start consciously moving your own rhythms – such as when you sleep, eat, exercise and get sunlight – towards the new timezone. </li> <li> If you’re trying to shift your body clock, it’s a good idea to start on the plane. Set your watch to your destination’s timezone and line up your activities accordingly. </li> <li> Keep caffeine and alcohol intake low on the journey. This will be better for sleep and hydration, and will help with adjusting your body clock to the new timezone. </li> <li> When adjusting to a new timezone, try to sleep during the local night time and just rest when you need to at other times. Short naps can give you a boost to get through the day and evening activities. Aim for about 30 minutes and avoid naps later in the day as you near your actual planned bedtime. </li> <li> Gastrointestinal discomfort is a symptom of jet lag. If you’re prone to or experience tummy trouble while travelling, stick to small meals and eat when you’re hungry. Your body will tell you when it’s ready for food. Tip 3 about caffeine and alcohol applies here too. </li> <li> Get outside. Sunlight is key to adjusting to a new timezone. Depending on your timezone change, appropriately-timed <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00927/full">outside activities</a> will help. </li> </ol> If that’s not enough, the Sleep Health Foundation has more tips <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/tips-to-help-combat-jet-lag.html">here</a>. Images: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/jetlag-hits-differently-depending-on-your-travel-direction-here-are-6-tips-to-get-over-it-196730">The Conversation</a>.

International Travel

How to empower older adults to become digital citizens in our tech-dependent world

Living in a technology dependent world means we all want to stay connected, regardless of age. And the COVID-19 pandemic was a major catalyst <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ijinfomgt.2020.102171">for increasing our technological dependence</a>. It became normal to do weekly online grocery shops, attend doctors’ appointments or work via Zoom and FaceTime family and friends. The reality is however, that not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to the technological devices or skills to operate in our online world — some of the most impacted by this are older adults. This <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-020-00154-3">magnified the pandemic for them, especially in terms of isolation</a>. Older adults were left without the main resource that has been keeping many of us connected — technology. But that’s not all the pandemic has laid bare for older adults. A <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-aging-face-of-homelessness-in-north-american-cities-111702">large number of them are also either experiencing, or are vulnerable to homelessness</a>. Older adults have become one of the <a href="https://www.homelesshub.ca/resource/%E2%80%9Cno-home-no-place%E2%80%9D-addressing-complexity-homelessness-old-age-through-community-dialogue">groups most at-risk for housing insecurities during the pandemic</a>. And one of the <a href="https://www.homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/education-training-employment/poverty">largest barriers to housing, is low socioeconomic status</a>. Our technological dependence has created new challenges for older adults, and helped solidify pre-existing ones, like navigating online platforms to secure housing. Older adults face housing barriers due to the lack of technological resources and education on how to use them; there is a clear need to empower them to be digital citizens. <h2>Finding housing in an internet-dependent world</h2> Overall, older adults are often excluded from using the internet because they <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa098">lack devices and connectivity, or are inexperienced in using it</a>. So when it comes to finding housing, they’re often left behind. A decade ago, it was possible to walk through the streets, sift through newspapers, notice boards and discover apartments for rent, but this is increasingly uncommon. The platforms themselves — like Kijiji, PadMapper and Facebook Marketplace — are not made with older adults in mind; meaning <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0308518X19869678">the ability to navigate and access these resources makes it even more difficult for them to find housing</a>. On top of having to search through unfamiliar platforms, they’re also faced with finding an apartment on a limited budget. Imagine you don’t know housing websites exist. Or know how to navigate online ads. Or have a device to access the internet. You’re put at a serious disadvantage when it comes to accessing housing. In North America “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0308518X19869678">large portions of the rental housing market have moved online … more renters in urbanized areas found their current homes through a site like Craigslist than through any other information channel</a>.” Meaning the majority of rental properties are accessible through online platforms. Older adults who are not part of this digital world have limited opportunities to find housing. We don’t want to suggest that finding an apartment is impossible but, if you are an older adult lacking technological resources and digital literacy, it may feel overwhelming. <h2>Making technology more accessible</h2> How can we move forward in this digital world, when so many are being left behind? We should at least make technology accessible, so the choice is up to the user. When it comes to older adults, having the liberty to choose their involvement with technology can provide independence and autonomy. When the decision is theirs to make, their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.05.092">quality of life tends to increase, especially regarding social isolation</a>. While <a href="https://www.ncoa.org/article/top-10-financial-scams-targeting-seniors">older adults are more vulnerable to phishing and scams</a> and may have trouble recognizing fake housing advertisements, <a href="https://helpagecanada.ca/seniors-can-connect/">having support</a> and <a href="https://youthteachingadults.ca/resources/">educational resources</a> can <a href="https://www.connectedcanadians.ca/">promote the adoption of a conscious and cautious attitude</a> online, promote the use of trusted websites and avoid disclosing personal information such as SIN and credit card information. This can actively enable older adults to feel more comfortable and confident online. We are a part of the <a href="https://www.sfu.ca/airp/news-events/in-the-news/spike-in-homelessness-among-aged-prompts-research-for-solutions-.html">Aging in the Right Place (AIRP) Project</a> which looks at the causes of homelessness for older adults in order to evaluate <a href="https://www.seniorsservicessociety.ca/">current promising practices in place, such as temporary housing that support older adults who are at risk of experiencing homelessness</a>. An integral part of this project is to not only be in close contact with the people working towards supporting this population, but also with older people experiencing homelessness themselves. In our preliminary client interviews of those living in the temporary housing, we’re often told how invaluable technology is when searching for stable housing. <h2>Technology can improve quality of life</h2> As a society we assume older adults are not interested in various technologies, <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/07/seniors-technology-illiteracy-misconception-pandemic.html">not because they’re resisting but because technologies that currently exist were simply not created with them in mind</a>. Failing to include older adults as technology users further perpetuates the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39949-2_15">social, information and digital exclusion they experience</a>. This <a href="https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=425680">leaves very few opportunities for them to access education and awareness</a>. Opportunities that do exist to learn are often found in schools or at work — which are environments many older adults no longer frequent. Technology can improve the quality of life for older adults by providing ease, inclusion and comfort by making the essentials, like finding housing, more accessible. It’s time we <a href="https://helpagecanada.ca/seniors-can-connect/">draw on the resources</a> <a href="https://youthteachingadults.ca/resources/">and educational initiatives</a> <a href="https://www.connectedcanadians.ca/">in place and reach out to the ones who have been left behind</a>. Let’s empower older adults to be digital citizens. As digital citizens, they will have more opportunities to secure housing and tools to prevent homelessness. These supports will not only give them a sense of involvement in a technologically dependent world, but also provide a sense of belonging and inclusion in today’s society. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-empower-older-adults-to-become-digital-citizens-in-our-tech-dependent-world-167010" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Retirement Life

Is AI-generated art really creative? It depends on the presentation

<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/apr/04/mind-blowing-ai-da-becomes-first-robot-to-paint-like-an-artist">Ai-Da</a> sits behind a desk, paintbrush in hand. She looks up at the person posing for her, and then back down as she dabs another blob of paint onto the canvas. A lifelike portrait is taking shape. If you didn’t know a robot produced it, this portrait could pass as the work of a human artist. Ai-Da is touted as the “first robot to paint like an artist”, and an exhibition of her work called <a href="https://www.ai-darobot.com/exhibition">Leaping into the Metaverse</a> opened at the Venice Biennale. Ai-Da produces portraits of sitting subjects using a robotic hand attached to her lifelike feminine figure. She’s also able to talk, giving detailed answers to questions about her artistic process and attitudes towards technology. She even gave a TEDx talk about “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaZJG7jiRak">The Intersection of Art and AI</a>” (artificial intelligence) in Oxford a few years ago. While the words she speaks are programmed, Ai-Da’s creators have also been experimenting with having her write and perform her own poetry. But how are we to interpret Ai-Da’s output? Should we consider her paintings and poetry original or creative? Are these works actually art? <h2>Art is subjective</h2> What discussions about AI and creativity often overlook is the fact that creativity is not an absolute quality that can be defined, measured and reproduced objectively. When we describe an object – for instance, a child’s drawing – as being creative, we project our own assumptions about culture onto it. Indeed, art never exists in isolation. It always needs someone to give it “art” status. And the criteria for whether you think something is art is informed by both your individual expectations and broader cultural conceptions. If we extend this line of thinking to AI, it follows that no AI application or robot can objectively be “creative”. It is always us – humans – who decide if what AI has created is art. In our <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14614448221077278?journalCode=nmsa">recent research</a>, we propose the concept of the “Lovelace effect” to refer to when and how machines such as robots and AI are seen as original and creative. The Lovelace effect – named after the 19th century mathematician often called the first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace – shifts the focus from the technological capabilities of machines to the reactions and perceptions of those machines by humans. The programmer of an AI application or the designer of a robot does not just use technical means to make the public see their machine as creative. This also happens through presentation: how, where and why we interact with a technology; how we talk about that technology; and where we feel that technology fits in our personal and cultural contexts. <h2>In the eye of the beholder</h2> Our reception of Ai-Da is, in fact, informed by various cues that suggest her “human” and “artist” status. For example, Ai-Da’s robotic figure looks much like a human – she’s even called a “she”, with a feminine-sounding name that not-so-subtly suggests an Ada Lovelace influence. This femininity is further asserted by the blunt bob that frames her face (although she has sported some other funky hairstyles in the past), perfectly preened eyebrows and painted lips. Indeed, Ai-Da looks much like the quirky title character of the 2001 film Amélie. This is a woman we have seen before, either in film or our everyday lives. Ai-Da also wears conventionally “artsy” clothing, including overalls, mixed fabric patterns and eccentric cuts. In these outfits, she produces paintings that look like a human could have made them, and which are sometimes framed and displayed among human work. We also talk about her as we would a human artist. An article in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/apr/04/mind-blowing-ai-da-becomes-first-robot-to-paint-like-an-artist">the Guardian</a>, for example, gives a shout-out to “the world premier of her solo exhibition at the 2022 Venice Biennale”. If we didn’t know that Ai-Da was a robot, we could easily be led to appreciate her work as we would that of any other artist. Some may see robot-produced paintings as coming from creative computers, while others may be more skeptical, given the fact that robots act on clear human instructions. In any case, attributions of creativity never depend on technical configurations alone – no computer is objectively creative. Rather, attributions of computational creativity are largely inspired by contexts of reception. In other words, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. As the Lovelace effect shows, through particular social cues, audiences are prompted to think about output as art, systems as artists, and computers as creative. Just like the frames around Ai-Da’s paintings, the frames we use to talk about AI output indicate whether or not what we are looking at can be called art. But, as with any piece of art, your appreciation of AI output ultimately depends on your own interpretation. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-ai-generated-art-really-creative-it-depends-on-the-presentation-181663" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Art

Fennel looking a bit feeble? Growing enough veggies to feed yourself depends on these 3 things

<div class="copy"> Farming inside city boundaries is <a href="https://www.fao.org/urban-agriculture/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the rise</a> as countries become more urbanised and people seek to connect with the source of their food and improve their sustainability. But despite the productivity potential of home food gardens and the like, they are rarely analysed as serious farming systems. There’s little data, for example, on how much can be grown on an average suburban property. As climate change <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0217148" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">threatens</a> global food supplies, however, building sustainable urban food systems will be crucial. Our research has examined how productive the average home vegetable garden really is, and how to get the most from your patch. <h2>Lawn with a side of salad?</h2> Urban agriculture refers to growing produce and raising livestock inside a city’s boundary. In Australian cities, it might involve a home vegetable patch, community garden, backyard beehives, an edible rooftop garden on an apartment block, indoor hydroponics, a communal orchard and more. Sometimes, especially in developing countries, urban farming can help address issues such as poverty, unemployment and food insecurity. More broadly, it can increase access to healthy, fresh produce and lead to more sustainable food production. It can also help us save money and improve our well-being. Societies have traditionally lent on urban farming during times of stress. So it’s no surprise the practice resurged during the COVID pandemic. In Australia, keeping edible gardens significantly helped people maintain mental health during lowdown, <a href="https://sustain.org.au/projects/pandemic-gardening-survey-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">particularly</a> those on low incomes. But to what extent can we rely on our backyard gardens to meet all our fresh produce needs? Our research shows these three factors are key. <h2>1. Give up some lawn</h2> We <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.102770" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">looked at</a> the potential for food production at about 40,000 residential properties in suburban Adelaide – mostly free-standing homes. We calculated the amount of land required for a household of 2.5 people to grow the recommended five servings of vegetables per person each day. Then, using high-resolution aerial imagery to get a birds eye view of properties, we identified those with enough lawn area to make that happen. Some 21m² of lawn is needed to produce the recommended vegetable intake. In a scenario where a garden is high-yielding, this would require converting 23% of lawn area on a typical block into a vegetable patch. Of the properties modelled, 93% had the room to a create 21m² garden from the total lawn space. In a medium-yield garden, 72% of lawn on a typical block would need converting to produce enough vegetables to feed a household – equating to 67m². We limited the research to in-ground veggie production and didn’t include fruit trees. So a property’s potential to grow food would be even higher if food gardens or fruit trees already exist, or other garden beds or paved areas could be converted. <h2>2. Up your gardening game</h2> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230232" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a> out of Adelaide, which surveyed about 30 home gardeners, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.102770" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found</a> yields per square metre ranged from 0.24kg to 16.07kg per year. This suggests a high rate of variability in home garden productivity – notwithstanding the fact people grow different crops. Not all of us have green thumbs and in some cases, your veggie patch might not yield as much as you hoped. Perhaps you gave it too much or too little water. Maybe you didn’t have time to pull out weeds or harvest produce. Pests and fungus might have struck down your crop. You may have planted the wrong seeds at the wrong time or just have poor soil. Our research suggests low-yield gardens would need 1,407m² of converted lawn to meet the vegetable needs of a household. However, less than 0.5% of properties in the analysed Adelaide sites had so much land. So to reach self-sufficiency in urban agriculture environments, medium to high yields are preferred. Skilled gardeners with high yields will need much less land. Given the space constraints in cities, upskilling gardeners is important to maximising production. <h2>3. Know what’s in your soil</h2> Good soil <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130808" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">is a key factor</a> in productive gardens. It needs a good structure (one that allows water and air to enter and drain easily, while retaining enough moisture) an ample supply of plant nutrients and a rich microbial community. In city areas, heavy metal contamination and pollution of soils can be a concern. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122900" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">We examined</a> soils at 12 urban agricultural sites in Adelaide, and found in all cases that metal concentrations did not exceed health guidelines for residential areas – even at sites with an industrial history. But this might not always be the case. An <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653518302467?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> of residential and community gardens in Melbourne, for example, showed some soils were contaminated at levels which could pose a human health hazard. This highlights the importance of testing urban soils before planting. Proper management of inputs – particularly fertiliser – is also key. Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122900" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> has found urban gardeners can choose from a variety of organic waste-based fertilisers such as spent coffee grounds, food scraps or lawn clippings. But this abundance can lead to imbalances. In Adelaide, for example, the widespread use of freely available horse manure led to excessive phosphorous levels in almost all of the 12 tested sites. This imbalance can depress plant growth and damage the broader environment. <h2>Helping city gardens flourish</h2> Urban agriculture has been <a href="https://www.fial.com.au/urban-agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">identified</a> as a A$4 billion economic growth opportunity for Australia. However, suburban blocks are trending towards smaller yards with less growing space. Given the many benefits of urban farming, it’s time to think more seriously about maximising efficiency and scale. Community gardens are well placed for knowledge-sharing. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1809707115" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a> on 13 community gardens in Sydney revealed they were very high-yield – around twice as productive than the typical Australian commercial vegetable farm. Funding for more community gardens, and other education opportunities for urban gardeners, would be a valuable investment in improving public health and sustainability. This should be coupled with policy and planning decisions designed to increase the amount of urban farming space in our cities. Image credits: Getty Images <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=194567&title=Fennel+looking+a+bit+feeble%3F+Growing+enough+veggies+to+feed+yourself+depends+on+these+3%26nbsp%3Bthings" width="1" height="1" /></div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/sustainability/global-food-crisis-garden/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by The Conversation. </div>

Home Hints & Tips

An artists success depends on their contacts

As it turns out, the prestigious art world might not be entirely fair. At least, that’s what a group of researchers, led by Samuel Fraiberger of Northeastern University in Boston, US, find out by studying the network of prestigious – or less prestigious – exhibition spaces, such as galleries, museums, and auction houses. In a new study published in the journal Science, Fraiberger and colleagues find that early exposure in posh places pays off. “Early access to prestigious central institutions offered life-long access to high-prestige venues and reduced dropout rate,” they write. To conduct the analysis, art institutions were ranked by prestige, based on longevity, artists exhibited, art fair participation, and other qualities. Within these, the researchers identified a network of cross-exhibiting artists’ work. High-prestige institutions were strongly linked. For instance, New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Guggenheim were linked 33 times more strongly than expected if artists moved randomly between institutions. Fraiberger and colleagues find that artists who exhibit at high-prestige institutions for their first five exhibits were more likely to be at those institutions a decade later. They were also more likely to find long-term success in the art world, with 39% continuing to exhibit versus only 14% for artists whose first exhibitions had been at lower-prestige places. The researchers then looked retrospectively at the careers of 31,794 artists, born between 1950 and 1990, each of whom had at least 10 exhibitions. They find similar results. “As a group, high–initial reputation artists had continuous access to high-prestige institutions during their entire career,” they write. On the other hand, artists that did not have initial access to prestigious institutions advanced only slowly throughout their careers – assuming their careers continued. The researchers also find that country of origin is related to initial reception, while talent should not be. Fraiberger and his colleagues conclude that the prestige of an artist’s initial exhibition space has a lasting effect on his or her career – and that it may not be related to the “quality” of the art. Because the value of art is subjective, “reputation and networks of influence play a key role” in an artist’s success, the researchers argue. “Quality in art is elusive,” they write. “Art appeals to individual senses, pleasures, feelings, and emotions. Recognition depends on variables external to the work itself, like its attribution, the artist’s body of work, the display venue, and the work’s relationship to art history as a whole. “Recognition and value are shaped by a network of experts, curators, collectors, and art historians whose judgments act as gatekeepers for museums, galleries, and auction houses.” They suggest that the so-called gatekeepers of the art world should seek to make it more inclusive. “For example, the art world could benefit from the implementation of lottery systems that offer some underrepresented artists access to high-prestige venues, or blind selection procedures, successfully implemented in classical music, enhancing the inclusion of neglected works and artists,” they write. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/for-artists-success-really-does-depend-on-who-not-what-you-know/">Cosmos Magazine</a>.

Art

Australia has a heritage conservation problem. Can farming and Aboriginal heritage protection co-exist?

Rio Tinto’s destruction of the 46,000 year old Juukan Gorge rock shelters has led to recommendations by the Parliamentary Inquiry on <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportjnt/024757/toc_pdf/AWayForward.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf">how Australia can better conserve Aboriginal heritage sites</a>. Around the time the recommendations were made, Queensland’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act faced an important test when a pastoralist who cleared 500 hectares of bushland at Kingvale Station in Cape York <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/qld-country-hour/scott-harris-cleared-of-breaching-cultural-heritage-act/13592850">was charged</a> with failing to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage. The charges were eventually <a href="https://www.northqueenslandregister.com.au/story/7474626/cultural-heritage-charges-against-scott-harris-dismissed/">dismissed</a> but the prosecution, the first of its kind in Queensland, highlights weaknesses in the law. Like related legislation in other Australian states and territories, Queensland’s law requires landholders to conserve Aboriginal heritage sites or risk prosecution. But the law has been criticised by many Aboriginal people and heritage specialists for allowing destructive development by removing any ability for government to independently assess how proposed clearing would affect Aboriginal heritage. Under the “duty of care” provisions in the Act, Aboriginal heritage must be protected even if it is not known to landholders. However, as the Kingvale clearing case heard, if Aboriginal heritage is not known, how can it be shown to have been lost? <h2>What we learned from the Kingvale clearing case</h2> In 2013, the former Newman government in Queensland removed protection for the environment by introducing the Vegetation Management Act which enabled clearing of what they deemed as “high value agricultural projects” in Cape York. The World Wildlife Foundation argued this would see large areas of forest and bushland destroyed. Advocates for the new Act <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2013-05-22/veg-law-pass/4705890">argued</a> primary producers are “acutely aware of their responsibility to care for the environment”. In opening up new areas of Cape York to clearing, this legislation posed new threats to heritage sites. In this context the landholder of Kingvale decided he did not need to assess cultural heritage when clearing 500 hectares. At the conclusion of the hearing into this case, Judge Julie Dick of the Cairns District Court instructed the jury to return <a href="https://www.cairnspost.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=CPWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cairnspost.com.au%2Fnews%2Fcairns%2Fcape-york-grazier-cleared-of-criminal-land-clearing-charges%2Fnews-story%2F1d124158e58936a302f1ee5d159ad841&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium">a not-guilty verdict</a>, exonerating the landholder, as the offence could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt. The landholder’s legal team noted in the media if their defendant had been found guilty, every landholder (including freeholders) who had cleared land, built a fence or firebreak, ploughed a paddock, or built a road or airstrip since 2003 would potentially be guilty of a criminal offence. The defendant argued the ramifications of the legal case were significant <blockquote> for the rest of Queensland […] anyone who mowed a lawn or cut down a tree since 2003 would be automatically liable. </blockquote> In our view, this is hyperbole. <a href="https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/pdf/inforce/2016-09-27/act-2003-079">Section 21 of the Act</a> makes explicit a person’s right to enjoy the normal and allowed use of their land to the extent they don’t harm Aboriginal heritage. Further, a person doesn’t commit an offence if they take into account the nature of the activity and the likelihood of it causing harm. Mowing the lawn is quite different to clearing 500 hectares of native vegetation. The setting of this activity is also important. Kingvale Station is located 100 kilometres west of the national heritage listed Quinkan Country. Heritage studies in similar landscapes across Cape York have identified scarred trees, artefact scatters, stone arrangements and cultural burial places. Based on our heritage experience across Queensland, it would be surprising not to find Aboriginal heritage sites at Kingvale. To reduce heritage risks, we assess the potential impacts of an activity, and talk with relevant Aboriginal groups about their sites and heritage values. Archaeologists and anthropologists also develop models to predict where unknown sites are likely to be found. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431020/original/file-20211109-23-aylfq7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Recorded archaeological sites across Cape York. The distribution pattern reflects several key heritage surveys. It is expected that cultural sites would be found across the cape, including within the 500 hectares cleared at Kingvale. Image by Kelsey M. Lowe. <h2>Can farming and the conservation of Aboriginal heritage co-exist?</h2> The best way to conserve heritage is for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians to work together to identify, document, and protect places. An important example is the discovery of human remains from a mortuary tree west of St George, southern Queensland. The site was discovered during fence clearing by the landholder, who contacted the police. We worked with the landholder who has supported the Kooma nations people to conserve the mortuary tree and enable it to remain on country. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qKJs23hwLXA?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Courtesy of Tony Miscamble, NGH Consulting. A further example from Mithaka Country saw a spectacular stone arrangement discovered by a pastoral station manager, who notified the native title holders. All are now engaging with researchers to <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnation%2Fstones-point-way-to-indigenous-silk-road%2Fnews-story%2F8318b531d82263beab4afd089fd8d559&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium">investigate the site’s history</a>. Dozens of other examples around the state illustrate collaborative approaches to heritage conservation. But more effective legislation is urgently needed in response to Kingvale’s failed prosecution. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430631/original/file-20211107-10010-f752su.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> A spectacular stone arrangement from Mithaka country. Image courtesy of Lyndon Mechielsen <h2>How can we improve cultural heritage protection?</h2> The Juukan Gorge case highlighted how Australia has a problem protecting its Aboriginal cultural heritage. The final report of the parliamentary inquiry into the disaster made several <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportjnt/024757/toc_pdf/AWayForward.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf">recommendations</a> that could help pave a way forward. Instances like Kingvale emphasise more work needs to be done. The Queensland government needs to act now to address the glaring problem with its heritage legislation. Heritage management investment will also help. Victoria provides an example of how to improve Aboriginal heritage management. A standout action is the roll-out of a Certificate IV in Aboriginal cultural heritage management, with over 500 Aboriginal graduates to date. This program is decentralising heritage management and empowering Aboriginal people across Victoria, building a level of professionalism rarely seen in other states. Establishing treaties and agreements similar to those in Canada and New Zealand could go a long way to enable First Nations people in Australia to authoritatively protect their respective cultural heritage sites. Heritage conservation will remain challenging, particularly in resource-rich states like Queensland. But we can do better. Judge Dick’s ruling, while frustrating for the effort to conserve heritage, is crucial as it highlights weaknesses in the law. This trial, along with the Juukan Gorge incident, may represent a critical tipping point in the struggle to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage in Queensland and across Australia.<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170956/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-westaway-118240">Michael Westaway</a>, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Archaeology, School of Social Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-gorringe-1237694">Joshua Gorringe</a>, General Manager Mithaka Aboriginal Corporation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/indigenous-knowledge-4846">Indigenous Knowledge</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelsey-m-lowe-1287335">Kelsey M. Lowe</a>, Senior Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-martin-595866">Richard Martin</a>, Senior lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ross-mitchell-1288513">Ross Mitchell</a>, Common Law holder and director of Kooma Aboriginal Corporation Native Title PBC, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/indigenous-knowledge-4846">Indigenous Knowledge</a> 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/australia-has-a-heritage-conservation-problem-can-farming-and-aboriginal-heritage-protection-co-exist-170956">original article</a>. Image: Dave Hunt/AAP Image

Domestic Travel

COP26: New Zealand depends on robust new rules for global carbon trading to meets its climate pledge

As the <a href="https://ukcop26.org/">COP26</a> climate summit draws to a close, debate continues on one key issue in particular: a new rule book for global carbon trading to allow countries to purchase emissions reductions from overseas to count towards their own climate action. The world has generally welcomed headline-grabbing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/07/so-what-has-cop26-achieved-so-far">agreements</a> on halting deforestation and tackling methane and <a href="https://ukcop26.org/end-of-coal-in-sight-at-cop26/">coal</a>. Likewise ambitious commitments from some large polluters, most notably <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/07/so-what-has-cop26-achieved-so-far">India’s pledge</a> to reach net zero carbon by 2070. But the devil is in the detail and there is serious concern that some of these commitments are only voluntary, while others look unachievable. Defining the rules for international carbon trading is a contentious agenda item — but one that will partly determine whether countries can meet their pledges and collectively limit global warming to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/05/president-of-paris-summit-says-18c-commitment-is-only-hypothetical">as close to 1.5℃ as possible</a>. The new rules, known as <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/in-depth-q-and-a-how-article-6-carbon-markets-could-make-or-break-the-paris-agreement">Article 6</a> under the <a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement">Paris Agreement</a>, will be important for New Zealand. During COP26, New Zealand announced its new Nationally Determined Contribution (<a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs">NDC</a>) to reduce emissions by <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/climate-change-conference-emissions-to-be-cut-by-50-per-cent-below-2005-levels-by-2030/WRDDTBYBIRDSOTQSDP7UH6KWLI/">50% on 2005 levels by 2030</a>. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described this as “our fair share” and it is indeed a significant step up on New Zealand’s previous pledge to cut emissions by 30%. It leaves the country with 571 Megatons of CO₂-equivalent emissions to “spend” between 2022 and 2030. <h2>New rules for global carbon trading</h2> The New Zealand government stated its “<a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/climate-change-conference-emissions-to-be-cut-by-50-per-cent-below-2005-levels-by-2030/WRDDTBYBIRDSOTQSDP7UH6KWLI/">first priority</a>” was to reduce domestic emissions, but it acknowledged that alone could not meet the country’s new pledge. In fact, two thirds of the promised emissions reductions will have to come through overseas arrangements, especially with nations in the Asia-Pacific region. The <a href="https://www.climatecommission.govt.nz/our-work/advice-to-government-topic/inaia-tonu-nei-a-low-emissions-future-for-aotearoa/test-summary/">Climate Change Commission</a> has been critical of this approach, describing it as “purchasing offshore mitigation, rather than [doing] what was necessary to achieve actual emissions reductions at source”. But the approach is allowed under the <a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement">Paris Agreement</a>, which all states at COP26 have signed up to. This would allow one country to buy credits from another country that has exceeded its NDC, or to carry out activities that reduce emissions in another (host) country and count those towards its own NDC. It also supports non-market approaches to climate cooperation between countries around technology transfer, finance and capacity building. But these provisions have proved contentious, not least because they could result in double counting of emissions reductions, unless clear and robust operational rules are agreed. The COP26 summit has made some progress on this, but many finer details are yet to be resolved. <h2>Cutting emissions at home versus elsewhere</h2> Uncertainty about carbon market rules will be particularly problematic for New Zealand, given its reliance on overseas activities to meet its new NDC. There are also practical questions around how much of these activities will count towards New Zealand’s NDC, and how ready potential partners in the Pacific are for such carbon market trading mechanisms. Pacific Island nations are not currently trading or part of established carbon markets. They may not be able to develop the necessary technical expertise to ensure fairness, compliance and transparency well in advance of 2030. While there is scope to pursue opportunities to reduce emissions beyond our shores, we should be looking harder at what can be done domestically to help fulfil our NDC in the short time available. Public <a href="https://consult.environment.govt.nz/climate/emissions-reduction-plan/">consultation</a> on the government’s first <a href="https://environment.govt.nz/publications/emissions-reduction-plan-discussion-document/">emissions reduction plan</a> is currently underway until November 24. A final version is due in May 2022 and is expected to set out strategies for specific sectors (transport, energy and industry, agriculture, waste and forestry) to meet emissions budgets. It will also include a multi-sector plan to adapt to climate change, and to mitigate the impacts emissions cuts may have on people. It’s not ideal that a concrete plan for domestic emissions reductions is still six months away. But this does provide opportunity for people and interest groups to help shape priorities and pathways, and to encourage the government to set bolder domestic targets than would otherwise have been likely. The Climate Change Commission has already produced <a href="https://www.climatecommission.govt.nz/our-work/reducing-emissions/">recommendations for a low-emissions Aotearoa</a>, including the rapid adoption of electric vehicles, reduction in animal stocking rates and changing land use towards forestry and horticulture. Now is also the time to start building capacity to support Pacific Island nations in designing their carbon market policies. New Zealand has already <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-zealand-increases-climate-aid-contribution">pledged NZ$1.3 billion</a> in funding for climate change aid, about half of which will go to Pacific Island countries. Allocating some of this to enhancing technical know-how will help create a level playing field in carbon trading. It would ensure that whichever overseas arrangements materialise, these will be fair and deliver an “<a href="https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/english_paris_agreement.pdf">overall mitigation in global emissions</a>”, as the Paris Agreement requires. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-cooper-749971">Nathan Cooper</a>, Associate Professor of Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-waikato-781">University of Waikato</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kemi-hughes-1288573">Kemi Hughes</a>, Doctoral Researcher in Climate Change Governance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-waikato-781">University of Waikato</a> 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/cop26-new-zealand-depends-on-robust-new-rules-for-global-carbon-trading-to-meets-its-climate-pledge-171194">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Domestic Travel

"It's been unbearable": Sarah Jessica Parker finally breaks silence on fallen co-star

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker has broken her silence on the death of her friend and Sex and the City co-star Willie Garson. Willie died on September 21st after a battle with pancreatic cancer. A flood of <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tributes-pour-in-for-willie-garson-who-has-died-at-57" target="_blank">tributes poured in</a> for the 57-year-old following the news of his death, with SJP saying at the time, "It's too soon". But on Friday, she penned an emotional tribute to her late friend, saying "It's been unbearable." Her caption reads, “Sometimes silence is a statement. Of the gravity. The anguish. The magnitude of the loss of a 30+ year friendship.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUNtHhyFBf0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUNtHhyFBf0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by SJP (@sarahjessicaparker)</a> </div> </blockquote> “A real friendship that allowed for secrets, adventure, a shared professional family, truth, concerts, road trips, meals, late night phone calls, a mutual devotion to parenthood and all the heartaches and joy that accompany, triumphs, disappointments, fear, rage and years spent on sets (most especially Carrie’s apartment) and laughing late into the night as both Stanford and Carrie and Willie and SJ.” “Willie. I will miss everything about you. And replay our last moments together,” Parker’s post continued. “I will re-read every text from your final days and put to pen our last calls. Your absence a crater that I will fill with blessing of these memories and all the ones that are still in recesses yet to surface." <div class="hide-print ad-no-notice css-qyun7f-StyledAdUnitWrapper ezkyf1c0"> “My love and deepest sympathies and condolences to you dear Nathen. You were and are the light of Willie’s life and his greatest achievement was being your Papa." “These were his last words to me. ‘Great bangles all around.’ Yes. Godspeed Willie Garson. RIP. X, SJ,” she ended her post. Along with the lengthy emotional caption, Sarah shared a series of photos of the pair from both on and off screen, as both colleagues and friends. The two had recently been working together on the set of And Just Like That..., in which Willie returned to his role as Stanford Blatch, Carrie Bradshaw's lifelong friend. Other Sex and the City alumni shared tributes to the actor, including Cynthia Nixon, executive producer of the show Michael Patrick King, and Willie's on-screen partner Mario Cantone. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I couldn’t have had a more brilliant TV partner. I’m devastated and just overwhelmed with Sadness. Taken away from all of us way soon. You were a gift from the gods. Rest my sweet friend. I love you. <a href="https://t.co/Ia4tg1VK1Y">pic.twitter.com/Ia4tg1VK1Y</a> — Mario Cantone (@macantone) <a href="https://twitter.com/macantone/status/1440466454160101382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2021</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> So deeply, deeply sad we have lost <a href="https://twitter.com/WillieGarson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WillieGarson</a>. We all loved him and adored working with him. He was endlessly funny on-screen and and in real life. He was a source of light, friendship and show business lore. He was a consummate professional— always. <a href="https://t.co/G63EJIj8lG">pic.twitter.com/G63EJIj8lG</a> — Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) <a href="https://twitter.com/CynthiaNixon/status/1440481643936948238?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2021</a></blockquote> Image credits: Instagram @sarahjessicaparker </div>

Caring

Man charged after "coughing" on co-workers and giving them COVID-19

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A 40-year-old man from Majorca has been arrested on assault charges after allegedly infecting more than 22 people with coronavirus. The man refused to isolate himself at the requests of his colleagues and continued to work out at the gym while displaying COVID-19 symptoms. An investigation by police into the man's behaviour began at the end of January. "Days before the outbreak was revealed, the worker began to present symptoms compatible with the disease, so his colleagues began to worry as they observed that he was not well," a police statement said. Police allege that the man was "coughing loudly all over the place" and lowering his mask at work. "I'm going to give you all the coronavirus," the man allegedly said to his colleagues. The man was tested for coronavirus but decided to go to his gym and workplace instead of isolating, resulting in the infection of eight people. The people directly infected from the man, which were five at his workplace and three at the gym, then passed the disease onto their loved ones. This includes three babies being infected with COVID-19. "The worker was arrested as the alleged perpetrator of a crime of injuries and yesterday he was placed at the disposal of the Judicial Authority," the police said. None of the people infected by the man have been admitted to hospital. </div> </div> </div>

Body

8 red flags you’re in a co-dependent relationship

What it means to be in a co-dependent relationship If you find yourself constantly giving up what you want and need to please your partner or cover up for their bad behaviours, that could be a warning sign that you are in a co-dependent relationship, according to the counselling blog Harley Therapy. Co-dependency is an extreme form of sacrificing one’s well-being for someone else. You cover up your partner’s alcoholism or drug use If someone has an addiction to alcohol, drugs, or anything else that is harmful to their health, you may feel like you are doing them a favour by helping them out of a jam – but that’s co-dependency, warn the experts at Mental Health America. For example, if someone misses work because they went on a bender the night before, you might feel you’re helping by lying to their boss when they call. However, if you help an addict avoid facing consequences of that behaviour, you’re just enabling the addiction. You do more than your fair share in the relationship In a co-dependent relationship, one partner tends to do a lot more of the work than the other partner, writes Gordon. That may be because one partner does not feel capable of doing more, or it can be because the partner is manipulative or selfish, preferring not to put in the same amount of work. Whatever the situation may be, it’s not sustainable for one partner to do the vast majority of the work. You feel like you need to break away – but you can’t leave If you start to feel trapped in the relationship, take a good look at what value it really has in your life. Psychology Today reports that relationships require autonomy. Although devoting all your time to your partner can feel like a special level of closeness, blurred boundaries are ultimately suffocating, and they can cause great harm to the relationship. You have a hard time setting boundaries Boundaries are healthy and necessary for a healthy relationship. If you have a hard time setting boundaries, examine why that is, advises Gordon. For some people, the idea of preserving some distance between themselves and their partner may seem wrong; according to Psych Central, setting boundaries will help create an environment of mutual respect and enhance closeness. You have an overwhelming fear of being abandoned by your partner People in a co-dependent relationship often experience a great deal of fear when their partner pulls away just a little. If you are facing a great fear of being abandoned by your partner, you may go to extremes to keep them. This can lead to a variety of unhealthy behaviour and patterns that can ultimately be detrimental to your relationship, writes Gordon. You have a difficult time saying no to your partner If you feel that you need to say yes to your partner even when you strongly want to say no, you’re facing some serious issues, warns Medical News Today. If your partner expects you to always agree with them, they are not fairly considering your wants and needs. Written by Robin Raven. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/true-stories-lifestyle/relationships/8-red-flags-youre-in-a-co-dependent-relationship">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.co.nz/subscribe">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Relationships

Nicole Kidman raves about co-star Hugh Grant: “He is just very easy to be around”

Nicole Kidman have been friends for years, and now fans will see them standing side by side in a new mini-series as man and wife. Starring alongside eachother in The Undoing, Nicole Kidman gushed about her special bond with the British actor, 60. Speaking to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/nicole-kidman-on-hugh-grant-ahead-of-new-series-the-undoing/news-story/99277e70b93a68c765a72eaf9c243b89" target="_blank">The Daily Telegraph</a>, the 53-year-old said: “I have known Hugh for a long time now. He knows my sister and he is just very easy to be around. “We have to make it look like we’ve been married for 10 years and I think just having that same sense of humour and having that history together, we were able to bring some of that to the screen.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838403/nicole-kidman-hugh-grant.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b1f2e154db974ae8a7d37a4353807a51" /> The Undoing is based on the 2014 novel You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz. The Undoing follows Grace (Kidman) and Jonathan Fraser (Grant), whose beautiful life comes to a roaring halt when a violent death close to their family sets off a chaotic set of events. The six-episode limited series also stars Edgar Ramirez as Detective Joe Mendoza, Noah Jupe as Henry Fraser, Jonathan and Grace's precocious and artistic 12-year-old son and Lily Rabe as Sylvia Steinetz. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838401/nicole-kidman-hugh-grant-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/aff330a3256942d9a79a8d5bb6631c2d" /> The six-episode limited series was written by David E. Kelley and directed by Susanne Bier.

Movies

A trans-Tasman bubble is an opportunity for Australia and NZ to reduce dependence on China

When it comes to our economic over-reliance on China, New Zealand consumers need look no further than their most popular big box chain, The Warehouse. The familiar “big red shed” sourced about 60% of its home brand stock from China in 2017 – and a further NZ$62 million in products directly through offices in China, India and Bangladesh in 2019. In Australia, many major chain stores as well as online retail giant <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/retail/kogan-com-braces-for-coronavirus-threat-after-mixed-first-half-20200217-p541fu">kogan.com</a> are in a similar position. Reliant on China for much of what they sell, including exclusive home-brand items, they are part of what has been described as the world’s <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-02-26/coronavirus-impact-hits-australia-most-china-reliant-economy">most China-reliant economy</a>. The COVID-19 crisis has thrown Australian and New Zealand businesses’ dependence on China into stark relief. With countries reportedly competing with and undercutting each other to secure desperately needed medical supplies from China, many are now waking up to their economic exposure to a single manufacturing giant. Understandably, discussions about creating a <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/prime-ministers-jacinda-ardern-and-scott-morrison-announce-plans-trans-tasman-covid-safe">“trans-Tasman bubble”</a> between Australia and New Zealand have focused on kick-starting economic activity in the short term, particularly through tourism. But both countries also need to take a longer-term view of boosting economic activity – including through increased manufacturing and trade integration. The statistics support this. In 2018, 20% of global trade in the manufacturing of “intermediate” products (which need further processing before sale) <a href="https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/ditcinf2020d1.pdf">came from China</a>. Chinese manufacturing (including goods made from components made in China) also <a href="https://blog.euromonitor.com/coronavirus-impact-on-global-supply-chains/">accounted for</a>: <ul> <li>35% of household goods</li> <li>46% of hi-tech goods</li> <li>54% of textiles and apparel</li> <li>38% of machinery, rubber and plastic</li> <li>20% of pharmaceuticals and medical goods</li> <li>42% of chemical products.</li> </ul> Australia and New Zealand are no exception, with China the number one trading partner of both. Australia <a href="https://www.dfat.gov.au/">earned</a> 32.6% of its export income from China in 2019, mostly from natural resource products such as iron ores, coal and natural gas, as well as education and tourism. From New Zealand, 23% of <a href="https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/china-top-trade-partner-for-2019">exports</a> (worth NZ$20 billion) went to China in 2019, and much of the country’s manufacturing has moved to China over the past 20 years. The China factor in New Zealand supply chains is also <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/119598635/coronavirus-delivery-delays-from-chinese-are-hurting-kiwi-businesses">crucial</a>, with a fifth of exports containing Chinese components. Supply shortages from China The world is now paying a price for this dependence on China. Since the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 there has been volatility in the supply of products ranging from cars and Apple phones to food ingredients and hand sanitiser packaging. More worryingly, availability of popular over-the-counter painkiller paracetamol was <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/411131/coronavirus-pharmac-to-limit-paracetamol-due-to-chinese-factory-closures">restricted</a> due to Chinese factory closures. This is part of a <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/australia-dangerously-dependent-on-medical-imports-20200217-p541ej">bigger picture</a> that shows Australia now importing over 90% of medicines and New Zealand <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/new-zealand/imports/pharmaceutical-products">importing</a> close to NZ$1.59 billion in pharmaceutical products in 2019. Overall, both countries are <a href="https://sldinfo.com/2020/03/australias-medicine-supply-chain-is-vulnerable/">extremely vulnerable</a> to major supply chain disruptions of medical products. For all these reasons, a cooperative trans-Tasman manufacturing strategy should be on the table right now and in any future bilateral trade policy conversations. Opportunities for Australia and NZ Rather than each country focusing on product specialisation or setting industrial priorities in isolation, the two economies need to discuss how best to pool resources, add value and enhance the competitive advantage of strategic industries in the region as a whole. Currently, trans-Tasman trade primarily involves natural resources and foodstuffs flowing from New Zealand to Australia, with motor vehicles, machinery and mechanical equipment flowing the other way. Manufacturing is skewed towards Australia, but closer regional integration would mean increased flows of capital, components and finished products between the countries. We have seen this already in the primary and service sectors but not much in the manufacturing sector, especially from New Zealand to Australia. Medical technologies and telecommunications equipment manufacturing (both critical during the pandemic) stand out as potential new areas of economic integration. In that sense, it was heartening to see major medical tech companies such as <a href="https://www.resmed.com.au/about-us/the-resmed-story">Res-Med Australia</a> and <a href="https://www.fphcare.com/nz/our-company/">Fisher & Paykel Healthcare</a> in New Zealand rapidly <a href="https://www.fairfieldchampion.com.au/story/6705551/private-hospitals-join-coronavirus-fight/?cs=9397">scale up</a> their production capacities to build respiratory devices, ventilators, and other personal protective equipment products. These brands enjoy a global technology edge, smart niche positioning and reputations for innovation. We need more of these inside a trans-Tasman trade and manufacturing bubble. China still vital but balance is crucial Key to successful regional integration will be the pooling of research and development (R&D) resources, mutual direct investment, subsidising R&D and manufacturing in emerging markets with profits from another (such as China), and value-adding specialisation in the supply chain. For example, Tait Communication in New Zealand recently <a href="https://www.taitradio.com/about-us/news/2011/tait-strengthens-customer-support-in-australia-with-new-facility">invested</a> in a new facility based in one of Australia’s largest science, technology and research centres. Together, we can make a bigger pie. None of this means cutting ties with China, which will remain the main importer of primary produce and food products from Australasia for the foreseeable future. And Chinese exports will still be vital. Fisher & Paykel Healthcare sells its products in about 120 countries, for example, but some of its key raw materials suppliers are Chinese. Getting this dynamic balancing right will be key to Australia and New Zealand prospering in the inevitably uncertain – even divided – post-pandemic global business environment. And you never know, maybe one day we’ll see a “made in Australia and New Zealand” label in the aisles of The Warehouse and Bunnings. Written by Hongzhi Gao and Monica Ren. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-travel-a-trans-tasman-bubble-is-an-opportunity-for-australia-and-nz-to-reduce-dependence-on-china-137062">The Conversation.</a>

Travel Tips

Social media might make us lonely, but it depends on how you use it

Humans are <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/471264/iot-number-of-connected-devices-worldwide/">more connected to each other than ever</a>, thanks to smartphones, the web and social media. At the same time, loneliness is a huge and growing social problem. Why is this so? Research shows social media use alone can’t cure loneliness – but it can be a tool to build and strengthen our genuine connections with others, which are important for a happy life. To understand why this is the case, we need to understand more about loneliness, its harmful impact, and what this has to do with social media. The scale of loneliness There is great concern about <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/letter/articles/vh-letter-47-loneliness">a loneliness epidemic</a> in Australia. In the 2018 Australian Loneliness Report, more than one-quarter of survey participants <a href="https://psychweek.org.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Psychology-Week-2018-Australian-Loneliness-Report.pdf">reported feeling lonely</a> three or more days a week. Studies have linked loneliness to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25910392">early mortality</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21044327">increased cardio-vascular disease</a>, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8930743_Popularity_Friendship_Quantity_and_Friendship_Quality_Interactive_Influences_on_Children's_Loneliness_and_Depression">poor mental health and depression</a>, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0044118X03261435">suicide</a>, and increased <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31119308">social and health care costs</a>. But how does this relate to social media? More and more Australians are becoming physically isolated. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1440783316674358?journalCode=josb">My previous research</a> demonstrated that face-to-face contact in Australia is declining, and this is accompanied by <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1440783316674358?journalCode=josb">a rise in technology-enabled communication</a>. Enter social media, which for many is serving as a replacement for physical connection. Social media influences nearly all relationships now. Navigating the physical/digital interface While there is evidence of more loneliness among heavy social media users, there is also evidence suggesting <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745691617713052">social media use decreases loneliness among highly social people</a>. How do we explain such apparent contradictions, wherein both the most and least lonely people are heavy social media users? Research <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745691617713052">reveals</a> social media is most effective in tackling loneliness when it is used to enhance existing relationships, or forge new meaningful connections. On the other hand, it is counterproductive if used as a substitute for real-life social interaction. Thus, it is not social media itself, but the way we integrate it into our existing lives which impacts loneliness. I wandered lonely in the cloud While social media’s implications for loneliness can be positive, they can also be contradictory. Tech-industry enthusiasts highlight social media’s benefits, such as how it offers easy, algorithimically-enhanced connection to anyone, anywhere in the world, at any time. But this argument often ignores the quality of these connections. Psychologist Robert Weiss makes a distinction between <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Loneliness_the_Experience_of_Emotional_a.html?id=KuibQgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y">“social loneliness”</a> – a lack of contact with others – and <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Loneliness_the_Experience_of_Emotional_a.html?id=KuibQgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y">“emotional loneliness”</a>, which can persist regardless of how many “connections” you have, especially if they do not provide support, affirm identity and create feelings of belonging. Without close, physical connections, shallow virtual friendships can do little to alleviate emotional loneliness. And there is reason to think many online connections are just that. Evidence from past literature has <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745691617713052">associated heavy social media use with increased loneliness</a>. This may be because online spaces are often oriented to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563219303073">performance, status, exaggerating favourable qualities</a> (such as by posting only “happy” content and likes), and frowning on expressions of loneliness. On the other hand, social media plays a vital role in helping us stay connected with friends over long distances, and organise catch-ups. Video conferencing can facilitate “meetings” when physically meeting is impractical. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be used to engage with new people who may turn into real friends later on. Similarly, sites like <a href="https://www.meetup.com/">Meetup</a> can help us find local groups of people whose interests and activities align with our own. And while face-to-face contact remains the best way to help reduce loneliness, help can sometimes be found through online support groups. Why so lonely? There are several likely reasons for our great physical disconnection and loneliness. We’ve replaced the 20th century idea of stable, permanent careers spanning decades with flexible employment and gig work. This prompts regular relocation for work, which results in disconnection from <a href="http://rpatulny.com/2017/04/06/flexible-work-and-gender-inequities-in-work-and-care-lets-fix-the-incentives/">family and friends</a>. The way we build <a href="http://rpatulny.com/2017/04/20/the-mcmansion-the-small-idea-with-the-big-cost/">McMansions</a> (large, multi-room houses) and <a href="http://rpatulny.com/2017/05/05/australias-east-coast-exopolis-the-post-sustainable-sprawl/">sprawl our suburbs</a> is often antisocial, with little thought given to developing <a href="http://rpatulny.com/2017/05/27/utopia-can-we-plan-future-cities-for-tomorrows-families/">vibrant, walkable social centres</a>. Single-person households are <a href="https://mspgh.unimelb.edu.au/ageing-industry-network/newsletter-issue-12-may-2019/the-challenge-of-social-isolation-and-loneliness">expected to increase</a> from about 2.1 million in 2011 to almost 3.4 million in 2036. All of the above means the way we manage loneliness is changing. <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Emotions-in-Late-Modernity-1st-Edition/Patulny-Bellocchi-Olson-Khorana-McKenzie-Peterie/p/book/9780815354321">In our book</a>, my co-authors and I argue people manage their feelings differently than in the past. Living far from friends and family, isolated individuals often deal with negative emotions alone, through therapy, or through connecting online with whoever may be available. Social media use is pervasive, so the least we can do is bend it in a way that facilitates our real-life need to belong. It is a tool that should work for us, not the other way around. Perhaps, once we achieve this, we can expect to live in a world that is a bit less lonely.<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128468/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/roger-patulny-94836">Roger Patulny</a>, Associate Professor of Sociology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-social-media-make-us-more-or-less-lonely-depends-on-how-you-use-it-128468">original article</a>.

Technology

Warren Buffett sits out a deal to acquire Tiffany & Co

Warren Buffett turned down a chance to acquire Tiffany & Co. Following a takeover bid from luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, the US jewellery giant invited Buffett to make a counteroffer, the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9da47898-237a-11ea-b8a1-584213ee7b2b">Financial Times</a> reported. However, the Berkshire Hathaway owner rejected Tiffany’s overture, allowing LVMH to strike a US$16.2 billion deal for the company in November. The rejection marks the conglomerate company’s fourth year without any major acquisitions as its cash pile reached a record US$128 billion. “Buffett has the luxury to move slowly on purchases because of Berkshire’s cash hoard,” Berkshire investor Bill Smead told the newspaper. “Shareholders will benefit tremendously when he puts that money to work.” Most recently, Buffett bid US$5 billion on technology distributor Tech Data in November but later withdrew after private equity firm Apollo Global Management raised its offer in the auction.

Retirement Income

TV host issues tearful apology to black co-host after making insensitive remark

A news anchor from Oklahoma City has issued an apology to her black co-host on Friday after she compared him to a gorilla during a segment last week. Alex Housden, morning anchor for KOCO-TV made the comparison with her co-anchor, Jason Hackett as they pair spoke about a young gorilla at the Oklahoma City Zoo on Thursday. Housden told Hackett that the animal “kind of looks like you” to which he responded, “he kind of does, actually yeah.” The video of the exchange soon went viral, causing outrage amongst those who watched it. She then apologised on Friday to “one of my best friends for the past year and a half.” “I’m here this morning because I want to apologise, not only to my co-worker Jason, but to our entire community,” she said. “I said something yesterday that was inconsiderate, it was inappropriate, and I hurt people. “I want you to know I understand how much I hurt you all out there and how much I hurt you. I would never do anything on purpose to hurt you,” she said as she turned to Hackett. Housden then emphasised on the love she has for the community and said her apology is coming straight from the heart. Hackett then accepted his co-host’s apology and reiterated that the two shared a fantastic bond. “What she said yesterday was wrong,” he said. “It cut deep for me and a lot of you in the community.” He continued: “The lesson here is that words matter. We are becoming a more diverse country and there Is no excuse. We have to understand the stereotypes, we have to understand each other’s backgrounds and the words that hurt, the words that cut deep. “We have to find a way to replace those words with love and words of affirmation.”

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Would you be happy as a long-term single? The answer may depend on your attachment style

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

Taste depends on nature and nurture. Here are 7 ways you can learn to enjoy foods you don’t like

Is Eurovision finally cool? That depends on your definition – ‘cool theory’ expert explain

Keanu Reeves mourns the sudden death of John Wick co-star

Jetlag hits differently depending on your travel direction. Here are 6 tips to get over it

How to empower older adults to become digital citizens in our tech-dependent world

Is AI-generated art really creative? It depends on the presentation

Fennel looking a bit feeble? Growing enough veggies to feed yourself depends on these 3 things

An artists success depends on their contacts

Australia has a heritage conservation problem. Can farming and Aboriginal heritage protection co-exist?

COP26: New Zealand depends on robust new rules for global carbon trading to meets its climate pledge

"It's been unbearable": Sarah Jessica Parker finally breaks silence on fallen co-star

Man charged after "coughing" on co-workers and giving them COVID-19

8 red flags you’re in a co-dependent relationship

Nicole Kidman raves about co-star Hugh Grant: “He is just very easy to be around”

A trans-Tasman bubble is an opportunity for Australia and NZ to reduce dependence on China

Social media might make us lonely, but it depends on how you use it

Warren Buffett sits out a deal to acquire Tiffany & Co

TV host issues tearful apology to black co-host after making insensitive remark

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Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

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Keep up to date

Search

Would you be happy as a long-term single? The answer may depend on your attachment style

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

Taste depends on nature and nurture. Here are 7 ways you can learn to enjoy foods you don’t like

Is Eurovision finally cool? That depends on your definition – ‘cool theory’ expert explain

Keanu Reeves mourns the sudden death of John Wick co-star

Jetlag hits differently depending on your travel direction. Here are 6 tips to get over it

How to empower older adults to become digital citizens in our tech-dependent world

Is AI-generated art really creative? It depends on the presentation

Fennel looking a bit feeble? Growing enough veggies to feed yourself depends on these 3 things

An artists success depends on their contacts

Australia has a heritage conservation problem. Can farming and Aboriginal heritage protection co-exist?

COP26: New Zealand depends on robust new rules for global carbon trading to meets its climate pledge

"It's been unbearable": Sarah Jessica Parker finally breaks silence on fallen co-star

Man charged after "coughing" on co-workers and giving them COVID-19

8 red flags you’re in a co-dependent relationship

Nicole Kidman raves about co-star Hugh Grant: “He is just very easy to be around”

A trans-Tasman bubble is an opportunity for Australia and NZ to reduce dependence on China

Social media might make us lonely, but it depends on how you use it

Warren Buffett sits out a deal to acquire Tiffany & Co

TV host issues tearful apology to black co-host after making insensitive remark

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