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"I’m not going to be cured". How breast cancer awareness and support sidelines people with metastatic disease

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sophie-lewis-111177">Sophie Lewis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrea-smith-15431">Andrea Smith</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katherine-kenny-318175">Katherine Kenny</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>There have been incredible <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/research">advances</a> in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in recent years. And stories about celebrities who have “beaten” breast cancer continue to be a source of inspiration for many people.</p> <p>However, this emphasis on fighting, beating and surviving cancer shuts out the voices of those who will not survive. That is, the many people diagnosed with incurable, life-limiting metastatic breast cancer, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-data-in-australia">which kills nine Australians every day</a> or nearly <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-data-in-australia">3,300 people</a> a year. Yet an <a href="https://www.bcna.org.au/latest-news/bcna-news/making-metastatic-breast-cancer-count/">estimated 10,000</a> Australians are living with the diagnosis.</p> <p>Being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, as one of the authors has been, means ongoing treatment to live as long, and as well, as possible. It also means an ongoing need for emotional and practical support.</p> <p>However, society, health-care professionals, cancer advocacy organisations, even a patient’s closest family and friends, can struggle to understand what it is like to live with an incurable and life-limiting cancer and how best to provide support.</p> <h2>Why is there so little awareness?</h2> <p><a href="https://www.breastcancer.org/types/metastatic">Metastatic breast cancer</a>, also called stage four breast cancer, is the most serious form of breast cancer. Unlike early breast cancer that is contained within the breast or nearby lymph nodes, metastatic breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body, most often the bones, lungs, liver, or brain.</p> <p>There is no cure for metastatic breast cancer despite decades of advocacy, funding and research. Treatment continues for as long as it helps to control the cancer and is tolerated by the patient. Median survival is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.5694/mja2.51687">two to three years</a>, although newer, novel treatments mean some patients are living much longer.</p> <p>As a society, we can be uncomfortable <a href="https://theconversation.com/before-you-go-are-you-in-denial-about-death-34056">talking about and facing death</a>. When it comes to cancer, we usually prefer focusing on good news stories. These narratives are often perceived to be better for fundraising and are reassuring for people newly diagnosed. But they fail to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9566.13704">represent</a> the diversity and reality of cancer experiences.</p> <p>Despite considerable research into people with non-metastatic breast cancer, <a href="https://www.bcna.org.au/latest-news/bcna-news/making-metastatic-breast-cancer-count/">relatively little</a> is known about Australians with metastatic breast cancer.</p> <h2>Feeling silenced and unsupported</h2> <p>Through our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9566.13704">research</a> we wanted to better understand people’s experiences of metastatic breast cancer. We interviewed 38 participants from around Australia with diverse experiences of metastatic breast cancer. Participants were recruited through breast cancer and community organisations.</p> <p>We found messages and public campaigns about cancer survivorship, which emphasise hope and positivity, drowned out the voices of those with metastatic breast cancer. The focus on “success stories” about surviving breast cancer made some people feel like it was their responsibility to “beat” cancer. If they didn’t, it was their own fault. </p> <p>As one interviewee told us: "I react quite badly to all the, ‘we’ve had breast cancer and we beat it and we’ve survived. Aren’t we fantastic.’ There’s almost a feeling if you haven’t beaten your breast cancer you haven’t tried hard enough."</p> <p>Silence around metastatic breast cancer was common in research participants’ experiences. It prevented many from connecting with others and to the support they needed. It even affected relationships with those closest to them leaving them feeling misunderstood: "They don’t realise I’ve got to be on treatment forever. I’m not going to be cured. I think society thinks everything can be fixed; metastatic breast cancer actually can’t be fixed."</p> <p>Sharing deep fears and worries about their life expectancy can leave people with metastatic breast cancer feeling drained rather than supported. Many participants reported having to support and shield family, friends, acquaintances and work colleagues from the reality of their terminal diagnosis.</p> <p>"You hide how you feel because you don’t want to be avoided […] You put on that big, happy face. But like an onion if you peeled the layers away, you’d find out what’s going on."</p> <p>While many participants wanted to join a community of people with metastatic breast cancer, they struggled to know how to find one. Those who did, emphasised how invaluable it had been: "Being able to identify with and know that these people really get me is a huge relief and it reduces the isolation."</p> <p>These findings echo <a href="https://www.bcna.org.au/media/alcjjmm2/bcna_member-survey-report_2017.pdf">previous research</a> demonstrating people with metastatic breast cancer have higher support needs than those with non-metastatic breast cancer. And these needs are <a href="https://www.bcna.org.au/media/alcjjmm2/bcna_member-survey-report_2017.pdf">less likely to be met</a> by <a href="https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-022-08269-8">health care, support services</a>, family or friends.</p> <h2>A new path</h2> <p>Being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer can be terrifying, lonely and create significant support needs. It is essential people with metastatic breast cancer have their <a href="https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/OP.20.00183">voices listened to</a> and their needs met.</p> <p>Next steps should include:</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://bcna-dxp.azureedge.net/media/d32bhdzf/bcna_making-metastatic-breast-cancer-count_2022.pdf">improving data collection by cancer registries</a> so we know exactly how many people in Australia have metastatic breast cancer</p> </li> <li> <p>increasing representation of people with metastatic breast cancer in advocacy, support organisations and research</p> </li> <li> <p>nationwide access to peer-to-peer programs and professionally led metastatic breast cancer support groups.</p> </li> </ul> <p>We must ensure people with metastatic breast cancer are the ones to speak to their experience and needs. As a colleague with metastatic breast cancer said: "I read an article written by an early-stage breast cancer ‘survivor’. It felt like someone describing winter when they had only ever experienced autumn."</p> <p>If you or someone you know has metastatic breast cancer, these organisations may be able to support you or connect you with others with the same diagnosis:</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.bcna.org.au">Breast Cancer Network Australia</a> for information and support</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au/">McGrath Foundation</a> for information about access to metastatic breast care nurses.</p> </li> </ul> <hr /> <p><em>The authors would like to thank the members of Breast Cancer Network Australia’s Metastatic Breast Cancer Lived Experience Reference Group for their review of this article.</em><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/215458/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sophie-lewis-111177">Sophie Lewis</a>, Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrea-smith-15431">Andrea Smith</a>, Research fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katherine-kenny-318175">Katherine Kenny</a>, ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/im-not-going-to-be-cured-how-breast-cancer-awareness-and-support-sidelines-people-with-metastatic-disease-215458">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

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4 ways to support someone with dementia during extreme heat

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nikki-anne-wilson-342631">Nikki-Anne Wilson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Our ability to adapt our behaviour to changes in temperature takes a significant amount of thought and decision making. For example, we need to identify suitable clothing, increase our fluid intake, and understand how to best keep the house cool.</p> <p>A person with dementia may find some or all these things challenging. These and other factors mean, for someone with dementia, extreme heat <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31520832/#:%7E:text=Conclusion%3A%20Heatwaves%20increased%20the%20risk,heat%2Drelated%20Alzheimer's%20disease%20burden.">can be deadly</a>.</p> <p>But as the temperature rises, friends, relatives and carers can help.</p> <h2>El Niño means there are challenges ahead</h2> <p>The recent declaration of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-19/bureau-of-meteorology-el-nino-blog/102875154">another El Niño</a> means we need to think about how we can best support those more vulnerable to be safe during the warmer months.</p> <p>Extreme heat and bushfires bring unique challenges for someone with dementia.</p> <p>Bushfires have a significant impact on older people’s mental health. But they generally <a href="https://www.health.act.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/PATH_Impact%20of%202019-20%20Bushfires%20on%20a%20Cohort%20of%20Older%20Adults_REPORT_V3_0.pdf">bounce back</a> quickly.</p> <p>However, for someone with dementia, extreme heat can lead to a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935119305110">significant deterioration</a> in their overall health and they may not recover.</p> <p>Emergency evacuations can also be confusing and distressing for a person with dementia, so it is important to think ahead.</p> <h2>Why are people with dementia more at risk?</h2> <p>Dementia can affect the parts of the brain that help <a href="https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/138/11/3360/332653?login=true">regulate</a> our body temperature. Some <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0243665">medications</a> can also increase someone’s sensitivity to heat.</p> <p>Problems with memory and thinking associated with dementia <a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/drinking-hydration">means</a> remembering to drink or communicating you are thirsty can be challenging.</p> <p>Heat can affect everyone’s mood. But if someone with dementia becomes dehydrated this can <a href="https://www.alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/blog/can-dehydration-impair-cognitive-function">increase</a> confusion and agitation, making it harder for them to know how to cool down.</p> <p>A person with dementia can also wander and become lost, which can be dangerous in extreme heat.</p> <h2>4 ways to support someone with dementia</h2> <p><strong>1. Avoid dehydration and heatstroke</strong></p> <p>Try to avoid dehydration by encouraging someone to drink throughout the day. It’s better to have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31769256/">small amounts</a> of liquid regularly instead of a large amount all at once. Little and often will help maximise hydration while avoiding sudden trips to <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/dementia-continence-issues#causes-of-incontinence-in-people-with-dementia">the bathroom</a>.</p> <p>Try to offer different types of drinks, or ice blocks. Placing drinks in sight can help as a reminder to drink. Choose foods with a high liquid content, such as fruit, salads, cool broths and yoghurt.</p> <p>Look out for <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hot-weather-safety-older-adults#:%7E:text=Signs%20of%20heat%20stroke%20are,as%20under%20shade%20or%20indoors.">signs of heatstroke</a>, such as increased confusion beyond what the person would usually experience. Heatstroke may be more difficult to spot in someone living with dementia so it is important to check in when possible and to help them cool down if needed.</p> <p><strong>2. Cool the home</strong></p> <p>Try to modify their home to make it easier to stay cool. Some air-conditioners have complex settings so make sure the temperature is set appropriately and the person with dementia knows how to use the controls.</p> <p>It is important to keep blinds and curtains shut where possible to reduce heat. However, ensure the <a href="https://www.scie.org.uk/dementia/supporting-people-with-dementia/dementia-friendly-environments/lighting.asp">lighting is adequate</a> to avoid falls.</p> <p>Try to support the person to make suitable clothing choices for the season by having cool, lightweight options easily available.</p> <p><strong>3. Think about communications early</strong></p> <p>If someone with dementia lives alone, consider how you will maintain contact in an emergency.</p> <p>Some people may not realise many landlines don’t work in a power outage, and of course, mobile phones can’t be recharged. Ensure the person with dementia has access to an <a href="https://www.telstra.com.au/support/category/home-phone/uninterruptible-power-supply">uninterruptable power supply</a>. This can help maintain communication for a few hours in a blackout.</p> <p><strong>4. Have an evacuation plan</strong></p> <p>In case of fire, flash flooding or severe storm, <a href="https://dementiaresearch.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/2447_DCRC_Prep_natural_disaster_EBook_5.pdf">have an evacuation plan</a>. If the person with dementia attends a day or respite centre, know their plan too.</p> <p>The situation can change quickly in an emergency, and this can be particularly overwhelming for people with cognitive issues.</p> <p>Understand that someone with dementia may become distressed when their routine is disrupted. So be prepared with some simple activities or comfort items, current medications, and any specific medical information.</p> <p>Stay up-to-date with <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/">current warnings</a> and act early whenever possible.</p> <h2>We can all help</h2> <p>It’s not just carers of people with dementia who can help. We can all ensure people with dementia stay safe and cool this spring and summer.</p> <p>So remember to check in on your relatives, friends and neighbours or arrange for someone to do so on your behalf.<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/213987/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nikki-anne-wilson-342631"><em>Nikki-Anne Wilson</em></a><em>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/4-ways-to-support-someone-with-dementia-during-extreme-heat-213987">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Ted Lasso star ordered to pay massive child support sum

<p>Jason Sudeikis has been ordered to pay ex Olivia Wilde an enormous sum of child support, as a bitter two-year custody battle draws to a close. </p> <p>According to new court filings obtained by <em><a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/09/25/jason-sudeikis-and-olivia-wilde-settle-custody-battle-actor-to-pay-27500-per-month/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a></em>, the<em> Ted Lasso</em> star has allegedly agreed to pay his ex $27,500 ($A42,800) per month in child support for their two kids, Otis, 9, and Daisy, 6. </p> <p>The hefty settlement has been based on Sudeikis' reported 2023 income of $10.5 million ($A16.3 million) and Wilde’s estimated income of $500,000 ($A778,000).</p> <p>“The parties agree that child support for the minor children in the amount of $27,500 per month is sufficient to maintain the needs of the minor children considering Jason’s station in life … is consistent with each child’s best interest, and application of the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate in this case,” the court papers reportedly state.</p> <p>The legal proceedings began two years ago, and took a dramatic turn in 2022 when Wilde, who was promoting her new movie <em>Don't Worry Darling</em> at the time, was served legal papers while on stage delivering a speech at CinemaCon. </p> <p>At the time, a source told <em><a href="https://pagesix.com/2022/04/29/olivia-wilde-mortified-after-being-served-with-legal-papers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a></em> that Wilde was mortified over the brazen act. </p> <p>“It seemed unthinkable to her, and it took a moment to set in, but as mortifying as it was, she did not want to give a reaction,” the insider explained.</p> <p>Since then, things have improved for the couple, as they were both seen putting on a united front at Otis' soccer game in LA. </p> <p>Wilde and Sudeikis started dating in November 2011 and got engaged in January 2013. They welcomed their two kids before separating in November 2020.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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6 ways to be more supportive to those closest to you

<p><em><strong>Susan Krauss Whitbourne is a professor of Psychology and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She writes the Fulfilment at Any Age blog for Psychology Today.</strong></em></p> <p>During difficult periods of life, such as experiencing a tragic loss or sudden break-up, those you care about need you to be there for them. At other times, your loved ones may not need help, but at least would like some support and encouragement. It’s well known that receiving social support is one of the best and most effective ways to cope with stress. People who perceive themselves to be supported are also most likely to be happier, and may even live longer than those who don’t. New research on social support for parents of autistic children shows just how you can be the person on whom your loved ones can most rely.</p> <p>The ageing parents of adult children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) undoubtedly face major challenges in their daily life and, according to this new research, benefit tremendously from the type of social support that friends and loved ones can provide. Christine Marsack, in the School of Social Work at Eastern Michigan University, teamed up with Preethy Samuel of Wayne State University (2017), to investigate the role of social support in mediating the amount of perceived burden and quality of life. As the authors point out, caregiving research on adult children and their ageing parents has typically focused on predicting burden in the children. There is far less known about what happens to ageing parents when it’s the children themselves who are in need of caregiving.</p> <p>The Michigan team based their work on the cognitive model of stress and coping, in which it’s the appraisal of an event as stressful that leads it to have a negative impact on the individual. In the case of parents of children with ASD, after coping with the challenge of receiving the diagnosis itself, their next step is to come “to grips with the condition and obtain access to support services to assist with caregiving” (p. 2379). The question that Marsack and Samuel investigated was whether formal or informal social support would have ameliorating effects on parental stress.</p> <p>Using a sample of 320 parents aged 50 and older, the majority of whom were under 70 years of age, the research team administered an online survey inquiring about psychological quality of life, perception of caregiving burden, contact with formal support agencies, and perceived degree of informal social support. Formal supports were used heavily by sample members, including psychiatric, financial, counselling, and adult day care, for example. Even the relatively wide range of opportunities to get help in this way was not enough to stave off the effects of perceived burden on parental mental health outcomes. Instead, it was their answers to a six-item questionnaire of informal support that proved to be key in reducing their perceived stress.</p> <p>The questionnaire used by Marsack and Samuel was one developed for use in assessing perceived availability of social support by coronary heart disease patients that has been widely adapted to other situations. It’s from this measure, known as the Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease (ENRICHD) Social Support Index (ESSI), that we can now look to see how you can support people coping with challenges in their own lives right now:</p> <p><strong>1. Be available to listen. </strong></p> <p>The ESSI asks whether there is someone who will be available to listen when needed. This means that you provide a sounding board when the person who needs your support approaches you. It doesn’t mean that you provide help regardless of whether you’re being asked for it. Let the person you care about know that you’re willing to listen, uncritically, when the situation demands it.</p> <p><strong>2. Be available with advice. </strong></p> <p>When you are approached for help, providing advice can prove to be very supportive. Again, providing unsolicited advice isn’t perceived as particularly supportive, but being ready for it when asked will help ensure that your advice hits a receptive audience.</p> <p><strong>3. Show love and affection. </strong></p> <p>Without providing anything in the way of objective support, it’s often enough just to know that someone cares to help get the stressed individual through tough times. The love and affection could be of the face-to-face form, and it's probably best when it is, but it can also come in the form of virtual cheers.</p> <p><strong>4. Help out every now and then with daily chores or by running errands. </strong></p> <p>This is something you need to be able to do in person, so if you live some distance away from the individual you would like to support, it may mean that you take a trip there every few months to do some of the heavy lifting around the house, or just help with some on-site logistics.</p> <p><strong>5. Support the individual during the decision-making process. </strong></p> <p>The person you care about may have to come up with plans that require more than just a sounding board or advice. Being patiently willing to go through the steps required to solve the problem can give the person you care about a more balanced perspective than would be possible if he or she were making this decision alone.</p> <p><strong>6. Be a person who the person you care about can trust and confide in. </strong></p> <p>The ESSI inquires about being actually present, but if this isn’t feasible, that quality of being trustworthy seems to be key. Caring for an adult child with ASD may have led some of the parents to wish they could talk about their frustrations, perhaps even about those they felt toward their spouse, with someone outside the relationship. Worrying that the person they told might violate that trust would only add to the stress of their situation.</p> <p>You might think it’s enough for the person you care about to sign up for an established support network or to be able to receive financial or emergency assistance. The Marsack and Samuel study shows that the quality of the friendship, trust, and sensitivity you provide that can make an even greater difference.</p> <p>There’s no way to avoid all of the stressful situations that life can present, whether through family situations, work problems, or emergencies. Fulfillment in our relationships involves, as this study shows, that willingness to give the support that will make the most difference in helping those we care about.</p> <p><em>Written by Susan Krauss Whitbourne. Republished with permission of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/files/attachments/4141/the-neuroscience-joyful-education-judy-willis-md.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Psychology Today</a></strong></span>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Relationships

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Rare sighting as famous friends step out in support of Michael J. Fox

<p>Michael J. Fox has been joined by a host of his famous friends for a screening of his upcoming documentary. </p> <p>The new documentary explores the <em>Back to the Future</em> star's ongoing battle with Parkinson's disease, and the changes in his life and condition as he gets older. </p> <p>In a show of support for the actor, his celebrity mates joined together for a screening of <em>Still</em> at New York's Lincoln Center. </p> <p>Among the famous faces was actress Meg Ryan, who has not been spotted in public for more than six months. </p> <p>The former rom-com queen, best known for starring roles in films like <em>When Harry Met Sally</em>, <em>Sleepless in Seattle</em> and <em>You’ve Got Mail</em>, lives a more quiet life outside of the spotlight these days.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr1TCUeO8e3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr1TCUeO8e3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tracy Pollan (@tracy.pollan)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Ryan hasn’t appeared on screen since the 2015 film <em>Ithaca</em>, which she also directed. </p> <p>However, she is plotting a return to screens later this year, with Ryan starring in and directing the film <em>What Happens Later</em>, which is currently in production.</p> <p>Ryan was among a star-studded group of famous friends supporting J. Fox for the premiere of his doco, with stars including Bill Murray, Denis Leary, Joan Jett, Katie Couric, Mariska Hargitay, and Debra Messing. </p> <p>The screening of the documentary comes after Michael J. Fox <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/i-m-not-gonna-be-80-michael-j-fox-s-tragic-admission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> that his battle with the disease is getting more difficult. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“I’m not gonna be 80,” he said in a preview for an upcoming episode of the American current affairs program <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">CBS Sunday Mornin</em>g, according to <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Page Six</em>.</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">In the clip, Journalist Jane Pauley tells Fox that he has “not squandered” but that his condition will eventually “make the call” as to when it’s his time to go.</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“Yeah, it’s, it’s banging on the door,” the actor said.</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“I’m not gonna lie. It’s gettin’ hard, it’s gettin’ harder. It’s gettin’ tougher. Every day it’s tougher.”</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

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For some LGBTQ+ older people, events like World Pride can be isolating – we need to better understand how to support them

<p><a href="https://sydneyworldpride.com/">World Pride</a> has come to Sydney, with the annual <a href="https://sydneyworldpride.com/events/mardi-gras-parade/">Mardi Gras Parade</a> on Saturday having returned to its Oxford Street home for the first time in three years.</p> <p>The 17-day festival is expected to host 500,000 participants over more than 300 events. It is an opportunity to celebrate all things queer, and a good time to take stock of the changes LGBTQ+ older people have experienced, and the challenges they continue to face.</p> <p>LGBTQ+ people aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s have witnessed extraordinary social change regarding gender and sexual diversity. For example, in Australia, same-sex marriage is now legal, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-transgender-is-no-longer-a-diagnosis/">Gender Identity Disorder</a> has been removed as a clinical diagnosis, and all states have an equal age of consent for homosexual and heterosexual sex.</p> <p>These have been hard-fought gains after many years of adversity and advocacy on the part of LGBTQ+ older people, among others.</p> <p>Each year, the <a href="https://www.78ers.org.au/">78ers</a> – who were involved in the Sydney marches and protests between June and August 1978 – take pride of place towards the front of the parade.</p> <h2>Loneliness and social isolation</h2> <p>Despite these achievements, the consequences of living most of one’s life in a homophobic and transphobic society have been considerable, particularly in terms of mental illness and social isolation.</p> <p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00918369.2021.2005999?journalCode=wjhm20">Australian</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34326557/">US</a> research indicates loneliness is more common among lesbian, gay and bisexual older people than the general population. This is particularly so for those who live alone and are not in a relationship. Similar findings are reported in relation to <a href="https://www.lgbtagingcenter.org/resources/pdfs/LGBT%20Aging%20and%20Health%20Report_final.pdf">transgender older people</a>, although more research is needed.</p> <p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00918369.2021.2005999?journalCode=wjhm20">Loneliness</a> is also more common among lesbian and gay older people who are disconnected from LGBTQ+ communities and who hold negative attitudes towards their own same-sex attraction.</p> <p>For LGBTQ+ older people experiencing social isolation and loneliness, what might be their experience of watching World Pride from a distance? What might it be like navigating rainbow paraphernalia while shopping at <a href="https://www.coles.com.au/about/sustainability/better-together/our-team/pride">Coles</a> (a World Pride partner)? How might they perceive the glitz and glamour of the Mardi Gras Parade?</p> <p>World Pride may be challenging for those who don’t feel an attachment to LGBTQ+ communities or who feel negative about their own sexuality. And this may reinforce a sense of disconnection.</p> <p>But some may gain comfort from witnessing the sense of community on display. It may even strengthen their perceived connection to other LGBTQ+ people. And, for those who are not open about their sexuality or authentic gender, it may support their journey to “come out” later in life.</p> <h2>The impact of discrimination</h2> <p>For many LGBTQ+ older people, the experience of discrimination remains very real in their lives. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33770516/">Past and recent discrimination</a> leads to delays seeking treatment and support, simply because people expect to be discriminated against when accessing services.</p> <p>In Australia, previous discrimination has been found to predict <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00918369.2021.2005999?journalCode=wjhm20">loneliness</a> and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/ageing-and-society/article/abs/recent-versus-lifetime-experiences-of-discrimination-and-the-mental-and-physical-health-of-older-lesbian-women-and-gay-men/90988215582414EA0AB7936B6384FC97">lower mental health</a> among older lesbian and gay people. In the US, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6779303/">microaggressions</a> – small everyday interactions that reinforce the experience of being “other” – have predicted greater impairment, higher rates of depression and lower quality of life among LGBTQ+ people aged 80 and over.</p> <p>There remain major gaps in evidence on the issues faced by LGBTQ+ older people, particularly for bisexual, queer, transgender and nonbinary older people. This is mainly due to the failure to systematically collect inclusive data on gender and sexual diversity, through variables such as those recommended by the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/standard-sex-gender-variations-sex-characteristics-and-sexual-orientation-variables/latest-release">Australian Bureau of Statistics</a>.</p> <h2>Strengths and resilience</h2> <p>This year, older people seemed to occupy a more prominent place in the Mardi Gras Parade. Perhaps this is because of the natural ageing of our community activists. Older people were also represented in the wider World Pride festival, such as in the theatre production <a href="https://sydneyworldpride.com/events/all-the-sex-ive-ever-had/">All the Sex I’ve Ever Had</a>, in which older Sydney residents reflect on the evolution of their sexuality over the course of their lives.</p> <p>A festival like World Pride showcases the strengths and resilience of LGBTQ+ people and communities. The organisation of such an event should not be underestimated. This reflects LGBTQ+ people’s high level of civic engagement and commitment to giving back to society, as demonstrated by their greater likelihood of being <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0312407X.2021.1899256">volunteers</a> and <a href="https://www.caregiving.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2015_CaregivingintheUS_Final-Report-June-4_WEB.pdf">caregivers</a>. And the contribution of volunteers and caregivers during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and ‘90s is not forgotten.</p> <p>LGBTQ+ older people generally are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241752/">resilient and maintain good health</a>. Many report increased <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13178-021-00653-z">confidence and self-esteem</a>, compared with when they were younger. And many have created their own families – their families of choice – to support each other in later life.</p> <p>But we don’t know enough about their needs and how to provide them with inclusive services as they get older. World Pride is an opportunity to reflect on the hard-won gains but not ignore the challenges ahead.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-some-lgbtq-older-people-events-like-world-pride-can-be-isolating-we-need-to-better-understand-how-to-support-them-200533" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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Support is the best medicine

<p>Sharing your experience and talking with others when ill can be very good for your wellbeing. Here’s why support groups are great.</p> <p>Good friends may help your life last longer as they’ll boost your self-esteem, offer companionship and provide support when you need it. A study by the Centre for Ageing Studies at Flinders University backed this up by following 1500 older Aussies for 10 years and found that those who had a large network of friends outlived those with fewer friends by 22 per cent.</p> <p>When you know you can count on someone to help or provide support when you most need it, it can make the world of difference. However, sometimes people may not live near close friends or have found it difficult to develop a strong community group around them. When a person becomes ill, a good network can be the best medicine for helping to keep a person’s spirits up, so joining a support group could be the perfect solution.</p> <p>Another study, completed in 2005 and published in health journal <em>Cancer</em>, found that out of the 61 women who had advanced ovarian cancer those with support networks had much lower levels of a protein linked with more aggressive types of cancer. Women who didn’t have as much social support around them had levels of the protein that were a whopping 70 per cent higher!</p> <p>Support groups can bring people together who are facing similar issues, ranging from major life changes to illness. Many people join support groups because sharing experiences with people who are going through the same battles can be incredibly helpful and make a person feel like they’re not alone.</p> <p>Well-known Australian cancer survivor, Dr Ian Gawler, who was diagnosed with bone cancer, had his right leg amputated and then had to battle the disease again later that same year, believes having a positive and practical attitude can help in many ways when battling disease.</p> <p>According to a 2005 study by The Cancer Council, there are health benefits associated with being part of a health support group. These include: improvements in coping and adaptation, reductions in psychological stress, enhanced self-esteem and even positive effects on immunological response.</p> <p>Just ask Terri-Ann Carter, a Queenslander who underwent surgery and chemotherapy for a lump on her neck. She started an online support group called Gladstone Cancer Friends as a way to cope with the isolation and stress of going through cancer treatment. For cancer sufferers, two big fears are one of relapse and social isolation. Whether online or in person, a support group can help a person cope with these two alienating factors.</p> <p>When it comes to your health, nothing should be taken for granted. Together with surrounding yourself with the love and support of family, friends or new acquaintances from a support group, it’s always worth getting good health insurance.</p> <p><strong>How to find a support group:</strong></p> <p><strong>Ask your doctor or health care provider.</strong> They may be able to point you in the right direction of a support group near you.</p> <p><strong>Go online.</strong> There are many over-60s who live in rural or regional areas, so more people are turning to the internet to connect with others for support and advice. Social media sites, such as Facebook, have become very popular for people to comfortably share their stories and experience in an open and supportive forum.</p> <p><strong>Get in touch with local centres.</strong> Look to your local community halls, libraries and even supermarket notice boards for possible support groups in your area.     </p> <p><strong>Look to state or national bodies.</strong> Organisations for a particular illness or issue usually have a directory of the support groups in various local communities for people to be redirected to. Take a look and find one that’s close to you.</p> <p><strong>Can’t find one? Start your own.</strong> If there’s no support group near you, why not start your own? Look to start an online group via Facebook or post announcements on a board in your local medical centre or hospital to spread the word.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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"If we stop communicating, Putin wins. Propaganda wins": how a Norwegian organisation is supporting Russian protest art

<p>As an international student at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow in 2012, I remember studying <em>Rekviem</em> (requiem) by Russian poet <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/anna-akhmatova">Anna Ahkmatova</a>, an elegy she penned in secret as a tribute to the countless victims of Stalin’s murderous purges. </p> <p>Akhmatova’s writing revived the atrocities, delivering their darkness into the light.</p> <p>Her words spoke of constant fear permeating lives; of distrust, anxiety and betrayal; of the secret police arriving to drag you or your family away. </p> <p>To avoid detection and retribution, Ahkmatova whispered the poem to her friends who committed it to memory. She burned the incriminating scraps of paper.</p> <p>In the first four-and-a-half months following Putin’s attack against Ukraine, over 13,000 anti-war protesters <a href="https://ovdinfo.org/articles/2022/03/07/cracked-heads-and-tasers-results-march-6th-anti-war-protests">were detained</a> in Russia.</p> <p>Some estimates are that <a href="https://meduza.io/feature/2022/05/07/skolko-lyudey-uehalo-iz-rossii-iz-za-voyny-oni-uzhe-nikogda-ne-vernutsya-mozhno-li-eto-schitat-ocherednoy-volnoy-emigratsii">hundreds of thousands</a> fled Russia in early 2022, among them thousands of artists who no longer felt safe in the climate of increasing censorship.</p> <p>Some of these artists have found themselves in Kirkenes, a small Norwegian town 15 kilometres from the Russian border.</p> <h2>Russia’s protest art</h2> <p>Russian and Soviet artists have a long history of art as protest.</p> <p>The poem <em><a href="https://poets.org/poem/stalin-epigram">Stalin’s Epigram</a></em> (1933) authored by <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/osip-mandelstam">Osip Mandelstam</a> depicted Stalin as a gleeful killer. Authorities imprisoned and tortured Mandelstam, then deported the poet to a remote village near the Ural Mountains. </p> <p>After returning from exile, he persisted writing about Stalin until he was sent to a labour camp in Siberia, where he died in 1938 at the age of 47. </p> <p>Under the comparatively liberal rule of Stalin’s successor <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/131346?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents">Nikita Khrushchev</a> from 1953, the Soviet Union began to enjoy previously unimagined freedoms.</p> <p>Protest art reflected these newfound liberties, becoming increasingly provocative and experimental. </p> <p>Many famous art movements surfaced during this period, including <a href="https://www.moscowart.net/art.html?id=SotsArt">Sots Art</a> — a fusion between Soviet and Pop Art — as Russian artists tested the boundaries, exposing the grim realities and unhappiness of life under Stalin’s regime. </p> <p>In 1962, the legendary composer Shostakovich set his <a href="https://theconversation.com/decoding-the-music-masterpieces-shostakovichs-babi-yar-82819">13th symphony</a> to a series of poems by his contemporary, Yevgeny Yevtushenko. One of these poems was Babi Yar, which criticised the Soviet government for concealing the <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/babi-yar-ukraine-massacre-holocaust-180979687/">massacre of 33,371 Jews</a> in a mass grave outside Kyiv.</p> <p>In contemporary Russia, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/10/world/europe/pussy-riot-russia-escape.html">Pussy Riot</a> came to the attention of the world in 2012 when members stepped behind the altar in Moscow’s golden-domed Christ the Saviour Cathedral wearing neon-coloured balaclavas to deliver a “punk rock prayer”. </p> <p>Their voices echoed off the cavernous, hand-painted ceilings, raging against Putin’s affiliation with the Orthodox church and the homophobic, anti-feminist policies that followed. </p> <p>They were sentenced to two years imprisonment.</p> <p>Today, <a href="https://artreview.com/amidst-a-crackdown-russia-anti-war-artists-and-activists-try-to-reclaim-the-streets/">pictures from Russia</a> reveal anonymous anti-war graffiti on the sides of buildings, “no war” chiselled into a frozen river, and yellow and blue chrysanthemums and tulips left at the feet of Soviet war memorials.</p> <h2>Cross-border collaborations</h2> <p><a href="https://www.pikene.no/">Pikene på Broen</a> (girls on the bridge) is an arts collective based in Kirkenes.</p> <p>They have spent the past 25 years curating art projects to promote cross-cultural collaboration and tackle political problems in the borderland region. </p> <p>Pikene på Broen is host to the the annual art festival <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barents_Sea">Barents</a> Spektakel (spectacle), an international artist residency including Russian, Norwegian and Finnish creatives, the gallery and project space Terminal B in Kirkenes town, and the debate series Transborder Café.</p> <p>The venue has become a hub for open discussions relating to current political and cultural issues, drawing contributions from artists, musicians, writers, politicians and researchers.</p> <p>Evgeny Goman, an independent theatre director from Murmansk, Russia – about 200 kilometres from Kirkenes – has been collaborating with Pikene på Broen for over 10 years.</p> <p>After moving to Norway in early 2022, Pikene på Broen worked with Goman to organise Kvartirnik (from the word kvartira, meaning apartment), an online talk group for Russian and Norwegian artists to exchange ideas. </p> <p>Following Putin’s attack on Ukraine, Kvartirnik shifted to an underground movement for dissident artists. Ironically, the name Kvartirnik derives from the clandestine concerts arranged <a href="https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/college-study-abroad/blog/ciee-kvartirnik-understanding-through-music">in people’s apartments</a> during the Soviet Era when musicians were banned from performing in public.</p> <p><a href="http://deadrevolution.tilda.ws/?fbclid=IwAR2PcaqY7VdLtS1zYUu4JCbD6F36KZ8JKv_FEIYsNeSTE4aKokhV7YpITas">Party of the Dead</a> is one of several Russian protest art groups who participated in Kvartirnik. </p> <p>Pictures from the snow-decked Piskaryovskoye Cemetery in Saint Petersburg reveal members dressed as skeletons, holding placards reading: “are there not enough corpses?”.</p> <p>I spoke with Goman about the art coming out of Kvartirnik today.</p> <p>“In peaceful times, art is more about entertaining,” he says. </p> <p>"But in war and conflict, art is more important because it’s the language we use to express our pain. And through metaphors and symbolism, it allows us to speak about things that are censored."</p> <h2>Countering propaganda</h2> <p>Kvartirnik collaborators in Murmansk have also produced and distributed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samizdat">Samizdat</a> (self-publishing), an anonymous newsletter containing art suppressed by the state. </p> <p>“We have to be really smart now about how we do things in Russia,” Goman says. “Subtle.”</p> <p>Goman is pessimistic about Russia’s future. But he believes the key to moving forward is keeping communication open. He tells me the West’s decision to <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/right-way-cancel-russia/627115/">ban Russian culture</a> has backfired on their plan to pressure Putin into ending the war against Ukraine. </p> <p>Instead, he says, the divide is steadily increasing, leaving dissident artists isolated inside a country operating on fear and propaganda, furthering Putin’s agenda. </p> <p>“Putin wants us to not affect Russian minds. And that’s why we have to keep the dialogue going,” he says of the importance of cross-border collaborations like those he has undertaken in Kirkenes.</p> <p>"If we stop communicating, Putin wins. Propaganda wins."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-we-stop-communicating-putin-wins-propaganda-wins-how-a-norwegian-organisation-is-supporting-russian-protest-art-186911" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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"Let's dance!": Women let loose in support of partying PM

<p>Women all over the world are sharing their support for Finland's partying Prime Minister by sharing videos of themselves dancing online. </p> <p>The Finnish PM, 36-year-old Sanna Marin, made headlines in recent weeks after leaked footage of her dancing at an event with celebrity friends went viral. </p> <p>The videos, which were taken as she danced with friends in two private apartments and then at a nightclub in Helsinki, have led to her being criticised and forced to denounce the use of drugs on her night out. </p> <p>She also was questioned about her alcohol intake on the night in question, and while she denies waking with a hangover or drinking to excess, she said she has as much right to a night out as anyone else, saying, "Everyone needs a fun and relaxed evening out."</p> <p>As the controversy around her party night continues, professional women around the world have been dancing in solidarity, as they stand with the Finnish PM and her right to a night off the top job. </p> <p>A clip shared by the Danish magazine Alt on Instagram showed several women celebrating, with some clubbing or at home to show their support for the Prime Minister. </p> <p>The magazine said they had "leaked" their own dancing videos online, in reference to the video of the prime minister, which was leaked last week. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChcBl-LqcRH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChcBl-LqcRH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ALT for damerne (@altfordamerne)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"SYMPATHY LEAK! In solidarity with Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin (whose party video has been leaked, so that certain types are now questioning what one can allow themselves to do as Prime Minister)," the post's caption read. </p> <p>"We at ALT for the ladies' editorial office have emptied the camera roll of clips that should never have seen the light of day."</p> <p>"And no, you don't become a worse prime minister, director, school teacher...put in a job yourself...by firing it up on the dance floor at the weekend."</p> <p>Others have been posting messages of support with the hashtags #solidaritywithsanna and #istandwithsanna. </p> <p>Comments of support have flooded online spaces, with one woman saying, "I say ALL women across the world need to post videos of themselves dancing and partying with friends!! Let’s blow up the internet women!!"</p> <p>Another said, "Let’s show those with a “crotchety old men mentality” that they can stick it where the sun don’t shine!!!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Getty Images</em></p>

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Anne Heche to be taken off life support

<p dir="ltr">US actress Anne Heche will be taken off life support days after she was reported to be brain dead.</p> <p dir="ltr">The decision comes after the 53-year-old was matched with an organ recipient, per CNN, in line with her wishes, after Heche was pulled out of her burning car, which she had <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/actress-fighting-for-her-life-after-horror-car-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">driven into an LA home</a> while driving 104 km/h on August 5.</p> <p dir="ltr">Heche's publicist broke the news that the <em>Six Days, Seven Nights</em> star was "not expected to survive" on Friday, revealing that Heche had "suffered a severe anoxic brain injury".</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend,” her spokesperson told <em>Page Six</em> at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-02f14bcd-7fff-85ab-3ecc-d0d822147ddc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdUqTdKLo6E/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdUqTdKLo6E/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Anne Heche (@anneheche)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The following day, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said in a statement that the investigation into the crash would not move forward.</p> <p dir="ltr">"As of today, there will be no further investigative efforts made in this case," the LAPD said in a statement to <em><a href="https://pagesix.com/2022/08/14/anne-heche-police-investigation-dismissed-following-stars-death/?_ga=2.230917663.184706205.1660479883-1122528718.1567945808" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Any information or records that have been requested prior to this turn of events will still be collected as they arrive as a matter of formalities and included in the overall case.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After the results for Heche’s blood test following the crash <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/anne-heche-s-blood-test-results-revealed-after-horror-smash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detected “the presence of drugs” in her system</a>, police investigations escalated to a “preliminary” felony DUI.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gossip magazine <em>TMZ </em>reported on August 10 that the investigation was escalated after a woman claimed she was injured and needed medical assistance due to Heche crashing into her home.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7a45620a-7fff-a523-348f-68564680d4f2"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">However, an LAPD public information officer told <em>Page Six</em> that the felony was preliminary due to pending further toxicology testing.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChKkPVLukOi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChKkPVLukOi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by James Tupper (@mrjamestupper)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Heche, who never regained consciousness after the crash, is survived by her 13-year-old son Atlas, who she shares with actor James Trupper, as well as her 20-year-old son Homer, shared with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-661f6c10-7fff-c097-316a-6f5c947cb84c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">On Saturday, Tupper shared a sweet tribute to his late wife to Instagram, posting a single photo of Heche along with the caption: “love you forever 💔”.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChLAEgaPFFF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChLAEgaPFFF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Coley Laffoon (@coleylaffoon)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Laffoon took to social media to wish his ex-wife peace on her journey, sharing a throwback photo of Heche with their son as a baby.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s important to remember the real love in the best times. Thank you Anne. Peace on your journey,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-dd5ef628-7fff-d8e9-c738-71dae7ec97e9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @anneheche (Instagram)</em></p>

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Support the environment. Don’t mow your lawn

<div class="copy"> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mowing urban lawns less often or less severely increases biodiversity, saves money and reduces pests, according to research from the British Ecological Society.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A meta-analysis of data from North America and Europe found strong evidence, the researchers say, that greater mowing intensity at home, in parks and on roundabouts and road verges has negative effects, particularly on invertebrate and plant diversity. Pest species thrive, however.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Even a modest reduction in lawn mowing frequency can bring a host of environmental benefits: increased pollinators, increased plant diversity and reduced greenhouse gas emissions,” says Chris Watson from the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, Canada, lead author of a <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13542" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paper</a> in the <em>Journal of Applied Ecology</em>.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“At the same time, a longer, healthier lawn makes it more resistant to pests, weeds, and drought events.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The reason, Watson says, is that regular mowing favours grasses, which grow from the base of the plant, and low growing species such as dandelion and clover. Other species that have their growing tips or flowering stems regularly removed by mowing can’t compete. {%recommended 6627%}</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“These findings support a lot of research done by the turfgrass industry that shows that the more disturbance a lawn gets, the higher the likelihood of pest and weed invasion,” he adds. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">For their meta-analysis, the researchers identified 14 studies undertaken in urban areas between 2004 and 2019 that measured mowing intensity (either height or frequency) as an experimental factor. They also included three unpublished studies of their own. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A separate case study was used to estimate the economic costs of high-intensity lawn management – which are known to be considerable.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Previous studies have shown, for example, that the cost of allergies to ragweed, which is common in North America and Europe, is around CAD$155 million per year in Quebec and €133 million a year in Austria and Bavaria. </span></p> <p>As it has a more rapid reproduction than other species, the researchers say, ragweed is able to colonise disturbances caused by intense mowing.</p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can also save money more directly. In their case study, Watson and colleagues analysed mowing contractor data from the city of Trois-Rivières. They estimated a 36% reduction in public maintenance costs when mowing frequency was reduced from 15 to 10 times per year in high use lawn areas and from three times to once a year in low use areas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Watson acknowledges that people worry that leaving grass long attracts ticks and rodents but says there is little evidence to support this. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The presence of ticks are more strongly related to host populations, like deer, than type of vegetation,” he says. “With respect to small mammals, some species prefer longer grass, whereas others do not.”</span></p> <p>The plan now is to expand the research and begin applying the findings to improve lawns.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> </div> <div id="contributors"> <p><em>This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/sustainability/support-the-environment-dont-mow-your-lawn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Nick Carne. </em></p> </div>

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James Cromwell glues hand to Starbucks counter in support of animal rights

<p dir="ltr"><em>Babe</em> actor James Cromwell caused quite a stir in a Starbucks after gluing his hand to the counter in support of animal rights.</p> <p dir="ltr">The popular coffee chain recently announced an extra charge for plant based milk which has infuriated the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.</p> <p dir="ltr">Activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals organised the protest, with Cromwell taking the lead and gluing himself to the counter, calling for the surcharge to be removed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Non-dairy products all over the world…France, they give these things away. There’s no charge for it. Here, there’s an exorbitant charge,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why, when it’s so important now to address climate change and to understand the violence to animals to go on to make dairy products that are served here? There’s no reason for it except greed.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Police were called to the Starbucks asking the protestors to leave which they did with no arrests made.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a statement, Starbucks explained how customers are also slugged a surcharge when ordering other non-dairy milk with their orders.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Customers can customise any beverage on the menu with a non-dairy milk, including soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, and oat milk for an additional cost (similar to other beverage customisations such as an additional espresso shot or syrup)," the statement read.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Pricing varies market by market."</p> <p dir="ltr">Police were eventually called to the Starbucks and asked the protestors to leave with no arrests made.</p> <p dir="ltr">Watch the video <a href="https://www.facebook.com/official.peta/videos/2237669893078098" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Ashamed of asking for technical support? You are not alone!

<p>The spread of new technologies tied to a race for innovation, products and services’ growing interdependence and, more generally, <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-services-be-the-saviour-of-manufacturing-70081" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the transformation of products into services</a> can also make them more complex to use. To help consumers, companies are introducing a wealth of instructions, tutorials and pictograms that can be difficult to understand, all too often leaving consumers even more <a href="https://theconversation.com/confusopoly-why-companies-are-motivated-to-deliberately-confuse-39563" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confused</a>.</p> <p>The scene is all too familiar: who has never scratched their head in front of a machine, a new device or trying to complete an online booking? While many innovations are often designed and implemented to ease the consumer’s daily life, they may also be the source of new problems. Consumers adopt various strategies to cope with these difficulties of use: online tutorials, help from neighbours or friends, but many, perhaps surprisingly, also end up dropping their new product or service altogether.</p> <p>The reasons for not seeking help may be psychological. In the field of social psychology, over the last 40 years, researchers have been exploring help-seeking in various contexts, mostly focusing on medical and psychological help or on help-seeking in the classroom. It appears that not everyone is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/asking-help-coronavirus-hard-shame/2020/04/17/e1d3ef90-7e91-11ea-8013-1b6da0e4a2b7_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comfortable asking for help</a> and that some individuals systematically seem to avoid seeking help.</p> <p>Indeed, help-seeking may be perceived as threatening, as it may call into question the applicant’s personal competence in his or her own eyes. But he or she may also fear appearing incompetent in the eyes of the helper. Help-seeking also conflicts with important values for Westerners: autonomy and control. Finally, it may restrict one’s freedom of choice, for example when feeling forced to accept a commercial offer in return for the help given.</p> <p><strong>Fear of appearing incompetent</strong></p> <p>In our article to be published in the journal <em><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/rme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recherches et Application en Marketing</a></em>, we explored one of the possible responses for the modern troubled consumer: seeking the supplier’s help. Although it appears to be a fairly obvious solution, it is not often used by consumers.</p> <p>Through a series of studies, we sought to understand whether avoiding to seek help exists in a consumption context when a customer finds it difficult to use a product or service. A qualitative study and four quantitative studies (samples between 150 and 450 individuals) led us to the conclusion that more than a third – a significant and seemingly large proportion – of consumers tend to avoid asking for help.</p> <p>These studies also enabled us to build a psychometric measurement tool to assess the tendency of each individual to be more or less avoidant. The common behaviour of help-seeking avoidance is based on two dimensions, stemming from the qualitative part of the study. The first dimension is the refusal to ask for help because it causes embarrassment or even shame for the asker, as one consumer we interviewed explained:</p> <blockquote> <p>“Sometimes you feel ashamed, because you are afraid that the person you are talking to might think you don’t understand anything.”</p> </blockquote> <p>The second dimension lies in the evaluation of the interlocutor. More specifically, in both their perceived willingness and their perceived ability to help, as illustrated by this statement of a consumer:</p> <blockquote> <p>“[Companies] are all the same, they are always rude and they never solve your problems.”</p> </blockquote> <p>These two dimensions contribute to explain consumers’ intention to seek help or not. This research also highlights the relationship between the avoidance tendency and specific psychological traits such as an external <a href="https://dictionary.apa.org/locus-of-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">locus of control</a> (the tendency to attribute the cause of events outside one’s control to others, a specific context, for example), <a href="https://dictionary.apa.org/state-orientation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">state orientation</a> (the tendency not to act) and <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/social-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social anxiety</a>.</p> <p><strong>Companies can take action</strong></p> <p>Difficulties encountered are admittedly damaging for the consumer, but they are also ultimately damaging for the company. Indeed, a customer who cannot have full use of one’s product may abandon not only the product, but the brand. One may also express dissatisfaction or frustration and spread negative word of mouth. Incidentally, there is a high failure rate for high-tech product launches.</p> <p>What can companies do to ease and encourage requests from their customers? First of all, they can act on the potential embarrassment. Indeed, it appears that help requested through a screen leads to less discomfort. In this respect, live chat is a very interesting tool to encourage the triggering of requests.</p> <p>In addition, companies can communicate about their willingness and ability to assist their customers – and dedramatise assistance requests. Indeed, many companies still do not advertise on means available to contact them, often for fear of having to manage too many customer contacts. According to our research, this is interpreted by consumers as unwillingness to help.</p> <p>Moreover, communicating the positive results of customers requesting help or, more generally, of contacts with the customer service would also be an effective lever. Finally, in addition to being beneficial for customer satisfaction, requests for help can have another positive impact: for example, they allow improvements to be made to products and services.<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/173716/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marion-sangle-ferriere-1220471" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marion Sanglé-Ferrière</a>, Maître de conférence en marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cy-cergy-paris-universite-2217" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CY Cergy Paris Université</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-voyer-110420" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Voyer</a>, Full Professor, Department of Entrepreneurship, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/escp-business-school-813" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESCP Business School</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/ashamed-of-asking-for-technical-support-you-are-not-alone-173716" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Technology

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Children killed in Hillcrest tragedy identified amid overwhelming support

<p><em>Image: GoFundMe</em></p> <p>Tributes from all over the world are pouring in as people have dug deep to support the victims and their families following the horrific jumping castle tragedy in Tasmania that has killed five children and critically injured several more.</p> <p>Zoe Smith, who describes herself as “a local girl who grew up in Devonport”, said she started a GoFundMe fundraising page despite not knowing any of the children killed or injured.</p> <p>An overwhelming number of donations have been lodged so far, with more than $250,000 raised in less than 24 hours – and the total is continuing to rise quickly in the wake of such a tragic incident.</p> <p>Police say a “significant local wind event” contributed to the jumping castle flying more than 10 metres into the air as students from Hillcrest Primary School gathered to celebrate the end of the school year.</p> <p>It’s unknown at this stage how many children were on the jumping castle at the time, or how it was anchored down.</p> <p>Messages of condolence are flowing in for two of the students who have been identified among the dead, with separate GoFundMe pages set up for them.</p> <p>They were named as Grade Six students Zane and Addison.</p> <p>Addison’s aunt wrote that she “was always such a sweet kind, old soul.”</p> <p>“My niece was tragically taken in the accident at Hillcrest Primary. I’m hoping to raise some money for my brother and sister in-law to help pay for funeral costs and to pay off some bills for them while they try and navigate life without their precious daughter,” she wrote. “They have another daughter and son to take care of and I’m hoping to alleviate some of the stress of bills.”</p> <p>Ms Smith said set up her fundraiser because she was “moved by the tragedy” like many other Australians and wanted to do something “to support the families throughout Christmas”.</p> <p>“All funds will go to the families of the children who were tragically killed and injured to not only support them but provide them with much needed gifts in this time of such sadness,” she said. “All the funds will be donated to the school and the Parents and Friends committee to be distributed to the families affected!”</p> <p>“Any donation is much appreciated and hopefully we as the incredible community of Devonport can rally to support such deserving and hurting people,” Ms Smith said.</p> <p>Support has been put in place for the school community, including school counsellors and chaplains for use over the holiday period.</p> <p>In an interview on The Project, Mayor Annette Rockcliff said she had met the students only last week after visiting the primary school.</p> <p>“I did meet all of those children last week, I was in their classroom for an hour or so, so it’s tough to think about that”, she said, looking visibly upset.</p> <p>Police officers who responded to the scene were visible distressed by what they saw.</p> <p>“These children were meant to be celebrating their last day of primary school, instead we’re all mourning their loss,” Tasmania Police Commissioner Darren Hine said. “Emergency services were called to the scene around 10 am this morning after a wind gust had reportedly caused the jumping castle and inflatable zorb balls to lift into the air.”</p> <p>“Our thoughts are also with those emergency services personnel who attended to try and save these people’s lives,” he said.</p> <p>Investigations are underway into the incident, with involvement from WorkSafe Tasmania.</p> <p>Mr Hine said that investigation could take “quite some time”.</p> <p>You can donate to the GoFundMe <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/hillcrestprimary?utm_source=widget&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet">here</a>. </p>

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Alec Baldwin's daughter posts touching message of support

<p dir="ltr">Ireland Baldwin, the 26-year-old daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, shared a strong message of support for her father following his involvement in the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/alec-baldwin-allegedly-shot-and-killed-cinematographer" target="_blank">on-set death</a><span> </span>of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins last week.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hutchins was<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/devastating-new-details-of-alec-baldwin-shooting" target="_blank">fatally shot and killed</a><span> </span>in an accident on the set of the movie<span> </span><em>Rust,<span> </span></em>and while not all details have been made public and authorities have not brought any charges against anyone present at the time of the accident, people,<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/donald-trump-jr-selling-t-shirts-mocking-alec-baldwin-shooting" target="_blank">including Donald Trump Jr</a>, have been quick to blame Baldwin for Hutchins’ death.</p> <p dir="ltr">Baldwin’s eldest daughter took to Instagram to respond to those who were quick to condemn her father, sharing a screenshot of a heartwarming anecdote someone had shared about her father. Tracey Nolan wrote that while working in a production office in Toronto, she’d “dealt with typing up some pretty goofy celebrity riders in my day but NOT your dad’s.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He only wanted to make sure he had milk and cereal in his hotel room for when his daughter was visiting. That was it. That was the whole rider. I’ll always remember that.” Baldwin was working on the Thomas the Tank Engine movie<span> </span><em>Thomas and the Magic Railroad</em><span> </span>at the time.</p> <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVi4zo3hlzR/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <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/CVi4zo3hlzR/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by i r e l a n d ♥️ (@irelandbasingerbaldwin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Ireland’s own caption beneath reads, “Amongst some of the most abhorrent and threatening comments, emails, text messages, and voicemails I’ve been getting... this beautiful comment stands alone. I know my dad, you simply don’t. I love you, Dad ❤️”</p> <p dir="ltr">While nobody has been charged, authorities have not ruled out the possibility. Soon after news of the accident broke, Baldwin<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/AlecBaldwin/status/1451572461787439106" target="_blank">tweeted</a>, “There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours. I'm fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”</p> <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVOR_F9jZ0c/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <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/CVOR_F9jZ0c/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Halyna Hutchins (@halynahutchins)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for Comedy Central</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Prince Harry speaks out against Taliban: “Support one another”

<p><span>Prince Harry has released a heartfelt statement following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.</span><br /><br /><span>The Duke of Sussex undertook two frontline tours of Afghanistan during his time in the British military, and has called on veterans to “reach out” and “offer support for one another” following the heartbreaking events.</span><br /><br /><span>He released the joint statement on the Invictus Games Foundation Twitter account, @weareinvictus.</span><br /><br /><span>The statement was issued by Harry, patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, along with Lord Allen of Kensington CBE, chair of the foundation and CEO, Dominic Reid OBE.</span><br /><br /><span>He said the events unfolding in the war-torn nation affected many in the Invictus community.</span><br /><br /><span>"What's happening in Afghanistan resonates across the international Invictus community," it said.</span><br /><br /><span>"Many of the participating nations and competitors in the Invictus Games family are bound by a shared experience of serving in Afghanistan over the past two decades, and for several years we have competed alongside Invictus Games Team Afghanistan.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843218/prince-harry-afghanistan-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/09b1f838b0fb406cadecd4e1681331e5" /></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em><br /><br /><span>"We encourage everybody across the Invictus network — and the wider military community — to reach out to each other and offer support for one another."</span><br /><br /><span>The Duke served in the army for 10 years.</span><br /><br /><span>He joined the Royal Military in 2005, where he trained as a cadet.</span><br /><br /><span>He went on to join the Blues and Royals in 2006 — the second-most senior regiment in the British army.</span><br /><br /><span>From 2007 to 2008, Harry rose to the rank of lieutenant while he was deployed with the British Army in Helmand, Afghanistan.</span><br /><br /><span>In 2012, he commenced the second frontline tour of Afghanistan.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843220/prince-harry-afghanistan.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c5c2d126ec304a3397786678447115dd" /></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em><br /><br /><span>He had been a helicopter co-pilot and gunner.</span><br /><br /><span>US President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan following a 20-year presence has plunged the country into chaos.</span><br /><br /><span>The Taliban has quickly taken over major cities and states in Afghanistan.</span></p>

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"Lies need to stop": Irwin family member rushes to support Bob

<p>The Irwins are hardly the type to battle it out publicly, but for years the family have been at quietly a loggerheads, it was revealed over the weekend.</p> <p>In a sweet Father’s Day post Bindi shared, she thanked Steve, her own husband Chandler, and her father-in-law.</p> <p>One fan took to the comments to asks Irwin why she left her grandfather Bob out of the tribute and the young celebrity unleashed.</p> <p>“Unfortunately my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family,” she wrote.</p> <p>“He has never said a single kind word to me personally. It breaks my heart but it is not healthy to engage in an abusive relationship … I have struggled with this relationship my entire life and it brings me enormous pain.”</p> <p>A family member of the family took to Facebook to angrily dispute Bindi’s claims made about her grandfather Bob.</p> <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/CQUfEJ8BMgF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CQUfEJ8BMgF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Bethanny Wheeler explained that she is the “the granddaughter of Bob Irwin via marriage of my father and my Stepmother Mandy as a very young child,”.</p> <p>She called Bob “the most genuinely beautiful human on this planet and has NEVER spoken out or put down anybody!</p> <p>"He is a man who sits silently and battles his demons alone, in what is great sadness. He doesn’t retaliate, only prays for his grandchildren’s safety and good lives.”</p> <p>Wheeler wrote that her “sisters and brothers will happily back me up when I say that Bob Irwin is a passive and beautiful human, and these lies need to stop.”</p> <p>Bob Irwin’s biographer also said he was “devastated” by Bindi’s claims of abuse.</p> <p>Amanda French, who co-wrote Bob’s 2016 autobiography The Last Crocodile Hunter, slammed Bindi.</p> <p>“To write that there is psychological abuse from the kindest, most beautiful soul I have ever met, is heartbreaking,” she wrote.</p> <p>She went on to say Bob has been “devastated to his core.”</p> <p>“Unbeknownst to you, and what you know, he is suffering deeply for the loss of his family … He has done all he knows how to do and that is bury his head in the sand because that’s how he copes,” she continued.</p> <p>“He’s not someone who is out there about reaching out and communicating, he’s like your Dad was. An introvert and not someone who can navigate people well.</p> <p>“He loves your Dad, and you guys more than you know. This should be a private matter not written about on Facebook.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841917/bob-irwin-family-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/44f9f932a55748b6a0ce4bc6df1ef9c4" /></p> <p>Entertainment Reporter Peter Ford told <em>Sunrise</em> on Monday that after speaking to Bob’s wife Judy over the weekend, he could confirm they were blown away by Bindi’s comments.</p> <p>“They were pretty shellshocked by it and when I rang and read to his wife Judy the details, they’re not on social media, so they were not aware of what was going on at all, I think they were pretty shocked and devastated,” the reporter said.</p> <p>“That’s just the feeling I got. They didn’t say that to me and they did not come back and offer any kind of reply or response.”</p> <p>Steve and his father were incredible close, once labelling him: “the legend of the universe.”</p> <p>Steve told the ABC’s Enough Rope in 2003: “He was everything I wanted to be. And all I’ve done in my life is follow in his footsteps, mimic him and try to be him. And nowadays I just try to make him proud.”</p> <p>Steve was killed in a 2006 freak accident, right after the father and his son wrapped up their month-long in Cape York,</p> <p>“You never expect that’s the last time you’re ever going to see your son, but I certainly had a feeling he sensed something was about to happen,” Bob said after the accident.</p> <p>Steve died after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while he was filming on the Great Barrier Reef.</p> <p>When Bob released his autobiography in 2016, he said that “when the world lost Steve, the animals lost the best friend they ever had, and so did I.”</p> <p>“What he stood for and what he was able to achieve means just as much now as when he was here in the physical world.”</p> <p>Bindi insists that she and her family want the best for Bob.</p> <p>“We built him a house on a beautiful property and will always do our best to ensure his wellbeing,” she wrote.</p>

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Serena Williams' stirring words of support for Meghan Markle

<p>Serena Williams has thrown her support behind Meghan Markle after her highly publicised interview with Oprah.</p> <p>“Meghan Markle, my selfless friend, lives her life – and leads by example – with empathy and compassion,” Williams wrote.</p> <p>“She teaches me every day what it means to be truly noble. Her words illustrate the pain and cruelty she’s experienced.</p> <p>“I know first hand the sexism and racism institutions and the media use to vilify women and people of colour to minimise us, to break us down and demonise us.</p> <p>“We must recognise our obligation to decry malicious, unfounded gossip and tabloid journalism. The mental health consequences of systemic oppression and victimisation are devastating, isolating and all too often lethal.</p> <p>“I want Meghan’s daughter, my daughter and your daughter to live in a society that is driven by respect.</p> <p>“Keep in your memory the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.”</p> <p>It's not the first time Williams has defended the Duchess.</p> <p>In 2019, Meghan visited Wimbledon to watch Williams play courtside.</p> <p>But the appearance attracted a flurry of negative press, with those sitting close by reportedly warned by security not to take photos of her.</p> <p>Speaking at a Wimbledon press conference, Williams was asked by one reporter whether Meghan would watch her play in the finals given the “negative media” surround her last appearance.</p> <p>“You know I didn’t know there was negative media out there,” Williams replied. “Every time I see her name attached to anything I don’t read it.”</p> <p>The tennis superstar praised Meghan — who she has been close with since meeting at a celebrity volleyball event in 2014 — for being a good person.</p> <p>“She couldn’t be a better friend to me — low moments, high moments she’s always there and that’s all I want to be to her,” she said.</p>

Relationships

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Prince Charles withdraws "financial support" from Prince Harry and Meghan

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Harry and Meghan are being forced to find new arrangements for any mail sent to them after Prince Charles and Clarence House withdrew "financial support" from the couple.</p> <p>The<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2021/02/27/prince-harry-meghan-hunt-new-uk-mail-address-clarence-house/" target="_blank"><em>UK Telegraph</em></a><span> </span>has reported that all professional ties, including the Sussex's mail service in the UK, is being severed by the end of next month.</p> <p>Members of the royal family can receive thousands of letters and cards per month and the Correspondence Section at Clarence House was previously responsible for the Sussex family.</p> <p>Instead, the pair will need to make new arrangements to receive their mail in the US.</p> <p>What is said to have tipped Prince Charles' decision is the new 90-minute documentary that Harry and Meghan are doing with Oprah to discuss why they quit being working royals.</p> <p>The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were stripped of their titles in mid-February after they decided to renounce their duties and step away from public service for good.</p> <p>A statement by Buckingham Palace said at the time they are "saddened by their decision" but said Meghan and Harry "remain much loved members of the family."</p> </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

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Trump supporter killed during US Capitol rioting identified

<p>Just before Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt was shot dead at the US Capitol after breaking in, she took to Twitter to share her reasons for doing so.</p> <p>“Nothing will stop us … they can try and try and try but the storm is here and it is descending upon DC in less than 24 hours … dark to light!” wrote the 35-year-old.</p> <p>While she predicted a storm correctly, she probably didn't expect to pay the ultimate price in the end, as she fought to keep Donald Trump in office as President.</p> <p>She was killed after breaking into the Capitol Building during the electoral college vote to confirm Joe Biden's win, and her death has caused outrage throughout America.</p> <p>DC Police Chief Robert Contee revealed she had been shot by US Capitol Police.</p> <p>Footage of the graphic shooting began circulating on the internet.</p> <p>She was later removed from the building on a stretcher and died in hospital later in the day, according to officials.</p> <p>Ms Babbitt was identified to KUSI-TV by husband Aaron, who said she was extremely dedicated to Trump and was a veteran of 14 years.</p> <p>Ms Babbitt's mother-in-law Robin Babbitt spoke to the New York Post about the family loss.</p> <p>“I’m numb. I’m devastated. Nobody from DC notified my son and we found out on TV,” Robin Babbitt said, adding her son’s wife was “a Trump supporter”.</p> <p>Ms Babbitt's death prompted angry reactions from the American public.</p> <p>“When Black people are shot dead by police, there is a postmortem character assassination.</p> <p>When a white woman is killed by police storming the Capital, there is character redemption,” wrote Harvard professor CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Cornell William Brooks on Twitter.</p> <p>“Every news story refers to #AshliBabbitt not as an #insurrectionist, but a veteran.”</p> <p>Twitter uses said they had "zero sympathy" for a "terrorist" killed while taking part in "insurrection".</p> <p>“Play stupid games win stupid prizes,” one wrote, while another posted: “How’d it work out for you? Was it worth it?”</p>

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