Table of contents for October 2020 in Readers Digest Australia

IT’S NO SECRET THAT CRIME SELLS. We love to watch it on stage, on small and big screens, as well as read crime novels and listen to true crime podcasts. Murders, robberies and intriguing million-dollar diamond and art heists are always popular. Less common are crimes against science. This month’s Bonus Read is about a very unusual crime involving a young talented music student, not a typical criminal profile. ‘The Case of the Broken Window’ (page 124) tells the story of how this untypical thief committed a grave crime against the calm, studious and inoffensive world of zoology. Not straying too far from the amazing and often-unbelievable zoological world is this month’s Drama in Real Life, ‘Marlin Attack!’ (page 40). When three men headed out on a spearfishing trip, nothing,…

In the early hours of a cold morning in 1985, Koh Seng Choon sat in a large delivery truck as its driver steered the heavy load along the dark roads of South Yorkshire, home to the region’s famous coal mines. These mines had employed generations of men over hundreds of years. On board the truck was a pile of heavy steel railway tracks headed for one of the mines that had laid off a large part of its mining workforce. The sun was just rising as they pulled up outside the gates of the col liery, where large groups of unemployed protesting coal miners had been camped outside for months. England was in the midst of an angry coalminers’ strike that raged for a year from March 1984-March 1985. Their…

Proud Relative At a baby shower for my first child, my 13-year-old brother let the excitement of the moment get the better of his emotions, and he giddily announced to the guests, “I can’t wait till the baby is born so I can find out if I’m an uncle or an aunt!” SUBMITTED BY TRINA BAMBERG Grate Style Kids mispronouncing things is super adorable, but at some point I will have to tell my daughter we don’t put ‘Farmer John cheese’ on spaghetti. @simoncholland The Long Sufferer Ours was a family of eight children, but only one boy. One day when we were young, I was complaining to my brother about having six annoying sisters. He wasn’t having it. “What are you griping about?” he said. “I have seven!” SUBMITTED…

1 READ THE WHOLE RECIPE BEFORE YOU START We’ve all got half-way through a recipe only to find we don’t have one of the ingredients. Plus, a quick read can help you prepare for what’s ahead, particularly if there are any techniques with which you’re not familiar. 2 USE BUTTER AT THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE Most cake, cookie and biscuit recipes call for softened butter, which is the right consistency for creaming with sugar. Pie pastry recipes call for ice-cold butter in order to create the flakiest layers. If your butter isn’t the correct temperature, your bakes won’t mix up the way they should. 3 WEIGH ALL YOUR INGREDIENTS When it comes to baking, it’s always preferable to measure your ingredients by weight rather than volume. This ensures you get exactly…

Sink your teeth into these shark jokes and puns: Interesting fact: a shark will only attack you if you’re wet. SEAN LOCK, COMEDIAN Q: What do sharks do when they have a big choice to make? A: Chews wisely. Last night I thought I was being chased by a shark. This morning, I realised it was just a bream. Punsandoneliners.com Q: What do you call an acrobat in shark-infested waters? A: A balanced breakfast. Upjoke.com Q: Why did the shark cross the Great Barrier Reef? A: To get to the other tide. 2jokes.com…

I HIRED MY EX-HUSBAND TO WORK FOR ME – JUST BECAUSE WE DIDN’T WORK OUT AS HUSBAND AND WIFE DIDN’T MEAN OUR RELATIONSHIP COULDN’T CONTINUE.JOY MANGANO, INVENTOR I’m one of the most optimistic persons in the world. I always believed that – there’s another shot, another chance. In boxing, I never gave up. I kept trying, kept trying.SUGAR RAY LEONARD, BOXER I AM WHAT YOU WOULD CALL A ‘PIECE OF WORK’ IN PROGRESS.CYNDI LAUPER, MUSICIAN It’s good to be able to laugh at yourself and the problems you face in life. Sense of humour can save you.MARGARET CHO, COMEDIAN Weaselling out of things is important to learn. It’s what separates us from the animals! Except the weasels.HOMER SIMPSON, CARTOON CHARACTER…

FROM THE BOOK BUILDING A HAPPY FAMILY: 11 PRACTICES OF MINDFUL PARENTING While I was growing up, I often heard my teachers say things like, “Oh, Tina is gifted in algebra.” While watching the Olympics I would hear my parents say, “These gymnasts are born with such agility.” When we would pass by a swimming pool, Mum would say, “I have no idea how people swim so well.” These natural and innocent statements shaped my beliefs about talent. They gave me a fixed mindset. I believed people were born with certain talents and abilities and if they didn’t have a particular one at birth, then they never would. Hence, I rarely focused on algebra because I could see I was not ‘gifted’ in it. I did not even try to…

FROM THE BOOK THE FEATHER THIEF On June 24, 2009, the Natural History Museum deputy security guard was halfway through his round when he noticed shards of glass near the base of the building. He scanned the area until his eyes settled on the smashed-out window overhead. He hurried inside to inform the Tring’s curators that there seemed to have been a break-in. The police arrived and began searching for evidence, examining the bird skin cabinets in the vicinity of the broken window and scanning the ground outside. Mark Adams, the senior curator responsible for the Tring’s bird skin collection, raced to the stacks containing the museum’s most precious specimens. He feared the worst as he nervously unlocked the cabinets containing the Tring’s treasures: the Galapagos finches collected by Darwin…

FROM THEWALRUS.CA The email popped up on my screen at 6.45am on December 24 last year. It was from someone I know quite well: the minister of my church. “I need a favour from you,” it read. “Email me as soon as you get my message.” “Ahoy, Ron,” I replied. A friend was in the hospital battling cancer, he said. Could I possibly pick up some iTunes gift cards? “She needs the cards to download her favourite music and videos to boost her confidence on her next phase of surgery.” He’d do it himself, but he was tied up. “I will surely reimburse you as soon as I can.” “OK,” I emailed back. THE SYMPATHIES OF THE VICTIM ARE MANIPULATED BY A NARRATIVE SLEIGHT OF HAND “Thank you so much,…

Adjectives Add Information 1. stygian – A: stingy. B: timeless. C: dark and gloomy. 2. insidious – A: indoors. B: gradual but harmful. C: strongly felt yet unexpressed. 3. whimsical – A: unpredictable. B: elegant and inexpensive. C: fragile. 4. vulpine – A: murderous. B: cunning. C: hungry. 5. combative – A: ready to argue. B: rough in texture. C: obnoxiously loud. 6. frugal – A: silly. B: cold. C: thrifty. 7. inveterate – A: habitual and unlikely to change. B: soft and malleable. C: untested. 8. salutary – A: beneficial. B: welcoming. C: verbal. 9. threadbare – A: self-evident. B: shabby and barely adequate. C: uncomfortable. 10. bountiful – A: rounded. B: large in amount. C: poisonous but not lethal. 11. feckless – A: lacking poise. B: ineffectual and…

A New Kind of Carer I loved ‘Say Hello to Your New Carer’ by Susannah Hickling (July). I learned a lot about how seniors interacted with Zora the robot – exercising, singing, dancing, reading books and being entertained. Children with autism worked with a robot named Pepper that helped them with school work. Articles such as this show people how important robots can be. JACOB VERMETTE Friendship, Faith and Tragedy ‘Faithful Friends’ (June) was a heart-breaking story. I couldn’t control my tears as I read it. I had heard about the incident but didn’t know the details. Finding out about people who have seen the worst of life but are trying to respond by spreading happiness is very encouraging. FAIZA JAFFAR Quality Content Forty years ago, aged nine and an…

Read up on the great philosophers, or listen to one of our astute thinkers of the modern era, and most will tell you that arrogance is a shield to a lack of knowledge and some very deep-seated insecurities. That makes understanding Gordon Ramsay something of a conundrum. Even the chef and restaurateur’s greatest admirers recognise a sense of haughtiness in the make-up of someone who has persistently hunted down the next challenge. The most decorated chefs are where they are because of their ability to perform, manage and excel in one of the most stressful work environments imaginable. “I’m the same as anyone else,” says Ramsay. “I’m the product of discipline, bloody-mindedness, passion, being organised, being clear in my goal, and perhaps even a bit of selfishness. You know, success…

On October 31, the ghosts and goblins of Twitter come out to frighten us. It’s October. For everyone’s safety, keep your blond-haired children away from all corn mazes. Do not let them congregate. @XLISERX How about a horror game show called The Price Is Right Behind You! @MARCONI82930 I know blood in horror movies is just corn syrup, but it’s still terrifying because at this point, that’s basically all my blood is. @BRIDGER_W I would die first in a horror movie because I refuse to spend the last few minutes of my life running. @ATWISTEDTIARA Any ghost sophisticated enough to haunt a hotel is going to find the 13th floor, whether you have a lift button for it or not. @CONTWIXT Every movie is a horror movie when the characters…

I may be a humble legume, but I am one of the world’s most versatile crops. I was part of diets in China as early as 7000 BCE, in Japan around 5000 BCE, and Korea circa 1000 BCE. Around the 13th century, I was introduced into South East Asia, and travelled to Europe and the Americas in the 18th century, and to Africa in the 19th century. My first foray into Australia was in 1804, when I was sold in Sydney as Fine India Soy Sauce, and I then ventured to New Zealand in 1842 when my sauce was sold in Wellington. In 1879, my cultivars were gifted to Australia by Japan’s Minister of the Interior. Today, I am enjoyed by millions right around the globe. However, my presence on…

Not all probiotics are the same. In fact, there are plenty of different strains, and some may have different potential health benefits than others. Although not a cure-all, there is good reason to consider adding probiotics to your diet, either in food or supplement form. A HEALTHIER HEART Probiotics are live micro-organisms, gut-friendly bacteria that are found in yoghurt, fermented foods, aged cheeses and supplements. A 2017 review of 15 studies published in PLoS One found that taking the probiotic Lactobacillus could reduce LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol. One way the bacteria can reduce blood lipids is through an enzyme, bile salt hydrolase, according to Professor Mary Ellen Sanders, executive science officer of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics. “Bile salts are precursors to cholesterol, and gut microbiota can…

ADAPTED FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES Have you ever felt like life would be better if you had taken a different path? If only you had pursued that job, ended that relationship sooner or moved to a new city, everything would be perfect. It’s human nature to linger on feelings of regret. Left unchecked, these emotions can become overwhelming sources of stress and anxiety. But even painful emotions like regret can be powerful sources of inspiration. It’s possible to use those “If only I …” thoughts as a lever to help you move ahead. Researchers have found that obsessing over regrets has a negative impact on mood and sleep, can increase impulsivity, and can be a risk factor for binge eating and misusing alcohol. As a clinical psychologist, I help…

Some businesses use weird questions to see how a job candidate might work through an unexpected problem. The job website glassdoor.com collected these questions posed by large companies. How would you answer them? • My wife and I are going on holiday, where would you recommend? • If you were shrunk to the size of a pencil and put in a blender, how would you get out? • How do you make a tuna sandwich? • How would you move Mount Fuji? • Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses? • Are your parents disappointed with your career aspirations? • What do you think of garden gnomes?…

WALLACE (1823-1913) was a geographer, zoologist and natural explorer, whose early work in mapping the origins of species helped form the basis of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Wallace was both a close collaborator and highly regarded by Darwin. Between 1854-1862, Wallace undertook vast explorations across the Malay Archipelago, including Malaysia and Indonesia, where he catalogued over 126,000 insects, butterfly and bird species. These species helped illustrate a theory of natural selection, using a tree analogy. In 1855, Wallace wrote of ‘branching lines of affinity, as intricate as the twigs of a gnarled oak’. This approach was adopted by zoologists to explain genealogical links and relationships between species. The National History Museum’s relationship with Wallace started in 1851, when the museum purchased items from his Amazon expedition. Regular purchases of…

1. What plant is a symbol of nuclear disarmament because it can absorb radioactive isotopes? 2 points 2. In 2019, what Canadian singer released her first Billboard No. 1 album in more than 17 years? 1 point 3. Which two independent states are entirely surrounded by Italy? 2 points 4. Which is the only country to have won both the women’s and the men’s FIFA World Cups? 1 point 5. What Dutch master produced more than 142 paintings while he was staying at a psychiatric hospital? 1 point 6. In Peanuts, what character was fiercely dedicated to the composer Beethoven? 1 point 7. Which ‘timely’ Nicole Kidman film was based on the novel of the same name that won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction? 1 point 8. The square…

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THERE ARE MANY WONDERFUL PETS looking for new homes, and adoption provides a pet that second chance. Veterinarian Dr Katrina Warren shares her advice about introducing a rescue dog into your life. CHOOSE WISELY It’s important for prospective owners to remember they are looking for a dog that will suit their lifestyle and not cause issues or heartache. No matter how cute a dog is, when choosing a rescue dog it’s important not to let the heart rule the head. People naturally love puppies, but mature dogs are a great choice for many people. Not starting from scratch helps avoid much of the craziness and mess associated with puppies. And what you see is what you get – the dog’s personality and size are usually apparent, so there should be…

HEALTHIER MOUTH, HEALTHIER BODY In a recent study of more than 185,000 people from Korea, tooth brushing at least three times per day was associated with a lower risk of developing diabetes. This could be more than a coincidence, since gum disease involves long-term inflammation, which is known to increase insulin resistance. Previous studies have connected poor dental health to other inflammation-related problems, including heart attack and stroke. DERMATOLOGICAL CONDITIONS NOT JUST SKIN DEEP Psychological support isn’t usually part of caring for skin problems such as acne or vitiligo, but it should be, according to a recent survey of British dermatologists. “Skin conditions can be burdensome for a number of reasons, such as the pain they cause or the long-term treatment regimens they require,” says Andrew Thompson, a professor of…

My introduction to baking started with the home-kitchen classic that cracks open the oven door for so many – chocolate chip cookies. It was the 1970s, and most of the mothers in my largely Catholic neighbourhood were busy raising big families. For the girls in my house, that meant our mother made sure we knew our way around the kitchen. At the flour-dusted table, she taught eight-year-old me how to make the cookies perfectly chewy with a crispy exterior. The big secret was to always chill your dough. We crafted them by the dozen, measuring ingredients from yellow Tupperware containers and mixing everything in my mother’s aqua butterprint Pyrex bowl, part of a set she’d received as a wedding gift in 1963. Friends who grew up in ‘fresh-fruit-is-dessert’ households could…

MAKES: 4 SERVINGS Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp canola and 1 tsp sesame oil, then add 4 spring onions, chopped. When slightly softened, add 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped, and 2 cm ginger, grated, and cook until aromatic (about 1 minute). Add 8 cups water, ½ cup soy sauce and bring to a boil. Add 450 g tofu, cut in cubes, and 1 stick cinnamon. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Break 85 g rice vermicelli noodles in half and stir into the pot. Cover and simmer until noodles are just tender. Turn off heat and stir in 4 cups chopped spinach and 1 tbsp hot sauce. Switch it up by adding 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms with the…

It’s a Material World Walking up to a department store’s fabric counter, a young woman asked, “I want to buy this material for a new dress. How much does it cost?” “Only one kiss per metre,” replied the smirking male assistant. “That’s fine,” replied the young woman. “I’ll take ten metres.” With expectation and anticipation written all over his face, the shop assistant hurriedly measured and wrapped up the cloth, then held it out teasingly. The young woman snapped up the package and pointed to a little old man standing beside her. “Grandpa will pay the bill,” she smiled. Reddit.com Losing Out While on a school field trip to an amusement park, a teacher lost his wallet. Gathering the group together, he told the kids, “There was $300 in my…

How Zoologists Organize Things: The Art of Classification David Bainbridge QUARTO PUBLISHING This magnificent book delves into the history of animal illustrators. From early man’s rock paintings, through to the medieval and post-enlightenment periods, illustrators have carefully recorded the delicate details of the living world. Among these talented early zoologists are Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, whose zoological classification on geography and history was formed from expeditions to the forests of Malaysia and Indonesia. Wallace’s work on the bird species discovered during these expeditions features in this month’s book bonus (see page 124). Paul Kelly Stuart Coupe HACHETTE As Australia’s best loved singer, songwriter, author and chronicler of our times, Paul Kelly has touched many lives – including other artists whom he bestowed his generosity on. Paul Kelly: The…

Lift Shuffle Moderately Difficult ‘Efficiency’ is our watchword at Best Fit Movers! Your job is to slide all eight items coming off the truck (in the order indicated) into this lift through the open door so that it all fits. The lift and the items are shown from above. You may rotate the items, but they must remain right-side-up: you can’t flip them so that a different side is touching the ground. For efficiency’s sake, once an item is placed, you may not move it again. Everything must slide into place without the need for lifting, so a move like the one shown isn’t possible. There will be one unfilled square left in the lift when you’re finished. The first item has been placed for you. Can you finish the…