Readers digest int may 2016 128

May • 2016 | 3THE DIGEST Health 16 Diabetes truths; foot care and overcoming exercise excuses.. I thought I was just being cranky, but I’m almost relieved to know it’s a recognised dis

STEM and

the Future of

Education

Revival of Customer Service

Rethinking

Meditation a Happy Teen How to Have

Revealed The World’s Best-Kept Health Secrets

Explore, Interact, Inspire

Available now, everywhere

Explore, Interact, Inspire

Available now, everywhere

Skydiver Sheldon McFarlane thought he

was in for an easy day supervising students

He was wrong AS TOLD TO HELEN SIGNY

Health

37 WORLD’S BEST HEALTH SECRETS

The most achievable ways to improve your

health, from diet tweaks to new science

Priceless Moment

44 THE TANTRUM

The President of the United States is no

match for a two year old wearing the wrong

dress LAURA MOSERFROM SLATE

Profile

46 THE CALL OF THE WILD

Jane Goodall shares wisdom from a life

filled with learning. LISA BRYN RUNDLE

56 HOW TO HAVE A HAPPY TEENAGER

All the best tricks and tips from the latest

research JOY PERSAUD

Nature

64 ANIMAL SPOTTING CRUISES

You’ll be amazed at the wildlife a cruise ship

can encounter

P. | 46

80 I WISH I COULD TELL HER THAT NOW

He felt his mother smothered him, but after his son’s birth, he began to understand

MICHAEL  CHRISTIEFROM THE NEW YORK TIMES

Photo Essay

84 HALLOWED HALLS

Seven unforgettable churches, from all ends

of the Earth CORNELIA KUMFERT

Behind the News

91 THE NEXT MASS SHOOTER

How profilers find the people likely to lose control, and the one thing that works to stop them TOM JUNODFROM ESQUIRE

Look Twice

102 SEE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY

A lithe, majestic, muscled lion … up a tree – for very good reason

Consumer Survey

106 ARE YOU BEING SERVED?

A special Reader’s Digest survey reveals what

we like and what we loathe when it comes to customer service KATHY BUCHANAN

P. | 72

May • 2016 | 3

THE DIGEST

Health

16 Diabetes truths; foot care and

overcoming exercise excuses

Food

22 Perfect pasta tips and an

easy-to-make chocolate cake

Travel

24 Thailand’s star attractions, plus

top travel insurance tips

Home

26 The right paint for the job.

Pets

38 Choosing a pet for your child.

Out & About

114 All that’s best in books, movies

and unexpected news

SEE PAGE 11

36 Laughter, the Best Medicine

78 Life’s Like That

100 All in a Day’s Work

CONTESTS

5 Caption and Letter Competition

6 Jokes and Stories

Letting Go of Anger

‘Under Pressure’ (February) about

catharsis and ways to release

anger and emotional pressure is

an excellent article Instead of

venting our anger through

outbursts or by unloading on

friends, the writer talks about

methods of neutralising it My

personal experience is that the

best method is some kind of

physical activity Walking, jogging,

biking or playing a relaxing game

More Than One Can Chew

People making chewing noises has

bothered me for over 50 years

(‘Chewphobia’, March) Repetitive

noises such as clicking pens or a

computer mouse make me anxious

I thought I was just being cranky,

but I’m almost relieved to know it’s

a recognised disorder C.A., via e-mail

Why am I slapped with a malady just

because you have bad

table manners? Close

your mouth when you

chew and stop cracking

your stupid gum!

LIANE LASKOSKE

Three Little Words

I’m sitting here with tears staining my face I still wish I had heard the words

“I love you” from my parents (‘Why

I Study Memory’, March) As an adult,

I decided to tell my parents that I loved them, and all I got in return was

“OK” I didn’t realise how much this still hurts me until I read this story

I am proud to say that my children and I say those words often and easily

because we understand how important they are – and that is one of the best lessons I learnt from my parents

JUDY WOODWARD

Letters

READERS’ COMMENTS AND OPINIONS

of golf can all be of great help in shedding accumulated tension, stress and anger

TARIQUE MAHMOOD MALAK

May • 2016 | 5

Kindness Counts

The 20 true stories (February) about

compassion, empathy or helping

others in need are incredible The

strangers may forget their gesture of

kindness but not the beneficiaries,

who may remember it for the rest of

their lives PARVEZ RAHIM

Communicating Better

The article ‘11 Things To Never Say

To Someone With Chronic Pain’

(February) was extremely

educational People often do not

realise the impact of the words we

speak on those around them On that

note, I was wondering if we could

hope to see a similar article about

mental illness Although it is, for want

of a better word, a ‘dark’ topic, it’s one

that I believe deserves more attention

It could help people in dealing with

the miscommunication that results

from such issues VASHMA JUNAID

Come up with the funniest caption for the above photo and you could win $100 To enter, see the details on page 6.

Windfalls of your mind NAOMI CRUZ

Aha! The penny dropped!

HAMID GHOWS

If my calculations are correct,

I should have my first billion by dinner time CAROLINE JULLIENNE

The best letter published each

month will win a Pilot Capless

fountain pen, valued at over

$200 The Capless is the

perfect combination of luxury and

ingenious technology, featuring a

one-of-a-kind retractable fountain

pen nib, durable metal body,

beautiful rhodium accents, and

an 14K gold nib Congratulations

to this month’s winner,

Tarique Mahmood Malak.

WIN!

Vol 190

No 1130 April 2016

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REGIONAL ADVERTISING CONTACTS

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Bonnie Kintzer

Vice President, Chief Operating Officer,

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Editor-in-Chief, International Magazines

Raimo Moysa

EDITORIAL Editorial Director Lynn Lewis

Managing Editor Louise Waterson Chief

Subeditor & Production Editor Donyale Harrison

Deputy Chief Subeditor Melanie Egan

SubeditorJenny Byrne Designer Luke Temby

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Editors Samantha Kent, Deborah Nixon

Contributing Editors Kathy Buchanan, Hazel

Flynn, Helen Signy

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Marketing Manager Gala Mechkauskayte

Letters to the editor, caption competition and other reader submissions Online

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Vol 190

No 1131

May • 2016 | 7

ASK ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME. I’ve never been a risk taker I blame

my older brother, who throughout our childhood was always pushing the boundaries beyond our mother’s comfort zone His thrills and spills were enough entertainment for the whole family Now as

a mother of two boys, I get to experience that sinking feeling when well-meaning neighbours drop by to update me on my sons’ latest

‘dangerous’ street-side exploits So it was with interest that I read

‘I Wish I Could Tell Her Now’ (page 80) The writer, Michael Christie, writes honestly about his relationship with his mother, a woman who rarely left the house and whose crippling influence he fled when still

a teen Writing after her death, and himself now a father,

Christie finally understands his mother’s concerns

and comes to the very true conclusion that

no mother or father wants their child –

regardless of age – to come to harm

The story’s key theme left a strong

impression on me: children teach us

about ourselves, and about our parents

Happy Mother’s Day!

Editor’s Note

Inside a Mother’s Concern

LOUISE WATERSON

Managing Editor

I CAN REMEMBER IT as if it was yesterday Our black cross dog Barkie would yelp with excitement, as he’d leap up and grab the corner of a towel in his jaws Then he’d hold on tightly as he’d swing from it with all his might Eventually, the clothes line would start to spin around like a whirling dervish, carrying him with it He’d hang on for half a revolution, before dropping to the grass There he would crouch, stomach low to the ground, his brown eyes never leaving the washing as it whizzed around in the breeze Then, quite suddenly, he’d turn his attention to a floral sheet Taking a short run up, he’d let out a joyful yip before jumping up to grab the sheet in his teeth And off he’d go again, spinning around

Kelpie-It was a much-loved game, and no matter how high Mum wound the clothes line or how high up she pegged the washing,

he managed to reach it All of our bedsheets and most of our towels had patched hems or tattered corners, thanks to Barkie But Barkie wasn’t the only member of the family who considered the clothes line to be the source of endless entertainment It was the early 1960s and the Hills Hoist rotary clothes line in the backyard of our suburban home in Inala, Brisbane, was our favourite toy

It wasn’t just a rotary clothes line; it was a hideout, a pirate ship, and a world of imagination and amusement

May • 2016 | 9

When we got home from school, my

brother, sister and I would hastily drop

our bags and run to the clothes line

Grabbing hold of the round support

bar, we’d lift our legs in the air and see

how far our momentum could carry

us We worked out that we’d get better

impetus if two of us were hanging from

opposite corners Better still was when

we had our school friends over so we’d

have four kids – one on each corner

When the line slowed, we’d put our

feet down to run a few steps, push off,

and we’d be airborne again What fun

– our very own merry-go-round!

It also made a marvellous jungle

gym My younger sister and brother

were more agile than I was They’d swing their legs over the bar and hang upside down I’d send the clothes line spinning around and they’d squeal with delight, as their arms flung out When I tired of entertaining them, I’d wait for the line to stop turning Then I would climb up, using the handle as a step I’d pull myself up through the centre until I could sit on the apex at the very top Then it was

my siblings’ turn to spin the line Finally we would all collapse beneath the hoist, dizzy and laughing

It was all fun and games – until Mum caught us Then there’d be scolding and chores to do But the next

day we would do it all

over again It was part of

the fabric of our lives

Sometimes we’d

throw an old bedspread

over the hoist to make a

sunshade, where we

could have tea parties or

picnics Old blankets

pegged to the outside

lines converted it yet

again Now it was a

cubby house or perhaps

a schoolroom for our

dolls Sometimes it

became a secret hideout

from where the Terrific

Trio would solve crimes

that the bumbling police

were unable to unravel

The Adventures of

Robin Hood was one of

our favourite television

shows, and the hoist

made a magnificent

Nottingham Castle One

of us could stand guard at the top

of-the hoist, while Robin Hood and

his-Merry Men tried to sneak up to

capture the wicked Sheriff of

Nottingham

In another favourite game, the hoist

became Captain Hook’s pirate ship

With boxes making up the ‘ship’, one

bedsheet fore and another one aft

were installed as the sails With an

imaginary skull and crossbones flying

from the ‘mast’, Captain Hook’s pirate

crew would battle against Peter Pan

and his brave band of Lost Boys

Years later, I watched

as my own children climbed on board my clothes line and hung, then swung their little bodies off it Like my mother before me, I’d called stern-sounding threats: “Hey! Don’t break 

I laughed out loud at the thought Seeing me laughing, my children realised I wasn’t angry So, with big grins, they kept on swinging on the Hills Hoist

“Do you know what we used to do?”

I asked, and joined in their game.After all, this is what childhood memories – the most precious of all – are made of

M Y S T O R Y

Do you have a tale to tell?

We’ll pay cash for any original and unpublished story we print See page

6 for details on how to contribute.

Sometimes the clothes line became a secret hideout where the Terrific Trio would solve crimes

A young Nienke (centre right) and her family in a photograph from the early 1960s with the clothes line

in the background.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Four great reasons why you should

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through the day

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A mother’s arms are made of

tenderness and children sleep

soundly in them VICTOR HUGO

Crash Rescue

Unconscious, and trapped in a blazing car, I had

no idea that a stranger was battling to save my life

KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

just left a local club to travel the ten kilometres home, when

I lost control of my car on Grand Junction Road in Hope Valley, which is on the outskirts of Adelaide

I crashed into a stationary car, then hit a tree The car was parked at the front of a house, about three metres away from the tree in the corner of the yard The force of the impact was such that it shunted the parked car several metres forwards

I was knocked out cold, and totally oblivious to my injuries Worse still, I had no idea that a fire had started under the bonnet of my car It then set the tree on fire

Driving in the car behind me was a young man, who I later found out was called Jared He saw the accident occur, and stopped to help me out of the blazing car wreck He put his own life in danger when he got into the back seat

to try to undo my seat belt This wasn’t easy because I’d hit the stationary car on my driver’s side and my seat belt was crushed into the console

With my seat belt undone, Jared then smashed open the driver’s window to drag me out as I had still not regained consciousness He bravely did this while my car and the tree were burning Woken by the crash, the homeowners came out to investigate Jared told them to ring emergency

Share your story about a small act of kindness that made a huge impact Turn to page 6 for details on how to contribute and earn cash.

services while he continued to help

me from the car Once he got me out

and away from the blaze, he laid me

on the ground All the while, I was

unconscious

I owe my life to Jared and I consider

him a friend due to the special bond

created the night he dragged me to

safety I was rushed to Royal Adelaide

Hospital in a serious condition,

having sustained five pelvic fractures,

internal bleeding, smoke inhalation

and, of course, the head injury that

had rendered me unconscious

I eventually woke up in the

intensive care unit a day later I spent

a few weeks in hospital, during which

time Jared visited me to see how I was

recovering He also continued to keep

in contact after I was discharged He says that although the events of that night initially shocked him, he never once hesitated to help In addition, he doesn’t believe that he did anything special On that, I totally disagree with him and am so very glad that he didn’t get hurt in the process

Today, nearly six years later, Jared and I still catch up at least once

a month and often reminisce about the events of that night and how we met Jared is my angel, my friend

Everyone held their breath as the cub peered down at the long drop below In my mind’s eye I saw a slow tumbling fall, ending with a sickening crunch as the cub’s fragile young bones smashed into the concrete

He leaned even further forwards and lost his balance, somehow managing

to dangle helplessly by his forepaws from the edge of the platform.>> 

Better than a Bear Hug

NICHOLAS ORDINANS

In the 1970s, I worked as the carnivore

keeper for a large UK zoo where one

of the earliest successful breedings of

a polar bear in captivity took place

The mother and her male cub

were left undisturbed for three

months following the cub’s arrival

However, by the time the pair was

finally released into the outside

enclosure, their swimming pool had

been drained of water The pool had

been filled with a thick protective

layer of straw as a crowd of VIPs

and reporters gathered to witness

the cub’s first public appearance

Smart Animals

Lend a helping paw when needed

May • 2016 | 15

Cameras clattered as the drama was

captured for the morning newspapers

and, realising his predicament, the

cub let out an anguished howl

His mother had been exploring the

far side of the enclosure, completely

oblivious to her newborn’s

predicament At the sound of his

distress, she raced across, jumped

down into the pool, raised herself on

her hind legs directly beneath him

and stretched out her front paws The

cub released his hold on the ledge

and dropped onto his mother’s

waiting forelegs She lowered him

gently onto the layer of straw and

then cuffed him around the ear

before returning to her

Labrador, has a pointer friend called

Pip We are friends with Pip’s owner

Julius, who lives three houses away

and the two dogs play together

One day, I gave Maxx a bone

as a reward for not chasing our

chickens He would normally settle

down in the back kitchen to chew it,

but this time he left the house with

his reward in his mouth

The next day, my husband gave

him another bone but this time kept

an eye on him When Maxx left the

house again with his treat, my

husband followed him to Julius’s

house and that explained it Julius told my husband that Pip had been unwell for a couple of days and that Maxx had paid him a visit with a bone as his get-well-soon gift

Tiger Earns His Stripes

RAY BETTERIDGE

Normally, my two-year-old cat, Tiger, hates it when I use my iPad because

it takes my attention away from him

In July last year, I had a fall at home and was on the floor for 16 hours During this time, I was unable to move and couldn’t get to the phone

to call for help Tiger stayed by

my side until he vanished under my bed

What’s he up to?

I wondered To my surprise, he started to push something towards me It was my iPad, which I didn’t realise had fallen off the bed and onto the floor underneath He probably didn’t know what it was, but he knew that

it made me happy

Thanks to Tiger, I was able to contact a friend, who then contacted emergency services I spent the next eight days in hospital recovering When I returned home, I bought Tiger a salmon in gratitude

You could earn cash by telling us about the antics of unique pets or wildlife Turn to page 6 for details on how to contribute.

MYTH If you develop diabetes, you

can never eat sugar again

TRUTH People with diabetes can

have a small amount of added sugar

in the food they eat as part of their

healthy eating plan

MYTH I have just a touch of diabetes

TRUTH There is no such thing as a

‘touch of diabetes’, just as there is no

such thing as a ‘touch of pregnancy’

While type 2 diabetes can in some

cases be reversed through bariatric

surgery and newly diagnosed patients

may be able to go off medication with

diet and exercise changes, for most

people it will be a lifelong condition

MYTH I feel fine, so my blood glucose

is fine

TRUTH High or low blood glucose

doesn’t always produce obvious

symptoms Regular monitoring is the only way to know for sure

MYTH I’m a pro at self-management; check-ups are just a waste of time

TRUTH The medical community

is constantly learning more about this complex condition and how best to deal with it Regular check-ups are essential to help prevent complications from arising

MYTH If I don’t need insulin or medications, it isn’t serious

TRUTH Diabetes is always serious Healthy eating and exercise can keep your blood glucose in check but your cells are still insulin resistant and your condition could worsen if you don’t control it

THE DIGEST

HEALTH

Myths from Truths

Despite its prevalence, misinformation surrounds

diabetes Here we set the record straight

May • 2016 | 17

BE COMMITTED No, you don’t need

to obsess about your blood glucose

But studies have demonstrated that

closely monitoring your

blood-glucose levels to help you keep as

near to a normal range as possible

can dramatically reduce your risk of

complications from diabetes

EAT SMARTER A healthy eating plan

is the first stop in controlling your

weight It’s also a tool for managing

your blood-glucose levels, blood fats

and blood pressure This doesn’t

mean you have to stop eating your

favourite foods or subscribe to an

eccentric diet

An Agenda for Action

SHUT-EYE HELPS

Sleeping in at the weekend may help prevent diabetes among the sleep deprived, concludes a recent US study Sleep deprivation seems to lead to increased diabetes risk and a worsening of symptoms for those with diabetes, but the study showed that two weekend nights of long, uninterrupted sleep may be enough to reverse a week’s worth of insufficient shut-eye

Instead, you’ll want to follow a balanced plan that provides food variety in moderate proportions

LOSE WEIGHT Being overweight is the biggest contributor to the vast majority of type 2 diabetes cases, and dropping excess kilos is the single most important move you can make to assert control over your disease

GET MOVING Equally important to your weight and blood glucose is physical activity The philosophy

is similar to that of healthy eating – nothing extreme is necessary You just need to get your heart and muscles into action with moderate activities Walking is a good example

of a low-impact activity that is easy and pleasurable Find a routine you enjoy and stick with it

Implementing a ‘big-picture’ plan will help you to manage your diabetes, enabling you to live a stimulating, productive and enjoyable life

Z Z Z

One in 11 adults around

the world – 415

million people –

has diabetes.

Drink This Before

Driving

Mild dehydration may

increase driver inattention

and compromise safety as

much as alcohol does A

small UK study tracked men

during two simulated driving

tests In one test, they drank large

amounts of water the day before and

the day of the test In another, they

had limited water both days When

dehydrated, the men made 101 minor

driving errors (comparable to a

blood-alcohol level of 0.08%) but only

47 errors when hydrated

Breath Test for Liver Disease

It is difficult to detect liver disease,

but a breath test that identifies a

compound found in oranges and

lemons may help doctors diagnose

it sooner In a UK study, the

compound, limonene, was higher

in the breath samples of 31 patients

with cirrhosis than it was in healthy

participants People with cirrhosis

(liver scarring) are unable to fully

metabolise limonene, which is then

stored in body fat Researchers are

now working to develop a small

portable breath test

NEWS FROM THE

World of Medicine

What Your Music Says About Your Brain

In a study published in the

journal PLOS One, 4500

participants completed psychology-based questionnaires and rated

up to 50 songs Those who scored high on empathy preferred gentle music with string instruments – think Jeff Buckley’s rendition of

‘Hallelujah’ Systemisers (those who focus on rules) preferred high-energy, percussive music – like the song ‘Enter Sandman’ by Metallica

Fishing for New Sunscreens

A molecule found in algae as well as reef fish mucus could be the basis for

a potential new kind of sunscreen

The UV-absorbing molecules protect marine life from the sun’s rays, according to a report in the

journal ACS Applied Materials &

Interfaces The researchers combined

the molecules with chitosan, a biopolymer from crustacean shells

In other research, Australian CSIRO scientists have mimicked coral’s natural UV filters so that it can be safely used as an ingredient

Help for Corns, Calluses

and Cracked Heels

corns, calluses or cracked heels at

some time, says podiatrist Douglas

Lamb Corns and calluses are skin

that has toughened and thickened

due to friction and pressure While

corns may be inflamed and occur on

or between the toes, calluses typically

grow in a large area on the balls of

the feet or heels and don’t usually

hurt Try these techniques to prevent

common foot problems

WEAR SUPPORTIVE

SHOES Look for

footwear that’s

made of leather, is

breathable and allows

sweat to escape – the

less you sweat, the less

dried out your feet will

become Opt for shoes with

ample width and toe room

PRACTISE GOOD FOOT

HYGIENEThis involves

treating your feet to a bit

of attention Buff with a

pumice stone and regularly

moisturise

OVER-THE-COUNTER REMEDIES

These are a good start in treating corns, cracked heels and calluses

n Corns Salicylic acid treatments

are available as medicated patches

or liquid drops and work by softening the thickened layer of skin Follow instructions carefully

n Cracked Heels As the skin on the

soles of feet is about 2.5 times thicker than the skin on your face, use an intensive medicinal moisturiser that

is formulated to penetrate the layers of tissue

n Calluses Shoe inserts and

heel pads, available at your pharmacy, will help prevent calluses by providing additional cushioning and stability as you walk

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR

OR PODIATRIST Make an

appointment if you have a callus or corn that is painful or inflamed, or deep cracks that start to bleed – these are all signs

of infection This is vital if you have diabetes, poor circulation or impaired nerves in your feet

“I’m too busy to work out”

Angela Marshall, a life and

weight-loss coach, says this excuse is easy to

overcome You just have to examine it

from a new perspective “If someone

offered you $100,000 to commit to

exercise, would you do it?” she asks

“If you said yes, then you can fit it in

– you’ve just chosen not to.” It’s also

worth noting that you don’t have to

complete hour-long workout sessions

each day to reap healthy benefits

Ten-minute bursts of walking, stair

climbing or squats performed several

times a week can help you sleep more

soundly and feel better

“I can’t afford a gym or

personal trainer”

“There are free and low-cost options,”

says fitness trainer Lisa Workman

Borrow workout DVDs from your local

library, watch videos on YouTube, or take up walking or running for fitness – all you really need for those is a pair

of shoes And if your heart is set on a personal trainer, pool your finances with friends and hire one as a group

“I try exercising, but my weight won’t budge”

Losing weight should not be your exercise goal In most cases, relying

on exercise to shed kilos is a losing battle unless you are also committed

to a healthy restricted-kilojoule diet Instead, concentrate on the benefits that exercise delivers, such as improved blood pressure, increased stamina and a lower risk of diabetes You’ll have a toned body, and the more muscle mass you have, the faster you’ll burn kilojoules – and those endorphins will make you feel great

Overcome Exercise Excuses

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PAGE 70 PAGE 106

Rethinking

Meditation a Happy TeenHow to Have

Revealed The World’s

Best-Kept Health SecretsPAGE 37

Jane Goodall in Conversation ������������������������ 46

All in a Day’s Work ��������������������������������������� 100

50%

Chicken and

Cherry Tomato Pappardelle

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

500 g boneless, skinless chicken

breast, cut into small cubes

400 g cherry tomatoes, halved

400 g pappardelle

150 g rocket (arugula)

Salt and freshly

ground black pepper

1 Heat the oil in a frying pan with lid

Add onion and garlic; cook gently for

2 minutes Add chicken and stir-fry over medium heat until lightly coloured Reduce heat slightly and stir

in tomatoes Cover pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes

or until tomatoes are very soft and chicken is cooked through

2 While sauce is simmering, cook

pappardelle in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 10–12 minutes

or following packet instructions, until

al dente Drain

3 Stir rocket into sauce and season

to taste Transfer pasta to a large warmed serving bowl Spoon over sauce and toss gently to combine Serve immediately

73 carbohydrate (4 g sugars), 6 g fibre,

254 mg sodium

Tip

Don’t have pappardelle?

Use tagliatelle, linguine or fettuccine

Pasta: 125 Classic &

Contemporary Recipes

is out now ISBN 925306-06-04 Available from Reader’s Digest, call  0800 400 060

978-1-or visit us online.

PASTA PRESTO

Pasta is easy to prepare and you

can make it special with toppings

of fresh herbs and a drizzle of good

olive oil or a sprinkle of shaved hard

cheese Here are more quick ideas

l Sauté garlic and dried chilli flakes,

stir in chopped tomatoes, season

with black pepper, and then stir

through any long pasta

l Toss shop-bought mushroom

ravioli with olive oil, grated

parmesan and chopped chives

lStir steamed broccoli through

rigatoni, add pieces of brie and

a sprinkle of pine nuts

lTake a can of tuna, and make it

special with sundried tomatoes and

capers over a bed of fettuccine

l Whizz fresh basil, garlic,

parmesan and olive oil in the

blender for a quick sauce

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day reminds us of

recipes passed down

generation to generation, of

keeping family traditions

alive In Italy, it’s celebrated 

as Festa della Mamma with

lots of fresh pasta dishes.

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4) Lightly grease and flour a 4-cup (1 litre) capacity heart-shaped cake tin or silicone mould

Sift 185 g plain (all-purpose) flour,

1 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ cup (145 g) caster (superfine) sugar and

¼ cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder into a medium bowl and mix until well combined

Add 125 g melted butter, 2 eggs,

¾ cup (180 ml) milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth Pour into prepared cake tin or mould.Bake for 1 hour, or until cooked – a skewer inserted in the centre will come out clean Cool cake in tin on wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out to finish cooling If in a mould, cool completely

in the mould before turning out Cover with buttercream (see below)

EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Here is a no-fuss, yet impressive, cake for a special occasion Serve with a generous dollop of cream

or a spoonful of good ice-cream.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAMBeat 125 g softened unsalted butter until light and creamy Gradually beat

in 1 cup (125 g) icing sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy Add 125 g melted and slightly cooled dark chocolate and beat until combined

Spread over cake and allow to set

Southern Thailand is often dubbed

the country’s own ‘Jurassic Park’

because of its unspoilt treasure of

native flora and fauna Huge swathes

of virgin rainforest and enormous

vertical limestone mountains

stretching back 160 million years are

home to elephants and leopards and

teeming with a riot of noisy birds and

chattering monkeys Trek the park on

foot, go in a canoe or on a truck safari,

and venture into its heart to see the

stunning Cheow Lan Lake with its

floating raft houses and luxury tents

THE TEMPLE OF THE EMERALD

Grand Palace in central Bangkok

includes Phra Si Rattana Chedi, a

stupa [dome-shaped shrine] said to

house relics of Gautama Buddha, with

a jaw-dropping exterior covered in

gold mosaic Head there in the early

morning before the heat descends

admired for its beautiful scenery,

though it’s best known for the film

Bridge on the River Kwai that’s linked

with the infamous historic Burma Railway Tens of thousands of Asian labourers and POWs died during the railway’s construction under Japanese occupation during WWII There’s

a memorial and two museums to commemorate them, while outside the town are national parks with waterfalls and caves

most magnificent city on Earth, and with its three gilded palaces and

400 treasure-laden temples, it’s not hard to see why The ruins of the old city – once the capital of Siam – now form the Ayutthaya Historical Park,

a World Heritage Site Just 65 km north of Bangkok, the city sits on

an island surrounded by three rivers connecting it to the Gulf of Thailand

Places You

Won’t Want

to Miss in

Thailand

May • 2016 | 25

insurance as soon as you book

your holiday This will provide you

with cover immediately, vital should

you fall ill or have an unexpected

emergency that delays your trip

insurance policies and credit

cards will cover you for aspects of

your holiday, such as baggage Check

to see if you can save money But

go over the policy carefully:

‘free’ insurance often has

more exclusions than

travel policies

Exclusions List

Many policies have

exclusions lists longer

than a Jilly Cooper novel,

but you should read your

way through Common items can

include age (the list of what’s covered

for the over-70s can be distressingly

short), pre-existing or unapproved

medical conditions (including ones

you are waiting on test results for –

check directly with your insurer if you

are travelling to a country with high medical fees, such as the US), ‘risky’ behaviour (even seemingly innocuous horse riding and cycling) and

travelling through regions in conflict

insurers may not cover you or may cover only part of your costs if your passport is lost or stolen before you leave An out-of-date passport can cause even more problems Keep your passport secure and ensure it has a minimum of six months left until expiry before you travel Make two copies of it and your insurance and leave one with a friend and the other in your case

Don’t leave your bags unattended or with someone you have just met, as insurers will deny claims for anything stolen Same story

if you are intoxicated On the upside, travel insurance can cover extra costs

if your airline loses your bag

Top 5 Travel Insurance Tips

When buying travel insurance for your next holiday, make sure you read the small print carefully

for your projects.

WHICH PAINT?

Water-based acrylic paints have a

number of advantages over their

oil-based enamel counterparts Drips

and splashes can be removed with a

simple wipe over with a damp cloth

Paintbrushes can be cleaned up

in water Acrylic paints emit fewer

fumes or vapours than enamel paints

when applied, and they dry faster and

usually cost less Oil-based enamel

paints can offer superior durability

and are often favoured for very

high-quality work However,

for a DIY paint job, it’s hard to

go past the acrylics The types

of paint listed below can be

either acrylic or oil-based

FLAT (OR MATT)

paint provides a soft

finish and tends to

hide minor surface

irregularities It’s

easy to apply and is

the best choice for

ceilings or walls in

low-traffic areas

combines the soft finish of flat paint with the washability of semi-gloss It

is ideal for walls in high-traffic areas that need to be wiped clean regularly

to apply than flat and low-sheen products, but it does provide a highly washable and tough surface It’s used

on window sills, doors and trims, and also in kitchens and bathrooms, where moisture resistance and washability are key

HIGH-QUALITY HIGH-GLOSS

paint is highly reflective, which means it will highlight any flaws and defects in the surface; if you’re going to use

a high-gloss paint, you’ll need

to be meticulous about surface preparation and take great care during application High-gloss paint is resistant to grease and moisture, which means it is easy

to keep clean

FROM TRADE SECRETS PUBLISHED

How to Pick a Paint Finish

There’s a perfect paint for every type of surface

May • 2016 | 27

Seven Deadly

Sins of Picture

Hanging

1Using adhesive picture hooks

– particularly in humid areas

They’re not up to the job and

your artwork could end up on the

floor When removed, they often

bring a strip of underlying paint

or wallpaper with them

2Using a hook and cord that are

the wrong weight for the picture

You can’t catch marlin with a hook

and line designed for whiting, and

pictures are no different

3Hanging pictures in areas with

high temperatures or frequent

changes of temperature (such as

a sunroom) This accelerates the

ageing process of your paintings,

prints or photographs and can lead

to irreparable damage

4Hanging pictures where they

will be exposed to bright sun or artificial light for hours This will fade paintings, prints and photographs Talk to your framing shop about conservation glass or UV acrylic designed to block out harmful rays

5Hanging pictures in areas of high

humidity, such as kitchens and steamy bathrooms

6Hanging pictures flat against a

wall, which can encourage mould growth Put something small and flat behind your pictures

7 Choosing an eye-catching frame

and mount A frame and mounting should match or enhance a picture, not make a statement of its own

Fluctuations in temperature

and humidity, as well as

sunlight, can damage

paintings and photographs

of responsibility and an outlet for

affection They need looking after,

though, and you need to choose one

to suit your child – and you

n Talk it over Find out what your

child wants from a pet Stress that

animals aren’t toys

n Wait a few months to see if the

desire was more than just a whim

n Set a budget Decide what expenses

you can meet

n Consider your home A small

unit with no access to the outside is

usually an unhappy environment for

dogs and cats, which, in turn, can be

messy and destructive

n Consider safety Cats scratch

Dogs bite Young children can

cause injury to fragile creatures

n Do extensive homework

Study animals’ varying needs

n Start small Cats and dogs

are demanding of time

and money

MICE look sweet and are inexpensive,

but they require gentle handling and are generally more active at night

GUINEA PIGS need shelter, hiding

places and an exercise area safe from predators They are lovable and responsive: the more they are handled (gently) from the start, the tamer they become They are extremely active, will get bored if cooped up and crave company

RABBITS are cuddly and sociable

They need space and companionship – from humans and other bunnies They may be kept outdoors with a hutch and an exercise run, or can live indoors and be house trained

Small pets usually have short life spans Rabbits live 5-10 years; guinea pigs 5-7 years; mice only 2-3 years For longevity, choose

a tortoise – they can live 50-100 years.Ready for the responsibility? Here’s all you need to know

May • 2016 | 29

DESIRABLE DOGHOUSE Make

sure the kennel is large enough

for your dog to lie down and sit up

comfortably, and small enough for

him to keep warm with body heat

Use old towels and blankets for

insulation and bedding – they’re easy

to wash and keep flea free Shelter

the entrance from wind and raise the

floor to prevent dampness

FRESH REPELLENT Fed up with a

dog repeatedly digging up the same

spot in your garden? Keep the dog

away by scattering a crumbled cake

of toilet freshener over the area – the

smell really puts them off

FRUITFUL SOLUTION Cats are

repelled by the smell of citrus To deter the local moggies from digging

up young plants, poke pieces of citrus rind into the soil of flower and vegetable beds, then dust lightly with soil Stockpile peel in the freezer for when the fruit is out of season

ANTS CAN’T SWIM If your dog eats

its meals in the garden, stop the ants from taking over by placing the food bowl in a dish filled with water

NO-TIP DISH Put water for your dog

in a ring-style cake tin – the type that has a hole in the middle – and place

it in a shady spot in the garden To anchor the tin and prevent spills, drive a stake through the hole into the ground below No amount of pawing will upturn it

Use old towels or blankets

as dog bedding – they’re

easy to keep flea free

RESCUE AT

FEET

AS TOLD TO HELEN SIGNY

When skydiving instructor Sheldon McFarlane checked trainee jumper Christopher Jones’s logbook, he thought the 22-year-old’s first solo jump would be routine Nothing prepared him for what unfolded in the skies over Western Australia,

on a warm November afternoon

DRAMA IN REAL LIFE

4500

May • 2016 | 31

R E S C U E AT 4 5 0 0 F E E T

Christopher was lucky to have the

opportunity to do three jumps in one

day Students can get stressed when

there are long gaps between their

jumps Sometimes they are more

nervous on their second jump than

their first I reckon the more jumps

you do in a day the easier it is – it

boosts your confidence and you can

build on what you learnt that day

I was born in Zimbabwe and grew

up in Namibia My parents belonged

to a flying club and one of my dad’s

best friends was a skydiving instructor

Throughout my childhood, if I wasn’t

out flying with the older guys I was

helping pack parachutes and watching

them jump I started begging to jump

from the age of five and I did my first

parachute jump at 15

I have been skydiving for 25 years

and I still love it It’s a very dynamic

sport and there are a lot of challenges

I still learn something new every day

Christopher was going to do his fifth

jump [of the Accelerated Freefall

train-ing programme] with me Accordtrain-ing to

his logbook, he’d done really well up to

this point With each jump you learn something new and then consolidate what you mastered in the last jump The fifth is the first solo jump He had

to show he could turn and do a wards movement The instructor just follows the student and signals, using hand movements to tell them what

for-to do – like tapping your wrist for-to tell them to look at their altimeter We film everything [using a helmet camera] so they can get a sense of where they went wrong, and after we get on the ground

we debrief them It was mid-afternoon and the weather was clear with light

winds, perfect for skydiving This is

going to be easy, I thought to myself.

Christopher climbed out of the plane fine and did a reasonable exit Then he

THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT FOR SKYDIVING THIS IS

GOING TO BE EASY,

I THOUGHT

as I do every morning I’d been really busy doing

tandem jumps – where the student is attached to me with a harness – as well as teaching students to jump by

themselves There were probably about 40 trainee jumpers out there that day so I hadn’t taken much notice of

Christopher Jones Another instructor had jumped with him

up to this stage and this was my first jump with him

May • 2016 | 33

R E A D E R ’ S D I G E S T

over-rotated and became unstable for

a second, but he quickly flipped self back into the stable position again, which was really well done Then when

he was stable and level, he turned self so he was facing me and waited for

him-my signals He started a left-hand turn – and then he suddenly stopped

What are you doing? I wondered

We were 9000 feet* above the ground Christopher’s shoulders rolled for-wards and his knees came up, then he flipped onto his back Sometimes you see students suffer from sensory over-load – the moment has got too much for them Sometimes you see them spinning or flipping upside down

Maybe, I thought, he’s misunderstood the technique for doing turns?

I didn’t know what he was up to It never entered my head that he might have been having a seizure

“Come on, Christopher, right

your-self, right youryour-self,” I muttered I was waiting for him to flip himself back over onto his front But he wasn’t doing anything to correct his situation For the next 30 seconds or so, Chris-topher, was free-falling at speeds up to

200 km an hour

I dived down but I was descending too fast I was worried about coming in over the top of him, as he might have pulled the rip cord and then I would

be falling into an open parachute So

10,000 ft Skydivers exit plane

9000 ft Christopher attempts a

left-hand turn but is stopped by a seizure

9000 – 4500 ft Christopher free-

falls (estimated time according to

film of the jump is 30 seconds)

4500 ft Sheldon pulls Christopher’s

parachute release cord

DETAILS OF JUMP AND

STAGES OF INCIDENT

*Feet is the unit of measurement for altitude most widely used in aviation and by gauges such as altimeters

9000 feet equals 2743 metres

R E S C U E AT 4 5 0 0 F E E T

I approached to the side of him to

observe how his body was flying He

wasn’t just falling, he was spinning

and oscillating at the same time, and

his head was pointing downwards

I realised then that Christopher

was completely unresponsive and

doing nothing to get himself facing

the earth We were at 5000 feet and I

needed to reach him and get his

par-achute above his head Even though

our students are fitted with two

auto-matic parachutes, the first wouldn’t

have opened until 2000 feet above the

drop zone That wouldn’t have given

him much time to sort himself out

before hitting the ground He could

have flown into a tree or a river and

hurt himself It had come to the point

where he needed to get under that

parachute sooner rather than later

I swooped my arms back and lifted

my chin It takes just a split second –

it’s the position you get in when you

want to direct your flight This position

changed the aerodynamics so I could

direct my descent in Christopher’s

di-rection Then I pointed my head down

to build up speed and, as I came close, flared out so I would slow down It’s possible to be 1000 feet above some-body and still dive down and join them

in a formation Within seconds, you can get down very quickly and flare out and match their fall speed

At 4500 feet I caught hold of him and pulled on his harness with one hand and rolled him sideways to angle his body so the parachute could open properly Then I reached over and grabbed the handle and deployed his parachute The chute rushed out and swung him round Christopher flipped head up, sitting in the harness With this, he was wrenched up above me

I knew that Christopher had been in difficulty, but with the parachute now open, I believed everything would now be fine

I reached the ground about two utes before him As an experienced skydiver, my parachute was a third of the size of his which meant I opened it lower and did a bunch of turns to get

min-to the ground quicker Chrismin-topher was just a speck in the sky when I landed After I picked up my parachute,

I went over to Donna, our ground instructor She was talking to Chris-topher [who had recovered con-sciousness at 3000 feet] on the radio and giving him commands “He might

be a bit slow and unresponsive, he’s been spinning around,” I told her

He was still a bit slow to listen to her commands but he did a great job and landed well I waited until his feet

May • 2016 | 35

R E A D E R ’ S D I G E S T

touched the ground and then I headed

to the hangar to prepare for the debrief

and get ready for my next jump

Donna came into the hangar behind

me and said “he’s just had an

epilep-tic seizure” I couldn’t believe it That

was the first time I knew Then in came

Christopher He gave me a huge hug

“Thank you very much,” he said, “You

have just saved my life.”

If I’d realised while we were up there that he was unconscious, I don’t know

if I would have been that composed

I do an average of 800 to 1000 jumps

a year, sometimes 12 or 13 on one day, and in the summer I can work seven days a week In all my time in this sport I have never known someone to have a seizure mid-air, and it’s some-thing I doubt I’ll ever see again

Back on the ground: Sheldon McFarlane and a grateful Christopher Jones

A few months later, Christopher uploaded the training video taken

from Sheldon’s helmet camera to YouTube – www.youtube.com/

watch?v=55QUQHm2B5A The dramatic two-minute video has been

watched by over 17 million viewers Shortly after the incident, Christopher told ABC News that he had been seizure-free for four years prior and that

he had believed his condition had improved enough to enable him to skydive His doctor had provided the skydiving academy with a letter to that effect In December last year, the Royal Life Saving Society, Western Australia, awarded Sheldon a Gold Cross for his bravery

peering up through his

cataracts, he asks, “Is my

wife here?”

“Yes, I’m here next to you,” she

answers

“And the kids?”

“We’re here, Daddy,” the youngest

tells him

“Is the rest of the family here too?”

“Around your bed,” his wife assures

him, lovingly

At that, Abe sits right up and yells,

“So why is the kitchen light on?”

Seen on the internet

MR BRIGHTSIDE

The attorney tells the murder

accused, “I have some good news

and some bad news.”

“What’s the bad news?” asks

the accused

“The bad news is, your blood is

all over the crime scene, and the

DNA tests prove you did it.”

“What’s the good news?”

“Your cholesterol is 130.”

Source: reddit.com

SNAP JUDGEMENT

On the first day of her ski holiday,

my colleague fell and broke her leg

As the doctor examined her, she moaned, “Why couldn’t this have happened on my last day of skiing?”The doctor looked up and said,

“This is your last day of skiing.”

SUBMITTED BY EDNA KITCHEN

SHE’S BEHIND YOU!

A young American tourist went on a guided tour

of a creepy old castle in England “How did you enjoy it?” the guide asked when it was over

“It was great,” the girl replied, “but

I was afraid I was going to see a ghost

in some of those dark passageways.”

“No need to worry,” said the guide

“I’ve never seen a ghost in all the time I’ve been here.”

“How long is that?” she asked

“Oh, about 300 years.”

SUBMITTED BY DONALD GEISER

ONE-UPPING

My girlfriend and I often laugh about how competitive we are.

But I laugh more.

May • 2016 | 37

HEALTH

Good health can be enhanced and illness prevented

or treated in simple ways that anyone can manage

This mix of traditional wisdom and new scientific

discoveries can help you stay fit and healthy for life

HEALTH

SECRETS

Protecting Your Heart

Your heart pumps through a vast network to feed your body’s cells Increasingly, studies from around the world are finding

that heart health is closely linked to lifestyle So there is plenty you can do to prevent damage to this vital organ

Studies from around the world are finding that heart health is closely linked to lifestyle

Check your neck size

According to recent studies, the thickness of your neck may provide more clues

to your risk of heart disease than the size of your waist US researchers have found that the greater the circumference, the higher the risk of heart disease The average neck circumference for a woman is 34.2 cm, and 40.5 cm for a man

A fat neck may be a sign of heart-unfriendly visceral fat deposits around the liver and heart, and may indicate obstructive sleep apnoea

Listen to your heart

Is your heartbeat frequently fast

and irregular? That’s one

symptom of atrial

fibril-lation (AF), a common

heart rhythm

distur-bance and a major

risk factor for stroke

Around one in 50

Australians aged over

55 has atrial fibrillation,

but many don’t know

it Check your heart rate

and rhythm by feeling

your pulse in your neck or

wrist Consult your doctor if

your heartbeat is irregular or fast

(over 100 beats a minute at rest), or

if you have other symptoms such as

palpitations, shortness of breath,

light-headedness or faintness