Readers Digest Australia

keeping positive

THIS ISSUE WILL BE ONE the Reader’s Digest team will long remember. In mid-March, the world was slowly closing down. We all felt the rising concern and alarm, and kept a close eye on the newsfeeds as each day progressed. With that as the backdrop, we wanted to make sure we selected articles to help raise your spirits, entertain you and leave you feeling more positive. My favourite article, ‘An Elephant in My Kitchen’ (page 116) is a delightful portrayal of how intriguing life would be if, like the Parisian-turned African wildlife reserve owner, Françoise Malby-Anthony, you got to ‘mingle’ with elephants, rhinos and zebras every day. In ‘The A Factor’(page 46) you’ll meet a pair of scriptwriters who did their research in Antarctica, as well as a couple of life-long…

letters

Seeing Both Sides I was literally moved by the response provided by the Reader’s Digest editor to ‘The Great Debate Over Decades’ (Letters, March). It shows how wonderfully the magazine is managed; it was a great way of handling differences of opinion expressing one point and validating the other. DANISH PUNJWANI Mathematical Reasoning I am a teenager who has been reading Reader’s Digest for some time. However, after reading Steve Pearson’s response in ‘The Great Debate Over Decades, ’ Letters, March), I was speechless. Although Reader’s Digest shared their opinion, I would like to state a mathematical reasoning, which I believe, proves him incorrect. Starting off by pointing out that time actually started from zero, not one. Time started with the year zero and after one year it was year one, i.e. year 0.9 finishes…

news worth sharing

Designs for Green Airships Get Off The Ground A solar-powered airship, capable of carrying loads of 250 tonnes, could one day be used as a low-emissions way to freight cargo internationally. Currently in development, the Varialift airship will use helium gas to lift off – far safer than the highly flammable hydrogen used by past airships. Its flight will be powered by two solar-powered and two aero engines. Its British designers claim the airship will use just eight per cent of the fuel of a conventional jet plane on a transatlantic flight. And since airships benefit from jetstream winds, they also offer an advantage over cargo ships in efficiency and carbon emissions. ‘Rainbow Grandpa’ Paints Village To Save It The Taiwanese government had plans to demolish 97-year-old war veteran Huang Yung-fu’s village until he came…

little lamb clancy

Three months after my mother died, in March 2019, I was taking the washing off the clothesline in the backyard when I was startled to hear the undeniable sound of a newborn lamb coming from the stables nearby. We have 21 black-headed Dorper sheep on our isolated property, along with a horse and chickens. All of them are much-loved pets. It was impossible for the lamb to be one of ours as we had separated our rams from the flock over a year ago. Had I heard right? I thought. Was it really a lamb? Heading towards the stables, I heard the cry again. All the sheep were laying peacefully in the stable, with the horse standing calm. I couldn’t see a lamb. Then I heard the little cry again, and…

find these unique reads at your local rd website

FOOD 30 things TV chefs won’t tell you Reader’s Digest went behind the scenes to hear from your favourite chefs on TV to learn their dirtiest kitchen secrets. BEAUTY 12 hairstyle mistakes that age your face Ageing can be a beautiful fact of life – but there’s no need to rush it. Slow things down by choosing the right hairstyle for you. PETS 10 things your dog should be doing every single day As the proud owner of a cuddly pup, you know that taking care of a fur companion is no small feat. So, what should a dog’s daily schedule be? JOIN THE CONVERSATION! PLUS SIGN UP TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER FOR MORE HOT OFFERS, TOP STORIES AND PRIZES!…

smart animals

Trashing the Ashtrays JUDITH CAINE Some 20 years ago we lived next door to a family who owned a very chatty and cheeky sulphur-crested cockatoo. When they were out, Cocky would be left in his large cage in their shady garden, chatting away to himself. When they were at home, Cocky spent his time inside with the family, wandering around the house. One summer day while I was gardening, I became concerned when I heard the sounds of coughing coming from their garden. Someone sounded very ill, so l phoned later that day to see if I could do anything to help. To my surprise, I was told that everyone was fine, that it was just Cocky with his newly perfected smoker’s cough. It was explained to me that the family had a friend…