'Gen-Z stare' goes viral on social media - and why younger generations are blaming COVID lockdowns for the phenomenon
The so called 'Gen Z' stare involves somebody not responding to or having a reaction to a command or a response when they are spoken to, and according to many social media users, it is a very real phenomenon.
Whilst some older people might interpret it as a form of rudeness, Gen Z is disputing it, claiming the stare is a result of the ineptitude of the older generation.
One TikToker posted online a video of her working in an ice cream parlour only for the customer to turn her nose at Nutella, whilst another video showed a TikToker in a coffee store getting annoyed at a customer.
Some of the comments on the video agreed with her.
"It's like they're waiting for the adult in the group to answer for them but they forgot they're the adults now," one user named Leon Vergara said.
Another said that vacant stares could be a trait of the autistic spectrum, where a person might not look at a person or avoid eye contact because they are struggling to process the sensory information.
"as an autistic person, with many autistic friends who all work is cx service too, I have a rly [really] hard time with keeping my face smiling all day long, especially with all the other loud things in my surroundings, and with small talk intros all the time while also doing my work well. covid during my years right after high school made me miss out on the college experience ðŸ˜' and my social skills are so bad now.
Another said "Fellow sociologist here. Yes, absolutely. People say, 'Covid is over!" The repercussions of it have JUST begun."
Social experts believe the reason for the lack of emotion from Gen Z is because of the lack of social communication that took place during COVID lockdowns.
Jean Twenge, the author of Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents — And What They Mean for America's Future told the New York Times Gen Zers had lost vital skills that many have already had.
'Social skills take thousands and thousands of hours to develop, and adolescence is a critical period for developing social skills,' she said.
Tam Keur, a self-help author told Huffington Post she believes the lack of emotion comes from the fact that Gen Z has grown up in the online world.
'We're the first generation to grow up with our faces constantly on display in selfies, stories, video calls, with everything being scrutinized online,' she explained.
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The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Woo-hoo enthusiasm: Newcastle needs more people like Sinead Francis-Coen
I did not know Sinead Francis-Coan. I don't think I ever met her. To the people who loved her, I am so very sorry for your loss. Like many Novocastrians, I was shocked and deeply saddened by her untimely death. After watching the celebration of her life online, I wish I had met her and got to know her. She walked the walk and talked the talk. We need people like Sinead with her woo-hoo enthusiasm. She was a strong thread of the tapestry of our amazing city. She obviously loved being a councillor, and I am so very sad for all those who knew her and loved her. Due to monetary restrictions and COVID, we were driven into a cashless society, but we are still forced to pay ATM fees to access our hard-earned money. Given the status of our economy and living standards, these excessive fees should be removed. The government should be laying down the law to banks to remove these fees. We are led by those who are concerned only about increasing their own salary and increasing taxes to pay for their overspending of the budget, which doesn't benefit the population. I've been wondering about the rights of the motorist when approaching a pedestrian crossing. I always slow down and look around. Recently, I have noticed that most pedestrians simply run or step out, assuming that the crossing means that they are safe. And they should be. A person running along the footpath and then onto the crossing is sometimes very fast and not immediately seen by the motorist. Perhaps they should be equally vigilant? It is common now for pedestrians to text while crossing, and they just don't see any cars. That's because it appears to be all up to the motorist. I am sometimes a motorist and sometimes I ride a disability scooter. I take my responsibility on the road very seriously. I look both ways when crossing, as we were taught, but I would add "get off your phone, because while I can see you, I know that you can't see me". I have found that drivers are generally very courteous to people with disabilities. The crossing near the Newcastle ferry wharf is notorious for groups just wandering out, assuming that they have the right to step out without looking. All road users should be responsible. It's about safety. The frustration in Phillip O'Neill's column leaps off the page ("Denialists clinging on as comfort zone goes under", NH 15/7). Given the shocking floods and loss of life in recent times, O'Neill finds it almost impossible to understand how some still deny there is a climate crisis and that it is caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels. But it appears that the number of deniers in Australia is declining. Griffith University has been conducting a longitudinal national climate action survey since 2021. While 2024 results are pending, it is heartening to note that the percentage of respondents classified as "deniers" or "sceptics", based upon their answers to the questions, decreased from 7 per cent and 9 per cent in 2021 and 2022 to only 5 per cent in 2023. As Coalition infighting over emissions targets continues, it would do well to note that the most recent survey reveals that 76 per cent of respondents agreed the government should "set a target of national net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest". The survey reports should be compulsory reading for the climate deniers and sceptics in Parliament. Perhaps then they would realise what a tiny minority they belong to and how they are failing to represent their constituents. It would seem that Rising Tide wants to get up to some of their antics, trying to block coal ships and coal trains again. This form of civil disobedience is madness. My concern is that someone is going to be seriously injured or worse. When that happens, they will blame the ship's captain or the train drivers. I've been involved in protests in the past, and I think we got our messages across by being well-organised and staying within the law. I share their concerns about climate change, but I don't believe the civil disobedience they have engaged in has, or will, bring about change. Have they thought about forming a political party and having members stand for Parliament? This may be better than taking dangerous risks. KNIGHTS management needs to come forward and explain to its members what is going on at the club. After a week of rumours that our captain and highest paid player wanted out ('KP 'committed' till 2027', Newcastle Herald 17/7); our coach seems to think the fans don't know rugby league; we have signed a player for 10 years on a multi million dollar deal that can't make his present club side, and now there's reports an ex-player who had a life-changing event happen to him while wearing the Knights colours has to pay for a ticket to get into last week's game. This is disgraceful and it is happening on your watch. The members deserve better. SO Kalyn Ponga has decided to stay with the Knights. Great news. Now, is there anybody in the coaching staff who can teach him how to tackle better? THERE has been a lot of criticism of the Knights performances. You only need one player distracted from his performance, and that will cost you a game. In my experience, once management or players become too focused on individual outcomes, down goes the team performance. Are we aligned each week for the best performance? Every rugby league team needs to have a realistic, independent review sometimes to review structures and fix any badly-aligned cultures. The culture of kicking the coach out when things don't result in wins is quite an amateur approach to blame or accountability. Newcastle has such a proud history of rugby league success, let's have that realistic review. Throwing the baby out with bathwater usually results in more chaos and loss. I HAD a quiet chuckle reading "We know where we stand" (Letters, 17/7), where Ian De Landelles reckons it should be USUKA instead of AUKUS. I think the acronym should be AWKWARD. I did not know Sinead Francis-Coan. I don't think I ever met her. To the people who loved her, I am so very sorry for your loss. Like many Novocastrians, I was shocked and deeply saddened by her untimely death. After watching the celebration of her life online, I wish I had met her and got to know her. She walked the walk and talked the talk. We need people like Sinead with her woo-hoo enthusiasm. She was a strong thread of the tapestry of our amazing city. She obviously loved being a councillor, and I am so very sad for all those who knew her and loved her. Due to monetary restrictions and COVID, we were driven into a cashless society, but we are still forced to pay ATM fees to access our hard-earned money. Given the status of our economy and living standards, these excessive fees should be removed. The government should be laying down the law to banks to remove these fees. We are led by those who are concerned only about increasing their own salary and increasing taxes to pay for their overspending of the budget, which doesn't benefit the population. I've been wondering about the rights of the motorist when approaching a pedestrian crossing. I always slow down and look around. Recently, I have noticed that most pedestrians simply run or step out, assuming that the crossing means that they are safe. And they should be. A person running along the footpath and then onto the crossing is sometimes very fast and not immediately seen by the motorist. Perhaps they should be equally vigilant? It is common now for pedestrians to text while crossing, and they just don't see any cars. That's because it appears to be all up to the motorist. I am sometimes a motorist and sometimes I ride a disability scooter. I take my responsibility on the road very seriously. I look both ways when crossing, as we were taught, but I would add "get off your phone, because while I can see you, I know that you can't see me". I have found that drivers are generally very courteous to people with disabilities. The crossing near the Newcastle ferry wharf is notorious for groups just wandering out, assuming that they have the right to step out without looking. All road users should be responsible. It's about safety. The frustration in Phillip O'Neill's column leaps off the page ("Denialists clinging on as comfort zone goes under", NH 15/7). Given the shocking floods and loss of life in recent times, O'Neill finds it almost impossible to understand how some still deny there is a climate crisis and that it is caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels. But it appears that the number of deniers in Australia is declining. Griffith University has been conducting a longitudinal national climate action survey since 2021. While 2024 results are pending, it is heartening to note that the percentage of respondents classified as "deniers" or "sceptics", based upon their answers to the questions, decreased from 7 per cent and 9 per cent in 2021 and 2022 to only 5 per cent in 2023. As Coalition infighting over emissions targets continues, it would do well to note that the most recent survey reveals that 76 per cent of respondents agreed the government should "set a target of national net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest". The survey reports should be compulsory reading for the climate deniers and sceptics in Parliament. Perhaps then they would realise what a tiny minority they belong to and how they are failing to represent their constituents. It would seem that Rising Tide wants to get up to some of their antics, trying to block coal ships and coal trains again. This form of civil disobedience is madness. My concern is that someone is going to be seriously injured or worse. When that happens, they will blame the ship's captain or the train drivers. I've been involved in protests in the past, and I think we got our messages across by being well-organised and staying within the law. I share their concerns about climate change, but I don't believe the civil disobedience they have engaged in has, or will, bring about change. Have they thought about forming a political party and having members stand for Parliament? This may be better than taking dangerous risks. KNIGHTS management needs to come forward and explain to its members what is going on at the club. After a week of rumours that our captain and highest paid player wanted out ('KP 'committed' till 2027', Newcastle Herald 17/7); our coach seems to think the fans don't know rugby league; we have signed a player for 10 years on a multi million dollar deal that can't make his present club side, and now there's reports an ex-player who had a life-changing event happen to him while wearing the Knights colours has to pay for a ticket to get into last week's game. This is disgraceful and it is happening on your watch. The members deserve better. SO Kalyn Ponga has decided to stay with the Knights. Great news. Now, is there anybody in the coaching staff who can teach him how to tackle better? THERE has been a lot of criticism of the Knights performances. You only need one player distracted from his performance, and that will cost you a game. In my experience, once management or players become too focused on individual outcomes, down goes the team performance. Are we aligned each week for the best performance? Every rugby league team needs to have a realistic, independent review sometimes to review structures and fix any badly-aligned cultures. The culture of kicking the coach out when things don't result in wins is quite an amateur approach to blame or accountability. Newcastle has such a proud history of rugby league success, let's have that realistic review. Throwing the baby out with bathwater usually results in more chaos and loss. I HAD a quiet chuckle reading "We know where we stand" (Letters, 17/7), where Ian De Landelles reckons it should be USUKA instead of AUKUS. I think the acronym should be AWKWARD. I did not know Sinead Francis-Coan. I don't think I ever met her. To the people who loved her, I am so very sorry for your loss. Like many Novocastrians, I was shocked and deeply saddened by her untimely death. After watching the celebration of her life online, I wish I had met her and got to know her. She walked the walk and talked the talk. We need people like Sinead with her woo-hoo enthusiasm. She was a strong thread of the tapestry of our amazing city. She obviously loved being a councillor, and I am so very sad for all those who knew her and loved her. Due to monetary restrictions and COVID, we were driven into a cashless society, but we are still forced to pay ATM fees to access our hard-earned money. Given the status of our economy and living standards, these excessive fees should be removed. The government should be laying down the law to banks to remove these fees. We are led by those who are concerned only about increasing their own salary and increasing taxes to pay for their overspending of the budget, which doesn't benefit the population. I've been wondering about the rights of the motorist when approaching a pedestrian crossing. I always slow down and look around. Recently, I have noticed that most pedestrians simply run or step out, assuming that the crossing means that they are safe. And they should be. A person running along the footpath and then onto the crossing is sometimes very fast and not immediately seen by the motorist. Perhaps they should be equally vigilant? It is common now for pedestrians to text while crossing, and they just don't see any cars. That's because it appears to be all up to the motorist. I am sometimes a motorist and sometimes I ride a disability scooter. I take my responsibility on the road very seriously. I look both ways when crossing, as we were taught, but I would add "get off your phone, because while I can see you, I know that you can't see me". I have found that drivers are generally very courteous to people with disabilities. The crossing near the Newcastle ferry wharf is notorious for groups just wandering out, assuming that they have the right to step out without looking. All road users should be responsible. It's about safety. The frustration in Phillip O'Neill's column leaps off the page ("Denialists clinging on as comfort zone goes under", NH 15/7). Given the shocking floods and loss of life in recent times, O'Neill finds it almost impossible to understand how some still deny there is a climate crisis and that it is caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels. But it appears that the number of deniers in Australia is declining. Griffith University has been conducting a longitudinal national climate action survey since 2021. While 2024 results are pending, it is heartening to note that the percentage of respondents classified as "deniers" or "sceptics", based upon their answers to the questions, decreased from 7 per cent and 9 per cent in 2021 and 2022 to only 5 per cent in 2023. As Coalition infighting over emissions targets continues, it would do well to note that the most recent survey reveals that 76 per cent of respondents agreed the government should "set a target of national net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest". The survey reports should be compulsory reading for the climate deniers and sceptics in Parliament. Perhaps then they would realise what a tiny minority they belong to and how they are failing to represent their constituents. It would seem that Rising Tide wants to get up to some of their antics, trying to block coal ships and coal trains again. This form of civil disobedience is madness. My concern is that someone is going to be seriously injured or worse. When that happens, they will blame the ship's captain or the train drivers. I've been involved in protests in the past, and I think we got our messages across by being well-organised and staying within the law. I share their concerns about climate change, but I don't believe the civil disobedience they have engaged in has, or will, bring about change. Have they thought about forming a political party and having members stand for Parliament? This may be better than taking dangerous risks. KNIGHTS management needs to come forward and explain to its members what is going on at the club. After a week of rumours that our captain and highest paid player wanted out ('KP 'committed' till 2027', Newcastle Herald 17/7); our coach seems to think the fans don't know rugby league; we have signed a player for 10 years on a multi million dollar deal that can't make his present club side, and now there's reports an ex-player who had a life-changing event happen to him while wearing the Knights colours has to pay for a ticket to get into last week's game. This is disgraceful and it is happening on your watch. The members deserve better. SO Kalyn Ponga has decided to stay with the Knights. Great news. Now, is there anybody in the coaching staff who can teach him how to tackle better? THERE has been a lot of criticism of the Knights performances. You only need one player distracted from his performance, and that will cost you a game. In my experience, once management or players become too focused on individual outcomes, down goes the team performance. Are we aligned each week for the best performance? Every rugby league team needs to have a realistic, independent review sometimes to review structures and fix any badly-aligned cultures. The culture of kicking the coach out when things don't result in wins is quite an amateur approach to blame or accountability. Newcastle has such a proud history of rugby league success, let's have that realistic review. Throwing the baby out with bathwater usually results in more chaos and loss. I HAD a quiet chuckle reading "We know where we stand" (Letters, 17/7), where Ian De Landelles reckons it should be USUKA instead of AUKUS. I think the acronym should be AWKWARD. I did not know Sinead Francis-Coan. I don't think I ever met her. To the people who loved her, I am so very sorry for your loss. Like many Novocastrians, I was shocked and deeply saddened by her untimely death. After watching the celebration of her life online, I wish I had met her and got to know her. She walked the walk and talked the talk. We need people like Sinead with her woo-hoo enthusiasm. She was a strong thread of the tapestry of our amazing city. She obviously loved being a councillor, and I am so very sad for all those who knew her and loved her. Due to monetary restrictions and COVID, we were driven into a cashless society, but we are still forced to pay ATM fees to access our hard-earned money. Given the status of our economy and living standards, these excessive fees should be removed. The government should be laying down the law to banks to remove these fees. We are led by those who are concerned only about increasing their own salary and increasing taxes to pay for their overspending of the budget, which doesn't benefit the population. I've been wondering about the rights of the motorist when approaching a pedestrian crossing. I always slow down and look around. Recently, I have noticed that most pedestrians simply run or step out, assuming that the crossing means that they are safe. And they should be. A person running along the footpath and then onto the crossing is sometimes very fast and not immediately seen by the motorist. Perhaps they should be equally vigilant? It is common now for pedestrians to text while crossing, and they just don't see any cars. That's because it appears to be all up to the motorist. I am sometimes a motorist and sometimes I ride a disability scooter. I take my responsibility on the road very seriously. I look both ways when crossing, as we were taught, but I would add "get off your phone, because while I can see you, I know that you can't see me". I have found that drivers are generally very courteous to people with disabilities. The crossing near the Newcastle ferry wharf is notorious for groups just wandering out, assuming that they have the right to step out without looking. All road users should be responsible. It's about safety. The frustration in Phillip O'Neill's column leaps off the page ("Denialists clinging on as comfort zone goes under", NH 15/7). Given the shocking floods and loss of life in recent times, O'Neill finds it almost impossible to understand how some still deny there is a climate crisis and that it is caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels. But it appears that the number of deniers in Australia is declining. Griffith University has been conducting a longitudinal national climate action survey since 2021. While 2024 results are pending, it is heartening to note that the percentage of respondents classified as "deniers" or "sceptics", based upon their answers to the questions, decreased from 7 per cent and 9 per cent in 2021 and 2022 to only 5 per cent in 2023. As Coalition infighting over emissions targets continues, it would do well to note that the most recent survey reveals that 76 per cent of respondents agreed the government should "set a target of national net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest". The survey reports should be compulsory reading for the climate deniers and sceptics in Parliament. Perhaps then they would realise what a tiny minority they belong to and how they are failing to represent their constituents. It would seem that Rising Tide wants to get up to some of their antics, trying to block coal ships and coal trains again. This form of civil disobedience is madness. My concern is that someone is going to be seriously injured or worse. When that happens, they will blame the ship's captain or the train drivers. I've been involved in protests in the past, and I think we got our messages across by being well-organised and staying within the law. I share their concerns about climate change, but I don't believe the civil disobedience they have engaged in has, or will, bring about change. Have they thought about forming a political party and having members stand for Parliament? This may be better than taking dangerous risks. KNIGHTS management needs to come forward and explain to its members what is going on at the club. After a week of rumours that our captain and highest paid player wanted out ('KP 'committed' till 2027', Newcastle Herald 17/7); our coach seems to think the fans don't know rugby league; we have signed a player for 10 years on a multi million dollar deal that can't make his present club side, and now there's reports an ex-player who had a life-changing event happen to him while wearing the Knights colours has to pay for a ticket to get into last week's game. This is disgraceful and it is happening on your watch. The members deserve better. SO Kalyn Ponga has decided to stay with the Knights. Great news. Now, is there anybody in the coaching staff who can teach him how to tackle better? THERE has been a lot of criticism of the Knights performances. You only need one player distracted from his performance, and that will cost you a game. In my experience, once management or players become too focused on individual outcomes, down goes the team performance. Are we aligned each week for the best performance? Every rugby league team needs to have a realistic, independent review sometimes to review structures and fix any badly-aligned cultures. The culture of kicking the coach out when things don't result in wins is quite an amateur approach to blame or accountability. Newcastle has such a proud history of rugby league success, let's have that realistic review. Throwing the baby out with bathwater usually results in more chaos and loss. I HAD a quiet chuckle reading "We know where we stand" (Letters, 17/7), where Ian De Landelles reckons it should be USUKA instead of AUKUS. I think the acronym should be AWKWARD.
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
'Go ahead Russell, go ahead': WWII veteran's death leaves legacy for 'wonderful world'
After living an incredible 100 years, WWII veteran Russell "Rusty" Leslie Fuller has died and will finally reunite with his late wife, Jenny. On Thursday, July 3, 2025, Russell, who had lived Albion Park Rail for about 25 years, died peacefully in Temora, where he had moved to be closer to his daughter Michelle. Many in will remember Anzac Day 2020, when during the height of COVID, Rusty's neighbours in Albion Park Rail decided to put on a special service for their oldest serving resident, who was 95 at the time. As the sun rose over Kimbeth Crescent, the WWII veteran and his neighbours stood on driveways and listened to the Last Post. Rhonda Reeves, who was Russell's neighbour from across the road for more than two decades, described her friend as a very special man. "I thought it would be lovely for Russell to feel special on Anzac Day, as he should, and we got the neighbourhood together and it turned out to be a very special day," she said. "He was just so excited about it. He shared a lot of tears. He was just so proud walking around with younger children, while we all clapped him. "He was wise, kind, giving, quiet-talking, never bragged or raised his voice. He was just someone you could sit and talk to. He was so calming. I don't think there's anyone else like him anymore." Born to parents Richard and Grace Elizabeth in Goulburn on February 1, 1925, Russell "Rusty" Fuller was the second eldest of eight children. Russell spent the first eight years of his life in Goulburn before he and his family moved to a farm in Forster. The 500-acre farm "Coomba" was located in Shallow Bay, had 30 dairy cows, and provided milk to the Tuncurry Butter Factory. As a child, Russell used the lakes and rivers that passed along the farm as highways to town - his mode of transport a small white wooden punt with two oars and a lot of elbow grease. Russell was required to board a boat to get to school in Tuncurry, skippered by a German man named Poppy Norman. The skipper must have thought his luck had dwindled, as each day, he would set crab and lobster pots along the coast and would rarely secure a catch. But Russell and his best friend, Ronnie Foster, always seemed to have the catch of the day on their dinner tables. "We were terrible. It was the wrong thing to do, but we got away with it," Russell said with a laugh when I spoke to him in 2020. Before joining the army, Russell lived with his sister at Bulahdelah, where he worked in a timber mill. "I got a call from the army to go and have a medical exam," Russell said. "I was called up in June 1943. I had to get my Dad's permission to join the AIF. He said, 'Go ahead, Russell, go ahead'." When speaking about his father, Richard, who served in the Australian Army during World War I, Russell always had a sparkle in his eyes and a smile on his face. He said if it weren't for a Salvation Army lady, his father would have died in the trenches of the battle-torn landscape during the Battle of Menin Road. Wounded in action when a bullet tore a deep incision in his right leg, two inches deep and three inches wide, Richard tried to hide his injury and dampen the pain with mud. It hadn't worked, and he collapsed. His body was placed among the Canadian dead. "This young little Salvation Army lady walked past, and Dad waved his hand, and she saw it and pulled him out," Russell said. Like his father before him, Russell was proud of his service. During World War II, he was part of the three-inch mortar patrol within the 2/16th battalion. When he trained, he remembered being given metal helmets for protection. Yet, Russell said those helmets often lay in the dirt, replaced by comfortable slouch hats. "It is the risk you took," he said. "Helmets would blister your head in the sun and were too heavy to manoeuvre efficiently, so the felt hat was the best option, regardless of the risk." He vividly remembered waiting in formation with his comrades for dinner when the unthinkable occurred, and another battalion's shell fell short of its intended target. "A drop short. It landed in front of the troops who were lined up for dinner, and it killed six of us. I was in about 10th position," he said. Months before the Battle of Balikpapan, the battalion practised barge landing in Australia and Morotai before taking the shore in July 1945. He was 20 years old. With rucksacks secured on their backs and rifles in hand, soldiers huddled as one, as their arms held onto the side of the landing craft. Their eyes gazed towards the beach approaching, but their view was obscured by a heavy black, smoke-drenched landscape with staggered palm trees ripped of fronds. Russell stood with his fellow three-inch mortar crew, had a barrel on his back and three bombs underneath each arm. "We were allowed to take up to four days. It was captured on the first day," he said. After the war, Russell returned to Rockhampton and found work laying telephone cables for the Postmaster-General's Department. He met his wife, Jenny Dickerson, through dinner dates with his sister, Yvonne. Russell courageously asked Jenny if she would go on a date, and she said yes. "That made my day," Russell said. "She is the best thing that ever happened to me, believe me." On November 15, 1952, they became husband and wife, and the couple adopted two girls, Michelle and Debbie. Russell lived much of his later life in Albion Park Rail where he cared for his beloved veggie garden, enjoyed reading, attended church, and listened to music programs. "If everybody was there to help one another, what a wonderful world it would be," Russell said. "Good health, that's number one. If you have good friends and neighbours, that's number two. The other things are just extra." After living an incredible 100 years, WWII veteran Russell "Rusty" Leslie Fuller has died and will finally reunite with his late wife, Jenny. On Thursday, July 3, 2025, Russell, who had lived Albion Park Rail for about 25 years, died peacefully in Temora, where he had moved to be closer to his daughter Michelle. Many in will remember Anzac Day 2020, when during the height of COVID, Rusty's neighbours in Albion Park Rail decided to put on a special service for their oldest serving resident, who was 95 at the time. As the sun rose over Kimbeth Crescent, the WWII veteran and his neighbours stood on driveways and listened to the Last Post. Rhonda Reeves, who was Russell's neighbour from across the road for more than two decades, described her friend as a very special man. "I thought it would be lovely for Russell to feel special on Anzac Day, as he should, and we got the neighbourhood together and it turned out to be a very special day," she said. "He was just so excited about it. He shared a lot of tears. He was just so proud walking around with younger children, while we all clapped him. "He was wise, kind, giving, quiet-talking, never bragged or raised his voice. He was just someone you could sit and talk to. He was so calming. I don't think there's anyone else like him anymore." Born to parents Richard and Grace Elizabeth in Goulburn on February 1, 1925, Russell "Rusty" Fuller was the second eldest of eight children. Russell spent the first eight years of his life in Goulburn before he and his family moved to a farm in Forster. The 500-acre farm "Coomba" was located in Shallow Bay, had 30 dairy cows, and provided milk to the Tuncurry Butter Factory. As a child, Russell used the lakes and rivers that passed along the farm as highways to town - his mode of transport a small white wooden punt with two oars and a lot of elbow grease. Russell was required to board a boat to get to school in Tuncurry, skippered by a German man named Poppy Norman. The skipper must have thought his luck had dwindled, as each day, he would set crab and lobster pots along the coast and would rarely secure a catch. But Russell and his best friend, Ronnie Foster, always seemed to have the catch of the day on their dinner tables. "We were terrible. It was the wrong thing to do, but we got away with it," Russell said with a laugh when I spoke to him in 2020. Before joining the army, Russell lived with his sister at Bulahdelah, where he worked in a timber mill. "I got a call from the army to go and have a medical exam," Russell said. "I was called up in June 1943. I had to get my Dad's permission to join the AIF. He said, 'Go ahead, Russell, go ahead'." When speaking about his father, Richard, who served in the Australian Army during World War I, Russell always had a sparkle in his eyes and a smile on his face. He said if it weren't for a Salvation Army lady, his father would have died in the trenches of the battle-torn landscape during the Battle of Menin Road. Wounded in action when a bullet tore a deep incision in his right leg, two inches deep and three inches wide, Richard tried to hide his injury and dampen the pain with mud. It hadn't worked, and he collapsed. His body was placed among the Canadian dead. "This young little Salvation Army lady walked past, and Dad waved his hand, and she saw it and pulled him out," Russell said. Like his father before him, Russell was proud of his service. During World War II, he was part of the three-inch mortar patrol within the 2/16th battalion. When he trained, he remembered being given metal helmets for protection. Yet, Russell said those helmets often lay in the dirt, replaced by comfortable slouch hats. "It is the risk you took," he said. "Helmets would blister your head in the sun and were too heavy to manoeuvre efficiently, so the felt hat was the best option, regardless of the risk." He vividly remembered waiting in formation with his comrades for dinner when the unthinkable occurred, and another battalion's shell fell short of its intended target. "A drop short. It landed in front of the troops who were lined up for dinner, and it killed six of us. I was in about 10th position," he said. Months before the Battle of Balikpapan, the battalion practised barge landing in Australia and Morotai before taking the shore in July 1945. He was 20 years old. With rucksacks secured on their backs and rifles in hand, soldiers huddled as one, as their arms held onto the side of the landing craft. Their eyes gazed towards the beach approaching, but their view was obscured by a heavy black, smoke-drenched landscape with staggered palm trees ripped of fronds. Russell stood with his fellow three-inch mortar crew, had a barrel on his back and three bombs underneath each arm. "We were allowed to take up to four days. It was captured on the first day," he said. After the war, Russell returned to Rockhampton and found work laying telephone cables for the Postmaster-General's Department. He met his wife, Jenny Dickerson, through dinner dates with his sister, Yvonne. Russell courageously asked Jenny if she would go on a date, and she said yes. "That made my day," Russell said. "She is the best thing that ever happened to me, believe me." On November 15, 1952, they became husband and wife, and the couple adopted two girls, Michelle and Debbie. Russell lived much of his later life in Albion Park Rail where he cared for his beloved veggie garden, enjoyed reading, attended church, and listened to music programs. "If everybody was there to help one another, what a wonderful world it would be," Russell said. "Good health, that's number one. If you have good friends and neighbours, that's number two. The other things are just extra." After living an incredible 100 years, WWII veteran Russell "Rusty" Leslie Fuller has died and will finally reunite with his late wife, Jenny. On Thursday, July 3, 2025, Russell, who had lived Albion Park Rail for about 25 years, died peacefully in Temora, where he had moved to be closer to his daughter Michelle. Many in will remember Anzac Day 2020, when during the height of COVID, Rusty's neighbours in Albion Park Rail decided to put on a special service for their oldest serving resident, who was 95 at the time. As the sun rose over Kimbeth Crescent, the WWII veteran and his neighbours stood on driveways and listened to the Last Post. Rhonda Reeves, who was Russell's neighbour from across the road for more than two decades, described her friend as a very special man. "I thought it would be lovely for Russell to feel special on Anzac Day, as he should, and we got the neighbourhood together and it turned out to be a very special day," she said. "He was just so excited about it. He shared a lot of tears. He was just so proud walking around with younger children, while we all clapped him. "He was wise, kind, giving, quiet-talking, never bragged or raised his voice. He was just someone you could sit and talk to. He was so calming. I don't think there's anyone else like him anymore." Born to parents Richard and Grace Elizabeth in Goulburn on February 1, 1925, Russell "Rusty" Fuller was the second eldest of eight children. Russell spent the first eight years of his life in Goulburn before he and his family moved to a farm in Forster. The 500-acre farm "Coomba" was located in Shallow Bay, had 30 dairy cows, and provided milk to the Tuncurry Butter Factory. As a child, Russell used the lakes and rivers that passed along the farm as highways to town - his mode of transport a small white wooden punt with two oars and a lot of elbow grease. Russell was required to board a boat to get to school in Tuncurry, skippered by a German man named Poppy Norman. The skipper must have thought his luck had dwindled, as each day, he would set crab and lobster pots along the coast and would rarely secure a catch. But Russell and his best friend, Ronnie Foster, always seemed to have the catch of the day on their dinner tables. "We were terrible. It was the wrong thing to do, but we got away with it," Russell said with a laugh when I spoke to him in 2020. Before joining the army, Russell lived with his sister at Bulahdelah, where he worked in a timber mill. "I got a call from the army to go and have a medical exam," Russell said. "I was called up in June 1943. I had to get my Dad's permission to join the AIF. He said, 'Go ahead, Russell, go ahead'." When speaking about his father, Richard, who served in the Australian Army during World War I, Russell always had a sparkle in his eyes and a smile on his face. He said if it weren't for a Salvation Army lady, his father would have died in the trenches of the battle-torn landscape during the Battle of Menin Road. Wounded in action when a bullet tore a deep incision in his right leg, two inches deep and three inches wide, Richard tried to hide his injury and dampen the pain with mud. It hadn't worked, and he collapsed. His body was placed among the Canadian dead. "This young little Salvation Army lady walked past, and Dad waved his hand, and she saw it and pulled him out," Russell said. Like his father before him, Russell was proud of his service. During World War II, he was part of the three-inch mortar patrol within the 2/16th battalion. When he trained, he remembered being given metal helmets for protection. Yet, Russell said those helmets often lay in the dirt, replaced by comfortable slouch hats. "It is the risk you took," he said. "Helmets would blister your head in the sun and were too heavy to manoeuvre efficiently, so the felt hat was the best option, regardless of the risk." He vividly remembered waiting in formation with his comrades for dinner when the unthinkable occurred, and another battalion's shell fell short of its intended target. "A drop short. It landed in front of the troops who were lined up for dinner, and it killed six of us. I was in about 10th position," he said. Months before the Battle of Balikpapan, the battalion practised barge landing in Australia and Morotai before taking the shore in July 1945. He was 20 years old. With rucksacks secured on their backs and rifles in hand, soldiers huddled as one, as their arms held onto the side of the landing craft. Their eyes gazed towards the beach approaching, but their view was obscured by a heavy black, smoke-drenched landscape with staggered palm trees ripped of fronds. Russell stood with his fellow three-inch mortar crew, had a barrel on his back and three bombs underneath each arm. "We were allowed to take up to four days. It was captured on the first day," he said. After the war, Russell returned to Rockhampton and found work laying telephone cables for the Postmaster-General's Department. He met his wife, Jenny Dickerson, through dinner dates with his sister, Yvonne. Russell courageously asked Jenny if she would go on a date, and she said yes. "That made my day," Russell said. "She is the best thing that ever happened to me, believe me." On November 15, 1952, they became husband and wife, and the couple adopted two girls, Michelle and Debbie. Russell lived much of his later life in Albion Park Rail where he cared for his beloved veggie garden, enjoyed reading, attended church, and listened to music programs. "If everybody was there to help one another, what a wonderful world it would be," Russell said. "Good health, that's number one. If you have good friends and neighbours, that's number two. The other things are just extra." After living an incredible 100 years, WWII veteran Russell "Rusty" Leslie Fuller has died and will finally reunite with his late wife, Jenny. On Thursday, July 3, 2025, Russell, who had lived Albion Park Rail for about 25 years, died peacefully in Temora, where he had moved to be closer to his daughter Michelle. Many in will remember Anzac Day 2020, when during the height of COVID, Rusty's neighbours in Albion Park Rail decided to put on a special service for their oldest serving resident, who was 95 at the time. As the sun rose over Kimbeth Crescent, the WWII veteran and his neighbours stood on driveways and listened to the Last Post. Rhonda Reeves, who was Russell's neighbour from across the road for more than two decades, described her friend as a very special man. "I thought it would be lovely for Russell to feel special on Anzac Day, as he should, and we got the neighbourhood together and it turned out to be a very special day," she said. "He was just so excited about it. He shared a lot of tears. He was just so proud walking around with younger children, while we all clapped him. "He was wise, kind, giving, quiet-talking, never bragged or raised his voice. He was just someone you could sit and talk to. He was so calming. I don't think there's anyone else like him anymore." Born to parents Richard and Grace Elizabeth in Goulburn on February 1, 1925, Russell "Rusty" Fuller was the second eldest of eight children. Russell spent the first eight years of his life in Goulburn before he and his family moved to a farm in Forster. The 500-acre farm "Coomba" was located in Shallow Bay, had 30 dairy cows, and provided milk to the Tuncurry Butter Factory. As a child, Russell used the lakes and rivers that passed along the farm as highways to town - his mode of transport a small white wooden punt with two oars and a lot of elbow grease. Russell was required to board a boat to get to school in Tuncurry, skippered by a German man named Poppy Norman. The skipper must have thought his luck had dwindled, as each day, he would set crab and lobster pots along the coast and would rarely secure a catch. But Russell and his best friend, Ronnie Foster, always seemed to have the catch of the day on their dinner tables. "We were terrible. It was the wrong thing to do, but we got away with it," Russell said with a laugh when I spoke to him in 2020. Before joining the army, Russell lived with his sister at Bulahdelah, where he worked in a timber mill. "I got a call from the army to go and have a medical exam," Russell said. "I was called up in June 1943. I had to get my Dad's permission to join the AIF. He said, 'Go ahead, Russell, go ahead'." When speaking about his father, Richard, who served in the Australian Army during World War I, Russell always had a sparkle in his eyes and a smile on his face. He said if it weren't for a Salvation Army lady, his father would have died in the trenches of the battle-torn landscape during the Battle of Menin Road. Wounded in action when a bullet tore a deep incision in his right leg, two inches deep and three inches wide, Richard tried to hide his injury and dampen the pain with mud. It hadn't worked, and he collapsed. His body was placed among the Canadian dead. "This young little Salvation Army lady walked past, and Dad waved his hand, and she saw it and pulled him out," Russell said. Like his father before him, Russell was proud of his service. During World War II, he was part of the three-inch mortar patrol within the 2/16th battalion. When he trained, he remembered being given metal helmets for protection. Yet, Russell said those helmets often lay in the dirt, replaced by comfortable slouch hats. "It is the risk you took," he said. "Helmets would blister your head in the sun and were too heavy to manoeuvre efficiently, so the felt hat was the best option, regardless of the risk." He vividly remembered waiting in formation with his comrades for dinner when the unthinkable occurred, and another battalion's shell fell short of its intended target. "A drop short. It landed in front of the troops who were lined up for dinner, and it killed six of us. I was in about 10th position," he said. Months before the Battle of Balikpapan, the battalion practised barge landing in Australia and Morotai before taking the shore in July 1945. He was 20 years old. With rucksacks secured on their backs and rifles in hand, soldiers huddled as one, as their arms held onto the side of the landing craft. Their eyes gazed towards the beach approaching, but their view was obscured by a heavy black, smoke-drenched landscape with staggered palm trees ripped of fronds. Russell stood with his fellow three-inch mortar crew, had a barrel on his back and three bombs underneath each arm. "We were allowed to take up to four days. It was captured on the first day," he said. After the war, Russell returned to Rockhampton and found work laying telephone cables for the Postmaster-General's Department. He met his wife, Jenny Dickerson, through dinner dates with his sister, Yvonne. Russell courageously asked Jenny if she would go on a date, and she said yes. "That made my day," Russell said. "She is the best thing that ever happened to me, believe me." On November 15, 1952, they became husband and wife, and the couple adopted two girls, Michelle and Debbie. Russell lived much of his later life in Albion Park Rail where he cared for his beloved veggie garden, enjoyed reading, attended church, and listened to music programs. "If everybody was there to help one another, what a wonderful world it would be," Russell said. "Good health, that's number one. If you have good friends and neighbours, that's number two. The other things are just extra."
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Common sense or common rudeness? The gen z stare explained
There is a debate heating up online about the 'gen Z stare'. If you haven't heard of it (or been on the receiving end of it), it's when a member of generation Z, approximately those born between the mid-nineties and late 2000s, respond to a question (usually from a gen X or millennial) with a blank stare or confused and irritated look. It's most often used by those in customer service roles, including retail workers, restaurant servers and bartenders, in response to being approached by customers who attempt small talk, have a request or ask a seemingly simple question that may have an obvious answer. Videos on TikTok defending criticism of the look allege its the behaviour of customers and coworkers that prompts the blank stare. In one video posted to TikTok, user 'Maddy' shows a clip of her working in a pizza shop with the caption ''The Gen Z stare is so rude' You just asked me if we sell pizza.' If you've ever worked in a customer facing role, then you probably share Maddy's pain. Some online have pointed out that it is a response to the lack of social skills developed by this particular generation, who have grown up in a world increasingly dominated by screen-time interactions, not to mention a global pandemic that had them shuttered inside for a couple of years. TikTok user Amy Halldin has another theory. She points out that millennials are used to the 'millennial preformative politeness', where they have a need to feel comfortable and make others feel comfortable too, something gen Z deems unnecessary. 'They have no interest in making you feel comfortable,' the TikTok user mentioned, 'their silence is their response.' Others say, it's just rude. One person's good manners and small talk is another person's waste of time. Which generation has the right idea? We all have our opinions.
