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Chaos erupts over last-minute cruise itinerary change

Passengers onboard a Carnival Cruise have demanded refunds after their travel itinerary changed once they had already boarded the ship. Guests aboard Carnival’s Vista had booked the eight-night Southern Caribbean cruise out of Port Florida on August 10th intending to stop in Aruba, Curacao and Turks and Cacaos, with the eight-day cruise averaging $11,700 per person. However, as boarding was taking place, the cruise line sent passengers a notification saying their had been a change of plans due to an engine problem. Carnival crew members had discovered a “technical issue affecting the ship’s cruising speed” which forced the cruise line to alter the itinerary, the cruise line told the New York Post, with Vista instead traveling to the Bahamas, making stops at Nassau, Princess Cays, Freeport, and Half Moon Cay. While a cruise worker was trying to explain the situation to passengers, some started chanting "Give us our money!" while staff tried to diffuse the situation. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_OYKHVvIIh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_OYKHVvIIh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Only in Florida (@onlyinfloridaa)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Ladies and gentlemen, the way you’re going about this with the noise and chaos isn’t going to solve any issues,” one cruise employee explained to the passengers, according to video obtained by Inside Edition. The passengers were given several choices once the cruise line determined the need for an itinerary change, as the cruise line said in a statement. “We communicated directly with guests on board regarding their options for the sailing,” Carnival said. “Those that sailed were given an on-board credit as well as a future cruise credit toward another cruise to make up for the unexpected change, and those who preferred not to sail were offered a 100 per cent refund.” Even with the choice of not cruising to the Bahamas, passengers were still frustrated with Carnival for the last-minute announcement. “They knew about the problem prior to us getting onto the ship,” Ashley Ball told the outlet. “They just didn’t say that until we were already on the ship, and, you know, went through customs and the lines and securities and all that, and then decided to display that information.” Image credits: Instagram

Travel Trouble

New device could help GPs detect Alzheimer's in minutes

GPs could soon be able to screen their patients for Alzheimer's Disease in a matter of minutes, using a handheld device the size of a credit card. The first-of-a-kind finger-prick blood test was developed by engineers at Melbourne's Monash University and it can detect the hallmark protein biomarkers of early Alzheimer's Disease within minutes. This could become an important tool for doctors in diagnosing patients before the symptoms progress. In Australia alone there are around 420,000 people living with dementia, with that number set to double by 2054. Associate Professor Sudha Mokkapati, from Monash Materials Science and Engineering, helped lead the development of the testing device. "Detecting very early disease in large populations could dramatically change the trajectory of this burdening disease for many patients, and shave millions off associated healthcare costs," Mokkapati said. "We've completed testing that shows the technology is highly advanced by design and capable of detecting ultra-low levels of several disease biomarkers in blood." The device also has the potential to remove the need for laboratory-based pathology tests, making diagnoses faster and cheaper. The university is currently seeking funding to complete the next stage - clinical validation, which will help bring the device one step closer to reality. "Most patients with neurodegenerative disease are typically diagnosed at advanced stages. Sadly, treatments targeting late-onset disease provide limited therapeutic benefit," Associate Professor Matthew Pase, at Monash's School of Psychological Sciences, said. "Earlier screening could change the outlook for many patients diagnosed with cognitive impairment, increasing the chance of halting or slowing symptom development and the rapid progression of the disease." Image: Monash University/ Nine

Caring

Just 15 centimetres of water can float a car – but we are failing to educate drivers about the dangers of floodwaters

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-peden-1136424">Amy Peden</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kyra-hamilton-331594">Kyra Hamilton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Every year in Australia, people driving into floodwaters drown and many more are <a href="https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/disaster-tabs-header/flood/">rescued</a>. Do you know what to do when there’s water on the road? We searched all state and territory learner and driver handbooks for information about floodwaters, including signage. Our findings, published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437524000860?via%3Dihub">Journal of Safety Research</a>, are disturbing. Across half of Australia’s states and territories, the driver handbook ignores flooding. That’s a missed opportunity, considering the handbook contains road rules and provides advice on how to navigate safely. While some states fail to provide any flood-related information, others give detailed practical guidance. Only the New South Wales handbook includes explanation of the meaning and purpose of flood signage. This is despite almost all states and territories experiencing vehicle-related flood <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jfr3.12616">deaths</a>, including <a href="https://currents.plos.org/disasters/article/causal-pathways-of-flood-related-river-drowning-deaths-in-australia/">drowning</a>, between 2001 and 2017. It’s a major problem that is only going to get worse as the climate changes. So our research shows driver education needs to come up to speed, fast. <h2>Why do people drive into floodwaters?</h2> Our previous <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212420918301869">research</a> revealed motorists can feel compelled to drive into floodwaters for a range of reasons. These include time pressures such as being late for work or school, or needing to get home to family or pets. Sometimes they feel pressured by their passengers, or motorists behind them on the road, urging them to cross. People also report having been encouraged or instructed as learners to drive into floodwaters. Past experience as a passenger also influences a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823000475">learner driver’s</a> future willingness to drive into floodwaters. So the views of significant others, such as their supervising driver, strongly influence decisions around driving into floodwaters. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZtlXpDBjU1Q?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Avoid driving into floodwaters, for life’s sake.</figcaption></figure> <h2>What we did and what we found</h2> We assessed all publicly available, government-issued learner and driver handbooks (12 documents) across all six Australian states and two territories. We also looked for flood-related signage. We used a method for reviewing online material through a systematic search including in-document key words and imagery. Four jurisdictions provided no information on flooding in the handbook. In the ACT, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, drivers need to look elsewhere for information on floodwaters and driving safety. Only one jurisdiction provided information on flood signage such as depth markers and “road subject to flooding”. Hats off to the <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-11/Road-User-Handbook-English.pdf">NSW Road User Handbook</a>, which warns: <blockquote> Floodwater is extremely dangerous. Find another way or wait until the road is clear. It’s safer to turn around than to drive in floodwater. </blockquote> For the states and territories that did provide information on floodwaters in the handbook, the content varied. NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory warned against entering floodwaters in a vehicle. They highlighted the dangers and financial penalties associated with driving on closed roads. In the NT and Western Australia, handbooks provided practical information on when and how to cross floodwaters safely, such as how to gauge safe water depth based on vehicle size, and to avoid fast-flowing water. Although well-intentioned, judgements around what constitutes fast-flowing water are subjective and hard for any driver to assess, let alone learner drivers. Even drivers of larger vehicles such as four-wheel drives are regularly involved in flood-related <a href="https://currents.plos.org/disasters/article/causal-pathways-of-flood-related-river-drowning-deaths-in-australia/">vehicle drowning fatalities</a>. Just <a href="https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/news-and-media/campaigns/15-to-float">45cm</a> of water can float a large 4WD, and considerably less for smaller vehicles. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t4ilUbMXZAQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>A small car can float in just 15cm of water.</figcaption></figure> Handbooks represent valuable sources of safety information, particularly for new drivers who must learn important road rules to progress from one licence to another. Such graduated driver licensing schemes reduce road traffic injury, particularly among <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437523000385">young people</a>. However, many of these handbooks fail to provide consistent, practical evidence-based information about flooding. There is an opportunity here to support safer driving behaviours. <h2>Safety tips for all drivers</h2> We encourage drivers to follow these safety tips: <ul> <li>avoid driving into floodwaters</li> <li>identify alternative routes, so you have a <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-roads-become-rivers-forming-a-plan-b-can-stop-people-driving-into-floodwaters-183036">plan B</a></li> <li>familiarise yourself, and any learner drivers in the household or under your care, with the meaning and purpose of flood signage</li> <li>understand the legal consequences of crossing a road closed sign</li> <li>discuss the dangers of driving into floodwaters with learner drivers and help them formulate their own plan B</li> <li>model safe driving for all passengers, including children.</li> </ul> <h2>Time to lift our game</h2> Driving into floodwaters remains the main cause of <a href="https://currents.plos.org/disasters/article/causal-pathways-of-flood-related-river-drowning-deaths-in-australia/">flood-related drowning</a> in Australia. For our emergency service personnel, driver behaviour, including people ignoring road closed signs, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hpja.181">significantly complicates</a> the already dangerous act of performing a flood rescue. Extreme weather and flooding are likely to become more frequent and intense in the future. That means the chance of being faced with a flooded road is growing. So information about driving during floods is vital for all, from the newly licensed to the experienced driver. We hope our research will encourage all states and territories to include provide practical, evidence-based advice on floods in driver handbooks as soon as possible.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233116/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-peden-1136424">Amy Peden</a>, NHMRC Research Fellow, School of Population Health & co-founder UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kyra-hamilton-331594">Kyra Hamilton</a>, Associate Professor in Applied Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/just-15-centimetres-of-water-can-float-a-car-but-we-are-failing-to-educate-drivers-about-the-dangers-of-floodwaters-233116">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

“Meant to be”: Twins give birth just 22 minutes apart

Just days after sharing their 33rd birthday, twin sisters Nicole and Renee Baillie have given birth on the same day. The women, from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, were shocked when they fell pregnant around the same time, with their due dates just two weeks apart. “We magically fell pregnant at the same time, which was crazy,” Nicole told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/sunshine-coast-twins-give-birth-just-22-minutes-apart--c-13517897">7News</a>. Nicole was already at the hospital ready to give birth to her baby when Renee went into labour early. Renee rushed to the hospital just in time to give birth in the hospital foyer, welcoming a baby girl named Ruby. “I was just about to have a bath when I heard someone had a baby in the corridor,” Nicole said. “I couldn’t believe it,” Renee said. “When I got here, into this room after we had (the baby), I wasn’t sure how far along Nicole was. I didn’t want her (Nicole) to know I’d already had my baby, just in case it, like, threw her off.” Renee soon found out Nicole had given birth to a baby boy, named Zavian, only 22 minutes earlier. “I thought I had a few days left, but they decided they wanted to be born on the same day,” Renee said. “It was just meant to be, and I think everyone has just manifested this happening,” Nicole said. Image credits: 7News

Family & Pets

15 hacks that make running errands so much better

Run errands during the week More than 90 per cent of people do errands on the weekends, meaning shops will be packed and traffic will be a nightmare. Running errands on a weeknight will get you in and out in half the time. Once the kids are in bed, have one parent stay home while the other drives to the shops. You’ll miss the crowds and keep your weekend free for fun and family. Turn on a podcast Radio music – and its deejays and commercials – can get intense. Switch off the FM and plug in your phone so you can listen to a podcast or audiobook. You’ll be more relaxed, and the time will fly as you get engrossed in the story. Make the most of your time Never run out for just one task. Save time, petrol, and stress by getting more than one thing done when you’re out of the house. After dropping your child off at soccer practice, drop off your dry cleaning or pick up the milk from the supermarket. Set up an errand centre in your home Keeping all the objects you’ll need to complete your errands – packages to be mailed, dry cleaning to be delivered, library books to be returned – in one place will make it easy to get out the door when you get the chance. Designate a space by the door or in your car as a visual reminder of what needs to get done. Buy in bulk Picking up big batches of items like toilet paper, dog food, and tampons means fewer trips to the supermarket and less time running errands. Plus, you save money by buying bulk packages or stocking up while the items are on sale. Use long lines for "me time" Instead of griping about how long your wait to the cash register is, think of it as a few peaceful moments to yourself. Close your eyes (don’t be self-conscious!) and imagine yourself sitting on a quiet beach or getting a massage. Take several deep breaths while you mentally escape to that place. You’ll be much more relaxed, and you can wait in line with less frustration. Practice mindfulness Performing a ‘walking meditation’ while you shop will keep you engaged with your task instead of letting your mind wander to other stressors. By the end of your trip, you’ll have more energy and less frustration. Pay attention to the bright colours of the produce, the scents wafting from the bakery, and the feeling of each step you take. Do someone else's errands If you have an elderly neighbour or know a mother with young kids, offer to add some of their tasks to your to-do list. Studies have shown that helping others can reduce stress. Tune out Instead of drowning out your thoughts with music, keep the radio off when you’re driving and allow your own thoughts to come to you. The stimuli of everyday life can be overwhelming, so this is your chance to recharge your energy in the silence. Keep a grocery list on your phone You probably buy the same things on most of your grocery runs. Instead of writing a new list every week, keep an ongoing list on your phone, which makes it easy to add and remove items. Organise your list in the order you’ll find them at the supermarket. For instance, if you start near the produce section, write the fruits and vegetables first. Reward yourself To keep yourself motivated while you’re out, add a little luxury to your shopping list. Treat yourself with nice bath soap, a bouquet of flowers, or your favourite craft beer. Keep an ongoing errands list Write down your usual tasks, along with the ones you keep forgetting to do, like buying socks for your child or making a vet appointment for the dog, in a notepad. Carry it with you so you don’t miss anything when you’re out. When you’re home, stash it where the rest of your family can access it and jot down their needs. Buy online as much as possible The possibilities are endless: order groceries, buy stamps, cash checks, and renew library books online. Giving your credit card number over a secured server is safer than stating your number over the phone, and sometimes safer than handing your card over at a store. Alternate tasks with your neighbours Make a deal with your neighbours in which you do the grocery shopping one week, and they take care of it the next. You can watch each other’s kids when it’s your turn to stay home, and both of you will make fewer trips to the supermarket. Or plan to go grocery shopping with a friend. You’ll have more fun with the social support, and your kids might behave better with someone else present. Have dad run errands with the kids Kids who cook, clean, and run errands with their dads have more friends and are better behaved, according to a University of California study. Make sure your partner (or you, if you’re a dad) takes the kids along every now and then. As a bonus, wives of men who do chores with their kids find their husbands more attractive. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/15-hacks-that-make-running-errands-so-much-better?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Money & Banking

Foul play suspected in tragic death of TV star's 15-year-old niece

Police are investigating the death of TV star Audrina Patridge’s 15-year-old niece, after her cause of death was revealed to be a drug overdose. Young Sadie passed away in February just nine days after her 15th birthday. Police are still looking into the exact manner of how the teenager died, as they are investigating different avenues of how the drugs entered her system. Sources have been trying to figure out how the teenager got her hands on narcotics, adding that police have learned that she allegedly used Snapchat to procure Percocet that was laced with fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug, which can be up to 100x stronger than typical opioid drugs like morphine. Fentanyl, a very fast acting medication, is a prescription drug used during surgeries and prescribed for very severe pain, often in late-stage cancers. Despite being an effective pain reliever, Fentanyl is also manufactured illegally and may be sold as powder, fake pills or mixed in with other illicit drugs, like heroin, with this combination being especially deadly. Audrina, known for her role on The Hills, shared the heartbreaking news in February that her niece had passed away in a 10-slide Instagram tribute. “My heart hurts to even write this. My beautiful niece is now in heaven,” she captioned the slide show that looked back on cherished memories. “I know it’s not goodbye forever, but it is the hardest to say goodbye for now. We will miss you and cherish every single moment we had with you. Rest in peace Say Say!! We love you forever & ever!” Image credits: Instagram

Legal

How 22 minutes of exercise a day could reduce the health risks from sitting too long

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ahmadi-1241767">Matthew Ahmadi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emmanuel-stamatakis-161783">Emmanuel Stamatakis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> People in developed countries spend an average of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-106568">nine to ten hours</a> a day sitting. Whether it’s spending time in front of a computer, stuck in traffic, or unwinding in front of the TV, our lives have become increasingly sedentary. This is concerning because prolonged time spent sitting is <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/24/1451?s=09&int_source=trendmd&int_medium=cpc&int_campaign=usage-042019">linked to a number of health issues</a> including obesity, heart disease, and certain types of cancers. These health issues can contribute to earlier death. But a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-106568">new study</a> suggests that for people over 50, getting just 22 minutes of exercise a day can lower the increased risk of premature death from a highly sedentary lifestyle. <h2>What the researchers did</h2> The team combined data from two studies from Norway, one from Sweden and one from the United States. The studies included about 12,000 people aged 50 or older who wore wearable devices to track how active and sedentary they were during their daily routines. Participants were followed up for at least two years (the median was 5.2 years) during the study period, which spanned 2003-2020. Analyses took several lifestyle and health factors into account, such as education, alcohol intake, smoking status, and previous history of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. All this data was linked to national death registries. <h2>A 22 minute threshold</h2> A total of 805 participants died during follow up. The researchers found people who were sedentary for more than 12 hours a day had the highest risk of death (a 38% higher risk than people who were sedentary for eight hours). However, this was only observed in those who did less than 22 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. So for people who did more than 22 minutes of exercise, there was no longer a significantly heightened risk – that is, the risk became generally similar to those who were sedentary for eight hours. Higher daily duration of physical activity was consistently associated with lower risk of death, regardless of total sedentary time. For example, the team reported an additional ten minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day could lower mortality risk by up to 15% for people who were sedentary less than 10.5 hours a day. For those considered highly sedentary (10.5 hours a day or more), an additional ten minutes lowered mortality risk by up to 35%. <h2>The study had some limitations</h2> The team couldn’t assess how changes in physical activity or sedentary time over several months or years may affect risk of death. And the study included only participants aged 50 and above, making results less applicable to younger age groups. Further, cultural and lifestyle differences between countries may have influenced how data between studies was measured and analysed. Ultimately, because this study was observational, we can’t draw conclusions on cause and effect with certainty. But the results of this research align with a growing body of evidence exploring the relationship between physical activity, sedentary time, and death. <h2>It’s positive news</h2> Research has previously suggested <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/24/1499">physical activity may offset</a> health risks associated with <a href="https://www.jacc.org/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jacc.2019.02.031">high sedentary time</a>. The good news is, even short bouts of exercise can have these positive effects. In this study, the 22 minutes wasn’t necessarily done all at once. It was a total of the physical activity someone did in a day, and would have included incidental exercise (activity that’s part of a daily routine, such as climbing the stairs). Several studies using wearable devices have found short bursts of high-intensity everyday activities such as stair climbing or energetic outdoor home maintenance activities such as mowing the lawn or cleaning the windows can lower <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x">mortality</a>, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/43/46/4801/6771381">heart disease</a> and <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2807734">cancer</a> risk. A recent study using wearable devices found moderate to vigorous bouts of activity <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(23)00183-4/fulltext">lasting three to five minutes</a> provide similar benefits to bouts longer than ten minutes when it comes to stroke and heart attack risk. Several other studies have found <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2596007">being active just on the weekend</a> provides similar health benefits as <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2794038">being active throughout the week</a>. Research has also shown the benefits of <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2795819">physical activity</a> and <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2809418">reducing sedentary time</a> extend to cognitive health. Routines such as desk jobs can foster a sedentary lifestyle that may be difficult to shift. But mixing short bursts of activity into our day can make a significant difference towards improving our health and longevity. Whether it’s a brisk walk during lunch, taking the stairs, or even a short at-home workout, this study is yet another to suggest that every minute counts.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216259/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ahmadi-1241767">Matthew Ahmadi</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine and Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emmanuel-stamatakis-161783">Emmanuel Stamatakis</a>, Professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-22-minutes-of-exercise-a-day-could-reduce-the-health-risks-from-sitting-too-long-216259">original article</a>.

Body

15 money-saving habits self-made millionaires have in common

Start saving smarter Learning how to save money like a self-made millionaire can mean the difference between stressing to dress and dressing to impress. It can help you retire younger so you’re able to see more of the world sooner. It can mean finally building that dream house. And more than anything, it can mean having the money when you truly need it. But let’s face it: Not all of us are natural savers. We waste our money on frivolous supermarket buys we’re convinced we have to have in the moment. We don’t bother with high-yield savings or investment accounts. And we have a tendency to try to keep up with the Joneses. In other words, we could really use the help of a self-made millionaire who not only knows the tricks to getting rich but is also skilled at saving. Luckily, we talked to some financial geniuses who were willing to share their expert tips on the money-saving strategies all self-made millionaires share. Whether you’re planning to retire at 30 or are opening your first savings account, these are the money-saving habits you should borrow from self-made millionaires to become one yourself someday. They follow the 50-30-20 rule Forget complicated budgeting or uncomfortable belt-tightening; the secret to saving big might boil down to three simple numbers. Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet, says that many a self-made millionaire follows the “50-30-20” rule. Using this formula, they put aside 50% of the money they earn for savings and necessities such as rent and groceries, 30% for lifestyle purchases like new clothing and 20% for fun activities like concerts or eating out. By regularly and intentionally setting aside a fixed amount of savings, the self-made millionaire builds a nest egg faster. Ready to try it for yourself? To get started, download a budget app to help you divvy up your income accordingly. “You might find that with some adjustments, such as shifting your food spending toward groceries and away from takeout and restaurants, or cutting back on monthly subscriptions, you can take steps toward reaching your wealth-building goals,” Palmer says. They automate their finances Budgeting is a smart move, but there are times when it can backfire, according to nine-time New York Times bestselling author David Bach, the founder of FinishRich.com. “You’re too busy, and you will just get frustrated and fail,” he says. Instead, self-made millionaires automate their financial lives so they can’t fail. That includes setting up a regular deposit into their savings accounts to be automatically withdrawn from their pay. Bach also recommends using autopay for many of your bills, including car payments, mortgage payments and credit card bills. Doing so helps you avoid missing a payment and getting hit with those pesky late fees, saving you money in the long run. Just make sure to leave out any of these bills you shouldn’t put on autopay. They spend less than they earn Believe it or not, “self-made millionaires don’t necessarily look like millionaires on the outside,” according to Palmer. Rather than spending money on flashy holidays or new clothes, “they often spend less than they earn so they can put their money into savings and investments,” she says. To maximise your savings like a self-made millionaire would, Palmer recommends taking stock of your personal spending and cutting back on categories that matter less to you. For example, if you enjoy taking a big holiday every year, consider cooking lunches and dinners at home to curb your spending at restaurants. On the flip side, maybe you would rather have a smaller clothing budget and create a capsule wardrobe to free up spending for dining out with your friends. They avoid "want spending" Another way self-made millionaires avoid spending more than they earn? They never fall into the trap of “want spending,” according to Tom Corley, an expert on wealth creation and author of Rich Habits. “According to Census Bureau data, there are approximately 30 million people who make more than they need but who are, nonetheless, one pay away from poverty,” he explains. “These individuals engage in something called want spending.” Are you a “want spender”? Corley’s research found that some of the biggest indicators include: <ul> <li>Surrendering to instant gratification, forgoing savings in order to buy things you want now, be it a 60-inch TV, nice holiday, expensive car or fancy pair of shoes</li> <li>Spending too much going out to eat or ordering in</li> <li>Incurring debt in order to finance your standard of living</li> </ul> Essentially, want spenders create their own poverty by rationalising their desire to spend in various ways, whether it be by planning to make more money in the future or relying on the economy improving down the line. That’s why self-made millionaires shun spending money on their wants and focus more on their needs and savings. That said, if you do want to make a purchase that you didn’t budget for, here are some quick ways to earn extra cash. They're smart spenders Impulse purchases can happen to the best of us. No, you didn’t need the trucker hat at the petrol station on your long, boring road trip. And yes, stuff like that, when made a habit, adds up. To prevent extraneous spending and save more money, Corley suggests a few specific strategies that self-made millionaires followed in his research: <ul> <li>They buy in bulk. “If done properly and with the right items, buying in bulk can save your household money and reduce waste,” he says. Toilet paper, soap, laundry detergent, paper towels and shampoo are items proven much cheaper when bought in larger sizes. Prioritise food items like applesauce, canned goods or yoghurt, which can be portioned into glass jars and saved for future use.</li> <li>They create a meal plan. “If you can sketch out a menu for the week that utilises similar ingredients, you’ll have a more focused trip to the supermarket, and you’ll end up throwing less away weeks after it’s been shoved to the back recesses of the refrigerator,” says Corley. “Making a conscious effort here saves you money, and it keeps food waste out of landfills.” For other smart tricks to save money on groceries, consider following a budget grocery list and learning how to find coupons.</li> <li>They reduce energy costs. “Lowering your energy consumption is low-hanging fruit when it comes to cutting monthly expenses,” he explains. This can be as simple as swapping incandescent bulbs for CFLs or LEDs to lower your utility bill.</li> </ul> They prevent lifestyle creep Whether you tried out a new side hustle idea or learned how to negotiate for a higher salary, you’re now bringing in more money. But be careful! It’s all too tempting to splurge on a bigger house or fancier car as your income grows. “It’s a common habit among many who suddenly find themselves making more money,” Corley says. But self-made millionaires avoid increasing their standard of living in order to match their growing income—a money-burning practice called lifestyle creep. In fact, Corley’s research found that a whopping 64% of self-made millionaires lived in a modest, middle-class home; 44% purchased used cars; 41% spent less than $3000 on their annual holiday; and 28% mowed their own lawn to save money. Here’s why lifestyle creep can hurt you financially: “Once you spend your money, it’s gone,” Corley says. “When you hit a bump in the road, such as a job loss, you are then forced to sell your stuff. If the stuff you purchased depreciated in value, you get pennies on the dollar.” As a good rule of thumb, he recommends spending no more than 25% of your annual net pay on housing costs and 5% on car costs, no matter how much you earn. They don't lend money to friends or family The self-made millionaire knows that your love for your family and friends shouldn’t be measured by your generosity, but sometimes that’s exactly what it comes down to. You’re inevitably left in an awkward bind: If you don’t provide a loan, there can be tension, but if you do, you may never get the funds back and might find yourself resenting your pal. “You will lose both your friend and the money, and you’re not a bank,” advises Bach. Say you do lend them money. Did you come up with an agreement for a timeline for repayments? When it comes to friends or family, setting such boundaries can be difficult, but it’s even more awkward to continuously ask for the money back. If self-made millionaires absolutely must lend money to someone near and dear, they make sure the loan isn’t open-ended. Bach recommends coming up with a timeline and sticking to it. You can also take advantage of companies that specialise in peer-to-peer lending, like Zirtue, which formalises loans between family members and friends. They're frugal, not cheap Although it may seem counterintuitive, buying cheaper products is not a common money-saving habit among self-made millionaires. In fact, Corley’s research found that 66% of poor people admitted to being cheap. “Cheap, to them, meant spending their money on the cheapest product or service available,” he explains. But cheap products break or deteriorate at a much quicker rate than quality products, which means you end up spending more in the long run. He also points out that, when looking for services, those who provide cheap ones are typically inexperienced or not very good at what they do. “If they were good, they would be able to command higher prices. Cheap service providers can get you in a lot of trouble, especially when it comes to taxes, legal representation or even just getting your car fixed. Cheap service providers are able to keep their fees down by paying their staff lower wages. This means they are not getting the best staff or are settling for inexperienced staff.” Being cheap won’t make you poor, but it will mean you save less money because you’re constantly shelling out for new products or services to replace the low-quality ones you bought in the first place. Self-made millionaires focus on buying fewer, higher-quality products that will last a long time. They don't play the comparison game Keeping up with the Joneses is more tempting (and common!) then you might think. According to a recent NerdWallet survey, 83% of Americans say they overspend due to social pressures from seeing others dining at expensive restaurants or taking fancy trips abroad. “It’s easy to get caught up in overspending, especially when you see peers or neighbours spending more than you on cars, houses or vacations,” Palmer says. But when rich people feel green with envy, Palmer says, they put things into perspective—and keep in mind that what they’re seeing may not be the entire picture. “It’s important to take a step back and realise you might not want the same things they have, or they might be creating financial stress for themselves by buying those things,” she says. They pay themselves first By setting aside a portion of their income every day, week or month—in other words, “paying yourself first”—self-made millionaires take one of the most important steps towards building wealth, according to Bach. “You’re going to work 90,000 hours over your lifetime; you should keep at least an hour a day of the income,” he says. He recommends setting aside an hour’s worth of your income each day and then saving and investing it—preferably automatically to begin earning some passive income and reach that high-roller status. They find a passive income source Speaking of passive income, self-made millionaires save even more money by investing their savings in an account that creates passive income through accumulated interest, such as a high-yield savings or investment account. There are several types of accounts to consider, and ultimately, the one you choose will depend on your financial goals. “No strategy is a one-size-fits-all approach, since everyone’s financial situation is unique and different,” Palmer says. She recommends speaking with a financial advisor to learn the right strategy for you and to avoid the most common retirement-planning mistakes. They put away the credit card Credit cards can sabotage even the best of savers, according to Corley. “Credit card use can easily get out of control,” he says. “If you rely on credit cards to pay for ordinary living expenses, that means you are living beyond your means.” Not only are there high interest rates on credit card debt, but paying with plastic could also trick you into spending more money. In a study published in the journal Marketing Letters, MIT researchers found that shoppers spend up to 100% more when paying with a credit card—and were even willing to pay twice as much for an item as those who paid in cash. The 100-day credit card money-saving challenge could help you break bad spending habits, according to Corley. Essentially, the goal is to go 100 days without using your credit cards for purchases. The result? “Having to use cash or your ATM card forces spending awareness and restricts how much you can spend,” Corley says. They design their dreams What do you want your life to look like in five, 10 or 20 years? Self-made millionaires always know their answer to this question, Corley says. He calls this dream-setting or creating a clear vision of your ideal future life. From there, you should set and pursue financial goals that will help you accomplish those dreams. “Dream-setting is a springboard for creating the goals you’ll need in order to help you get to your destination,” he says. For example, if you want to earn a master’s degree so you can get a job with a higher salary, you can set goals like setting aside two hours every day to study for the graduate record exam (GRE). “Goals are the transportation system to your ideal future life,” Corley says. “Once you have a clear vision of your destination, the goals you’ll need to achieve will magically manifest themselves out of thin air.” They invest in themselves There’s no question that saving and investing your money is key to accumulating wealth fast. But according to Corley, the first (and most important!) money-saving habit that self-made millionaires practice is investing in themselves—whether that means reading for at least 30 minutes a day, listening to podcasts during a long commute or seeking out career mentors. Exactly how should you invest in yourself? The self-made millionaires in Corley’s research focused their daily reading on content that was directly related to the dreams and goals they were pursuing. They never give up Maybe it sounds cliche, but it’s the type of mindset that will keep you above water. “No matter what happens, no matter how many times you fail, as long as you get up and try again, you haven’t lost,” says Bach. So commit to the sort of money-saving tricks a self-made millionaire would follow, but give yourself a break if you fall off the wagon. Dust yourself off and recommit to your saving strategies. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/money/15-money-saving-habits-self-made-millionaires-have-in-common?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Money & Banking

Man who died for seven minutes reveals his encounter with the afterlife

A British actor has shared what happened during his brief, yet profound experience in the afterlife, after he was pronounced dead for seven minutes. Shiv Grewal, 60, was having lunch with his wife when he suddenly went into cardiac arrest. His wife frantically called an ambulance, but Shiv's heart had already stopped beating. “I knew, somehow, that I was dead,” Grewal said, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/08/24/i-died-for-7-minutes-before-being-brought-back-to-life-heres-what-i-saw/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nypost&utm_content=curalate_like2buy_7Rd1H9jc__bf5c46e3-ff70-4690-9b19-4f40d83c952f&utm_term=curalate_like2buy&crl8_id=bf5c46e3-ff70-4690-9b19-4f40d83c952f" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">The New York Post.</a> “I felt things completely separate from my body. It was like I was in a void but I could feel emotions and sensations.” Shiv went on to say the experience felt similar to "swimming through water" with a sense of weightlessness and disconnection from the physical world. “At one point, I was travelling over the moon, and I could see meteorites and all of space,” he said. Grewal remembers feeling like he definitely didn't want to die and would do whatever it took to return to his physical body, despite the endless possibilities of the afterlife. “There was a whole set of possibilities, various lives and reincarnations that were being offered to me,” he said. “I didn’t want them. I made it very clear that I wanted to return to my body, to my time, to my wife and to go on living.” Grewal was rushed to hospital were he underwent a surgery to have a stent put into his main artery, which had clogged. He was then put in an induced coma for a month. While the traumatic experience happened almost ten years ago, Shiv explained that he hasn't fully recovered from the emotional impact. He said his life has been completely transformed, and is still trying to work through the profound emotions of that day. “I remembered everything that happened when my heart stopped and have tried to translate it into art,” he said. Before the accident, Grewal was more cynical about the idea of an afterlife, but now has completely changed his mind. “I’m less fearful of death because of it, but at the same time, I’m also more fearful, because I’ve realised how precious everything I have in life is,” he said. “I’m grateful just to be here.” Image credits: Instagram

Caring

UFO sightings: 15 most chilling sightings in history

“Unexplained aerial phenomena” When it comes to extra-terrestrial life and making contact with those from outer space, everyone has an opinion. Some think it’s all a hack, some are open to speculate, and others still are entirely taken with the tales and stories as old as time, cameras poised and tinfoil hats at the ready (one of many crazy conspiracy theories). UFOs have fascinated and confused us for years as each new flying saucer or hovercraft sighting makes national news and splits us into two camps. While it’s easy to debunk individual stories, it’s much harder to argue with the US Department of Defense. In videos leaked back in 2007 and 2017, the Pentagon has aimed to “clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether or not the footage that has been circulating was real.” In the video, unidentified objects are seen spinning and hovering in the air and above the water while two navy pilots remark in shock and confusion over the two oblong, disk-shaped “objects.” Whether you’re a believer or a sceptic, UFO sightings bring out a little wonder (and a little fear!) in all of us. Take a look at these sightings and stories and make of it what you will. Most importantly, keep looking to the sky. Betty and Barney Hill It’s only fair that we begin with one of the most famous UFO and alien abduction cases in history: the Betty and Barney Hill case. The two were driving on a road in the US state of New Hampshire at night when a bright light seemed to start following them. When they eventually got home, it was daylight, their clothes were dirty and ripped, their watches had stopped working – and they couldn’t remember a thing. During sessions with a psychiatrist, they later recalled being probed and violated by aliens during an abduction. The case was investigated by Project Blue Book, a now declassified UFO secret. The Melbourne 350 More than 300 students and teachers of Westall High School in Melbourne, Australia saw an unbelievable sight on April 6, 1966, shares the New York Post. They were all looking incredulously at five planes that were attempting to corner and capture a UFO. This went on for a while before the UFO zipped away, out of sight. It is reported that the headmaster of the school and even strange men in black suits told the students and teachers never to say anything about it, even though it was witnessed by hundreds of people. Zimbabwe children and the end of the world In September of 1994, several UFOs allegedly hovered near a school in Ruwa, Zimbabwe, reports Vanity Fair. The children who observed these UFOs were terrified when they were asked to explain what had happened. They described beings with big heads, no nose (just two holes), no mouth, and long black hair. The children said they were dressed in dark suits and communicated telepathically. “‘I think it’s about something that’s going to happen,’” said one little girl. ‘What I thought was maybe the world’s going to end. They were telling us the world’s going to end. I don’t even know. It just popped up in my head. He never said anything. He talked just with his eyes.’” <div class="slide-image" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The Rendlesham Forest Incident Known as “Britain’s Roswell,” the Rendlesham Forest Incident is one of the most famous UFO reports. The reason? Because the witnesses involved in the December 1980 event were, in fact, US military personnel and considered highly credible witnesses. They reported seeing an alien aircraft zoom through the forest. When they went to go check it out, it seemed as though strange hieroglyphics were written all over the craft. It turns out that this was most likely a prank played on the US soldiers by the British military. The O’Hare International Airport saucer On November 7, 2006, US United Flight 446 was about to depart from Chicago’s O’Hare International airport, when a dozen United Airlines employees spotted an odd metallic craft hovering over the gate. The employees reported that it hung in the air for several minutes before finally shooting up at breakneck speed into the clouds. The strangest part? The UFO did not register on the airport’s radar, despite all the witnesses. The FAA declined to investigate, chalking it up to a “weather phenomenon.” The Frederick Valentich Disappearance Australian pilot Frederick Valentich was flying over the Bass Strait when he encountered something that he couldn’t identify, according to News.com.au. He got on his radio to notify air control that there was a strange vessel the likes of which he had never seen before, circling him, as if taunting him. “It is hovering and it is not an aircraft,” were the last words Valentich said before he and his plane disappeared forever. Robert Matthews and missing time According to CBS Reality, an Airman named Robert Matthews got off of a bus in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, to report for his first tour of duty back in 1966. Matthews saw strange lights appearing in the deserted area where the bus driver had told him to call and wait for a truck to pick him up and take him to base. Afraid, he used a payphone to call the base a second time, what he thought was five minutes later. The person who answered the phone told him that the truck had arrived to pick him up five minutes after he got off the bus, but that the driver couldn’t find Matthews. In actuality, an hour separated those two phone calls. This phenomenon is called “missing time” and is commonly associated with alien abduction cases. The Broad Haven Primary School drawings The BBC reports that in 1977, a group of school children from the Broad Haven Primary School claimed to have seen a UFO near their playground. The teachers of the school refused to believe them, but when the children were separated and asked to draw pictures of the experience, they all came up with the same drawing of a flying saucer. Barbara Lamb and the lizard man A woman named Barbara Lamb, a psychotherapist who observed crop circles, claimed that a reptilian figure appeared in her house one day, reports Vanity Fair. He was tall and had piercing yellow eyes. Normally not fond of snakes and lizards, the reptile appeared friendly and welcoming to Lamb, so she reached out to touch his hand. Then the lizard man vanished as suddenly as he appeared. Fred Crisman and Harold Dahl In 1947, Harold Dahl was out on the Puget Sound in Washington State, USA with his son and his dog. History.com recounts that Dahl saw six strange aircraft overhead, one of which fell an estimated 450 metres out of the sky and into the water below. The metal debris hurt his son and killed his dog. Dahl told his supervisor at work, Fred Crisman, what had happened and Crisman came and verified it for himself. Soon afterward, a man in a black suit supposedly came to Dahl and warned him not to speak of the incident again – it is said that this incident inspired the movie Men in Black. The Washington Merry-go-Round A 1952 incident where seven unidentified objects appeared over secure air space near the US Pentagon was captured on film. The crafts were registered on radar, and jets were immediately sent to investigate these suspicious, strange crafts. However, when the American jets approached that air space, those seven objects disappeared from the radar. When the jets landed, the objects returned to the radar screen once more. President Harry S. Truman was notified and Airforce Intelligence Director General Sanford held a press conference saying that there were reports “made by credible observers of relatively incredible things. It’s this group of observations that we are attempting to resolve.” There was no resolution. Japan Airlines Flight 1628 In 2001, former FAA official John Callahan told a conference of high ranking officials that in 1986, Japan Airlines Flight 1628 was on its way from Paris to Tokyo when crew members spotted several UFOs. In a television documentary, the American Heroes Channel reports that the JAL crew called in multiple UFOs surrounding the plane, including one that was four times their own size. They made an emergency landing in Anchorage, Alaska, where the ground crew confirmed the sighting. The Muscarello Exeter incident It was 1965 in Exeter, New Hampshire, USA, when a hitchhiker named Norman Muscarello saw five strange red flashing lights in the woods. As TV station WMUR recounts, the source of the lights suddenly came towards him at a frightening speed. Muscarello dove into a ditch to avoid being hit before flagging down a motorist. The police investigated the area, and they, too, saw the same aircraft with the same bright red lights speed off out of sight. Today, the event is celebrated with a yearly Exeter UFO Festival. A Knock on Rick Sorrells's Door In 2008, an unfathomably large aircraft hovered above Stephenville, Texas, USA. Many people in the community saw it, and according to the Mutual UFO Network, a pilot named Steven Allen reported that the unusual aircraft was flying at an estimated 4,800 kilometres per hour and was being chased by fighter jets. Then, a man named Rick Sorrells said he saw the same thing while hunting. Later, Sorrells says a strange man knocked on his door and said, “‘Son we have the same calibre weapons you have, but we have more of them. You need to shut your mouth about what you saw.” Richard French and the Drowned UFOs In the 1950s, it was Lieutenant Colonel Richard French’s job to explain away UFO phenomena for the government. There was only one problem: Lt. Col. French actually saw alien ships with his own eyes, reports the Daily Mail. At a Citizen Hearing on Disclosure in 2013, the then-83-year-old man told the truth for the first time about what he saw as a young man in the waters of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada: two UFOs that had crashed and sunk in the water, and aliens trying to fix them. They succeeded and took off. He didn’t mention UFOs in his report at the time. How’s that for a freaky government cover-up? Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/15-most-chilling-ufo-sightings-ever-recorded?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </div>

International Travel

The 15 dog breeds perfect for first-time owners

First-time pup parent Becoming a first-time dog owner is a truly rewarding experience. You’re gaining a new loyal best friend and have a wonderful adventure before you. That said, we’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge that the process also comes with some little curveballs as you learn the ropes of pup parenthood. In addition to the dog’s size – be it a toy breed, medium breed, or giant breed – it’s also important to consider the dog’s personality. For example, do you want a <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/the-best-low-maintenance-dogs-for-busy-people" target="_blank" rel="noopener">low-maintenance dog</a> or a <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/11-dog-breeds-that-can-be-left-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dog breed that does well when left alone</a>? Or are you perhaps seeking the <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/the-best-dog-breeds-for-kids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best dog breeds for kids</a>? “When you are thinking about getting a dog for the first time, the first thing to ask yourself is what you envision your life with a dog looking like,” says Marissa Sunny, a canine behaviour specialist. “If you want a dog to get you out of the house and go running with, then a high-energy working breed may be for you! If you are looking for a Netflix buddy, then an adult or senior dog may be for you.” And while purebreds are wonderful, there are many mixed breeds available for adoption in your local shelters that make wonderful pets, even for first-time dog owners. To help you determine the best first dog for new owners – and avoid some of the worst dogs for first-time owners – we’re showcasing some of the most popular dog breeds that are easy to train, groom and bond with. Bichon Frise Known for its loving and playful personality, the Bichon Frise is an intelligent and charming lapdog who befriends just about everyone they meet. They are one of the best dogs for beginners since they’re typically easy to train and are great with kids. Another perk is that their fluffy white coat is hypoallergenic, making them ideal for those concerned about dog allergies. They do need to be bathed about once a month and benefit from a good brushing several times a week. A visit to the groomer every four to six weeks can also help keep them looking tip-top. Ease of care: 4/5 Golden retrievers Arguably one of the easiest dog breeds for first-time owners, the golden retriever is one of the most beloved canines for good reason. This lovable pup is exceptionally friendly and devoted to its owners. They are also known for being obedient and easy to train, so teaching them to fetch, sit and stay is likely to be a breeze, which is one of the reasons many service dogs are golden retrievers. Perhaps most important, though, is their gregarious and outgoing personalities, which make them fantastic as first-time family dogs, as well. They benefit from a good brushing once a week and perhaps more during their twice-annual shedding spree. Ease of care: 5/5 Papillon The papillon – which means butterfly in French – is another wee-sized pup weighing in at only 4.5kg tops. They are an affectionate dog breed and they also get along well with children. Though very small, this toy breed is surprisingly athletic and spritely and benefits greatly from playtime. One potential drawback is that they’re not too keen on hanging out with other animals. However, they are surprisingly easy to groom thanks to their lack of an undercoat. A good bath every few months and a once-monthly grooming session are all they need. Ease of care: 4/5 Labrador retriever The Labrador retriever is another popular dog breed. They are most noted for their outgoing personality and friendly demeanour, and they are also one of the best-behaved dog breeds. These playful, easy-going pups – which come in chocolate, black, and yellow – are very sociable. This allows not only for easy bonding with the entire family but with other animals, too. Because they love to make their owners happy, labs are also one of the easiest dog breeds to train. Occasional baths and brushing are all this dog needs to keep it looking its best. Ease of care: 5/5 Cavalier King Charles spaniel A sweet combination of a small toy breed and spaniel, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel is a gentle, graceful, athletic and high-spirited little pup. They make our list of the best first dogs for new owners because of their adaptability and smarts, which make them both easy to get along with and train. These unfailingly sweet pups are also keen on pleasing their humans, making them excellent for a broad ranch of owners, including couples, families, seniors, and individuals. They are also known for being effective therapy dogs, too. They do require a little more grooming than other pups on our list and need daily brushing, weekly ear-checks, and monthly nail trims. Ease of care: 4/5 German shepherd The noble German shepherd is an excellent dog for first-time owners for many reasons. For starters, they are exceptionally smart pups that are easy to train, which is one reason why they are utilised in K-9 units. Second, they are gentle with their owners and unfailingly loyal – to the end that they make great watchdogs. Finally, German shepherds are easy to groom. The AKC says they benefit from brushing a few times a week to remove loose hairs and that they only need occasional baths. Ease of care: 5/5 Standard poodle Recognised for their fluffy, pillow-like hypoallergenic coats, the poodle is a notably smart and athletic family companion. Because of these positive qualities, poodles have been bred with many other breeds to get designer breeds including the labradoodle, groodle, spoodle, and cavoodle. Do note that as puppies, poodles can be high-energy, so they’ll need to be able to run off that steam. They also should be brushed daily and professionally groomed about once every month or two to combat matting and keep their coats lustrous. Ease of care: 4/5 Basenji You might not be too familiar with the Basenji, but this smart and adaptable quiet dog breed makes our list because of how easy-going and low-key it is. Some even describe this dog as “cat-like” in its independence and quiet demeanour. While it’s not overtly lovey-dovey like some breeds, the Basenji is perfect for first-time owners who tend to be gone often and prefer a pup that’s not always at their ankles. The AKC says their short coat is also simple to care for. Just give them a once-over every week or two – and no bathing required unless they get into something. Ease of care: 4/5 Yorkshire terrier A truly petite-sized pup, the adorable Yorkie is a tiny terrier that weighs in at only seven pounds. Though tiny, they do have major personalities! This breed has a reputation for being brave, tenacious and sprightly. They are also exceptionally friendly. The breed’s long, low-allergen coat mimics human hair more than dog fur, making them one of the more popular dogs for those who deal with pet allergies. The trade-off is that their long hair does require daily brushing, weekly bathing and regular professional groomings. Ease of care: 3/5 Pugs Survey any pug owner and they’ll likely be quick to tell you that this breed is one of the best family companions out there. The adaptable pug gets along with basically everyone – including kids, seniors and other animals – and thrives in both the city and country. Pugs also enjoy making their owners happy, which helps make training them a breeze. Another bonus: their coat is considered low maintenance and only needs weekly brushing to control light shedding. Ease of care: 5/5 Whippet Don’t confuse the whippet for a greyhound! Though they do look similar, the whippet is its own breed (and actually quite a bit smaller). This lean and elegant pup is a lightning-quick runner that enjoys having a good chase in the backyard. As long as it’s getting plenty of exercise, this breed can fare well in an apartment or a house with a yard. Another perk is that these guys barely bark. Also, their short coat is very easy to care for and only requires weekly brushing and occasional baths. While smart, the whippet has a bit more of a mischievous personality that can be a little tricky to reign in when training. Ease of care: 4/5 Great Dane Don’t be intimidated by the Great Dane’s mighty stature; this pup is a true gentle giant. This sweet-natured, patient, ultra-friendly pup bonds with its family owners quickly and remains loyal through and through – they’re even great with children. However gentle, the Great Dane also makes for a courageous and vigilant watchdog as well. Regarding training, this breed does benefit from professional obedience training in order to harness its full potential. They also should be brushed weekly, bathed occasionally, and have their nails trimmed monthly. Ease of care: 3/5 Irish setter If you’re in the market for a lovable, friendly pup that’s perhaps not quite as well-known as other breeds, the Irish setter might just be your match. These sweet dogs get along with, and bond quickly, with everyone they meet – including kids, adults, seniors, and other animals. They do tend to be a bit on the rambunctious side, so a playful and active setting is ideal. They are also eager to please and respond well to patient training, notes the AKC. Moderate grooming is required, including twice-weekly brushing, monthly nail trims, and occasional baths. Ease of care: 4/5 Bernese mountain dog The powerful and sweet-natured Bernese mountain dog is a family companion that will bring joy to any home. They’re on our list of the best dogs for beginners because they are easy to train, exceptionally patient with everyone (including kiddos), and get along easily with many personalities and even other animals. Their big size can be intimidating, but they’re big softies who love to stick close to their humans. In fact, they can be a little shy! Frequent shedding is more of an issue with this breed, and they require a good brushing two to three times a week. Ease of care: 4/5 Mixed breeds We’ve included many purebreds on this list, but we don’t want to leave out mixed breeds and “mutts.” Though adoptable animals from the shelter can come with some specific needs, many will be forever grateful to have you as their owner. When seeking a pup to adopt, we recommend looking to their personalities – versus specific breed – to determine if they’re a fit for your lifestyle. “Your local shelter or rescue can help you find the perfect match for your family,” says Sunny. Ease of care: varies Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/pets/15-best-dogs-for-first-time-owners?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Family & Pets

15 things chefs always buy frozen

The best frozen foods you'll want on hand The best frozen foods are just as much a godsend for professional chefs as they are for home cooks. Trust me – I’ve been cooking professionally since 2002, I’ve written multiple cookbooks and my freezer is perpetually packed to the gills with more than just ice cream. (Though there is a lot of ice cream.) And here’s a food fact you may not realise: just because a food is frozen doesn’t mean it’s not as good as one that’s fresh. The method for freezing food industrially is far different from how you freeze food at home, so you don’t have to worry about things like freezer burn. Special flash-freezing technology allows fruits and vegetables to be ‘suspended in time’ at peak freshness in mere minutes, or even seconds. This not only preserves flavour and texture but nutrients as well, making some frozen foods healthier than fresh. There are many reasons for chefs to turn to the best frozen foods, both at home and on the job, from saving time and kitchen space to simply sourcing a better product. (No one wants to use inferior ingredients when making their best recipes!) Here are some chef picks for the best frozen foods you’ll want to stock up on. Berries The season for fresh berries is short, which is why frozen berries are such a good buy. Not only are they preserved at the peak of freshness, but they also can be easier to cook with in their frozen state. “I bake with frozen berries because they are so easy to add to batters without getting mushy,” says chef, Megan Moore. “You do need to fold in the berries directly from the freezer or they get wet, but the flavour and sweetness are peak season. They are also consistently sized, so they are really perfect for things like muffins, quick breads or pancakes.” Just be aware that while freezing preserves the flavour of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, it deteriorates their structural integrity. When water freezes into jagged ice crystals, it shreds their delicate cellular structures like tissue paper. So if you’re buying berries to use whole, like for decorating cakes or tarts, it’s best to spring for fresh. Prawns When it comes to buying prawns, frozen almost always beats fresh. Unless you live in a coastal prawning community where you’re able to buy your crustaceans directly from the docks, nearly all the prawns you’ve ever encountered have been individually quick-frozen (IQF) directly on the boat shortly after being caught. Fresh raw prawns quickly degrade in quality as they sit, so by running them through a blast chiller almost immediately, their flavour, texture and freshness are preserved. As for the ‘fresh’ prawns you see on ice at fish counter? They’re more than likely previously frozen prawns that have been fully thawed. In some cases, thawed prawns may be treated with chemicals like sodium tripolyphosphate, which causes them to absorb water so they look plumper and fresher – and so they will weigh more when put on the pricing scale. One word of caution: according to chef, Cynthia Valles, you should always check the ingredients list when buying frozen prawns. The only thing that should be listed there is (of course) ‘prawns’. Fish Just like prawns, much of the fish you’ll find at the seafood counter isn’t as ‘fresh’ as you think. “Many popular seafood picks like scallops, Chilean sea bass, tuna and swordfish are all flash-frozen on the boat, so I always buy them frozen instead of thawed out at the fish counter,” says Moore. “Also, you never want to double-freeze fish, because the texture changes and it becomes gluey. Buying frozen fish means you don’t need to cook it immediately. If you’re not planning to prepare your fish the same day you bring it home from the market, you’re better off buying it frozen.” Another major plus: buying frozen is a good way to support sustainable-fishing practices. Many frozen fish products come from fisheries that follow strict sustainability guidelines to maintain the fish population and reduce the impact on marine ecosystems. Look for frozen fish with certification labels, such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), so you can be sure they were sourced from sustainable fisheries or responsible aquaculture operations. French fries We all know fast-food chains use frozen French fries, but if you peek into most restaurant kitchens, you’ll find many chefs do too! Making French fries from scratch is a lengthy process. First, potatoes need to be cut and soaked in water to remove excess starch. Next, they’re fried (or blanched) for a few minutes in 177-degree oil, which cooks the potatoes through and leaves them pillowy soft. After that, they’re fried once more in oil that’s 177 degrees, which gives them their crispy, golden-brown exterior. Frozen French fries have already been pre-cooked, so when it’s time to eat, all that needs to be done is that quick final fry. Large cuts of beef, pork and lamb Just like bulk buyers, chefs like purchasing large quantities of meat to save money. When it comes to steaks and chops, they call the butcher, but for cheaper, braise-able cuts of meat like pork shoulder or beef brisket, it’s fine to go frozen. In fact, it can even have some benefits beyond longer storage. As the water in meat freezes, it expands, solidifying into ice crystals with jagged edges that break down muscle and connective tissues. This can help tenderise tough cuts of meat that require low and slow cooking if they’re going to stand a chance of being chewable. Plus, of course, you’ll have these ingredients on hand when you need them. “I prefer to buy certain meats frozen versus fresh because I don’t know if I’ll use it before it expires,” says chef, Ciro Coppola. “I’m also not sure how long food has been sitting in the food company warehouse.” Corn Believe it or not, corn is a food that’s quite often better frozen than fresh. That’s because corn loses flavour and nutrients as it sits at room temperature. So depending on whether it’s in season, by the time it’s gone from the farm to the market to your kitchen, fresh corn might pale in comparison to the frozen kind. “I love frozen corn because it’s always sweet and already cleaned,” says Moore. “It’s frozen so quickly, it isn’t starchy. I make pantry dinners like a canned black bean and frozen corn salad with a fresh lime pimentón vinaigrette. Add some fresh elements like a little red onion and chopped red bell pepper, and it tastes like you spent all day cooking! I always make a big batch – it tastes even better the next day, so it’s great for meal prep and make-ahead lunches.” Dumplings Making dumplings from scratch is something many chefs would rather do at work than at home. Not only that, but air-frying a bag of frozen dumplings is a lot faster than takeout! “I use frozen dumplings to make a chicken soup with bok choy, frozen broccoli and ginger,” says Moore. “Dress the bowls with Sriracha, soy sauce and sesame oil. Everyone loves them! It’s faster than takeout and really delicious if you have a cold.” Having these items on hand will also help you when meal planning – and when you forget to figure out your menu for the week. Peas You’ll rarely, if ever, find fresh peas at the supermarket, nor would you want to. These delicate pulses have a short shelf life once picked, so by flash-freezing peas shortly after harvesting, they can make it to market without losing any quality. “Frozen peas are one of the rare things that generally taste better than fresh,” says Moore. “They are so sweet and plump. I love adding them to pastas, stir fries and pot pies. They are also amazing as a simple salad when thawed, tossed with lemon zest, parmesan and olive oil, and served cold.” Filo pastry It’s rare that you’ll find a chef or baker who makes their own paper-thin filo pastry from scratch. “I love filo, and it’s super easy to use,” says Moore. “Thaw it slowly in the refrigerator or on the counter – the thin sheets will crumble if it’s not thawed correctly and will dry out if you don’t keep the pastry covered while not actively working with it." "But as long as your ingredients and tools are ready to go, building a spanakopita from scratch can be done in about 30 minutes. You can use frozen filo to make all sorts of sweet and savoury dishes, and the thin layers of crispy pastry are always impressive.” Puff pastry Any chef can tell you that making puff pastry by hand is a long, laborious process, which is why many of them prefer buying it frozen. But there is an important caveat: it must be made with real butter, not oils or shortenings. Without butter, frozen puff pastry is nearly flavourless, which can lead to disappointing results when using it in recipes. All-butter puff pastry, however, is often better than homemade, since industrial rolling machines ensure every layer of butter is equal and even. “I love it to make hand pies, like barbecue pulled chicken and cheddar with sautéed onions, or a chicken pot pie,” says Moore. “Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter and cut straight down so it rises high and even.” Stock When considering which frozen foods to buy, think of the foods chefs like to freeze themselves. “We keep our stocks and sauces like birria consommé frozen, because they’re time-consuming to make,” says Valles. Making a large amount of stock from scratch can use up every burner in a small restaurant kitchen, so leaning on freezers is key to having excellent stock to cook with later on instead of relying on canned or powdered stocks and broths. And yes, you can buy frozen stock or condensed frozen stock bases that you can constitute. They’re total game-changers. Chicken breasts Chicken is by far the most popular meat in Australia – and one of the most popular frozen foods too. Frozen chicken breasts thaw quickly and cook quickly, so by keeping them stockpiled in your freezer, you’ll always have an answer when someone in your house asks, “What’s for dinner?” And you won’t have to worry about using them up before they go bad in the fridge. “Frozen chicken is the main thing I buy because so many people love it,” says Moore, who says that frozen chicken cooks and tastes just as good as fresh. With no drop in quality, this is one of the best frozen foods to always keep on hand for quick and easy dinners. “For meal prep, thaw chicken breasts, marinate and grill for fast meals that taste good. With basic pantry or freezer items, you can do tacos, salads or even dice it and add to risotto. There are so many different ways to make a meal.” Chicken nuggets As a culinary professional who’s also the mother of two teenage boys, allow me to share a universal truth: all children prefer frozen chicken nuggets to homemade, which is why most restaurants buy them as such. It doesn’t matter how much work you put into making them from scratch or if you use any secret ingredients. This is not what kids (or most adults) want – which is finely ground chicken moulded into nugget shapes, dipped in batter and deep-fried till golden. And even if you do make outstanding chicken nuggets at home, your kids most certainly will not appreciate them … and they’ll probably complain that they’re “not the same” as their favourite. So just do what the chefs do: buy them frozen, save yourself the headache and have a peaceful meal. Spinach If you’ve ever cooked fresh spinach before, you know just how much it shrinks. To end up with one cup of cooked spinach, you’ll need about 10 cups of fresh leaves! So unless you absolutely need to use it raw, like in a salad, it makes a lot more sense to buy spinach that’s already been cooked down so you can use it immediately. Frozen cooked spinach tastes as good as if you’d done it yourself, which is why chefs reach for it over and over again. Plus, even with their restaurants’ big walk-in refrigerators, they still have only so much space for spinach storage. Bread Everyone loves being greeted at a restaurant with warm, freshly baked bread. But here’s an insider secret: most restaurants – even the ones that claim they bake their bread in-house every day – aren’t actually making their bread from scratch. Instead, they get loaves, rolls and breadsticks that have been partially cooked and rapidly frozen for long-term storage. When it’s time to make ‘fresh’ bread, they put it into a hot oven to bake the rest of the way. By going with frozen over fresh, you’ll never end up with a stale slice of bread. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/15-things-chefs-always-buy-frozen?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Food & Wine

15 great kitchen hacks to extend the life of food and save on waste

If you’re sick of throwing food in the bin (and wasting money), try these simple tips to reduce your wastage in the kitchen. 1. Use food scraps to grow vegetables Save the odds and ends from veggies such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, leeks, spring onions, celery, bok choy, garlic and even onions. These can all be replanted in some soil and will grow back. Just don’t forget to water them. 2. Reheat leftover slices of pizza in a frying pan If you aren’t a fan of floppy microwaved pizza, just pop your pizza into a hot fry pan instead. Your crusts will stay crispy and it will heat through much faster than it would in the oven. 3. Bring stale potato chips back to life in the microwave If you left the bag open overnight, fear not. Pop your stale chips in the microwave on high for 10 seconds or until crisp. 4. Use leftover herbs to make herb butter If your herbs are on the turn, just chop them up and mix with some melted butter. Pop it into some ice cube trays and freeze. Then you can enjoy the perfect portion of herb butter to use on your steak or to make homemade garlic bread. 5. Keep bananas fresher by wrapping the tips If you want your bananas to last longer in the fruit bowl, just wrap their tips with some cling film. They should keep for around three to five days longer. 6. Keep greens fresher in foil Celery, broccoli, and lettuce all last much longer in the fridge if you wrap them in foil first. 7. Keep pineapples sweet by storing upside down The sugars in this fruit can all end up on the bottom after the time spent in transit. So keep your pineapple upside down when you get home and the sweetness will be redistributed evenly. 8. Use a glass to peel a mango You can use a glass to slide the skin off your mango. This will avoid wasting any fruit that you’d normally toss after peeling with a knife. 9. Make a two-ingredient Nutella milkshake When you need a sweet treat but you’re nearly out of Nutella, just add warm milk to the jar and shake well. 10. Avoid sprouting potatoes by storing them with apples The ethylene gas in the apples helps to stop your potatoes from sprouting. 11. Keep leftover avocado fresh by storing it with a sliced onion There is sulfur in the onion and this keeps the avocado from going brown. 12. Keep cake fresh by covering with sliced bread Cover the exposed cake with some bread held in place with toothpicks and it will stay soft. 13. Extend the life of your eggs with vegetable oil By rubbing the eggshells with vegetable oil it will keep them fresher in the fridge for three to four weeks. 14. Keep lettuce fresh by storing in a brown paper bag No more sad and limp leaves! Keep your lettuce wrapped in a brown paper bag in the fridge. Plus, keeping the outer layers in place even if they have gone brown will keep the inside fresher for longer. 15. Reuse coffee grounds in the garden Plants such as roses, hydrangeas, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and tomatoes will all appreciate a liberal sprinkling of your used coffee grounds. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/stains-never-to-clean-with-water/">4 stains you shouldn’t use water to clean</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/household-tricks-from-the-1900s-2/">More great vintage household tricks from the 1900s</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/alternatives-to-wrapping-paper/">8 DIY alternatives to wrapping paper</a>

Home Hints & Tips

How to declutter your home in 15 minutes flat

While most of us would love to live in a mess-free home, it’s hard to find enough time to dedicate to decluttering the entire house. A better way might be to break the big job into small 15-minute-or-less decluttering tasks like the ones below. Kitchen Use bins and baskets to organise similar items. Label them so the system is clear to everyone. If you’re living in with other people, buy a pantry bin for each member of the home. This will not only keep the space looking neat and tidy but will also reduce the risk of people “mistaking” your food for their own. Home office Make your home office user-friendly by reorganising the space in a way that makes sense to you and your family. For example, store homework equipment in an area where your children can easily access them and things that are used less can be kept up high. Julie Stuart, founder of online craft store and blog Clever Poppy, adopted this approach when she moved her home office into her open plan living and dining room. “All of my stationery is stored in a basket on my desk. For those things you don’t need on a day to day basis, store them out of sight in a cupboard or wardrobe.” Keep track of your mail and other paperwork that clogs up your desk by stacking it into three categories: bills, personal mail (e.g. wedding invitations) and then one for everything else. If you’re feeling particularly motivated, take the time to pay your bills now or just keep the piles stored neatly in a tray on your desk so it’s easier to tackle later on. Living room Keep on top of clutter throughout the week by identifying the biggest clutter culprit in the living room (e.g. kid’s toys, mail). Dedicate a few minutes every day, or every couple of days if you’re particularly time pressed, to dealing with that. Bathroom Pull all of your toiletries from the cabinet shelves and throw out anything that’s expired or unnecessary (do you really need four lipsticks in the same shade?) Follow this by giving the shelves a quick wipe-down and replace all of the remaining products, putting the items you use the most in easily accessible spots. Bedroom Take some time on a Sunday evening to pick out the clothes you plan on wearing for the rest of the week and hang them at the front of your wardrobe. This will minimise stress in the mornings and will stop you from tearing your closet apart (and making even more of a mess) to find a pair of piece of clothing. Another way to ease the morning rush is to organise your clothing by grouping like with like (e.g. all business shirts together) and adding garment tags to keep them together. Linen closet A simple way to quickly get you linen closet in order – and to stop sheet sets getting lost in the pile – is by tucking a complete sheet set inside one of its pillowcases. If you have a little extra time, stack the sets according to size (single, queen, king). Image credit: Shutterstock Written by Natalia Didovich. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz">Stuff.co.nz. </a>

Home Hints & Tips

Leo DiCaprio's new film gets 9-minute standing ovation

If a 9-minute standing ovation is anything to go by, then claims that Martin Scorsese’s new project Killers of the Flower Moon is the “film of the year” may just be on to something. The movie - which stars the likes of Hollywood legends Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone - received exactly that: 9 whole minutes of applause after its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Its stars were all in attendance, from Leo who was last present with Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, to 80-year-old Scorsese, who was returning to the festival for the first time since 1985, when he was there for After Hours. The near-three-and-a-half-hour film - which shares its name with the David Grann book it was adapted from - takes place in 1920s Oklahoma, and shares the story of a dark period in American history, depicting the serial murders of members of the Osage Nation. Prior to its screening, the film had already been dubbed by some as the festival’s “most anticipated film” - it even saw Apple CEO Tim Cook swing by, as the company is one of the film’s distributors. And as soon as it concluded, the applause broke out - with some suspecting that it may have continued on beyond the 9-minute mark, had Scorsese not been asked to address the crowd. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone land a 9-minute standing ovation for ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ — the biggest and loudest of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cannes2023?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cannes2023</a> so far. <a href="https://t.co/1Gxp4cED1T">pic.twitter.com/1Gxp4cED1T</a> — Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) <a href="https://twitter.com/RaminSetoodeh/status/1660019896393113602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2023</a></blockquote> “Thank you to the Osages,” Scorsese said upon reaching the mic. “Everyone connected with the picture. My old pals Bob and Leo, and Jesse and Lily. We shot this a couple of years ago in Oklahoma. “It’s taken it’s time to come around but Apple did so great by us. There was lots of grass. I’m a New Yorker. I was very surprised. This was an amazing experience. “We lived in that world with the Osage, we really did, and we really miss it.” As former Osage tribal leader Jim Gray said of the experience, “the dignity and care for the Osage perspective was genuine and honest throughout the process and the Osage responded with the kind of passion and enthusiasm that met this historic moment. “For those of us who were watching from the sidelines while our best and brightest among us auditioned, sewed, catered, painted, acted and advised the filmmakers, it’s going to be hard not to feel our presence in helping to tell.” Lily Gladstone - who plays an Osage woman betrayed by her husband in the movie - had more to add, telling Variety that “the work is better when you let the world inform the work. That was very refreshing how involved the production got with the [Osage Nation] community. As the community warmed up to our presence, the more the community got involved with the film. “It’s a different movie than the one [Scorsese] walked in to make almost entirely because of what the community had to say about how it was being made and what was being portrayed.” And alongside praise for the film came praise for the performances within it, with many convinced Gladstone is set for attention during awards season for her work, and one reviewer even going so far as to call this “Leonardo DiCaprio’s best performance yet”. Images: Getty

Movies

Hollywood’s 15 best movies based on kids’ books

Steven Spielberg’s recent film The BFG is the 12th adaptation of a Dahl book (11th, if you discount an animated “BFG,” done for British television, that aired in 1989). And because they have captured the imagination of people such as Spielberg and Tim Burton (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Nicolas Roeg (The Witches), they tend to turn out quite nicely, thank you. As I see it, two of them belong on anyone’s short list of truly excellent big-screen interpretations of kid-lit classics. Fantastic Mr Fox and James and the Giant Peach make my cut here among the 15 best of all time. There are talking animal stories on my list, there are kind wizards and evil witches, there are boys and girls who must find the courage to fend for themselves. There are horses that can run like the wind, a robot from outer space. If your favourites aren’t here, apologies. And let me know what they are. Like a certain green ogre whose tale I include, your BFFC (big, friendly film critic) is all ears. This is a subjective list, after all. But it’s a list that abounds with magic and adventure, danger and delight. Babe (1995) From Dick King-Smith’s 1983 children’s book The Sheep-Pig (published as Babe: The Gallant Pig in the US.), the film, co-written by Mad Max’s George Miller, received seven Oscar nominations, including one for best picture. It’s the tale of a pig who believes he is better-equipped to herd sheep, and who is befriended by a duck (who thinks he’s a rooster), a border collie and an ewe. James Cromwell is farmer Hoggett, and thanks to some innovative CG lip-synching and animatronics, Babe and company walk and talk without a hitch. A charmer. The Black Stallion (1979) Based on Walter Farley’s 1941 classic and directed by Carroll Ballard, this beautiful horse-and-his-boy adventure begins with a dramatic shipwreck off the coast of North Africa. The boy (Kelly Reno) and the horse (an Arabian stallion) bond on a desert island, are eventually rescued, and find their way to America, where Black – thanks to the help of an old, forgotten jockey (Mickey Rooney) – proves himself lightning fast on the track. As the race announcer says, “He could be the greatest sensation in racing history!” The Brave Little Toaster (1987) Jerry Rees’ animated feature, adapted from Thomas M Disch’s 1980 novel The Brave Little Toaster: A Bedtime Story for Small Appliances, answers the oft-asked question: Do household appliances have souls? OK, maybe not so often asked, but the film - nominated for the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize - answers anyway, with wit and whimsy, as the title character and four best buds (a vacuum cleaner, a lamp, a radio and an electric blanket) go on a quest to find their owner. David Newman wrote the score, Van Dyke Parks contributed songs, and influences from Busby Berkeley to Walt Disney to General Electric are homaged. Coraline (2009) From Neil Gaiman’s 2002 Hugo-winning novella, a glorious - and gloriously spooky - story about a misfit girl who discovers a parallel and seemingly idyllic universe through a small door in her family’s creaky new home. Henry Selick, of The Nightmare Before Christmas, directed the stop-motion animated gem. Moral: Beware of loving moms with buttons for eyes. Fantastic Mr Fox (2009) Wes Anderson’s meticulously staged, magically realised stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1970 book, about a wily fox, his painter wife, and an alliance of forest critters forced to do battle against some menacing farmers. Nominated for the animated feature Academy Award, it’s unique in modern-day ‘toons for Anderson’s decision to record his cast (George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Bill Murray among them) together, in an outdoorsy, woodsy setting, rather than isolate each voice actor in a sterile studio sound booth. The chemistry and spontaneity is palpable, the detail of the scale-model sets astounding. And is there a more dapper dresser than Mr. Fox? We think not. <img src="../media/27268/kids-movies-in-text_498x245.jpg" alt="Kids Movies In Text" width="498" height="245" /> Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) The third entry in the film franchise based on J.K. Rowling’s series of boy-wizard best-sellers is the first to fully capture that Hogwarts magic on the big screen. Thanks go to Alfonso Cuaron, who took over the directing job from HP 1 and 2’s Chris Columbus. Cuaron’s skills as a visual storyteller are out of this world, a fact borne out by his best director Oscar win in 2014 for the space odyssey Gravity. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) A young woman, a witch’s curse, a heroic wizard, an ambulatory steampunk castle - the fairy-tale elements come together with the grace and beauty that Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki is known for. An immersive and imaginative take on Diana Wynne Jones’ 1986 book. The Iron Giant (1999) Ted Hughes wrote the 1968 novel (called The Iron Man in the UK), about a humongous robot from outer space and the Earth boy who befriends him. Brad Bird, who would go on to direct Pixar’s The Incredibles and Ratatouille (and the rollicking live-action Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol), oversaw the traditionally animated adventure, injecting energy and emotion into the Ike-era tale. James and The Giant Peach (1996) Roald Dahl’s surreal yarn - first published in 1961 - follows our boy hero as his parents are killed, and he is sent to live with two impossibly cruel aunts. A man with a bag of magic crocodile tongues comes along, a withered peach suddenly swells to gigantic proportions, and James meets a septet of talking insects who live inside the fruit. What’s next? A trans-Atlantic journey – by peach – to view the skyscrapers of New York, of course. Henry Selick’s terrific stop-motion animated adaptation, with a soundtrack courtesy of Randy Newman. A Little Princess (1995) “I am a princess – all girls are!” a defiant Liesel Matthews tells a severe Eleanor Bron in Alfonso Cuaron’s dazzling screen reading of the 1905 Frances Hodgson Burnett novel. Matthews plays Sara, a girl sent to boarding school when her father goes off to World War I. When news comes that he has been killed, the headmistress played by Bron makes the pampered schoolgirl scrub and toil for her keep, and sends her to a cold, uncomfortable space in the attic to live. But the stories Sara spins in secret captivate the other schoolgirls, and goodness and kindness win the day. National Velvet (1944) Elizabeth Taylor is 12-year-old Velvet Brown, an English girl who wins a horse in a contest, and who - with the help of a wanderer played by Mickey Rooney - trains the gelding to compete in the Grand National Steeplechase. Nothing can stop the girl and her horse - not even the fact that girls can’t be jockeys, and when the rider’s true identity is found out, well, who knew Enid Bagnold’s 1935 novel was a stealth feminist tract? Pinocchio (1940) Walt Disney’s adaptation of the 19th-century Carlo Collodi tale about a wooden puppet-turned-real-life-boy is one of the great cartoon features to emerge from the House of (Mickey) Mouse. Fun and frightening, an allegory about self-realization and social assimilation, the landmark animated film is full of iconic moments - the terrifying transformation on Pleasure Island, Geppetto’s journey with(in) Monstro the whale - and classic songs (“I’ve Got No Strings,” “When You Wish Upon a Star”). As Jiminy Cricket says, let your conscience be your guide. Shrek (2001) William Steig’s smart and snappy 1990 picture book - about a profoundly ugly ogre who must win the heart of an equally unsightly princess - experienced a fairy-talelike transformation of its own, losing the book title’s exclamation point, but gaining kazillions of dollars as a DreamWorks Animation megahit. With Mike Myers’ supplying the voice of the big green galumph, and Cameron Diaz as the princess, Fiona (no longer ugly, at least not during daylight hours), and Eddie Murphy as the wisecracking tagalong “steed” (a donkey), the eye-popping, computer-animated film mashes up a bookshelf of fairy tales, and also merrily bashes up (as in parodies) the tropes and traditions of its more-established competition, the Walt Disney Studio. Diehard fans of author/illustrator Steig’s original work grumble about the liberties and lampooning going on in the movie, but it’s hard not to laugh - a lot - at what the filmmakers have wrought. Watership Down (1978) Quiet and gentle and yet fierce in its depiction of how death shapes us all, the British animated hit based on Richard Adams’ 1972 novel follows a small band of rabbits on the run, forced to find a new warren before “the terrible thing” happens. The animals have their own laws, their own mythologies - and the voices of some wonderful British actors, including Denholm Elliot, Michael Hordern, John Hurt and Ralph Richardson. Set in rolling English countryside, with meadows and woods, with dangers from beast and man, this talking-animal cartoon has a poetry, and a profundity, that feels very real, indeed. Bonus points if you know the lyrics to Watership Down’s signature song, Art Garfunkel’s “Bright Eyes.” The Wizard of Oz (1939) Not just one of the best film adaptations of a children’s book ever, but one of the best films ever, period. With a teenage Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, the Kansas lass who rides a twister all the way to a magical Technicolor land, populated by Munchkins and flying monkeys and a seriously wicked witch. L. Frank Baum’s 1900 fantasy The Wonderful Wizard of Oz provided the rich source material, and Victor Fleming (with assists from several other directors) provided the Hollywood vision, casting a trio of unforgettable sidekicks - Ray Bolger’s Scarecrow, Jack Haley’s Tin Man, and Bert Lahr’s Cowardly Lion - to join Dorothy on her journey down the yellow brick road. Iconic. Which of these films was your favourite? How about your grandchildren? Let us know in the comments below. Written by Steven Rea. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Images: Shutterstock

Movies

15 facts you won’t believe are true

Sometimes we become so jaded that we forget the world is an amazing place. In this list we’ve put together 15 facts you won’t believe are true. To see the full list of amazing facts, scroll down. 1. Honey will <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-science-behind-honeys-eternal-shelf-life-1218690/?no-ist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">never go off</a>, no matter how long you store it. 2. The Turritopsis Nutricula jellyfish is <a href="http://immortal-jellyfish.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">c</a><a href="http://immortal-jellyfish.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">onsidered biologically immortal</a>. 3. The heart of a blue whale is so big a human could potentially swim through its arteries (of course why you’d want to do so is another matter altogether). 4. Yet the throat of a blue whale is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_whale#Description_and_behaviour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">so small</a> (comparatively speaking at least) it is physically incapable of swallowing anything bigger than a beach ball. 5. For every person on Earth there are <a href="http://www.peta.org/issues/wildlife/dealing-household-guests/ants/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">around 1.6 million ants</a>. 6. An octopus has <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ist/?next=/science-nature/ten-curious-facts-about-octopuses-7625828/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three hearts</a>. 7. Feng shui was originally the art of choosing the <a href="http://www.awarenessmag.com/marapr07/ma07_feng_shui.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best place for a grave</a>. 8. There are <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080603085914.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ten times more bacteria</a> than cells in the human body. 9. Believe it or not, this is what sand looks like under a microscope: 10. Oxford University actually <a href="http://thetab.com/uk/oxford/2013/10/20/six-things-oxford-predates-11736" target="_blank" rel="noopener">predates the Aztec Empire</a>. 11. No one has <a href="https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=1163790" target="_blank" rel="noopener">successfully tamed</a> an African elephant. 12. Catfish have <a href="http://www.itv.com/news/central/2015-07-09/ten-facts-about-fish-that-might-surprise-you/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">27,000 taste buds</a> (four times as many as humans). 13. Santa Claus <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_of_Caesarea#Commemorations_of_Basil" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is called Basil</a> in Cyprus. 14. Scientists have suggested <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24477667" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rain is made</a> from diamonds on Saturn and Jupiter. 15. The image on the left is a candle burning on Earth, and the image on the right is a candle burning in a zero gravity environment. What a difference! Related links: <a href="../news/news/2016/03/couple-give-60-million-lottery-away/">Couple gives $60 million lottery win away</a> <a href="../news/news/2016/03/find-letter-t-image-puzzle/">Can you find the letter “T” in this image?</a> <a href="../news/news/2016/03/stunning-images-antarctica-remote-beauty/">Stunning images of Antarctica’s remote beauty</a> Image credit: Shutterstock

News

15 dumbest dog breeds that are lovably dopey

1. Afghan hound <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">The Afghan hound has the lowest IQ of all dog breeds, per Coren’s research. But since these hounds are known as independent and strong willed, perhaps they just can’t be bothered to learn commands; what’s in it for them, after all? Afghans would rather spend their time loving on family members, entertaining kids with glamorous hair-flip pyrotechnics and playing well with other pups. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Energetic, playful and open to strangers, your Afghan hound may never master much beyond the easiest dog tricks, but there are plenty of positives, including their luxurious coats. Afghans hardly shed, which might be surprising considering their silky hair requires near-daily grooming. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">2. Basenji <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Ranked by Coren as only slightly less dumb than the Afghan hound, the basenji may not actually be “dumb” so much as not particularly interested in the sort of interactions that obedience training tends to require. One of the <a style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #d90000; text-decoration-line: none;" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/pets/13-quietest-dog-breeds-wont-bark-too-much" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quieter dog breeds</a>, the basenji doesn’t bark to get attention. In fact, the basenji doesn’t seem to need that much attention at all, which can be a good thing for some humans. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">It may be that independent streak, combined with its fastidious grooming habits, that have led some to describe the basenji as “catlike.” But everyone knows cats aren’t dumb; they simply cannot be bothered to learn tricks for the sole purpose of entertaining humans. Perhaps the basenji ought to be accorded similar latitude? <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">3. English bulldog <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Lots of people are bullish on bulldog breeds. And that includes the English bulldog, which Coren’s research regards as the third dumbest among dog breeds. Known for its sweet and docile temperament, the English bulldog is among Novack’s favourites. It also happens to be one of the dog breeds least likely to bite. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">English bulldogs score low by Coren’s canine intelligence standards, but it may simply be a matter of laziness, a quality for which they are renowned. And while a lazy dog may be less inclined to do the work required to learn new commands, does that really make for a dumb dog? English bulldog lovers might disagree. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">4. Chow chow <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">While it is a dog that looks like a lion, the chow chow is far from the king of the jungle – or even the dog park. To wit, Coren ranked the chow chow as one of the dumbest dog breeds, adding that, “There is probably furniture out there that is more trainable than chows.” <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">But according to Coren, one factor to consider when assessing canine intelligence is a dog’s ability to do what it was bred to do. And as it turns out, chow chows are quite adept at that. Unfortunately, however, one of the things chows were originally bred for was to be eaten as food—at least in some countries. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">5. Borzoi <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">One of the <a style="font-family: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #d90000; text-decoration-line: none;" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/13-of-the-fastest-dog-breeds-in-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fastest dogs in the world</a>, the borzoi is also known as one of the dumbest dog breeds, per Coren’s rubric. Although the swift borzoi needs a lot of mental stimulation, this shaggy, lanky breed is also notoriously challenging to train. As the American Kennel Club (AKC) puts it, “in their quiet, catlike way, [borzois] can be stubborn, and training is best accomplished with patience, consistency and good humour.” <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">So while they may not hand over a paw when asked, these dignified pups are also very accomplished at what they were bred for: hunting. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">6. Bloodhound <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Docile and affectionate with its people, the bloodhound (also called the sleuth hound) does one thing better than any creature on earth: locate missing persons. And yet, the bloodhound comes in at just slightly less dumb than the borzoi, at least using Coren’s standards of canine intelligence. Not coincidentally, both the borzoi and the bloodhound are master hunters, and therein may lie the rub. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Whereas the borzoi leverages its keen sight, the bloodhound makes use of its prodigious sense of smell. In both cases, unless the individual dog is engaged in an actual hunt, these talents and inclinations can make the dog appear distractible. And distractibility does not bode well when it comes to learning commands. But whether it means the bloodhound is actually dumb is something we’ll question. Plus, there’s just something about dogs with big ears that makes us fall in love. 7. Pekingese <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Pekingese dogs tend to lavish affection on their families. Peeks are also well behaved and friendly toward children and strangers, as well as other dogs. But will a Pekingese reliably play fetch with you? Not likely, based on Coren’s methodology, which places this Chinese dog breed among the dumbest dog breeds on the planet. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">But Coren’s research also makes room for nuance. Pekingese dogs, which were bred to be lapdogs, are very accomplished at that. And if that makes them dopey, then, do we really want this dog to be smart? It’s also a quality that makes it one of the <a style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #d90000; text-decoration-line: none;" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/15-best-dogs-for-seniors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best dogs for seniors</a>. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">8. Beagle <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Fans of dogs with floppy ears often flock to the sweet-faced beagle. Indeed, those soulful eyes and clownish demeanour help make the beagle a much-loved breed. Conversely, they’re also one of the dog breeds most likely to be found in a shelter. One reason is that the beagle, like its bloodhound cousin, is easily distracted by scents. If allowed off-leash, the risk of separation from its people is high. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Beagles are well known for their stubborn streak, which makes training challenging. And the hard truth is that an untrained dog makes a difficult housemate. The beagle’s tendency to stand on ceremony rather than sitting and staying, as well as its tendency to follow its nose, places it among the so-called dumbest dog breeds. But we don’t fault them for their love of exploring. This happy-go-lucky dog just wants to experience the world. 9. Mastiff <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">The mastiff is one of the <a style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #d90000; text-decoration-line: none;" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/the-best-guard-dog-breeds-for-protection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">finest guard dogs</a>, but it doesn’t get there by stealth. The docile but dignified mastiff is one of the world’s <a style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #d90000; text-decoration-line: none;" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/pets/worlds-largest-dog-breeds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">largest domesticated dog breeds</a>, and for giant dog breeds, training is a must. Ironically, mastiffs aren’t all that great at learning commands. They do so rather slowly, and even when they do, they’re not particularly consistent when it comes to performing them. That’s why mastiffs are ranked among the dumbest dog breeds, per Coren’s research. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">It also raises the question: How is one to live harmoniously with this adorably gigantic, drooly supposed dope? Mastiffs take best to gentle training, and the earlier you can start on that, the better. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">10. Basset hound <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">“Why the long face?” one might be inclined to inquire of a basset hound. But that meltingly droopy face, flanked by velvety floor-sweeping ears, is in no way a reflection of the basset’s chill temperament. Great with children and other dogs, and one of the dogs that get along with cats, the basset hound is believed by some experts to be second only to its hound cousin, the bloodhound, in its scent-tracking skills. But does that earn it IQ points? <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Not so much, at least according to Coren’s canine intelligence rubric, which ranks the basset as one of the top 10 dumbest dog breeds. Like other scent hounds, it’s easily distracted by smell, and like the beagle, in particular, the basset is stubborn. Both qualities combine to make it less than receptive to training. But is it really fair to call this dog breed dumb when it’s so good at what it was bred to do? We’ll always love this sniffing pooch. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">11. Shih tzu <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">One of the most popular toy dog breeds, the shih tzu, Mandarin for “little lion,” was bred hundreds of years ago as an indoor lap dog. And that’s precisely what it excels at. What the shih tzu does not excel at is learning commands with speed and consistency. Specifically, Coren’s research found that on average, the dog breed obeys a first command less than 25% of the time. This puts it squarely into the category of dumbest dog breeds. But remember, the shih tzu is known to be most affectionate with family, nice with children and playful with other dogs – and some might argue there’s nothing dumb about that. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">12. Bullmastiff <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Another of the giant dog breeds, the bullmastiff was bred as a bulldog and mastiff hybrid. Like the mastiff, it was bred as a guard dog that’s nevertheless docile with its humans. And at this, the bullmastiff excels, thanks to its sheer size and its relative wariness of strangers. What the bullmastiff hasn’t necessarily mastered as a breed is the art of quickly learning commands and performing them consistently. For that reason, it’s considered by Coren’s criteria to be one of the dumbest dog breeds. However, Bullmastiff lovers will claim that this breed is highly intelligent, but simply strong-willed. You have been warned. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">13. Lhasa aspo <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Despite its small size and glamorous cascade of long, flowing hair, the lhasa apso, whose name means “Tibetan long-haired dog,” was bred as a guard dog – and has been doing a top-notch job as such since ancient times. In fact, many canine intelligence experts regard it as an intelligent breed. So why then does Coren’s research categorise the lhasa apso as a dumb dog? It isn’t a fast learner or a consistent performer when it comes to mastering commands. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">If only this tiny lion-like sentinel were just a little less stubborn and independent-minded (not for nothing, lhasas are among the <a style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #d90000; text-decoration-line: none;" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/11-dog-breeds-that-can-be-left-alone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dog breeds that are comfortable being left alone</a>), perhaps it would have scored higher. Alas, it is what it is, and accordingly, the lhasa apso must endure its reputation. We, however, will trust their thousand-year-old reputation as smart, aristocratic family comedians. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">14. Chihuahua <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">If you’re a budget-conscious pet owner, the Chihuahua is one of the cheapest dog breeds simply because its small size means it’s not expensive to feed and its short hair doesn’t require much in the way of grooming. In fact, the Chihuahua is yet another adorable dog breed that doesn’t shed that much, which means you may also save on dry cleaning and lint roller tape. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">Nevertheless, experts recommend obedience training for this yippy, barky, high-energy “purse dog,” lest it rule your household like a little Napoleon. And that may cost you, because training a Chihuahua requires time and patience. Per Coren’s research, it takes up to 80 repetitions to teach a Chihuahua a command, and even when it does, it obeys the first time it’s asked to do something less than 30% of the time. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">15. St Bernard <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">One of the most popular mountain dog breeds, the St Bernard isn’t known for its intelligence so much as its enormous size and gentle temperament. But as with many of the so-called dopey dog breeds, these pups aren’t exactly stupid either. In fact, the St Bernard was bred methodically by monks during the Middle Ages specifically for alpine search and rescue. Are St Bernards good at what they were bred for? Absolutely, they are. But they’re also notoriously difficult to train – for anything but search and rescue, that is. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px; color: #444444; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial !important;">On the other hand, St Bernards are among the <a style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #d90000; text-decoration-line: none;" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/17-calm-dog-breeds-with-easygoing-personalities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calmest dogs, known for their easygoing personalities</a>. The dog is sweet, affectionate, observant, watchful and great with people of all ages, as well as with other dogs. And anyone who has ever been rescued by a St Bernard isn’t likely focusing on its propensity to sit and stay. Image credit: Getty <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/15-dumbest-dog-breeds-that-are-lovably-dopey?pages=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article originally appeared on Reader's Digest.</a>

Family & Pets

Missing cruise passenger rescued after over 15 hours in ocean

A passenger on a Carnival Valor cruise ship has been rescued by the US Coast Guard after spending more than 15 hours in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The 28-year-old was with his sister at the ship’s bar on the night of Wednesday, November 23, but didn’t return after he left to use the toilet. According to a statement from Carnival, the sister reported her brother missing the following day. Another passenger on the cruise, Mike Anderson, told CNN that announcements were made on the ship and people “noticed security starting to search the boat with a photo of the missing (passenger) in their phones”. Mr Anderson said passengers were later told their arrival to their port of call in Cozumel, Mexico, was delayed, while his wife said one of the pools was drained. After a lengthy search, the man was finally spotted about 30 kilometres off the coast of Louisiana on Thursday night by rescue crews that had been scouring a 320-kilometre area along the gulf. Lieutenant Seth Gross of the US Coast Guard said the man may have been in the water for over 15 hours, the “absolute longest that I’ve heard about”. He said that “all available resources” were launched to locate the man, including a small boat from Florida, a New Orleans-based helicopter, and planes from Florida and Alabama. The man was hoisted onto the helicopter and was responsive. "He was able to identify his name, confirmed that he was the individual that fell overboard," Lieutenant Gross told CNN on Friday, adding that the man had signs of “hypothermia, shock and dehydration” but could walk and talk. "The fact that he was able to keep himself afloat and above the surface of the water for such an extended period of time, it's just something you can't take for granted and certainly something that'll stick with me forever," Lieutenant Gross added, describing it as “just one of those Thanksgiving miracles”. He said that the case was unlike anything he had seen in his 17-year career with the Coast Guard and “could have had a much more difficult ending”. "It took a total team effort from Coast Guard watchstanders, response crews, and our professional maritime partners operating in the Gulf of Mexico to locate the missing individual and get him to safety,” he said. While the man has been reported to be in a stable condition, it is still unclear how or when he fell into the water. Image: Getty Images

Cruising

15 facts (and pictures!) that prove penguins are the world’s most adorable animals

Every day is a good day to appreciate these tuxedo-wearing birds. Nearly all penguins live in the southern hemisphere <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/01-can-penguins-Shutterstuck-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> Contrary to media representations of the North Pole, no penguins live up there. The 17 penguin species (some scientists say there are 20) are spread out between Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa. The only exception is the Galapagos penguins, who live close to the equator on the Galapagos Islands and occasionally venture into northern hemisphere waters. Penguins have been around for a long time <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/02-emperor-penguins-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> An amateur fossil hunter discovered the bone of an extinct penguin ancestor, and scientists say it’s 61 million years old. That means it probably outlived the dinosaurs that went extinct 65.5 million years ago. Fossils also suggest that this prehistoric bird could fly and could grow up to 150 centimetres tall. They eat a lot <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/03-penguin-eating-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> Penguins are carnivores, and their diets consist of fish, krill, crabs, squid, and other sea creatures. According to Smithsonian Magazine, they can eat over one kilogram of food every day during summer months, but eat only a third of that during the winter. They sneeze <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/04-sneeze-penguin-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> Their sneezes serve an important purpose, though. Because they eat so much seafood, penguins also consume a lot of saltwater. To get rid of all that salt, their supraorbital glands above their eyes filter it out of the bloodstream, and then, the penguins excrete it through their bills or their sneezes. The littlest penguin may be the cutest <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/05-little-penguin-wildlife-park-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> Little blue penguins (also called fairy penguins) really are little. They only grow to be 33-38 centimetres tall, and adults only weigh one kilogram. Emperor penguins are the largest species <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/06-emperor-penguins-sliding-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> They’re around 120 centimetres feet tall and can weigh up to 40 kilograms. Penguins are expert swimmers <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/07-swimming-penguin-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> No, these adorable birds can’t fly. Instead, they use their wings to fly through the water (so to speak) at speeds up to 40 kilometres per hour. They can’t help but waddle <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/08-gentoo-penguin-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> Penguins’ bodies are shaped to easily glide through water, with a long body and short legs. So when they walk, the result is a clumsy-looking waddle. Penguins also get around on land by hopping and tobogganing, where they glide on their bellies and use their feet and wings to gain speed. They spend most of their time in the water <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/09-gentoo-penguins-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> According to Ocean Conservancy, penguins spend about 75 per cent of their lives in water. They go on land to mate, lay eggs, and raise their babies. Speaking of penguin babies… <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/10-emperor-penguin-chicks-Shuttersetock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> They’re called chicks or nestlings. They form little groups called crèches to look out for predators and keep each other warm while their parents look for food. Penguins are romantic <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/11-shutterstock_516711187-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> Some penguin species mate for life, like the macaroni penguin. These guys and gals show their affection by performing an ‘ecstatic display,’ in which they swing their heads back and forth and cackle loudly. Birds of a feather mate together <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/12-king-penguins-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> Most penguin species breed in large groups called colonies (only two species don’t) for protection. Those groups can range from a couple hundred to hundreds of thousands of penguins! Daddy penguins keep their eggs warm <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/13-dad-penguins-incubate-eggs-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> At least, male emperor penguins do, but not by sitting on them. These dads balance the eggs on their feet and cover them with feathered skin called a brood pouch. They stay like this for two months – without food and with no protection from the Antarctica weather – until the mums come back with food for the young ones. Talk about parents of the year! Their feathers keep them camouflaged <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/14-king-penguins-1-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> When penguins swim, their black backs keep them invisible from predators up above, and their white bellies blend into the bright sunlight coming through the waves. We bet your tuxedo can’t do that. Feathers also keep them warm <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/15-imperial-penguins-colony-Shutterstock-770.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="454" /> Penguins don’t have blubber like other sea animals, but their many feathers serve the same purpose. (In particular, emperor penguins have 100 feathers per six square centimetres). The feathers trap a layer of warm air next to their skin, and their surface feathers get colder than the surrounding air to keep their bodies warm. Written by Claire Nowak. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/animal-kingdom/15-facts-and-pictures-that-prove-penguins-are-the-worlds-most-adorable-animals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Images: Shutterstock

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