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Qantas loses woman's luggage that contains her mother's ashes

A woman has been left "non-functional with distress" after Qantas lost her luggage which contained her mother's ashes. On a flight from London to Sydney, the woman and her partner were confused when they were still waiting for their luggage to turn up at Sydney Airport several hours later. Women’s Community Shelters chief executive and Domestic Violence NSW chair Annabelle Daniel expressed her frustration on Twitter after she and her partner had not heard back from the airline when they reached out to enquire about the lost bag. “Hey @Qantas, my partner‘s bag is four days late from QF2 on Saturday morning,” she posted on Wednesday night in a now-deleted tweet. "It has her mother’s ashes in it. She wasn’t able to see her mum before she died, or attend the funeral in 2020 due to the pandemic." “No responses from your website. Could you help more please?” The tweets attracted the attention of several shocked Twitter users, as Annabelle described how the situation was effecting her distraught partner. “My partner was so close to her mum and just devastated she couldn’t travel to be with her when she died. Watching your mum’s funeral on Zoom is gut wrenching enough, let alone this,” she wrote. “She’s not the kind of person to make a fuss, but this compounds the grief all over again." “She’s quite non-functional with distress. I very much hope this is sorted out." “She’s so anxious and this has just been a horror show.” The Qantas Twitter account responded to Annabelle and asked for further details so they could sort out the issue. In a statement to NCA NewsWire, an airline spokesperson apologised for the “extremely distressing situation” and said the bag was being sent to the woman on Thursday. “We understand that this is an extremely distressing situation for this customer and have apologised for the delay in getting their bags to them,” the Qantas spokesperson said. “The bag is being couriered to the customer today (Thursday)." “Heathrow Airport has had widely publicised baggage issues over recent days which led to tens of thousands of misplaced bags.” Airports all over the world have been making headlines for long queues, baggage losses and dallied flights as eager travellers jet off freely for the first time since the start of the pandemic, putting unprecedented strain on air travel. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Trouble

Family spat sees mum living in a shipping container

After Varina Quinn gave her daughter the family home in return for lifetime tenancy, she has been left homeless and sleeping in a shipping container. “I feel like I’ve lost my daughter and my home,” she told <a rel="noopener" href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/queensland-mother-living-shipping-container-after-transferring-daughter-property-title/f49ed414-b1dc-40d2-a76c-8ffb2d54912e" target="_blank">A Current Affair</a>. Varina had lived alone in her home near Toowoomba for 15 years, until her daughter Rachel moved in following a break-up. She said she “really felt for [Rachel]” and wanted to help her get back on her feet. “I suggested that if she would like to, because she came out with nothing, I’d gift her the house in exchange for lifetime tenancy and she would support me,” Varina said. The property title was transferred to Rachel in 2019 for the remaining balance of the mortgage, with the pair entering a lease with conditions that would grant Varina lifetime tenancy. “I was there for less than a year before she threw me out,” she said. Now, Varina lives in a shipping container in the front yard of her son Caleb’s rental home. “She wanted me to leave immediately. So, she has all my possessions as well,” Varina said. Caleb said he tried to warn his mother before she signed the house over to Rachel. “I didn’t think it was a good idea … I didn’t like the fact that she was giving out the only place she had to live to my sister,” he said. After a fight between Varina and Rachel last October, their arrangement started to turn sour. “She just kept repeating the words ‘when are you leaving’ … I was very upset. And I called my son and Caleb came, came up to pick me up,” Varina said. “She did say, ‘don’t ever bring her back here again’,” Caleb said. Rachel let Caleb return the next day to pick up some of Varina’s belongings, and he began filming after he arrived. He claims Rachel told him he couldn’t take anything. “She has family photos. She has all my electronics, white goods, furniture. All my prepping supplies, all my tools,” Varina said. When approached by A Current Affair, Rachel said Varina had instead taken all of her belongings, and that she had none that belonged to her mother. “She’s got all my stuff, everything is at her place,” Rachel said. Despite differing takes on the events, Rachel changed her mind after she was told her mother was living in a shipping container. “The home is open to her whenever she wants to come home,” Rachel said. Though Varina isn’t convinced, Rachel claims “everything was done above board”. “I did everything she ever asked me to do … I didn’t kick her out … I’m the victim here,” she said. Property law expert Tim O’Dwyer advises those entering deals with their family to see separate lawyers. “If you want the property, you might lose your family. It might be better to lose the property and keep the family,” he said. Varina said she has filed a civil claim in the district court, in a move that she never imagined doing. “Family, they protect each other. But in this case, she betrayed me,” Varina said. Image: A Current Affair

Family & Pets

Takeaway containers shape what (and how) we eat

Home cooks have been trying out their skills during isolation. But the way food tastes depends on more than your ability to follow a recipe. Our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25713964/">surroundings</a>, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/485781">the people</a> <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/25/7/471/952605">we share food with</a> and the design of our tableware – our cups, bowls and plates, cutlery and containers – affect the way we experience food. For example, eating from a heavier bowl can make you feel food is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950329311000966?via%3Dihub">more filling and tastes better</a> than eating from a lighter one. Contrast this with fast food, which is most commonly served in lightweight disposable containers, which encourages <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666312001754">fast eating</a>, <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f2907">underestimating</a> how much food you’re eating, and has even been linked to becoming <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23773044/">impatient</a>. These are just some examples of the vital, but largely unconscious, relationship between the design of our tableware – including size, shape, weight and colour – and how we eat. In design, this relationship is referred to as an object’s “<a href="https://jnd.org/affordances_and_design/">affordances</a>”. Affordances guide interactions between objects and people. As Australian sociologist <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/how-artifacts-afford">Jenny Davis writes</a>, affordances: …push, pull, enable, and constrain. Affordances are how objects shape behaviour for socially situated subjects. Designed objects don’t make us do things. The colour of your crockery When you visit a restaurant, the chances are your dinner will be served on a plain white plate. But French chef Sebastien Lepinoy has staff <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=-5gCBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT118&lpg=PT118&dq=Sebastien+Lepinoy+paint+plates&source=bl&ots=8jc3yBavYd&sig=ACfU3U0jRwMOQtM_NmOspLXcyXp9SiVTuQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqzNzj3MPpAhUOxjgGHQnvDlEQ6AEwCnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Sebastien%20Lepinoy%20paint%20plates&f=false">paint the plates</a> to match the daily menu and “entice the appetite”. Research seems to back him up. Coloured plates can enhance flavours to actually change the dining experience. In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22128561">one study</a>, salted popcorn eaten from a coloured bowl tasted sweeter than popcorn eaten from a white bowl. In <a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Does-the-colour-of-the-mug-influence-the-taste-of-Doorn-Wuillemin/476e322e1de2c705e8691e14c72c814fd79e5e09">another</a>, a café latte served in a coloured mug tasted sweeter than one in a white mug. This association between colour and taste seems to apply to people from Germany to China. A review of <a href="https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13411-015-0033-1">multiple studies</a> conducted in many countries over 30 years finds people consistently associated particular colours with specific tastes. Red, orange or pink is most often associated with sweetness, black with bitterness, yellow or green with sourness, and white and blue with saltiness. The size of your plate The influence of plate size on meal portions depends on the dining experience and whether you are <a href="https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/897365/DUBELAAR-JACR-Plate-Size-Meta-Analysis-Paper-2016.pdf">serving yourself</a>. In a buffet, for example, people armed with a small plate may eat more because they can go back for multiple helpings. Nonetheless, average plate and portion sizes have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/25/problem-portions-eating-too-much-food-control-cutting-down">increased</a> over the years. Back in her day, grandma used to serve meals on plates 25cm in diameter. Now, the average dinner plate is 28cm, and many restaurant dinner plates have expanded to <a href="https://www.nisbets.com.au/size-of-plates">30cm</a>. Our waistlines have also expanded. Research confirms we tend to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666311006064">eat more calories</a> when our plates are larger, because a larger capacity plate affords a greater portion size. Plastic is too often ignored The pace of our busy lives has led many people to rely on those handy takeaways in disposable plastic food containers just ready to pop into the microwave. And it’s tempting to use plastic cutlery and cups at barbecues, picnics and kids’ birthday parties. In contrast to heavy, fragile ceramic tableware, plastic tableware is <a href="https://discardstudies.com/2019/05/21/disposability/">designed to be ignored</a>. It is so lightweight, ubiquitous and cheap we don’t notice it and pay little mind to its disposal. Plastics have also changed how we eat and drink. An aversion to the strong smell of plastic containers that once might have caused people to <a href="https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/0747936042312066?journalCode=desi">wrap their sandwiches before placing them in Tupperware</a> seems to have disappeared. We drink hot coffee though plastic lids. Australian economic sociologist Gay Hawkins and her colleagues argue lightweight, plastic water bottles have created entirely new habits, such as “<a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/ics/news/news_archive/2015/history_of_bottled_water_focus_of_new_book">constant sipping</a>” on the go. New products are then designed to fit and reinforce this habit. Aesthetics matter Healthy eating is not only characterised by what we eat but how we eat. For instance, eating mindfully – more thoughtfully and slowly by focusing on the experience of eating – can help you feel <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-eating-slowly-may-help-you-feel-full-faster-20101019605">full faster</a> and make a <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/351A3D01E43F49CC9794756BC950EFFC/S0954422417000154a.pdf/structured_literature_review_on_the_role_of_mindfulness_mindful_eating_and_intuitive_eating_in_changing_eating_behaviours_effectiveness_and_associated_potential_mechanisms.pdf">difference</a> to how we eat. And the Japanese cuisine <a href="https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/dining-out/kaiseki-cheatsheet-sg">Kaiseki</a> values this mindful, slower approach to eating. It consists of small portions of beautifully arranged food presented in a grouping of small, attractive, individual plates and bowls. This encourages the diner to eat more slowly and mindfully while appreciating not only the food but the variety and setting of the tableware. Japanese people’s slower eating practices even apply to “fast food”. One <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00346651211277654/full/html">study</a> found Japanese people were more likely to eat in groups, to stay at fast food restaurants for longer and to share fast food, compared with their North American counterparts. Affordance theory is only now starting to account for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0270467617714944">cultural diversity</a> in the ways in which designed objects shape practices and experiences. The studies we have reviewed show tableware influences how we eat. Size, shape, weight, colour and aesthetics all play a part in our experience of eating. This has wide implications for how we design for healthier eating – whether that’s to encourage eating well when we are out and about, or so we can better appreciate a tastier, healthier and more convivial meal at home. Written by Abby Mellick Lopes and Karen Weiss. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/plates-cups-and-takeaway-containers-shape-what-and-how-we-eat-137059">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Why New Zealand needs to continue decisive action to contain coronavirus

With some of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/nzs-decision-to-close-its-borders-will-hurt-tourism-but-its-the-right-thing-to-do-133707">toughest border restrictions</a> and a newly-announced <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/backing-our-health-services-combat-covid-19">NZ$500 million boost to health services</a>, New Zealand is among a small number of countries with a strategy to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand is also fortunate in having a brief window of opportunity to refine and roll out an effective response to COVID-19. At the time of writing, there were <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412042/eight-new-cases-of-coronavirus-in-nz-health-ministry-confirms">20 confirmed cases in New Zealand</a>, all related to overseas travel. There is no evidence of community transmission. This situation could change rapidly as mild cases may not seek medical attention, effectively resulting in “<a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/03/13/science.abb3221">silent transmission</a>”. This process has seen other countries slip into widespread community transmission. New Zealand is vulnerable until our testing rates and contact tracing capacity increases, potentially to the levels used successfully in <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/coronavirus-cases-have-dropped-sharply-south-korea-whats-secret-its-success">South Korea</a>. To guard against this risk New Zealand should consider a short “pulse” (a few weeks) of intense social distancing, including bringing forward the school holidays and temporary closures of most businesses, social meeting places and public transport. Doing this now has the potential to slow undetected chains of transmission while containment measures are being ramped up. If containment is sustained, there may be the chance of avoiding the prolonged lock-downs seen in many countries. New Zealand’s effort to contain COVID-19 will also help <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-nzs-tough-coronavirus-travel-rules-are-crucial-to-protecting-lives-at-home-and-across-the-pacific-133779">protect Pacific Island</a> nations. Samoa in particular has a terrible history of devastating pandemics, notably <a href="https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2018/11/07/a-100-years-ago-today-a-death-ship-from-nz-arrived-in-samoa-a-reminder-of-nzs-responsibilities-to-its-south-pacific-neighbours/">influenza in 1918</a> and more recently measles. Intensive containment can work Like other countries, New Zealand has relied on advice from the World Health Organization, whose pandemic plan, originally developed for influenza, focuses on managing spread <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/new-zealand-influenza-pandemic-plan-framework-action">through successive phases</a>. But <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30567-5/fulltext">COVID-19 is not influenza</a>. Its longer incubation period (median of five to six days, compared to influenza with one to three days) means we have a better chance of case identification and isolation, but probably only if <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30074-7/fulltext">done swiftly and effectively</a>. By introducing border restrictions and maintaining a focus on stamping out chains of transmission, New Zealand has joined countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan that rigorously pursue containment of COVID-19. The strongest evidence that containment works comes from the remarkable success of China in <a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf">reversing a large outbreak</a>. Also relevant are <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/opinion/coronavirus-best-response.html">examples of smaller Asian jurisdictions</a>. Planning for the next phase if containment fails New Zealand needs to continue planning for the scenario where containment fails and we move into widespread community transmission. With COVID-19, it seems impossible to spread demand for treatment sufficiently to manage it through <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf">existing health sector capacity</a>. At this point, we would need additional social distancing measures to suppress the epidemic to ensure <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf">New Zealand’s hospital and intensive care capacity</a> are not overwhelmed. We also need to strengthen other critical components of the national response, notably hospital capacity to treat large numbers of critically ill patients with pneumonia while also ensuring high standards of infection control. And it is vital to support vulnerable populations to reduce their risk of infection. As with influenza, the risk of COVID-19 infection is particularly concentrated in older people and those with <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jid/article-abstract/221/2/183/5611323">chronic medical conditions</a>. This makes Māori and Pacific peoples particularly vulnerable – as <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/1/11-0035_article">seen in past pandemics</a>. Support with social distancing, hygiene and home isolation in a way that is consistent with tikanga (Māori customary practices) is particularly important for protecting these groups. Services for community diagnosis and treatment need to be responsive to these populations, as well as those with disabilities and the elderly. Strategic challenges ahead Countries have consistently underestimated the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of its global spread and intensity. They now seem to be diverging markedly in their strategic responses. New Zealand is among those countries and territories committed to containment, but elsewhere, the aim in most high-income countries seems to be to mitigate the effects. Across much of the rest of the world, including the United States, it is unclear whether there this is an agreed goal to guide the national response. The possibility of uncontrolled outbreaks in some regions means countries that pursue containment will face long-term challenges, until a vaccine or treatment is available. All of these approaches have uncertainty and risks and we will only understand the net societal benefits and costs in hindsight. Certainly in New Zealand, the containment approach appears to have widespread public support, particularly across the health sector. Many of us are working to monitor and evaluate it so that we can learn how to better manage such threats in the future, some of which may be far worse as biotechnology advances open up new hazards.<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133714/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-baker-169808">Michael Baker</a>, Professor of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-otago-1304">University of Otago</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-wilson-133898">Nick Wilson</a>, Professor of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-otago-1304">University of Otago</a> 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/why-new-zealand-needs-to-continue-decisive-action-to-contain-coronavirus-133714">original article</a>.

International Travel

Some infant formula milks contain more sugar than soda drinks new research reveals

Some formula milks have double the sugar per serving than a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35831125">glass of soda</a>. That was the key finding of our <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41415-020-1252-0">global investigation</a> into the sugar content of infant formula and follow-on milks. But perhaps more shocking is the fact that there are so few regulations in place to control sugar content and to make sure consumers are well informed. We all love sugar. But too much of the sweet stuff can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5133084/">dental disease</a>. Our preference for sugary foods stems from our primitive ancestors, who were scavengers and sought out sweet foods for energy. But if we are hardwired to like sweet foods, being fed lots of sugar as babies can increase our <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738223/">desire for sweet things</a> and increase the risk of developing disease in later life. Breast milk is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4882692/">the recommended</a> source of nutrition for infants, especially during the first six months of life. Although it is sweet and high in energy, the sugar is mainly lactose and the content is specific to the needs of the growing infant. Conversely, infant formula milks have a standardised make-up and contain added sugars such as corn syrup which are added during production and are not found in breast milk. This is bad for babies because high consumption of added sugars <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212267219313401?via%3Dihub">may contribute</a> to tooth decay, poor diet and lead to obesity in children. We investigated the sugar content of 212 commercially available infant formula milk products targeted at infants under three. The products were being sold in supermarkets in 11 countries. We collected data on sugar content from nutrition labels and compared it to average breast milk compositions and sugar content guidelines. We also noted the clarity of the labels and the marketing strategies used on the packaging. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41415-020-1252-0">Our findings</a> revealed that over half of the products contained more than 5g of sugar per 100ml. In many cases, the sugar content was over 7.5g per 100ml, which exceeds <a href="http://www.babymilkaction.org/archives/8274">European parliament</a> recommended levels for infants. For example, we found that a powdered product for infants under six months sold in France contained 8.2g of sugar per 100ml, or nearly two teaspoons, while a ready-to-drink milk formula for infants under 12 months sold in the UK contained 8.1g of sugar per 100ml. This comes at a time when sugar-sweetened beverages have been subject to widespread taxation to reduce their sugar content due to <a href="https://www.wcrf.org/sites/default/files/PPA-Building-Momentum-Report-WEB.pdf">negative impacts on health</a>. As a result, many formula products included in our study contained almost double the sugar of well known drinks such as <a href="https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/drinks/fanta/fanta-orange">Fanta Orange</a>. Nutritional information Obtaining information from the labels of these formula products was difficult as the fonts used were small and the facts provided varied between countries. For example, some products listed sugar content per 100g while others listed it per 100kcal. This is despite <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/3521/regulation/18/made">guidelines</a>, such as those in the UK, which state that values should be expressed as kJ/kcal per 100ml. There are also <a href="https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/international-code-marketing-breastmilk-substitutes-resources/the-code/">codes</a> in place to limit the marketing of infant formula products because they are not the best way to feed a growing baby. But most of these are voluntary codes of practice which manufacturers do not have to abide by. Even guidelines which are enforced by law can be side-stepped by manufacturers, since they are <a href="https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/content/dam/gb/reports/health/dont-push-it.pdf">not strictly monitored</a> and have loopholes. In some cases, manufacturers themselves have even influenced their development. <a href="https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/content/dam/gb/reports/health/dont-push-it.pdf">For example</a>it was revealed that the industry has funded research into infant health and has given doctors free formula products. This almost certainly helps ensure that their sale is affected as little as possible by such guidelines. It is possible that the sale of infant formula products has increased worldwide as a result. The World Health Organization’s <a href="https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/international-code-marketing-breastmilk-substitutes-resources/the-code/">International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes</a> stipulates that infant formula products should not be promoted over breastfeeding. <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/3521/regulation/17/made">In the UK</a> the guidelines state that the labels on products targeted at infants under six months should not include images of infants or any other pictures that idealise their use. But we found that many of the formulas had labels that included images of infants or cute toys of animals, presumably designed to entice caregivers into buying. Such findings are not unsurprising as there is evidence that <a href="http://www.babymilkaction.org/monitoring-global">harmful marketing strategies</a> have been used extensively by infant formula and follow-on milk manufacturers. Recommendations Our findings are alarming, as is the potential negative impact of the high sugar content on the health of babies. We urge parents and caregivers to opt for breast milk whenever possible. However, to help those families unable to breastfeed their babies, we also have two key recommendations for policymakers: 1) Regulate the amount and type of sugar in infant formula products as a matter of urgency. Encourage manufacturers to aim for formulations as close to breast milk as possible. Such regulations could be conducted in a similar way to the taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages which have been <a href="https://www.worldobesity.org/resources/policy-dossiers/pd-1/case-studies">implemented across the world</a>. 2) We are also calling for the mandatory disclosure of added sugar by manufacturers and suggest that this could be implemented alongside the introduction of a clear front-of-pack labelling system. Such disclosures and clear labelling could aid consumers to make informed choices about what products they purchase. Written by Gemma Bridge. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/some-infant-formula-milks-contain-more-sugar-than-soda-drinks-new-research-129655">The Conversation.</a>

Travel Tips

The genius cleaning hack that will make your plastic containers look as good as new

An Instagram account dedicated to providing cleaning hacks has gained traction after their latest tip. Instagram account Blossom, which currently has 3.9 million followers, has addressed a problem that almost everyone can relate to – stained lunchbox containers. The video, which has amassed a whopping 650,000 views in just one day, takes you through a 5-step process to ensure your containers end up looking as good as new. In the short clip, a yellow-tinged lunchbox is shown. The expert then adds a generous scoop of sugar to the stained container. <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvZR_z-A-PF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvZR_z-A-PF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Blossom (@blossom)</a> on Mar 24, 2019 at 7:53am PDT </div> </blockquote> Adding a squirt of dishwashing soap over the sugar, the cleaning aficionado lets the mixture sit in the lunchbox. Then, in a surprising turn of events, she adds six ice cubes and lets them dissolve. The last step involves a glass of water which is added to the mixture. It is then left to sit for 10 minutes. Once the concoction is emptied and the container is rinsed, the formerly stained item is now looking as good as new. Sugar helps break down old stains due to the enzymes it carries, while the ice cubes take apart the discoloured tinge. Users took to the comments section to praise the expert for helping them with something they’ve struggled with for a long time. “You just solved a problem so many households have!” wrote one user. “This is so great for busy parents, thanks for sharing!” said another. Scroll through the gallery above to see the step-by-step process for removing stains off plastic containers. Will you be trying out this nifty hack? Let us know in the comments below.

Home & Garden

Courier loses package containing family’s $863,000 inheritance

No one likes to have a package lost in the mail, but it was a particularly bitter pill for one Canadian family to swallow after learning that the parcel containing their $863,000 inheritance was lost by US courier company UPS. In February, Lorette and John Taylor from Ontario were finalising Lorette’s father’s will and sending out the inheritances to her siblings, including her brother Louis Paul Herbert, who lives around 440km away. They visited their bank to get certified cheques but were told bank drafts would be more appropriate given the sums involved. Cautious about sending so much money across the country, the Taylors inquired if there were any anti-theft protections in place. “I was told there were procedures to deal with that,” John told <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/ups-td-canada-trust-bank-draft-1.4447384" target="_blank">CBC News</a>. “[We were told we would just] fill out some documentation and a new draft would be issued.” So, the couple went ahead, hiring UPS to ship the bank draft from their lawyer’s office to a UPS store near where Louis lived. It made its way to a distribution centre near Toronto, but that was the last they saw of the money. “I’m waiting at the UPS store, around 3 pm because that’s when they said the guys came in ... nothing shows up,” Louis recalled. “I came back in the evening. Nothing shows up ... and I’m wondering, ‘What’s happened to my inheritance?’ “I should have just driven [to the lawyer’s office]. It’s something I kick myself in the rear over every day.” A spokesperson for UPS admitted that, “While UPS’ service is excellent in our industry, we are unfortunately not perfect. Occasionally, the loss of a package does occur. “Our records indicate that our team followed UPS protocol and an exhaustive search for this package was completed by our Operations and Security teams. Unfortunately, we were unable to locate the package.” As compensation for the loss, however, the courier offered the Taylors just $33 for the “inconvenience”. Understandably, the Taylors were unhappy with this result and a three-way battle began between them, UPS and their bank, TD Canada Trust, trying to recover the money. Finally, after 10 months, the bank has apologised and released the funds back to the family just hours after CBC News broke the story last week. “We understand that we’ve reached a resolution with our customer," a TD Canada Trust spokesperson said. “It’s clear to us we didn’t get this right along the way and that there was more we could have done to come to a resolution faster.”

Money & Banking

How an empty dental floss container comes in handy when you travel

From your passport to your toothbrush and a good set of ear plugs, there are some obvious items you should never travel without. But there are often other items we could pack that are equally as useful, but not quite as obvious. For instance, you wouldn’t think an empty dental floss pack would find its way onto many people’s packing list (even full ones probably don’t make the cut). But these packs can actually be repurposed into travel tools that are quite useful. <a href="https://www.smartertravel.com/" target="_blank">Smarter Travel’s</a> Elissa Leibowitz-Poma explains: “When your dental floss runs out, don’t throw away the box,” she says. “Instead, use it to hide cash when you’re traveling. The box stays in my toiletry kit, and I’m pretty sure a burglar, even if he looked in my toiletry bag, likely wouldn’t open up the floss.” What are your thoughts? Will you bring an empty dental floss pack on your travels?

Travel Tips

This dairy-free coffee ice cream contains just four ingredients

A four-ingredient dairy-free coffee ice cream has gone viral for its simplicity and utter deliciousness. The very simple recipe contains just four ingredients and doesn’t need an ice cream maker. The dairy-free treat also calls for fresh bananas instead of cream for the base. The recipe was shared by Becca Ludlum from <a href="https://mycrazygoodlife.com/dairy-free-coffee-ice-cream-recipe/" target="_blank">My Crazy Good Life</a> earlier this year. Dairy-free coffee ice cream recipe Serves: two (two scoops each) Ingredients: <ul> <li>3-4 sliced frozen bananas</li> <li>1/4 cup of very strong espresso coffee (at room temp) </li> <li>Honey/sugar</li> <li>1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I prefer coffee extract if you can find it)</li> </ul> Method: 1. Brew coffee. I made my coffee and sweetened with just a bit of sugar to my liking, as I was worried the ice cream would turn out a bit bitter. Let it cool. 2. In a food processor, add the frozen bananas, coffee, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy. 3. Freeze for an hour.

Food & Wine

7 “healthy” foods that contain a lot of sugar

In recent years, sugar has become a clear villain in the fight against obesity, diabetes, heart disease and more. It’s a battle that’s only getting harder to win as more and more so-called “health” foods flood the market only to be found as containing more sugar than soft drinks. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/18/seven-healthy-foods-with-high-levels-of-sugar">The Guardian </a>has exposed seven of the biggest culprits claiming to be “healthy” but really doing damage to your waistline. <ol> <li>Pasta sauce – Pasta isn’t pasta without a delicious sauce, but Mars, the company behind Dolmio, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/apr/14/dolmio-pasta-meal-kits-mars-occasional-food-warning-health">warned last year</a> that their products should be consumed only “occasionally”. A 500g jar of the brand’s Bolognese sauce contains the same amount of sugar as a Mars bar.</li> <li>Soup – Soup is a popular choice among busy dieters, but pre-packaged soups are filled with sugar and salt. A can of Heinz classic tomato soup contains a whopping 19.4g of sugar – that’s more than four teaspoons.</li> <li>Chilled and frozen meals – Often touted as weight loss aides, these meals may be low-fat, but the flavour is made up with sugar. For example, Weight Watchers’ Beef Lasagne has only six grams of fat but 12 grams of sugar.</li> <li>Yoghurt – You’ve heard this one before but we always seem to forget that low-fat fruit yoghurts contain high levels of added sugar. A 100g tub of strawberry Yoplait has 12.8g of sugar.</li> <li>Flavoured water – It’s widely believed to be the healthy alternative to soft drink, but flavoured water is anything but. In fact, there’s 15g of sugar in a 500ml bottle of Glaceau Vitaminwater Revive.</li> <li>Cereal bars – These grab-and-go options for breakfast usually seen with taglines such as “slow-release energy”, but one serving size of Belvita breakfast biscuits (fruit and fibre flavour) will set your daily sugar intake back by 11.6g.</li> <li>Ketchup – We’re always worried about the impact those hot chips are having on our weight, but we should be just as concerned with our favourite condiments. Just one tablespoon serving contains 3.4g of sugar – that’s 22.8g per 100g!</li> </ol> Which of these high-sugar “health” foods surprised you the most? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/body/2017/01/how-to-cut-down-on-your-salt-intake/">How to cut down on your salt intake</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/body/2017/01/nutrient-dense-vegetables/">3 nutrient-dense vegetables</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/body/2017/01/reasons-to-be-wary-of-low-fat-products/">3 reasons to be wary of low-fat products</a>

Body

Toddler can’t contain excitement playing in pool full of dogs

An adorable video has captured a toddler having the best time of her life while splashing in her kiddie pool with a trio of huskies. The girl can’t contain her excitement and so can’t the dogs (who look too cute in their cooling vests) – both ready to be spray and be sprayed by the hose in the hot weather. We’re glad to see kids these days having fun outdoors! Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/07/why-pets-need-to-pee-more-often-in-winter/">Why pets need the bathroom more often in winter</a> <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/06/cleaning-tips-every-dog-owner-should-know/">Cleaning tips every dog owner should know</a> <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/06/dr-chris-brown-guide-to-give-your-pet-a-pill/">Dr Chris Brown’s four-step guide to giving your pet a pill</a>

News

Adorable little boy can’t contain himself at the toy store

Remember walking through the toy aisle when you were little? It was one of the simplest joys in life. And while many things may have changed since then, toy stores still hold the same sense of childlike wonder and fascination for today’s young ones. In this video, a young boy is simply overwhelmed as he rolls through the toy aisle in a trolley, exclaiming, “Oh my goodness!” at every toy he sees. Watch the video above, it will make your day! Related links: <a href="/news/news/2016/06/this-adorable-dance-troupe-will-make-your-day/">This adorable dance troupe will make your day</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/06/this-hilariously-awkward-dog-is-stealing-hearts/">This hilariously awkward dog is stealing hearts</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/06/dancing-toddler-upstages-professional-performers/">Dancing toddler upstages professional performers</a>

News

How to make your plastic containers like new

Everyone is all too familiar with this struggle. You’ve made something delicious, like a delicious, saucy, pasta dish, and you made enough to last you for a few lunches for the week. Then when it’s all done and gone, your left with a wrapped plastic container holding on to the last of its potent scent, and it’s not as appealing as it once was. How do you make that smell go away? Save your containers with this great trick, brought to us by Clean My Space. Watch the video below and never fret over a spoiled Tupperware again. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/02/diy-upside-down-tomato-planter/">DIY upside down tomato planter</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/02/how-to-create-a-hanging-basket/">A hanging basket step-by-step guide</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/01/natural-fertilisers/">5 natural fertilisers that can be found in your house</a>

News

How to make a self-watering garden container

Hate watering your plants? Or do you find yourself always forgetting to water them? Maybe you live in a particularly hot, dry and windy place where watering can be an issue? If you answered yes to any of these problems, a self-watering garden container is for you! While you can always purchase one, why would you when it’s so easy to make your very own. In the video above, horticultural designer, Angela Price, walks you through all the steps to make a self-watering garden container. Best of all, she uses recyclable materials and items from your home so not only is it cost-effective it’s good for the environment. Source: eHow Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/02/diy-upside-down-tomato-planter/">DIY upside down tomato planter</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/02/how-to-create-a-hanging-basket/">A hanging basket step-by-step guide</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/01/natural-fertilisers/">5 natural fertilisers that can be found in your house</a>

Home & Garden

Is it safe to microwave in plastic containers?

When heating up food in the microwave, many people consider it good practice to transfer from a plastic container to a glass or ceramic dish. Why? Because we know that both of those options are always safe from BPA. If you’re a little confused about what people are worried about, you’re not alone. Although people are aware of BPA, and that they should probably avoid using plastics containing it, few know exactly what it is. Bisephenol (BPA) is a “plasticiser” (a substance added to a material to make it flexible, resilient and easier to handle) used to make hard, clear plastics. In 2012, the US FDA banned the use of BPA in baby bottles and drinking cups, but allows for a low level of exposure in adults. So why are people worried about BPA? The theory is that it can leech into foods when the plastic is heated up in a microwave, although studies on how true this is have proved inconclusive. Food safety authorities around the world have their own stance on the presence of BPA, but most agree that humans’ exposure to the chemical should be limited. The potentially negative effects of BPA exposure have tended to focus on pregnant women and young children, with fears of reproductive disorders, and lung problems in children. One study indicated that low-level doses of BPA exposure in children resulted in a greater risk for them to develop asthma later in life. Higher risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men has also been linked to low doses of BPA. So with that in mind, is it safe to be heating your plastic containers in the microwave? The best answer is that you should look at the container itself. If the container is listed as “microwave safe” or includes a microwave icon on it, you should be fine. Pre-packaged snacks or meals that direct you to heat using the microwave are also safe. But it is important to note that a container may still contain BPA even if it is listed as “microwave safe”, and containers advertised as BPA-free may not be safe to use in the microwave. If you’re feeling uneasy about plastics altogether, however, stick with glass and ceramics. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/diy-christmas-decorating-ideas/">More great vintage household tricks from the 1900s</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/vacuum-cleaning-tricks/">Vacuum cleaning tricks you’ll want to know about</a> <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>

News

7 common container gardening mistakes to avoid

Container gardening can be very simple but there are a few common mistakes that many a beginner makes. Here’s a list of what to avoid to ensure a successful garden. Don’t fill a big pot in the wrong place Ever tried to lift a large container filled with soil and plants? It’s well, very heavy! So to save your back, make sure you place the pot where it will stay and then fill it. Don’t over water your plants As plants are in pots, it’s quite easy to drown your plants with water. To ensure this doesn’t happen, use containers that have drainage holes and make sure you follow the watering requirements for your plants. A tip to check if soil is moist, stick your finger into the soil until the knuckle – if the soil at your fingertips feels dry, you need to water. Don’t under water your plants With less soil to hold water in pots, most container gardens need watering at least once a day, especially small containers and during summer. Ensure you are watering correctly – you need to soak the soil so it reaches the roots. If you only shower them with a tiny bit of water, the water won’t reach the bottom of the pot. Don’t put containers in inconvenient places Remember you will have to frequently water your container garden so put them in places you can easily access with a watering can or hose. Don’t be afraid to fertilise Container plants use up nutrients much faster than plants in a garden so make sure you fertilise. Don’t forget the rule of proportions Consider the proportions – height, breadth, and quantity – of plants you’re choosing in relation to the size of the container you’re using. A large container with many short plants can look awkward. A good rule of thumb to remember is to have at least one plants as tall as the container. Don’t forget to group Make sure the plants in the same container or a group of containers in the same place share similar sun, soil, water and feeding requirements. You can find this information from your seed packets or plant labels. <a href="http://plantsplus.com.au/handy-hints/how-to-brochures/" target="_blank">Check out the Plants Plus site here</a> for some more tips and inspiration for your garden. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/homemade-remedies-for-the-garden/">Homemade remedies for the garden</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/11/10-ingenious-gardening-tricks/">10 ingenious gardening tricks</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/how-to-create-peaceful-garden/">6 steps to a peaceful garden</a>

Home & Garden

What’s better for food storage, glass or plastic?

It’s an age old question – what's better for food strorage, glass or plastic storage containers? The folks at The Savings Experiment, a YouTube channel offering simple money-saving tips, have had a look at the age old question to figure out once and for all what’s better for storage, glass or plastic. While you may not necessarily agree with their conclusion, they do make some interesting points.

News

How to get your plastic containers looking (and smelling) like new

An essential item in any kitchen, while plastic containers come in handy for organisation and food storage, they can be hard to clean and reatin nasty odours. Until now, that is. We have some tried-and-tested solutions. Goodbye stains Want to get rid of stains on plastic containers? You'll need this little recipe: <ul> <li>To one cup of warm water, add a tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach</li> <li>Soak the container for 30 minutes.</li> <li>Wash the container with hot, soapy water and dry. </li> </ul> You’ll find that curries, thick sauces (like tomato-based recipes), and stews are the culprits behind most hard-to-clean stains. To stop stains appearing, just try spraying a container with cooking oil spray before popping your leftovers in. Smells be gone The only smells you want in the kitchen are ones coming from something cooking in the oven. Smelly containers are a no-no! To deodorise container, follow these steps: <ul> <li>In a litre of warm water, dissolve four tablespoons of baking soda.</li> <li>Soak your container for 30 minutes. </li> </ul>

Home & Garden

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Some infant formula milks contain more sugar than soda drinks new research reveals

The genius cleaning hack that will make your plastic containers look as good as new

Courier loses package containing family’s $863,000 inheritance

How an empty dental floss container comes in handy when you travel

This dairy-free coffee ice cream contains just four ingredients

7 “healthy” foods that contain a lot of sugar

Toddler can’t contain excitement playing in pool full of dogs

Adorable little boy can’t contain himself at the toy store

How to make your plastic containers like new

How to make a self-watering garden container

Is it safe to microwave in plastic containers?

7 common container gardening mistakes to avoid

What’s better for food storage, glass or plastic?

How to get your plastic containers looking (and smelling) like new