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Readers response: Is there any item of memorabilia you’ve passed down to family or plan to in the future?

As in many families, there are often sentimental items and memorabilia that are passed down from several generations. We asked our readers if there are any heirlooms that they have passed down to their younger family members, or if they plan to, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Marjorie Gale - The christening gown made by my Aunt in the UK in 1955 for my eldest daughter, worn by my two other daughters. Now been worn by my 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, and another due soon. So far 24 babies have worn it. Dawn Douglas - Yes, I have my Mums jewellery box and my eldest daughter will get it when I’m gone. I also have a brooch that belonged to my Nana. Sue Crawley - I have a 1925 gold embossed book by AA Milne “When We Were Very Young”. My most cherished memory was sitting on my great grandfathers knee whilst he read it to me. Not sure yet which grandchild will receive it. Greg Browning - A Winchester rifle my great grandfather bought in the 1800s. Have already passed it on. Marion Ingram - Family bassinets. Now on its 4th generation! Margie Buckingham - My grandmother’s costume jewellery was stunning. She was a racehorse breeder always in the Flemington Racecourse members, even had many Group One winners, so her jewellery had to look special. Paul Uttley - A silver pocket knife that belonged to my great grandfather now belongs to my oldest grandson (six generations apart)! Image credits: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

We tend to underestimate our future expenses – here’s one way to prevent that

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ray-charles-chuck-howard-1361224">Ray Charles "Chuck" Howard</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/texas-aandm-university-1672">Texas A&M University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/abigail-sussman-227057">Abigail Sussman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-chicago-952">University of Chicago</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-j-hardisty-753777">David J. Hardisty</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-british-columbia-946">University of British Columbia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marcel-lukas-1236384">Marcel Lukas</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-st-andrews-1280">University of St Andrews</a> <h2>The big idea</h2> When asked to estimate how much money they would spend in the future, people underpredicted the total amount by more than C$400 per month. However, when prompted to think about unexpected spending in addition to typical expenses, people made much more accurate predictions. These are the main findings of a series of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F00222437211068025">studies and experiments that we conducted</a> and which have just been published in the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/mrj">Journal of Marketing Research</a>. In our first study, we began by asking 187 members of a Canadian credit union to predict their weekly spending for the next five weeks. Then, at the end of each week, we asked them how much they actually spent. For the first four weeks, people underpredicted their weekly spending by about $100 per week or $400 for the month. In the study’s fifth and final week, we ran an experiment to see if we could improve people’s prediction accuracy. Specifically, we randomly assigned participants to one of two groups. In group one, participants estimated their spending for the next week just as they had done in previous weeks. These folks once again significantly underpredicted their spending. In group two, participants were asked to think of three reasons why their spending for the next week might be different than usual before making their estimate. This led them to make higher and much more accurate predictions – coming within just $7 of what they actually spent. Importantly, participants in each group spent roughly the same amount of money that week, on average. The only difference between the two groups was whether they accurately predicted that amount. <iframe id="WlDv3" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/WlDv3/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> Next, we conducted nine experiments to better understand why people underpredict their spending and whether being prompted to think of unusual expenses helps improve accuracy. In all, over 5,800 people participated in these experiments, including a representative sample of U.S. residents. These experiments revealed two important insights. First, people primarily base their spending predictions on typical expenses like groceries, gasoline and rent. They usually fail to account for irregular – though still common – expenses like car repairs, last-minute concert tickets or one-off health care bills. This is what leads to underprediction. Second, prompting people to think of irregular expenses in addition to typical expenses helps them to make more accurate spending predictions. In our studies, people did not factor in atypical expenses unless we asked them to do so. <h2>Why it matters</h2> Helping people improve the accuracy of their spending predictions could help them improve their financial well-being. Underpredicting expenses can be costly. For example, 12 million Americans <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2012/07/19/who-borrows-where-they-borrow-and-why">borrow a total of more than $7 billion</a> in payday loans each year because they can’t meet their monthly expenses. These loans typically have extremely high interest rates – <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/data-visualizations/2022/how-well-does-your-state-protect-payday-loan-borrowers">more than 250% in some states</a>. Payday loans also come due in full so quickly that around three in four borrowers <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2012/07/19/who-borrows-where-they-borrow-and-why">end up borrowing again</a> to pay off the original loan. If consumers could better anticipate how much money they will spend in the future, it might help motivate them to spend less and save more in the present. In fact, one of our studies shows that our suggested prediction strategy <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0022243721106802">not only boosted spending estimates</a>, it also increased intentions to save. <h2>What’s next</h2> Members of our research team are currently investigating if, when and why underpredicting one’s expenses may be beneficial. For example, if a person sets an optimistically low budget and actively tracks their spending against it, does that help them reduce their spending? We are also investigating whether people who work in the gig economy show a corresponding tendency to mispredict their future income.<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/189100/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ray-charles-chuck-howard-1361224">Ray Charles "Chuck" Howard</a>, Assistant Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/texas-aandm-university-1672">Texas A&M University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/abigail-sussman-227057">Abigail Sussman</a>, Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-chicago-952">University of Chicago</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-j-hardisty-753777">David J. Hardisty</a>, Assistant Professor of Marketing & Behavioral Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-british-columbia-946">University of British Columbia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marcel-lukas-1236384">Marcel Lukas</a>, Lecturer in Banking and Finance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-st-andrews-1280">University of St Andrews</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/we-tend-to-underestimate-our-future-expenses-heres-one-way-to-prevent-that-189100">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Rare coin hidden for decades to fetch eye-watering sum

Three sisters from the US who inherited a dime coin kept it in a bank vault for more than 40 years, and while they know it had some value, they didn't know just how much until a few years ago. The rare coin, struck by the US Mint in San Francisco in 1975, could be worth more than $US500,000 ($748,000), according to Ian Russell, president of GreatCollections, the auction house selling the coin. What makes the coin depicting President Franklin D. Roosevelt so valuable is that it is just one of two coins missing the "S" mint mark for San Francisco. The other dime sold for $US682,000 (over $1 million) at a 2019 auction and then again months later to a private collector. While avid coin collectors have known about the existence of these two extraordinarily rare coins, their whereabouts had remained a mystery since the late 1970s. “They were hidden for decades,” Russell said. “Most major collectors and dealers have never seen one.” The three sisters from Ohio, who want to remain anonymous, inherited one of the two dimes after the recent death of their of their brother, Russell said. They told Russell that their brother and mother bought the first error coin discovered in 1978 for $27,225, which would amount to roughly $135,000 today. Their parents, who ran a dairy farm, saw the coin as a financial safety net, and it was only until last year that one of the sisters saw the coin first-hand. Russell also said that their brother had reached out to him about seven years ago and told him about the coin, but he too kept it a secret. When Russell told one of the sisters about the potential value of the coin, she told him: “is that really possible?”. The coin, known as the “1975 ‘no S’ proof dime,” will be displayed at a coin show beginning on Wednesday in Tampa, Florida, and before <a href="https://www.greatcollections.com/Coin/1655587" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the auction</a> closes late next month, Russell said. The current highest bidder has offered $US250,000 ($374,000). Images: Great Collections/ Professional Coin Grading Services

Money & Banking

“Don’t marry him”: Bride-to-be shares wild altercation with her future in-laws over her wedding dress

A woman has been told to “run” from her fiancé after sharing a wild conversation she had with her future in-laws about her wedding dress. The bride-to-be shared that ever since she was a child, she wanted to wear her mother’s wedding dress on her own big day. However, the woman was then confronted by her soon-to-be in-laws, with drama ensuing over her wedding dress. Taking to Reddit’s “Am I The A**hole?” page, the woman explained, "My mother's wedding dress has been passed down for generations and I remember being a little girl dreaming of walking down the aisle in it." Despite her wishes to wear the family heirloom on her big day, she said things went south at a dinner at her sister-in-law’s (SIL) house when she "tapped her spoon against the glass and said that she had to make a toast." "She then said she would be right back before going into another room and returning with a large plastic bag," the bride continues. "Everyone seemed to be excited but I just felt confused." As she "awkwardly smiled", her SIL opened the bag to reveal her wedding dress from her wedding two years earlier as her in-laws began clapping, as her future sister-in-law announced she wanted the bride to wear her dress at her upcoming nuptials. "I tried to smile but I guess I didn't do a good job of hiding my disappointment and everyone began asking me what was wrong," the bride-to-be continues, adding that she tried to explain that she wanted to wear her mother's wedding dress. At this point, her SIL began to cry and her in-laws began berating her, causing the bride to burst into tears and run outside. "My fiancé didn't even come after me and after crying my eyes out on the steps for what felt like hours, he finally came outside and yelled at me to get into the car," she says. Confused, she got into the car only for her fiancé to berate her for making "such a big scene" leaving him feeling "embarrassed in front of his family." "He sounds so mad and he even said he couldn't believe he chose to marry such a 'bitchy c--t' (his exact words)." The woman tried to explain how important it was to her to wear her mother's dress and that she had already promised her mother she would be wearing it on her big day. "I felt like my fiancé's family planned this and put me on the spot thinking I wouldn't stand up for myself and just agree to wear SIL's dress," she continues. "I don't think I did anything wrong but a part of me thinks I should have just gone along with it and then told SIL in private that I wouldn't be wearing the dress." Hundreds of people were quick to comment on her post, suggesting that she “run” not only from her in-laws, but from her partner as well. "Ma'am you need to leave that whole family behind including your fiancé," one said. "You just had a peek into your future if you carry on with this relationship." "Don't you dare marry that man!!!" another said. "The problem doesn't exist as the wedding shouldn't be happening anymore," another added. One Redditor suggested she "be thankful that he is showing you who he really is before you marry him." "You have just had a glimpse of what your future is going to look like if you go through with your wedding." Image credits: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

What is allyship? A brief history, present and future

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wendy-marie-cumming-potvin-542762">Wendy Marie Cumming-Potvin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a> Despite social change, LGBTQI+ people still face discrimination <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2019/10/inclusion-lgbt-people-education-settings-paramount-importance-leaving-no-one">at school</a> and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10304312.2023.2296344">in the community</a>. Language for diverse genders and sexualities is continually changing. LGBTQI+ allyship is part of this change. But what is allyship? Allyship refers to people outside of a group – say, straight people – who actively support and work with people inside a group – say, LGBTQI+ people. It can also mean people from different groups working together to support each other’s goals. A key example of this was at the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10304312.2023.2296344">Stonewall riots in 1969</a>, when lesbians, gay men and transgender people joined with Black Panthers and civil rights activists in New York City to protest against police brutality. But defining allyship can be challenging. Some people disagree about who an ally is. Others disagree about what an ally does. <h2>What is an ally?</h2> The term “ally” first appeared in US universities among students <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED336682.pdf#page=215">in the early 1990s</a>. It was used to describe how majority group members (straight students) helped minorities (gay, lesbian and bisexual students), by advocating to end sexuality-based oppression in higher education. For many years, scholars have seen straight allyship for lesbian, gay and bisexual people as helpful for activism. Straight allies have played important roles in <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt7pf5j">policy</a> and in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19361653.2014.969867">combating prejudice</a> on high school and university campuses. Research has shown university and high school gay–straight alliances <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19361653.2017.1326867?casa_token=A6nQuWeFBIYAAAAA%3Ad-Tg1edyeiOyRDuHKyeHDcWuvqLLVhAFqyhXMjOe8RtWJH6pdwxUpES759QaY_zacNUS-TtqMXYK">have contributed</a> to more positive campus environments and a reduction in gender- and sexuality-based discrimination. Over many years, gay–straight teacher alliances have <a href="https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA227011983&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=10813004&p=LitRC&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E40663b6e&aty=open-web-entry">successfully used</a> inquiry groups to combat homophobia and explore <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-does-intersectionality-mean-104937">intersectionality</a> (the way different facets of someone’s identity intersect) within their schools. These groups highlighted LGBTQI-themed literature in English class, and encouraged teachers to be outspoken in their support by attending community events, such as pride parades. But allyship can be exclusionary. While early perspectives of allyship focused on helping gay or lesbian university students, transgender or non-binary folk <a href="https://www.routledge.com/LGBTQI-Allies-in-Education-Advocacy-Activism-and-Participatory-Collaborative/Cumming-Potvin/p/book/9781032298832">were often ignored</a>. There is also contention about <a href="https://www.queensjournal.ca/justin-timberlakes-queer-allyship-strips-ally-of-its-meaning/">how much “work”</a> a straight ally has to do to earn recognition. Some people say that for someone to be called an ally they need to actively work for change, not just say they support others. As allies, we are continually learning. And sometimes we get it wrong. When we make mistakes, it’s important to apologise and continue supporting those we wish to serve. <h2>Allyship from within the community</h2> Many current definitions of allyship only encompass allies outside of the group they are supporting. But a broadened definition of allyship would be useful. LGBTQI+ people, especially with leadership roles, can be strong allies in their communities. Laverne Cox uses her stardom <a href="https://ccrjustice.org/home/blog/2019/08/02/evening-activism-laverne-cox">to advocate</a> for her community of transgender women of colour and other LGBTQI+ people. Georgie Stone made medical processes <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/sep/07/it-takes-a-lot-of-courage-rebekah-robertson-on-raising-transgender-activist-georgie-stone">easier for transgender children</a> in Australia. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-_dpLOXfOUE?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Because identities can shift, identifying who sits inside and outside LGBTQA+ communities can be challenging. Sometimes, there are clear social group insiders. Sometimes, there are clear outsiders. Other times, things are less clear. A person might hover inside and outside minority groups. They may not identify as straight, but they may not live publicly as LGBTQI+. Or a bisexual person may live in a straight relationship for many years. This means allyship is also dynamic. It <a href="https://www.suu.edu/pridealliance/pdf/reynolds.pdf">shifts</a> depending on power, privilege and life experiences. For example, in one social context, a white, heterosexual woman may have power as a LGBTQI+ ally. But in a professional setting where the majority of attendees are white heterosexual men, this same woman may not be as powerful. <h2>An intersectional process</h2> Allyship needs to understand that many people’s gender and sexuality interact with language fluency, class, geography, race, age and disability. This means that despite victories such as marriage equality, LGBTQI+ people who are homeless, transgender or people of colour may face <a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-recent-victories-plights-of-many-lgbt-people-remain-ignored-49273">significant barriers</a> in society. For example, as of May 2024, <a href="https://translegislation.com/">550 anti-trans bills</a> have been introduced in US legislatures. <a href="https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/people/lgbti-aboriginal-people-diversity-at-the-margins">Because of</a> discrimination, racism and a silencing around Black queer history, LGBTQA+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can receive inappropriate services, for example, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epdf/10.1177/10497323211069682">in healthcare and education</a>. Understanding the multiple identities of LGBTQI+ people will support strong allyship to reduce <a href="https://www.murdoch.edu.au/news/articles/national-survey-reveals-mental-health-burden-on-first-nations-lgbtqa-youth">negative health outcomes</a> for Aboriginal communities. <h2>What’s next for allyship?</h2> Recent Canadian work has grouped researchers, school boards and teacher federations to make <a href="https://trans-affirm.edu.uwo.ca/toolkit/Trans-Affirming%20Toolkit.pdf">ally resources</a> for supporting trans and gender-diverse students in Ontario. This tool kit includes modules for having conversations about gender identity and teaching about transgender policy. The final module introduces action plans for supporting transgender students through whole school approaches. History has shown coming together can lead to social transformation and better outcomes for marginalised groups. In 2016, US President Barack Obama designated the Stonewall Inn <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/24/obama-announces-stonewall-inn-national-monument">a national US monument</a> to celebrate gay history. Apart from acknowledging evolving ideas about gender and sexuality, future LGBTQI+ allyship needs to be intersectional. This means that factors like age, social class, geography, race, language and disability count. And when barriers are broken down across sectors, like healthcare, education and housing, allies become stronger.<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/220668/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wendy-marie-cumming-potvin-542762">Wendy Marie Cumming-Potvin</a>, Associate Professor/ Director of Research (School of Education), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch 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/what-is-allyship-a-brief-history-present-and-future-220668">original article</a>. </div>

Caring

The alarmingly accurate predictions made 100 years ago

A university researcher has uncovered predictions made in 1924 about what the world would look like 100 years in the future, with some of the predictions proving to be scarily accurate. The Canadian professor Paul Fairie shared a selection of headlines and articles made by newspapers in the 1920s on his X account, showing in what ways the world has changed and how it has remained the same. While some predictions made in 1924 hit the nail on the head, others couldn't be further from reality. Accurate predictions Car speedways One newspaper clipping claimed that in the future, cars would be travelling on super "speedways" that allowed them to travel faster. While cars first hit the roads in the 1880s, it wasn't until the 1920s that vehicles became more common, with cities quickly trying to build safe roads to accommodate the growth in motor vehicles. “In the city of 2024, this authority predicts there will be three-deck roads; speedways through the heart of town,” the newspaper article predicted. The article also envisaged monorail express services to the suburbs replacing cars and buses and moving sidewalks (similar to airport travelators) that moved people in all directions, “serving all railroad stations and business districts”. Women getting tattooed and dyeing their hair In the 1920s, tattoos were exclusively reserved for sailors, criminals and gangland figures until they became more commonplace. But one 1924 article predicted, incredibly accurately, that by 2024 women would be getting tattoos and dyeing their hair “all the colours of the rainbow”. “Debutantes of 1924 are shingle-haired, sleek-looking maidens with delicately rouged cheeks and provocative red lips,” the article stated. “The 1924 debutante successfully conceals her personality under paint and power." “The debutante of 100 years hence may revert to type and frankly copy her ancestors, who dyed their skins with woad; only, with the modern instinct for progress." “She may go still further and dye her complexion and hair all the colours of the rainbow.” Women becoming stronger The newspapers of 1924 also predicted that women of the future would be “physically strong, vital and alert.” One article predicted that women would spend more time in the outdoors, participate in sports, and would be “engaging by choice” in activities that were historically restricted to men. Intellectually, women would be “quick at wit and keen of judgment,” while spiritually, she would “radiate love and good will”. Remote viewing One of the most accurate predictions from 1924 was the invention of technology that would allow people to view entertainment "remotely". “Many inconveniences which the touring artist now has to suffer will no doubt be eliminated,” one prediction read. “It will not be necessary to travel great distances. The strain of the concert tour will be dispensed with. Artists may not even have to leave their homes (to perform).” Not so accurate predictions Horses becoming extinct One prediction from a 1924 newspaper believed that as cars took over as the main form of transportation, there would be no more use for horses and they would soon becoming extinct. “If a house would decrease in the same ratio as in the last ten or twenty years, it might be easy to tell when the last horse would give up his stall to an automobile,” the prediction read. Self-launching beds Another not-so accurate prediction claimed that beds would soon come with a feature that would override the use for an alarm clock, but would come with a mechanism to launch you out of bed in the morning. Describing this futuristic scenario, the reporter wrote: “My bed turns over automatically and I am deposited on the floor”. “Eight o’clock and the switch operating above the fiendish substitute for an alarm clock is operated from school, so at the moment, I am in the same predicament as the rest of the 450 scholars.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Technology

“I need a future”: New details on boy kidnapped for six years

When concerned motorist Fabien Accidini <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/missing-boy-found-alive-after-six-long-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">happened upon Alex Batty</a> walking along a road in the foothills of the Pyrenees in France, he had no idea of the mysterious and tragic situation he had uncovered. “I said to myself, ‘That’s strange. It’s 3am in the morning, it’s raining, he’s all by himself on the road between two villages,’” Accidini told French news outlet BFMTV. Batty had gone missing from his home in England at the tender age of 11 back in 2017. Now 17, new details have emerged about the extraordinary six-year journey that unfolded since his disappearance. British and French authorities confirmed on Friday that the teenager discovered by Accidini was, indeed, Alex Batty. The initial family holiday to Spain turned into a six-year odyssey across Morocco, Spain and southwest France, as Alex and his family embraced a nomadic, off-the-grid lifestyle. French authorities revealed that Alex and his family moved from house to house, carrying their own solar panels, growing their own food, and living with other families in what the teenager described as a “spiritual community". However, last Wednesday marked a turning point as Alex suddenly appeared on a remote road in rural France, having parted ways with his mother. According to French prosecutor Antoine Leroy, Alex decided to strike out on his own when his mother expressed a desire to move yet again, this time to Finland. Leroy stated at a news conference in Toulouse, “When his mother indicated that she intended to leave for Finland with him, this young man understood that this journey had to stop.” Undeterred by the challenging circumstances, Alex walked for four nights, resting during the days and sustaining himself with whatever he could find in fields or gardens. It was during this solitary journey that Accidini spotted him on the rain-soaked road. Accidini offered assistance, and despite initial suspicion and a false name, Alex eventually opened up during the deliveryman's rounds. “He’d had enough. He said, ‘I am 17. I need a future.’ He didn’t see a future for himself there,” Accidini recounted. In an interview with La Depeche, Accidini shared more details about Alex's arduous journey: “He told me that he had been walking for four days, that he’d left from the mountains. He didn’t really know where.” Showing kindness, Accidini provided the thirsty teenager with water and allowed him to use his mobile phone to send a message to his grandmother. The message read, “Hello grandma, it is me, Alex. I am in France, Toulouse. I really hope that you receive this message. I love you. I want to come home.” Back in the UK, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that Alex had spoken with his grandmother, Susan Caruana, via video call. Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes stated, “Whilst she is content that this is indeed Alex, we have further checks to do when he returns to the United Kingdom. “Our main priority now is to see Alex returned home to his family in the UK.” Alex is expected to return to the UK in the coming days, as the investigation into the full circumstances of his disappearance continues. Images: Greater Manchester Police

Family & Pets

“Bed of the future” baffles travellers

People usually don't get confused about how to use a bed, but Virgin Hotel's latest addition has gone viral for just that. The Richard Branson bed, has been named the "hotel bed of the future" and it looks like any other bed, aside from the seat-like nooks attached to the corners. "We're very confused by this thing on the edge of my bed," TikTok user Danielle said in the viral video, which has racked up over 3 million views. "It's not a chair, and it doesn't swivel out," she explained. Danielle then proceeds to come up with a few theories about the feature's function. "It's so you don't bump your knee when you're getting up or going back to bed after going to the bathroom," she said. "Or, we're wondering if it's so you can sit and chat with your friends." Other users were quick to comment and here are a few of their hilarious responses: "That's where you stack your laundry when you don't feel like putting it away," one person wrote. "I thought this was so your dog could have a comfy spot to lay," another commented. "Without getting too graphic … the possibilities are endless," added a third. <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 580px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7296702849298337066&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40danielle_carolan%2Fvideo%2F7296702849298337066%3Fis_from_webapp%3D1%26sender_device%3Dpc%26web_id%3D7142332295764346370&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp19-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F53b6a23d5bbd4af1a1907e2073c2b818_1698896032%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-useast5-i-0068-tx%2Fo4IRiSlAxEom0dpDDDEQQQFBJAAC3gffEGEA6J.image%3Fx-expires%3D1699570800%26x-signature%3DIMlG9WO44PlRm5CNyVIyayR4AxM%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> One commenter came to the rescue with the answers everyone was looking for, and confirmed that Danielle's second guess was right, and told her to look up the "Richard Branson lounge bed". The bed itself was patented by Virgin Hotels and features two "cubby holes" which allow three people to sit comfortably on the bed and socialise or do their own thing. "Everybody has a cubby hole where they can sit and talk and still work with devices," Virgin Hotels CEO Raul Leal explained when the bed was first introduced in 2015. Images: TikTok

International Travel

"Devastating blow": Back to the Future star's tragic family news

Back to the Future star Lea Thompson, renowned for her role as Lorraine, the endearing mother of Michael J. Fox's iconic character, Marty McFly, has recently shared some deeply saddening family news. The 62-year-old actress opened up about her personal struggle, revealing that both of her older brothers have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease within a few months of each other. This announcement resonated profoundly with her fans and followers, especially given Michael J. Fox's well-known battle with the condition since his diagnosis in 1991 at the tender age of 29. In an emotionally charged Instagram post, Thompson shared her family's ordeal, writing, "Both of my beloved exceptional big brothers have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s within a few months of each other. It was such a devastating blow." She went on to describe how the disease had stealthily crept into their lives, noting that her brothers had been displaying signs of slowing down, but the true nature of their condition hadn't been immediately apparent. Fortunately, their early diagnosis, made possible by the diligent efforts of researchers supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation, has offered them access to medications and tools that have significantly improved their quality of life. Accompanying her heartfelt message, Thompson posted pictures of herself with her two brothers during a day of golf, capturing a precious family moment. Another poignant photo showed her brothers with their arms wrapped around each other. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyz8bCxO9GF/?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/p/Cyz8bCxO9GF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lea Thompson (@lea_thompson)</a> </div> </blockquote> Thompson's dedication to raising awareness and support for Parkinson's research was evident when she expressed feeling "honoured" to be part of a "public service announcement" for the Michael J. Fox Foundation's gala, sharing a behind-the-scenes photo from the campaign. She also expressed gratitude for the support of scientists, philanthropists, and her "movie son", Michael J. Fox, who has been an unwavering advocate for Parkinson's research. The response from Thompson's fans and followers was heartwarming, as they flocked to the comments section to express their solidarity. Messages of love, hope and empathy poured in from all corners, with many sharing personal connections to Parkinson's disease and the advances in treatment and therapies they have witnessed. Parkinson's disease is a debilitating neurodegenerative condition, and it is the second most common neurological disorder in Australia, with over 100,000 Australians grappling with its impact. Common symptoms include tremors, slowness of movement, and rigidity. Michael J. Fox's diagnosis at the astonishingly young age of 29 stands as a stark reminder of the disease's unpredictable reach, as the average age of diagnosis hovers around 65. Parkinson's disease results from the brain's inability to produce sufficient dopamine, a neurotransmitter vital for controlling movement. Diagnosing Parkinson's is not straightforward; it often relies on clinical evaluation by specialists such as neurologists, who meticulously assess clinical signs and symptoms, as there are no definitive laboratory tests like blood work or brain scans available for diagnosis. Lea Thompson's open acknowledgment of her family's struggle with Parkinson's disease not only shines a light on the challenges faced by those living with the condition but also underscores the importance of continued research and support for those affected. Images: Instagram

Caring

It’s warming up and mozzies are coming. Here’s how to mosquito-proof your backyard

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cameron-webb-6736">Cameron Webb</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> The weather is warming up and that means more time in the backyard. It also means more mosquitoes. Here are five ways you can mosquito-proof your backyard that <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-battle-against-bugs-its-time-to-end-chemical-warfare-111629">don’t rely on spraying insecticides</a>. <h2>1. Get rid of water</h2> Mosquitoes need water to complete their life cycles. They <a href="https://theconversation.com/feel-like-youre-a-mozzie-magnet-its-true-mosquitoes-prefer-to-bite-some-people-over-others-128788">need blood</a> – but water and warmth are just as important. Getting rid of water around your backyard will go a long way to keeping mosquitoes away. Water trapped in blocked roof gutters, drains and tarpaulin covering boats and trailers can be a great home for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can exploit the tiniest of water sources too. It may just be the upturned lid of a discarded plastic drink bottle. If it traps water, mosquitoes will find it and lay eggs in it. Flush out your bird bath once a week to disrupt the mosquito’s life cycle. If you have a pond, installing a fountain will discourage mosquitoes. If you can’t keep water clean and circulating, consider filling it with sand and gravel to create an interesting garden bed for succulents or other plants. Mosquitoes will avoid clean and chlorinated swimming pools but will quickly move into “green pools”. If you’re not using your pool, consider <a href="https://www.krg.nsw.gov.au/Environment/Your-local-environment/Wildlife/Living-with-wildlife/Pool-to-pond/How-to-convert-your-pool">converting it to a “pond”</a> so that fish can help keep mosquito numbers down. <h2>2. Screen up – windows, doors and rainwater tanks</h2> If you can’t get rid of permanent water, at least stop mosquitoes getting to it (or you). Ensure <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/clean-and-green/natural-environment-and-water/water/water-smart-homes/rainwater-tanks/using-your-rainwater-tank">rainwater and septic tanks</a> have screens to stop mosquitoes entering. Screen windows and doors to stop mosquitoes entering the home. There are plenty of flexible screening options for windows, doors and balconies. If you live in a mosquito-prone area, creating a screened outdoor area (such as a pergola, courtyard, or balcony) will give you the opportunity to spend time outdoors without being hassled by mozzies. <h2>3. Choose your garden plants carefully</h2> Some plants <a href="https://bioone.org/journals/Journal-of-the-American-Mosquito-Control-Association/volume-25/issue-3/09-0016.1/Are-Commercially-Available-Essential-Oils-from-Australian-Native-Plants-Repellent/10.2987/09-0016.1.short">contain essential oils and other chemicals</a> that, when extracted and concentrated, provide protection against biting mosquitoes. But there isn’t a lot of evidence that the whole plant will keep mosquitoes away from your garden. Some types of plants are even marketed as “mozzie blockers” or “mosquito repelling”. But there isn’t <a href="https://www.veranda.com/outdoor-garden/a40592197/do-mosquito-repelling-plants-work/">any evidence of effectiveness</a>. In fact, some of these plants, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1440-6055.2009.00736.x">such as melaleucas</a>, also happen to be associated with <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jme/article/36/4/515/903838">hot spots of mosquito breeding</a> in coastal Australia. The plants to avoid around the home are those that help mosquitoes breed, such as <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1440-6055.2008.00641.x">bromeliads</a>, which trap water. <h2>4. Encourage the animals that eat mosquitoes</h2> Mosquitoes are food for a range of animals including birds, bats, fish, frogs, lizards, insects, spiders and <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1365-2656.13965">dragonflies</a>. But don’t expect them to eat enough to keep all mosquitoes away. Bats are often promoted as a good “biological control” options but studies have shown mosquitoes are <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0077183">more likely to be a snack food</a> for small bats, not an irresistible staple of their diet. For garden ponds, frogs will eat a few adult mosquitoes but tadpoles of Australian frogs generally <a href="https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-the-american-mosquito-control-association/volume-21/issue-4/8756-971X(2006)21%5b492%3aTOFCAF%5d2.0.CO%3b2/TADPOLES-OF-FOUR-COMMON-AUSTRALIAN-FROGS-ARE-NOT-EFFECTIVE-PREDATORS/10.2987/8756-971X(2006)21%5B492:TOFCAF%5D2.0.CO;2.short">don’t eat many mosquito “wrigglers”</a>. Australian native fish <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15532929/">will readily eat mosquitoes</a> and may be useful for backyard ponds. But not all fish are good. While “mosquitofish” (aka “plague minnow”) is distributed overseas to assist in mosquito control, <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article/30/3/316/134508/Does-predation-by-the-fish-Gambusia-holbrooki">it’s a disaster for local wildlife</a> and, <a href="https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/aquatic-biosecurity/pests-diseases/freshwater-pests/finfish-species/gambusia">along with other exotic fish species</a>, should not be released into local waterways. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13157-019-01133-2">Healthier habitats promote fewer mosquitoes</a> so the best thing you can do is create habitats for the animals that eat mosquitoes. <h2>5. Avoid traps and other gadgets</h2> There are lots of devices purported to catch, kill, or repel mosquitoes from your garden. Some may catch a mosquito or two but they’re not very effective in knocking out big numbers. “Bug zappers” with bright lights will collect lots of flying insects. It’s just that mosquitoes make up a very small proportion of collections. Electrocuting devices, again, don’t seem to attract a lot of mosquitoes. Devices that <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-buzz-from-your-smartphone-wont-stop-mosquito-bites-92611">emit high frequency sounds</a> won’t help either. The best devices are typically those that are baited with carbon dioxide. These are a mainstay of state and territory <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/mosquito-borne/Pages/surveillance.aspx">mosquito and arbovirus surveillance programs</a>. For a mosquito, the C0₂ tricks them into thinking the trap is a warm-blooded animal. The only problem is these can be expensive to run and don’t seem quite as effective for mosquito control <a href="https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-the-american-mosquito-control-association/volume-22/issue-3/8756-971X(2006)22%5b490%3aTATTFA%5d2.0.CO%3b2/Traps-and-Trapping-Techniques-for-Adult-Mosquito-Control/10.2987/8756-971X(2006)22%5B490:TATTFA%5D2.0.CO;2.short">unless used in large numbers</a>. <h2>Yes, you’ll still need repellent</h2> Perhaps the best way to avoid mosquito bites is to pick an insect repellent <a href="https://www.phrp.com.au/issues/december-2016-volume-26-issue-5/a-review-of-recommendations-on-the-safe-and-effective-use-of-topical-mosquito-repellents/">recommended by health authorities</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/mozzies-biting-heres-how-to-choose-a-repellent-and-how-to-use-it-for-the-best-protection-150183">apply it</a> to ensure all exposed areas of skin are covered. These products and safe, affordable and effective.<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/212711/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cameron-webb-6736">Cameron Webb</a>, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, <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/its-warming-up-and-mozzies-are-coming-heres-how-to-mosquito-proof-your-backyard-212711">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

5 tips for getting off gas at home – for a cleaner, cheaper, healthier all-electric future

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/trivess-moore-12580">Trivess Moore</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-pears-52">Alan Pears</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicola-willand-441807">Nicola Willand</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Burning gas in our homes to cook food or heat air and water has become a contentious issue. Gas is an expensive, polluting fossil fuel, and there’s mounting evidence to suggest it’s also <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2022/december/health-risks-from-indoor-gas-appliances">bad for our health</a>. Five million existing Australian households will need to <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/getting-off-gas/">get off gas</a> within the next 30 years. But for homeowners, the upfront cost can be a major barrier to action. Renters rarely get a say over the appliances installed in their homes. And apartment owners can struggle to make individual changes too. In most cases it’s worth making the switch, for the energy bill savings alone. For example, analysis suggests a household in Melbourne switching from gas to electricity can save <a href="https://theconversation.com/all-electric-homes-are-better-for-your-hip-pocket-and-the-planet-heres-how-governments-can-help-us-get-off-gas-207409">up to A$13,900</a> over a decade. If you’re contemplating upgrading gas appliances in your home, or even disconnecting from the gas network altogether, here are a few handy tips and resources to cut through the confusion. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2JuZgXz6zNo?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Homes must switch away from gas by 2050, says policy think tank (ABC News)</figcaption></figure> <h2>Tip 1 – Find trusted, independent information</h2> There is no shortage of information on how to make the switch from gas to all-electric appliances. The challenge is finding <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-need-a-lemon-law-to-make-all-the-homes-we-buy-and-rent-more-energy-efficient-204369">trusted and independent information</a>. Not-for-profit organisation <a href="https://renew.org.au/">Renew</a> has compiled a range of <a href="https://renew.org.au/resources/how-we-can-help/efficient-electric-homes/how-we-can-help-going-off-gas/">presentations, guides, case studies and research</a>. <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/">Choice</a> provides independent reviews of household appliances, including operating costs. The Australian government’s <a href="https://www.energyrating.gov.au/">Energy Rating website</a> provides information on appliances to help consumers compare performance. Some <a href="https://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/services/take-climate-action">local councils</a> and <a href="https://totallyrenewableyack.org.au/">community groups</a> also provide information, support and bulk-buying schemes. You could also visit some of the all-electric homes open to the public for <a href="https://sustainablehouseday.com/">Sustainable House Day</a>. This can help you learn what works from people who have already made the change. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/MyEfficientElectricHome">My Efficient Electric Home</a> group on Facebook is another active and helpful forum. If you are going all-electric as part of a wider retrofit, consider an independent <a href="https://www.homescorecard.gov.au/">Residential Efficiency Scorecard assessment</a>. This will help you understand what to else you can do to maximise <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-other-99-retrofitting-is-the-key-to-putting-more-australians-into-eco-homes-91231">thermal comfort, environmental benefits and financial outcomes</a>. <h2>Tip 2 – Plan your approach</h2> Once you understand what to do, the next step is planning how to go about it. Think about what is most important to your household. What is driving the change? If it’s your health, you might like to start by eliminating indoor air pollution from the gas stove. Or if you want to save money, start using reverse-cycle air conditioning to heat your home, rather than gas. There are three main ways to go all-electric: <ul> <li> Replace all your gas appliances at once. Making the change quickly minimises disruption to your home. You may save money on installation costs by doing everything in one go. You will avoid ongoing fixed gas supply charges once you disconnect from the gas network, but you may be required to pay an “<a href="https://energy.act.gov.au/switching-off-your-gas-connection/">abolishment fee</a>” for permanent disconnection. That fee can vary significantly, depending on your location and gas provider. Costs <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/would-you-pay-1000-to-get-off-gas-consumer-dismay-over-disconnection-cost-20230223-p5cmw9.html">could be up to $1000 (or more)</a> but some states like Victoria have capped the price a <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/fossil-gas-death-spiral-regulator-sets-exit-fee-to-socialise-cost-of-mass-disconnection/">household can be charged at $220</a>. Renters wouldn’t be able to permanently disconnect without permission from the landlord, so they would still be open to paying the daily connection fee even if they found alternative electric options for everything else. </li> <li> Replace your gas appliances one at a time, as finances allow. However, there will come a point where <a href="http://www.ata.org.au/wp-content/projects/CAP_Gas_Research_Final_Report_251114_v2.0.pdf">financially you will be better off</a> replacing all the remaining gas appliances. This is largely because it will not be affordable to keep paying the daily connection cost for gas if you just have one gas appliance remaining. </li> <li> Just stop using gas appliances in favour of existing electric appliances that do the same job, such as a <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/the-traps-laid-by-the-fossil-gas-industry-for-uninformed-households/">reverse cycle air conditioner for space heating</a>. You may have – or can buy – plug-in electric alternatives, such as a microwave ovens, portable induction cooktops, air fryers and heaters. These can be a good option for renters when landlords won’t make changes. </li> </ul> You could even borrow portable appliances to see how they work before committing to buying your own. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tLjWZicC4mE?wmode=transparent&start=2" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Households share their electrification journey (Renew)</figcaption></figure> <h2>Tip 3 – Access available rebates and resources</h2> Most states offer various rebates for households to reduce the upfront cost of replacing gas appliances. These could reduce costs by thousands of dollars. Some rebates also target rental housing. Here is a list of key rebates available in different states: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.epw.qld.gov.au/about/initiatives/household-energy-savings-program">Queensland</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/households/rebates-grants-and-schemes">New South Wales</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.climatechoices.act.gov.au/policy-programs/home-energy-support-rebates-for-homeowners">ACT</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/for-households/victorian-energy-upgrades-for-households">Victoria</a></li> <li><a href="https://recfit.tas.gov.au/household_energy/energy_saver_loan_scheme">Tasmania</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/energy-and-environment/using-saving-energy/retailer-energy-productivity-scheme">South Australia</a></li> </ul> Some not-for-profit organisations (such as the <a href="https://www.bsl.org.au/services/energy-assistance/">Brotherhood of St Laurence</a>) offer financial and other support for lower-income households struggling to pay their energy bills. <h2>Tip 4 – Wait for a sale or negotiate a better deal</h2> It might sound simple but you can always save money by waiting until these electric appliances are on sale. If you are buying multiple appliances you can try to negotiate a better price. Factory seconds outlets offer lower prices as well. <h2>Tip 5 – Know the issues</h2> While the shift to all-electric will likely provide many benefits there are some things you need to consider: <ul> <li>The carbon emissions from electricity are falling fast, and many homes have rooftop solar. Combining <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/getting-off-gas/">all-electric with solar panels</a> will maximise returns.</li> <li>You may have to adjust to how new technologies operate and perform. For example, you may need <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/tips-and-advice/do-you-really-have-to-buy-new-cookware-all-your-burning-questions-about-induction-cooking-answered-20230810-p5dvd0.html">new, metallic cookware for an induction cooktop</a> and become familiar with their fast response. Additionally, some people find heat from reverse cycle air conditioners to be drier and/or draughtier than gas heating. Floor-mounted units heat more effectively.</li> <li>It is not just the energy performance of appliances that matters. For example, noise from heat pump hot water services can vary across different brands. They can also require more space for installation.</li> <li>Undertaking a wider energy retrofit (for example, increasing insulation in walls, ceiling and underfloor, upgrading windows to double glazing) may mean you can buy a smaller, cheaper reverse cycle air conditioner when replacing gas heating.</li> <li>Electric appliances also need maintenance to make sure they perform optimally. For example, reverse cycle air conditioners have filters that must be regularly cleaned. While this can be done by households, it can be hard for people with mobility issues.</li> <li>Depending on the capacity of your electricity switchboard or wiring, extra electric appliances may require upgrades.</li> <li>For renters, while you could use portable appliances, you may not be able to disconnect from gas completely, meaning you would still have to pay a daily connection fee.</li> <li>Gas and electricity prices can change over time, for many reasons. For example, if fixed gas distribution costs are spread over fewer customers.</li> </ul> <h2>A worthwhile investment</h2> Australian states and territories have started banning gas in new builds. Victoria and the ACT will soon require <a href="https://theconversation.com/cooking-and-heating-without-gas-what-are-the-impacts-of-shifting-to-all-electric-homes-210649">new housing and major renovations to be all-electric</a>. Others are likely to follow. For people in existing housing around Australia, it can be daunting to make the switch. Many of us have grown up with gas in our homes and when one appliance breaks, the easiest thing to do is replace like-for-like. But the weight of evidence shows it’s worth taking the time to look at the alteratives and invest in upgrading to all-electric appliances. The benefits far outweigh the costs. <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/211261/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/trivess-moore-12580">Trivess Moore</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-pears-52">Alan Pears</a>, Senior Industry Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicola-willand-441807">Nicola Willand</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</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/5-tips-for-getting-off-gas-at-home-for-a-cleaner-cheaper-healthier-all-electric-future-211261">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

Tony Bennett: the timeless visionary who, with a nod to America’s musical heritage, embraced the future

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jose-valentino-ruiz-1293457">Jose Valentino Ruiz</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-florida-1392">University of Florida</a> In the history of American popular music, there have been few luminaries as enduring and innovative as Tony Bennett. With a career that spanned almost 80 years, Bennett’s smooth tones, unique phrasing and visionary musical collaborations left an indelible mark on vocal jazz and the recording industry as a whole. That his <a href="https://apnews.com/article/tony-bennett-dies-c3b3a7e2360449fb936a38794c7c3266">death at the age of 96</a> on July 21, 2023, was mourned by artists as varied as <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithUrban/status/1682395658395824133">Keith Urban</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/OzzyOsbourne/status/1682411338340126720">Ozzy Osbourne</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HarryConnickJR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1682411086656557056%7Ctwgr%5E04a78435a793b5246d7bc19e09529f2b2f0bcfab%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvariety.com%2F2023%2Fmusic%2Fnews%2Ftony-bennett-elton-john-reaction-tribute-1235676405%2F">Harry Connick Jr.</a> should come as no surprise. Yes, Bennett was a jazz crooner. But if his voice was always a constant – even late into his 80s, way past an age when most other singers have seen their vocal abilities diminish – then his embrace of the contemporary was every bit a facet of Bennett’s appeal. <h2>Vocal innovator</h2> Bennett’s journey is a testament to the power of daring innovation. From the early days of his career in the 1950s to his final recordings in the early 2020s, he fearlessly explored new musical territories, revolutionizing vocal jazz and captivating audiences across generations. His vocal style and phrasing were distinctive and set him apart from other artists of his time. He utilized a delayed or “laid-back” approach to falling on the note, a technique known as “<a href="https://www.musictheoryacademy.com/how-to-read-sheet-music/rubato/">rubato</a>.” This created a sense of anticipation in his phrasing, adding an element of surprise to his performances. Through Bennett’s skilled use of rubato, he was able to play with the tempo and rhythm of a song, bending and stretching musical phrases to evoke a range of emotions. This subtle manipulation of timing gave his songs a natural and conversational quality, making listeners feel as though he was intimately sharing his stories with them. Armed with this silky, playful voice, Bennett found fame fairly early on in his career, delivering jazz standards alongside the likes of Mel Tormé and Nat King Cole. By the mid-1960s, he was being touted by Frank Sinatra as “the best singer in the business.” But his musical style fell out of fashion in the 1970s – a lean period during which Bennett <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/07/21/tony-bennett-son-life-career-drugs/">almost succumbed to a drug overdose</a>. Then, in the 1990s, Bennett found a new audience and set off a series of collaborations with contemporary musical stars that would become the standard for his later career. No genre of artistry was deemed off-limits for Bennett. “<a href="https://www.tonybennett.com/music-detail.php?id=11">Duets: An American Classic</a>,” released to coincide with his 80th birthday in 2006, saw collaborations with country stars such as k.d. lang and the Dixie Chicks – now known as the Chicks – and soul legend Stevie Wonder, alongside kindred jazz spirits such as Diana Krall. “Duets II,” a 2011 follow-up, saw further explorations with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah, Willie Nelson and Amy Winehouse, in what would become the <a href="https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/amy-winehouse-final-recording-session/">British singer’s last recording</a>. But his cross-generational, cross-genre and cross-cultural appeal is perhaps best exemplified by his <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/21/arts/music/tony-bennett-lady-gaga.html">collaborations with Lady Gaga</a>, first on the 2014 Grammy-winning album “Cheek to Cheek.” The recording brought together two artists from different generations, genres and backgrounds, uniting them in a harmonious celebration of jazz classics. The collaboration not only showcased each one’s vocal prowess, but also sent a powerful message about the unifying nature of music. Lady Gaga, a pop artist with avant-garde leanings, might have seemed an unlikely partner for Bennett, the quintessential jazz crooner. Yet their musical chemistry and mutual admiration resulted in an album that mesmerized audiences worldwide. “Cheek to Cheek” effortlessly transcended musical boundaries, while the duo’s magnetic stage presence and undeniable talent enchanted listeners. The successful fusion of jazz and pop encouraged artists to experiment beyond traditional boundaries, leading to more cross-genre projects across the industry – proving that such projects could go beyond one-off novelties, and be profitable at that. <h2>Timeless artistry</h2> Bennett’s embrace of contemporary artists did not mean that he abandoned his own musical self. By blending traditional jazz with contemporary elements, he managed to captivate audiences across generations, appealing to both longtime fans and new listeners. One key aspect of Bennett’s success was his ability to embody the sentiment of old America, reminiscent of artists like Sinatra, Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong, while infusing contemporary nuances that resonated with the human condition of a more modern era. His approach to music captured both the essence and struggle of America, giving his songs a timeless and universal appeal. Moreover, his voice conveyed familiarity and comfort, akin to listening to a beloved uncle. Bennett’s albums stood out not only for his soulful voice and impeccable delivery but also for the way he drew others from varied musical backgrounds into his world of jazz sensibilities. As a producer, he recognized the importance of nurturing creativity and bringing out the best in artists. Meanwhile, Bennett’s approach to evolving his own sound while preserving its essence sets him apart as an artist. Fearless in his pursuit of innovation, he delved into contemporary musical elements and collaborated with producers to infuse new sonic dimensions into his later albums. The result drew listeners into an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kNpdLZwetU">intimate and immersive, concert-like acoustic journey</a>. <h2>Depth of emotion</h2> The greats in music have an ability to speak to the human experience. And either in collaboration with others or on his own, Bennett was able to achieve this time and time again. His albums were successful not only due to their technical brilliance and musicality but also because Bennett’s voice conveyed a depth of emotion that transcended barriers of time and culture, touching the hearts of listeners from various backgrounds. There was a universality in his music that made him a beloved and revered artist across the globe. Bennett’s life spanned decades of societal upheavals in the United States. But in his music, listeners could always find beauty in challenging times. And as the 20th- and 21st-century American music industry went through its own revolutions, Bennett’s artistic evolution mirrored the changes, cementing his place as a music icon who defies the boundaries of time and trends.<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/210244/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <iframe style="border-radius: 12px;" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/2UxxnhUE5YLchYgutxKEbJ?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="380" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" loading="lazy"></iframe> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jose-valentino-ruiz-1293457">Jose Valentino Ruiz</a>, Program Director of Music Business & Entrepreneurship, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-florida-1392">University of Florida</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/tony-bennett-the-timeless-visionary-who-with-a-nod-to-americas-musical-heritage-embraced-the-future-210244">original article</a>.

Music

Promising Alzheimer’s drug offers hope for a bright future in treatment

A remarkable and significant breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease is ushering in a new era of hope and possibilities for patients grappling with early onset dementia. Scientists and researchers are celebrating this groundbreaking development, viewing it as a tremendous opportunity to transform the landscape of Alzheimer's treatment. The drug in question, donanemab, developed by Eli Lilly, has shown remarkable success in clinical trials and is anticipated to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration later this year, according to a report in the <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/17/alzheimers-drug-donanemab-lowers-risk-of-dementia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>. Individuals who participated in the donanemab trials experienced a remarkable 40% reduction in the risk of transitioning from mild cognitive impairment to mild or moderate dementia. This is an extraordinary advancement that brings renewed optimism to those affected by this devastating condition. Donanemab would be the third Alzheimer’s drug to emerge in recent months, following the introduction of Leqembi and Aduhelm. This is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the realm of molecular therapies for Alzheimer's, as expressed by Dr. Gil Rabinovici, director of the University of California San Francisco’s Memory and Ageing Centre, in an editorial for JAMA. Dr. Daniel Skovronsky, the chief scientific and medical officer at Lilly, has emphasised the significance of this breakthrough. He states, "This will be a very important and meaningful drug," as quoted in Fierce Biotech. Skovronsky further adds, "[T]here’s a huge opportunity here for patients." Such resolute optimism is inspiring, reflecting the tremendous potential this drug holds for transforming lives. Similar to Leqembi and Aduhelm, donanemab is a monoclonal antibody designed to target plaque in the brain, specifically the amyloid protein. These amyloid plaques are responsible for the propagation of another protein called tau, which contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Notably, the donanemab trial also revealed that the drug slowed cognitive decline by an impressive 35% compared to a placebo in individuals with low to intermediate levels of tau protein in the brain. In fact, donanemab demonstrated superior efficacy in clearing amyloid plaques when compared to Aduhelm and Leqembi. Moreover, unlike Leqembi, which necessitates long-term usage, patients taking donanemab may follow a fixed-duration dosing schedule, potentially allowing some individuals to discontinue the treatment after a certain period. "I expect that many patients will be able to stop dosing even as soon as 12 months," Skovronsky affirmed. This stands as a significant departure from being prescribed a lifelong medication, providing an exciting and meaningful prospect for patients. While it is important to note that these new Alzheimer’s drugs do carry limitations and risks, medical experts remain cautiously optimistic. Donanemab, along with the other emerging drugs, has been associated with brain swelling and bleeding. Tragically, three individuals in the donanemab clinical trial lost their lives due to these side effects. The risk of brain swelling and bleeding is heightened among those carrying the APOE4 gene, which is associated with an increased susceptibility to Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, individuals with more advanced stages of the disease showed minimal to no benefit compared to those who received a placebo. As a result, it is possible that donanemab will be recommended primarily for individuals with low to intermediate levels of tau proteins, indicating milder forms of the disease. Nevertheless, Skovronsky and other medical experts maintain their optimism regarding the FDA's approval, expressing the urgent need for it to come to fruition. Skovronsky highlights, "Every day that goes by, there are some patients who pass through this early stage of Alzheimer’s disease and become more advanced, and they won’t benefit from treatment. That’s a very pressing sense of urgency." While challenges and risks remain, the emergence of donanemab and its potential approval by the FDA represents a beacon of hope for the millions of individuals and families affected by Alzheimer's disease. It symbolises the start of a new chapter in the fight against this debilitating condition, offering renewed prospects for a brighter future filled with effective treatments and improved quality of life. Image: Shutterstock

Mind

Princess Mary's eldest son make surprising announcement about his future

The eldest son of Princess Mary and Prince Frederik has made a surprising announcement ahead of his 18th birthday. Denmark's Prince Christian has broken years of royal tradition, saying he has decided to forego his royal allowance and instead prioritise his education. One he turns 18 in October, Christian will be able to receive his royal allowance and government funding. However, he has decided to put his education first and postpone becoming a full-time royal until he turns 21. A statement posted on the Royal House’s Instagram page explained that his primary focus in the coming year will be completing his upper secondary education. The statement reads, "Prince Christian's main priority in the coming year will be completing high school education. Following this, the Royal House will orient Prince Christian's further youth and education course, when the time comes." "It has thus been agreed with the Ministry of State that support in the Danish Parliament for a law on annual pension will only be sought when the Prince turns 21 or by a possible change of the throne, if it takes place before." The statement further shared that Prince Christian intends to stay away from the spotlight for now, but he will eventually resume public appearances in an official capacity once he has completed his education. Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Understanding legal jargon for your future

Confused by some of the legal jargon you continually come across in getting your affairs in order? If so, here’s some of the most common ones explained. Do you know the difference between a power of attorney and an enduring power of attorney? What about the meaning of an enduring guardianship? Or what an executor does? As you start to get your affairs in order and plan for your future, you’re bound to come across a handful of terms again and again, so it’s best to understand what you’re reading or hearing from your lawyer. Here’s a guide to some of the most common terms you’re likely to come across when planning ahead. Note there are quite a few differences between the States and Territories. Something that is called one thing in Victoria for example, may not be called the same thing in Tasmania. Advance health directive/Advance Care directive: Also called a living will and in the Northern Territory an Advance Personal Plan, this is a legal document that enables you to make decisions now about your medical treatment if you became sick or injured and you aren’t able to communicate your wishes or consent to treatment. If this happens, this bit of paper would effectively become your voice. Keep in mind, that an advance health directive would only come into effect if it applied to the treatment you required and only if you were unable to make reasoned decisions about a treatment when it was needed. The document could be a general statement of your wishes or it may give specific directions for various medical conditions and types of treatment that you do and don’t want. Medical staff can refer to this document if you were or became incapable of making the decisions yourself. Be aware however that advance directives are only legally binding on doctors in Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Beneficiary: A person or institution, such as a charity, who can receive part or all of something from a will or trust. You’ll see this word used quite a bit, particularly when your attorney drafts your will. Enduring guardianship or enduring power of guardianship: Where an enduring power of attorney allows your attorney to make decisions on your behalf when it comes to your assets, if you lose the capacity to make those decisions yourself, an enduring power of guardianship allows your guardian to make decisions on personal health and lifestyle options. It is another legal document that authorises a person of your choosing to make decisions on your behalf. Your appointed guardian cannot make decisions about your assets and finances. This person can however make decisions about where you live, the support services you have access to and the treatment you receive if you unable to do so yourself. In the ACT the functions of a guardian can be met by an attorney under a Power of Attorney. In South Australia, the functions of a guardian can be met by an Advance Care Directive. In Victoria and Western Australia, a guardian has some limitations on the decisions that he/she can make and can be overruled in relation to medical treatment decisions if you have appointed an enduring power of attorney (medical treatment) (in Victoria) or if you have made an Advance Health Directive (in Western Australia). In the ACT and Queensland, you cannot appoint a guardian, but you can appoint an attorney under a power of attorney who can make the same decisions as a guardian. Estate plan: Many of you may already know what an estate plan is or have one in place but for those who don’t, it’s basically a plan of where your assets are distributed at your passing. Generally, the key documents that will form your estate plan include: will (which could include one or more testamentary trusts), superannuation death benefit nominations, power of attorney, enduring power of guardianship and advance directive. If you have made a binding death benefit nomination for your superannuation or insurance policies, your nominated beneficiaries will override anyone outlined in your will. There are specific rules however in relation to fee you can nominate to receive your super. An effective estate plan can also pass control of other assets that you may not hold personally, such as assets held by family trusts and family companies. Executor: A person appointed by your will to administer your estate when you pass away. Basically, this person will make sure all of your debts are paid and that any assets and possessions you outlined in the will go to where you stipulated. The executor is nominated by you and becomes your legal personal representative. More than one executor can be nominated although if you do this, then you need to specify whether those executors must make joint decisions (they all agreed), or can make decisions on their own, or you include some other basis for how decisions will be made (for example by majority vote). An executor’s role generally involves notifying the beneficiaries, paying any outstanding taxes and debts, and distributing your assets as instructed in your will. Intestacy: This is the word used to describe when a person passes away without leaving a will. The person is said to have passed intestate. That person’s estate would then pass to specified next of kin according to a set statutory order. If no eligible recipients can be found for your estate to be passed on to, then according to the law, the state is entitled to keep everything. Basically, the biggest drawback to not making a will is that you have no say as to who inherits your assets. It’s also more expensive to administer an estate without a will, with the extra cost deducted from your assets. Power of attorney: If you’re planning on going overseas for a holiday or going to hospital for a month-long stay, it could be a good idea to make a power of attorney. By making a power of attorney you’re basically giving another person the authority to make legal decisions about your assets and finances on your behalf. You can limit the scope of a power of attorney, for example so that it only applies to specific assets or for a certain period of time. If you’re looking longer term when planning for your future, it may be better to make an enduring power of attorney. The difference between a power of attorney (also known as a general power of attorney) and an enduring power of attorney is that a general power of attorney will stop if you lose the capacity to make your own decisions. An enduring power of attorney (as the name suggests) will remain in place even if you lose the capacity to make your own decisions. In the ACT and Queensland, your attorney can also make the same decisions as a guardian in relation to personal health, medical and lifestyle decisions. In Victoria, you can appoint an enduring power of attorney (medical treatment), which will overrule any guardian that you may have appointed, in relation to medical treatment. In the Northern Territory, legislation was introduced starting from 1 July 2014, which means that you can no longer appoint an enduring power of attorney. Testamentary trust: This is a trust set up inside a will that only takes effect when the person who creates the will, passes away. The main benefit of a testamentary trust is to provide greater control over the distribution of assets which are held by the testamentary trust, to beneficiaries set out in the will. There are also tax and asset protection advantages to testamentary trusts, making them an effective estate planning tool for some people. It differs from a family trust which is created by deed and commences during your lifetime. The testamentary trust will be administered by a trustee who is usually appointed in the will and who must look after the assets for the benefit of the beneficiaries until the trust expires. This article is for general information only and cannot be relied on as legal advice. You should seek formal legal advice on your specific circumstances. Image credit: Shutterstock

Legal

"I'm done": Why Ed Sheeran is threatening to quit music

Ed Sheehan has made a bold statement about the future of his career, while fighting an "insulting" court case. The British singer-songwriter is currently embroiled in a copyright case which has seen him take the stand in a New York City courtroom to defend his music. Sheeran, 32, is being sued over his 2014 single Thinking Out Loud by Structured Asset Sales, who claim that Sheeran's hit took elements directly from Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On. On Monday morning local time, Sheeran took to the stand for a second time, expressing his exasperation over the case, and saying he will quit music if he loses the case. "If that happens, I'm done, I'm stopping," Sheeran said, per <a title="People" href="https://people.com/music/ed-sheeran-done-if-he-loses-lets-get-it-on-copyright-lawsuit/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">People</a>, on the stand when his lawyer, Ilene Farkas, asked him what he would do if the court found Thinking Out Loud to be too similar to Gaye's Let's Get It On. "I find it to be really insulting," Sheeran added. "I work really hard to be where I'm at." Sheeran didn't clarify his comments once court has adjourned, leaving many fans concerned over the future of his career. Structured Asset Sales launched the lawsuit against Sheeran in 2018 after purchasing a third of the shares of Let's Get It On from the family of the song's co-writer, Ed Townsend. During the courtroom proceedings, Sheeran was also cross-examined in court by the plaintiff's lawyer, Robert Frank – which prompted the award-winning singer to complain. "You're trying to diminish my success," Sheeran told Frank on the stand in response to his line of questioning. "Thinking Out Loud was my first Grammy." "It was pretty devastating and pretty frightening because it's something we did not do," Thinking Out Loud co-writer Amy Wage said on the stand about the copyright allegations. Sheeran also referenced the plaintiff's musicologist Alexander Stewart's testimony from last week, which saw Stewart argue Thinking Out Loud and Let's Get It On were "very, very similar". "I think what he's doing is criminal here," Sheeran said of Stewart's testimony. "I don't know why he's allowed to be an expert." Image credits: Getty Images

Music

The future of travel is looking bright … and feeling luxurious

A new report from Luxury Gold, experts in the realm of boutique luxury travel experiences, has shed some insight into what hopeful holidaymakers can expect to find on their next once-in-a-lifetime trip. Whether your interests lie in unique experiences you can brag about at every dinner party for the rest of your life, taking home a special piece of your dream getaway as your own personal treasure, or exploring locations most could only ever dream of setting foot in, Luxury Gold have you covered. And while some may be a little unsure at the prospect of luxury travel during a cost of living crunch, Luxury Gold have actually reported a 150% increase in bookings since 2022, and expect almost one in six Australians over 18 to spend $10,000 on their next big break. With that in mind, it has never been more important to know exactly what you want to get out of your holiday - and where to find it. Luckily for us all, Luxury Gold are experts in the field of Luxury Small Group Journeys, and are on a mission to redefine the idea of the New Golden Age of Travel. As managing director Toni Ambler explained, “a holiday is more than ‘just a holiday’ for modern luxury consumers, especially post-pandemic. Instead, it’s an opportunity to grow, learn and soak in experiences that will change us for the better. It’s travel that’s more purposeful and curated, as opposed to ‘in-and-out’ or flash-in-the-pan holidays. “Our customer base has always expected to have one-of-a-kind experiences on their trip. ‘The New Golden Age of Travel’ report underscores this notion, but also shows that we’re seeing a return to this nostalgic essence of what travel used to be in the golden age, where consumers crave curated experiences, souvenirs that matter, and activities that expand our minds.” And when it comes to <a href="https://www.luxurygold.com/en-au/experience/curated-experiences">those curated experiences</a>, Luxury Gold have noted that consumers aren’t just looking to spend their money on flights and a destination before calling it a day, in a trend they’ve named ‘Touring on Top’. Instead, they want an experience out of it all - one unique to where they’re visiting, and one that ticks every box they could ever want to fill, with a trip and itinerary designed specifically for them and their interests - even the most niche of the bunch. “Post-pandemic, we've seen a lot of change in the way Australians travel and why they are travelling. The rise of the travel advisor is key to this, as clients want end-to-end experiences and touring is the perfect example,” Global Brand and Marketing Director for Luxury Travel Associates Anna Burgdorf said. “Instead of booking flights, accommodation and activities on their own, more and more Australians want this process to be seamlessly managed and that means finding a trusted advisor that can undertake this process of collaboration with them … booking a tour simply takes the guesswork and stress out of the booking process. “Whether visiting Travel Associates or speaking with a travel agent, these experts work closely with the customer to understand their unique needs and <a href="https://www.luxurygold.com/en-au/experience/concierge-services">custom build a package tour</a> that works for them.” Essentially, people want human service, and they want someone who’s going to understand - and respect - every last bit of their holiday desires through the entire planning process. American Express have reported that 59% of people would like to work with a travel agent to get the personalised trip of their dreams, while GWI have found that 77% of luxury travellers would rather spend on an experience - or products for one - that comes hand in hand with a sense of community. A rise has occurred in the number of community-oriented trips taking place in the travel sector - with those seeking both the community experience of those they’re taking with them, and those they’re meeting along the way - as people realise what it is that’s important in life, turning their attention to experience, and not only things. However, it can be hard to come home from any trip - especially when it’s not just the trip of a lifetime, but also one entirely for you. That’s why it can make all the difference to bring a little piece of it with you, especially as travellers are searching for those crucial tangible experiences - or, as Luxury Gold have found, ‘Tangible Nostalgia’. As Toni Ambler explained, holidaymakers used to be able to show off their passports and the various stamps they’d collected within, boasting of their adventures with some proof over where they’d explored in their journey across the world. But now, trends suggest that it’s less is actually more, with Toni noting that “it’s more about the quality and unique experiences we’ve had over volume.” Additionally, people don’t just want something to pop on their shelf and forget about, instead reaching for something that evokes the same feeling as the passport boasts, or throws them right back into a moment from their trip, bringing memories to the forefront every time they’re around their treasured keepsake. For example, The Maker Hotel have released perfumes designed to remind visitors of their time living it up away from home - scents that will keep the good times coming, and won’t see those souvenir funds going to waste. TravelPulse have also revealed that music plays a major part in the travel experience, too. So the next time you’re overseas - or even exploring what’s on offer at home - make sure to compile your very own playlist, so the sounds of your experience will never be far from your ears. And as Planet 9 Private Air believe, remaining true to your destination has never mattered more to travellers, as “from the locavore culinary trend to a focus on locally made crafts and artwork, the luxury travel industry is discovering its preference for high-end goods and services sourced from the destinations they represent.” To read the full report and learn more about Luxury Gold’s six travel trends, visit <a href="http://luxurygold.com/en-au/travel-trends-report">luxurygold.com/en-au/travel-trends-report</a>. Images: Luxury Gold [supplied]

International Travel

How to snake-proof your house and garden

If there’s one thing that strikes fear into many Australians, it’s snakes. Sure, some of them are harmless but they are still the last thing you want to see in your home or garden. There are some ways to make your home less inviting to these reptiles. 1. Block their entrance Snakes like to hide in quiet places such as your roof, garage or underneath the house. Try to make it harder for them to get in by covering any holes leading in or out, and ensuring that screens and doors are kept shut. 2. Keep your garden tidy Snakes like to hide, so keep things neat in the backyard to stop them finding a place to do so. Keep your lawns mowed, and garden beds weeded. Keep your shed locked, and be sure to have a clear out regularly to remove any old boxes. If you have wood stored outside try to have minimal space between each piece so that they can’t use it as shelter. Avoid keeping grass clippings and mulch in a pile as snacks find the warmth appealing. 3. Seal holes in walls Snakes love rock and brick walls as they can use them to keep warm, provide shelter, and find food. Block up any holes that they could hide in by filling them in. 4. Reduce the rodent population Snakes like houses that have mice and rats, so try reducing their numbers. Place bait in your house and garden (ensure it is pet-friendly) and this should reduce the chances of snakes hanging around. 5. Keep birds safe Ensure any chook pens or bird cages are well protected from snakes entering them. Also be sure to keep them clean so that rats and mice aren’t entering the pens either. 6. Keep your bins tidy When you dispose of food scraps, always ensure they are in a sealed garbage bag in your bin, rather than just loose. This will keep rats and mice away, and therefore snakes too. 7. Watch your plant choice Think about the types of plants in your garden if snakes are an issue. Low shrubs and bushes are the ideal spot for a snake. Taller trees and flowers could be a better option. Also be sure to keep leaf litter to a minimum as it’s the perfect hiding spot for snakes. Images: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

We were told we’d be riding in self-driving cars by now. What happened to the promised revolution?

According to <a href="https://electrek.co/2015/12/21/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-drops-prediction-full-autonomous-driving-from-3-years-to-2/">predictions</a> <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/09/lyfts-president-says-car-ownership-will-all-but-end-by-2025">made</a> nearly a decade ago, we should be riding around in self-driving vehicles today. It’s now clear the autonomous vehicle revolution was overhyped. Proponents woefully underestimated the technological challenges. It turns out developing a truly driverless vehicle is hard. The other factor driving the hype was the amount of money being invested in autonomous vehicle startups. By 2021, it was estimated more than <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/02/04/self-driving-cars-why/">US$100 billion</a> in venture capital had gone into developing the technology. While advances are being made, it is important to understand there are multiple levels of autonomy. Only one is truly driverless. As established by <a href="https://www.sae.org/blog/sae-j3016-update">SAE International</a>, the levels are: <ul> <li> level 0 — the driver has to undertake all driving tasks </li> <li> level 1, hands on/shared control — vehicle has basic driver-assist features such as cruise control and lane-keeping </li> <li> level 2, hands off – vehicle has advanced driver-assist features such as emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, auto park assist and traffic-jam assist </li> <li> level 3, eyes off — vehicle drives itself some of the time </li> <li> level 4, mind off — vehicle drives itself most of the time </li> <li> level 5, steering wheel option — vehicle drives itself all the time. </li> </ul> <h2>Why the slow progress?</h2> It’s estimated the technology to deliver safe autonomous vehicles is about <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/mar/27/how-self-driving-cars-got-stuck-in-the-slow-lane">80% developed</a>. The last 20% is increasingly difficult. It will take a lot more time to perfect. Challenges yet to be resolved involve unusual and rare events that can happen along any street or highway. They include weather, wildlife crossing the road, and highway construction. Another set of problems has emerged since <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonmainwaring/2022/08/22/cruise-ride-hailing-goes-green-and-driverless/?sh=6a7439376843">Cruise</a> and <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/19/23467784/waymo-provide-fully-driverless-rides-san-francisco-california">Waymo</a> launched their autonomous ride-hailing services in San Francisco. The US National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/16/cruises-autonomous-driving-tech-comes-under-scrutiny-from-safety-regulators/">opened an investigation</a> in December 2022, only six months after the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jun/03/california-driverless-taxi-cars-san-francisco">services were approved</a>. It cited incidents where these vehicles “may have engaged in inappropriately hard braking or became immobilized”. The San Francisco County Transportation Authority <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/01/technology/self-driving-taxi-san-francisco.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>, "[I]n the months since the initial approval of autonomous taxi services in June 2022, Cruise AVs have made unplanned and unexpected stops in travel lanes, where they obstruct traffic and transit service and intrude into active emergency response scenes, including fire suppression scenes, creating additional hazardous conditions." In several cases, Cruise technicians had to be called to move the vehicles. <h2>What’s happening now?</h2> Active autonomous vehicle initiatives can be grouped into two categories: ride-hailing services (Cruise, Waymo and Uber) and sales to the public (Tesla). Cruise is a subsidiary of General Motors founded in 2013. As of September 2022, it operated 100 robotaxis in San Francisco and had plans to increase its fleet to 5,000. Critics said this would increase city traffic. Cruise also began to offer services in Chandler (a Phoenix suburb), Arizona, and Austin, Texas, in December 2022. Waymo, formerly the Google Self-Driving Car Project, was founded in January 2009. The company lost <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/11/23453262/waymo-av-driverless-taxi-phoenix-california-dmv-progress">US$4.8 billion in 2020 and US$5.2 billion in 2021</a>. Waymo One provides autonomous ride-hailing services in <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/28/23617278/waymo-self-driving-driverless-crashes-av">Phoenix as well as San Francisco</a>. It plans to expand into <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/19/23410677/waymo-los-angeles-autonomous-robotaxi-service-launch">Los Angeles</a> this year. Uber was a major force in autonomous vehicle development as part of its business plan was to replace human drivers. However, it ran into problems, including a crash in March 2018 when a self-driving Uber killed a woman walking her bicycle across a street in Tempe, Arizona. In 2020, Arizona Uber sold its AV research division to Aurora Innovation. But in October 2022 Uber got back into autonomous vehicles by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/samabuelsamid/2022/10/06/motional-and-uber-announce-10-year-deal-to-deploy-automated-vehicles-in-multiple-us-markets/?sh=44d83a84273e">signing a deal</a> with Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv. Motional will provide autonomous vehicles for Uber’s ride-hailing and delivery services. Lyft, the second-largest ride-sharing company after Uber, operates in the US and Canada. Like Uber, Lyft had a self-driving unit and in 2016, Lyft co-founder John Zimmer <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/09/lyfts-president-says-car-ownership-will-all-but-end-by-2025">predicted</a> that by 2021 the majority of rides on its network would be in such vehicles (and private car ownership would “all but end” by 2025). It didn’t happen. By 2021, Lyft had also <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/04/26/lyft-sells-self-driving-unit-to-toyotas-woven-planet-for-550m/">sold its self-driving vehicle unit</a>, to Toyota. In 2022, Zimmer <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/20/lyft-co-founder-says-autonomous-vehicles-wont-replace-drivers-for-at-least-a-decade/">said</a> the technology would not replace drivers for at least a decade. However, Lyft did partner with Motional in August 2022 to launch <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lyft-and-motional-deliver-the-first-rides-in-motionals-new-all-electric-ioniq-5-autonomous-vehicle-301606519.html">robotaxis in Las Vegas</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lyft-motional-launch-robotaxi-service-los-angeles-2022-11-17/">Los Angeles</a>. Telsa is the <a href="https://www.ev-volumes.com/">world leader in sales</a> of battery electric vehicles. It also purports to sell vehicles with full automation. However, by the end of 2022, no level 3, 4 or 5 vehicles were for sale in the United States. What Telsa offers is a full self-driving system as a US$15,000 option. Buyers acknowledge they are buying a beta version and assume all risks. If the system malfunctions, Telsa does not accept any responsibility. In February 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration <a href="https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/16/tesla-recall-full-self-driving-cars">found</a>, "[Fully self-driving] beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash." This led to Tesla <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/16/tesla-recall-full-self-driving-cars">recalling 362,000 vehicles</a> to update the software. Another setback for autonomous vehicle sales to the public was the October 2022 announcement that Ford and VW had decided to <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/26/ford-vw-backed-argo-ai-is-shutting-down/">stop funding autonomous driving technology company Argo AI</a>, resulting in its closure. Both Ford and VW decided to shift their focus from level 4 automation to levels 2 and 3. <h2>So, what can we expect next?</h2> Autonomous vehicle development will continue, but with less hype. It’s being recognised as more an evolutionary process than a revolutionary one. The increasing cost of capital will also make it harder for autonomous vehicle startups to get development funds. The areas that appear to be making the best progress are autonomous ride-hailing and heavy vehicles. Self-driving car sales to the public are <a href="https://www.drive.com.au/news/level-4-self-driving-technology-mercedes-benz/">further down the track</a>. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-were-told-wed-be-riding-in-self-driving-cars-by-now-what-happened-to-the-promised-revolution-201088" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Images: Getty

Technology

Indigenous artist seeking white Australian to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation

An Indigenous artist has put a call out for Australians of “British descent” to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation. Nathan Maynard, a well known Palawa artist and playwright, put an advertisement for the unusual request in the weekend edition of The Age newspaper. Maynard signed the bizarre request as a “palawa” artist: one of the terms First Nations people from Tasmania use when referring to themselves. “Palawa artist wanting to find an Australian of British descent who is willing to donate their future deceased body to an art installation,” the notice read. “The work will speak to sacrifice for past sins perpetrated against the palawa. Potential applicants should see this opportunity as an honour.” “The body and memory of the successful applicant will be treated with the utmost respect at all stages of the project.” The call-out was quick to spark backlash when it was reposted on social media, with one writing, “You can’t just obtain bodies for display in newspapers now. This is very bizarre on multiple levels.” Others questioned the legality of the request, with one person writing, “I dunno that this would be legal, tampering with a corpse is a crime! You can donate your body to medical science, but I don’t think this.” Another wrote, “Borderline psychotic, definitely completely illegal.” Despite the criticism, Mr Maynard told Daily Mail Australia that since the notice went to print, he has received half a dozen applications for their body to be used in the installation in November. The artist said if white Australians are upset by the request, they should ask themselves why they didn't have the same reaction to the mass murder of Aboriginal people. “If you’re not an Aboriginal person and you’re upset by this, I think you should ask yourself why you’re not upset that there is still First Nations remains that have been stolen from their people, stolen from their country in institutions all around the world that are still not repatriated to their own communities,” he said. Nathan said the motivation behind his installation revolves around the fact that thousands of First Nations people were killed by colonists, with their remains being sent overseas to be displayed in institutions and museums without a proper ceremony. “So many Aboriginal people's remains are still overseas. People are trying to bring their ancestors home and they are being denied that right,” Mr Maynard said. “Human bodies are very sacred and they should be treated with respect.” “Whitefellas obviously don't know how to handle remains with respect, so I'm going to show them how,” he said. The artwork has already received support from the state-funded Tasmanian Museum and Gallery and the Hobart City Council, which has donated $15,000 to the unusual installation. The artwork has been commissioned to appear as part of an exhibition for the popular Hobart Current biennial exhibition in November 2023. Image credits: Facebook / The Age

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Indigenous artist seeking white Australian to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation