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Gen X dad’s odd punishment for four-year-old son sparks debate

<p dir="ltr">A self-proclaimed Gen X dad has sparked a furious debate after a video clip of him punishing his four-year-old son went viral on TikTok.</p> <p dir="ltr">Wisconsin-based dad Derek Longstreth said he had no other choice but to make his young son, Truman, heave massive jugs of water across the yard because he hit his mum.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All right little man, let's go, you've got all these jugs to carry,” he told his son, as he showed five water jugs.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He hit his mom today, so, spanking is out of the question because you liberals made it so we can’t spank our children any more,” he explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">The father-of-one recorded his son struggling to carry the water jugs, but offered him words of encouragement as the boy tried to carry it across the yard.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Let's go, young man. I love you just so you know, but you're not going to hit your mom,” he said. “You can do it. I love you son but we don't hit women in this family.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Longstreth then explained why he chose to punish his son this way, and said that spanking your child is not allowed in Wisconsin.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He's four. We're not allowed to spank in the state of Wisconsin because some liberals are saying there are better ways.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“'Well liberals, what's the better way?”</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7256440921728863530&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40hamburgerjones23%2Fvideo%2F7256440921728863530&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp19-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2Fc29492b9251f41139161e469b64b4d0e%3Fx-expires%3D1689789600%26x-signature%3DRnuVqM3A6bo1miOskT3JdYiBlWA%253D&amp;key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">After the father complained about the liberals, he continued to try and teach Truman a lesson, despite the child complaining that he “can’t do it” multiple times throughout the video.</p> <p dir="ltr">At the end of the clip, Longstreth asks his son: “Are you going to hit your mom again?”</p> <p dir="ltr">“No,” the four-year-old responded.</p> <p dir="ltr">Longstreth also made his son apologise for hitting his mum.</p> <p dir="ltr">The nine-minute clip has racked up over 1.9 million views, while many applauded the father for his “gentle” ways of parenting and disciplining his son, others slammed him for “abuse”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Big respect to this dad. He gave the kid a hard job with encouragement and reassurance that he loves him as well as why the kid had to do it,” wrote one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is honestly probably the best and most effective way to discipline your child. Every moment they do this they are thinking about what they did,” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Good dad, raising his son right, teaching him to never lay his hands on any women especially his momma. Very good,” agreed a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is like so gentle yet so disciplining in all the good ways,” wrote a fourth.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, other viewers disagreed with the father’s method.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is abuse.... I said what I said. I'm sorry he hit his mom though, talking it out is fine. He's too little for this,” commented one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Lol. When people ask what the next traumas will be, it’ll be every moment being a phone in their face. Did you need to post this? Pathetic,” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You don't want him to associate work as punishment. how about no tv, no sweets, something that is usually a privilege. work is something that is good,” added another user.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Family & Pets

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How ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables could tackle food waste and solve supermarket supply shortages

<p>The world is facing a significant food waste problem, with <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/i4068e/i4068e.pdf">up to half of all fruit and vegetables</a> lost somewhere along the agricultural food chain. Globally, around <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/ca6030en/ca6030en.pdf">14% of food produced</a> is lost after harvesting but before it reaches shops and supermarkets.</p> <p>Alongside food prices (66%), food waste is a concern for 60% of people that participated in a <a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/research/food-and-you-2/food-and-you-2-wave-5">recent survey</a> published by the UK Food Standards Agency. <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvfru/429/429.pdf">Other research</a> suggests that as much as 25% of apples, 20% of onions and 13% of potatoes grown in the UK are destroyed because they don’t look right. This means that producers’ efforts to meet stringent specifications from buyers can lead to <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvfru/429/429.pdf">perfectly edible produce being discarded</a> before it even leaves the farm – simply because of how it looks.</p> <p>Aside from the ongoing environmental implications of this food waste, UK shoppers currently face <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/04/food-tsar-blames-shortages-on-uks-weird-supermarket-culture">produce rationing in some supermarkets</a> due to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/28/british-supermarkets-are-rationing-fruit-and-vegetables-amid-shortages.html">shortages of items like tomatoes, cucumbers and raspberries</a>. Any solutions that increase locally grown produce on shop shelves could improve the availability of fresh food, particularly in urban areas.</p> <p>When imperfect fruit and vegetables don’t make it to supermarket shelves, it can be due to <a href="https://cases.open.ubc.ca/insistence-on-cosmetically-perfect-fruits-vegetables/">cosmetic standards</a>. Supermarkets and consumers often prefer produce of a fairly standard size that’s free of blemishes, scars and other imperfections. This means fruit and vegetables that are misshapen, discoloured, or even too small or too large, are rejected before they make it to supermarket shelves.</p> <p>In recent years there has been a growing trend of selling such “ugly” fruit and vegetables, both by <a href="https://my.morrisons.com/wonky-fruit-veg/">major</a> <a href="https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/content/sustainability/food-waste">supermarket</a> <a href="https://www.tescoplc.com/news/2021/wonky-veg-5th-anniversary/">chains</a>, as well as <a href="https://wonkyvegboxes.co.uk/">speciality</a> <a href="https://www.misfitsmarket.com/?exp=plans_rollback">retailers</a> that sell <a href="https://www.oddbox.co.uk/">boxes</a> of <a href="https://etepetete-bio.de/">wonky produce</a>. And research has shown that 87% of people say they would <a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/fruit-and-veg/nearly-90-of-consumers-would-eat-wonky-fruit-and-veg-according-to-new-survey/670155.article">eat wonky fruit and vegetables if they were available</a>. But other research indicates consumers can still be picky and difficult to predict. One study <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329316302002?via%3Dihub">showed</a> consumers are likely to throw away an apple with a spot, but would eat a bent cucumber.</p> <h2>Getting ugly produce into baskets</h2> <p>So how can producers and retailers boost the amount of non-standard fruit and veg that not only reaches our shelves, but also our plates? <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221723000668">Our recent research</a> suggests a separate channel for selling ugly produce would increase profits for growers, lower prices for consumers and boost overall demand for produce.</p> <p>For growers, a dedicated channel – either independent or set up by a supermarket – to supply wonky fruit and veg creates a new line of business. For retailers, this provides an opportunity for further revenue over and above current sales of standard produce to shops. When selling both types of product to a single retailer, the ugly items might be undervalued compared with the standard-looking products. Our research also shows that selling the ugly produce through a dedicated channel is likely to increase total demand for fruit and vegetables, while also decreasing on-farm loss.</p> <p>Having two parallel channels for selling produce (the main one and the dedicated “ugly” channel) would increase competition. This benefits shoppers by lowering prices for regular and ugly produce, versus selling both types of products alongside each other in one shop.</p> <p>On the other hand, the growing market for ugly fruit and vegetables could be an economic threat to traditional retailers. It encourages new entrants into the market and could also limit the availability of “regular” produce because growers could become less stringent about ensuring produce meets traditional cosmetic standards.</p> <p>But there is a way for traditional retailers to add ugly produce into their product offerings alongside other produce without affecting their profits. By building on existing consumer awareness of the environmental benefits of ugly food, they could also compete in this growing segment. This would benefit their bottom lines and help consumer acceptance of misshapen fruit and vegetables, possibly leading to less food waste and shortages like those UK shoppers are experiencing right now.</p> <p>Boosting demand for imperfect fruit and vegetables across the supply chain will require all participants to get involved – from grower to seller. Here are some steps the various parties could take:</p> <h2>1. Educating consumers</h2> <p>Education about the environmental and economic impact of food waste could happen through marketing campaigns, in-store displays and even social media.</p> <h2>2. Reducing cosmetic standards</h2> <p>Supermarkets and other major food retailers could revise their cosmetic standards to accept a wider range of produce, including imperfect fruit and vegetables. This would help reduce food waste by making sure more produce is able to be sold.</p> <h2>3. Direct sales</h2> <p>Farmers and growers could sell non-standard produce directly to consumers through farmers’ markets or subscription services. This allows consumers to purchase fresh, locally grown produce that might not meet cosmetic standards for supermarkets but that is just as nutritionally beneficial.</p> <h2>4. Food donations</h2> <p>Supermarkets and growers could donate produce rejected for how it looks to food banks, shelters and other organisations that serve those in need. This would help reduce food waste while also providing healthy food to those who might not otherwise have access to it.</p> <h2>5. Value-added products</h2> <p>Produce that doesn’t meet cosmetic standards could also be used to create other products such as soups, sauces and juices. In addition to reducing food waste, this would create new revenue streams for growers and retailers.</p> <h2>6. Food composting</h2> <p>Anything that cannot be sold or otherwise used should be composted. This would help reduce food waste while also creating nutrient-rich soil for future crops.</p> <p>By implementing these solutions, the supply chain can reduce the amount of ugly or imperfect fruit and vegetables that are wasted, while also providing consumers with healthy, affordable produce, even in times of supply chain shortages.</p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-ugly-fruit-and-vegetables-could-tackle-food-waste-and-solve-supermarket-supply-shortages-201216" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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10 odd emotions you may have experienced

<p>We all experience a wide range of emotions each day. But did you know that there are actually names for some very specific feelings? See how many of these you identify with.</p> <p><strong>1. Opia</strong></p> <p>Have you ever had a feeling of arousal when you lock eyes with another person (even a stranger on the bus)? That’s opia. Naturally it depends on the circumstances, as a mutual gaze with someone who looks like they want to steal your wallet is not a good feeling. But when it is between two people who feel attracted to each other it can be very pleasant indeed.</p> <p><strong>2. Déjà vu</strong></p> <p>Many of us have experienced this one. It is a feeling that you’ve done something or been somewhere before, while you are doing it. It can be really specific too – for instance you might just be stepping off a train and see someone drop their coffee on the platform and this can trigger the feeling. 3 out of 4 people say they have experienced déjà vu so it’s a very common emotion.</p> <p><strong>3. Ellipsism</strong></p> <p>This is the specific sadness that comes from knowing that you won’t live to see what happens in the future. For instance you may feel sad knowing that you won’t live long enough to see your children start a family of their own.</p> <p><strong>4. Chrysalism</strong></p> <p>This is the feeling that you get when looking out the window at driving rain and feeling warm and secure inside your warm house. It’s based on the idea that you feel safe as you did inside the womb.</p> <p><strong>5. Adronitis</strong></p> <p>If you’ve ever met a new person who you’d like to be good friends with, and felt frustrated when you realised that it will take some time to develop the friendship – you’ve experienced adronitis. In order to get close to someone it takes time to share experiences and information, so it’s not something that can be rushed.</p> <p><strong>6. Liberosis</strong></p> <p>When you wish you could be a kid again, without all the rules and responsibilities of adulthood. In general it means you wish you could stop caring so much about things.</p> <p><strong>7. Enouement</strong></p> <p>We spend so much time worrying about the future, and more often than not it turns out just fine. Enouement is wishing that you could go back to your past self and tell yourself that everything will work out well.</p> <p><strong>8. Jouska</strong></p> <p>This is when you imagine a conversation in your head where things work out well for you – such as winning an argument or asking for a promotion.</p> <p><strong>9. Exulansis</strong></p> <p>If you’ve ever tried to talk about something important with other people and you give up on it as they don’t seem to understand – you’ve experienced exulansis.</p> <p><strong>10. Fugue state</strong></p> <p>Generally reserved for people who have had too much alcohol or drugs, this related to being able to move and speak without being consciously aware that you are doing it. The person has no memory (a blackout) of the time.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Mind

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PINK sky at night?! Odd reason for unearthly glow over Aussie town

<p dir="ltr">Residents in the northern Victorian town of Mildura experienced an intriguing Wednesday night when the night sky was lit up with an eerie pink glow.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was very bizarre,” said Tammy Szumowski.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was on the phone to my mum, and my dad was saying the world was ending.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3af440d1-7fff-a4a9-13e4-3950847d9ceb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Though it looked like aliens or a portal to another universe could be behind it, the explanation for the mysterious light is firmly within reality. Pharmaceutical company Cann Group confirmed that the lights originated from its local medicinal cannabis facility, which had left its blackout blinds open.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mildura?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mildura</a> and surrounds were treated to a spectacular sight tonight when a red light appeared in the sky.<br />Was it aliens?<br />An aurora?<br />No, it appears to have been the hydroponic lights from a medicinal cannabis farm reflecting off cloud which is somehow the most Mildura answer ever. <a href="https://t.co/Wfy63tRrng">pic.twitter.com/Wfy63tRrng</a></p> <p>— Sarah Tomlinson (@sarah_tomlinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarah_tomlinson/status/1549381096587964416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Cannabis plants require different spectrums of light in order to encourage their growth,” said Rhys Cohen, senior communications manager at Cann Group Ltd.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A red spectrum light is often used. Normally the facility would have blackout blinds that come down at night, and will in the future block that glow.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Anne Webster, the federal member for Mallee, was driving home in the dark when she noticed the pink light.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought that is weird. There is no city out there … What is it?” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When I understood the Cann processing site is there – but it still was the first time I’ve seen that pink glow. It was quite strange.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-85425684-7fff-d79d-3524-30e809599a35"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Photos of the lights quickly spread on social media, with ABC Chief of Staff Sarah Tomlinson describing the fact it came from a medical cannabis facility as “somehow the most Mildura answer ever”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneBunn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaneBunn</a> any reports of this scary but brilliant sky over Mildura tonight ?? <a href="https://t.co/3WZ7FZj1zp">pic.twitter.com/3WZ7FZj1zp</a></p> <p>— Tim Green (@Tim_Green78) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tim_Green78/status/1549326548502970369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mildura, Australia: Is it a plane.. an UFO... Superman? Turns out someone forgot to close the blinds at a Cannabis farm. <a href="https://t.co/HaokIwJn2c">pic.twitter.com/HaokIwJn2c</a></p> <p>— Jürgen "jkr" Kraus (@jkr_on_the_web) <a href="https://twitter.com/jkr_on_the_web/status/1550201444699017216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">La Trobe University also joined in on the fun, tweeting: “We can neither confirm, nor deny, that the mysterious lights over Mildura were <em>Aurora marijuanis</em>.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The Mildura facility gathered its first commercial harvest of marijuana crops in June, after Cann Group - the first Australian company licensed to grow the crop for medicinal and research purposes - acquired the site in 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Webster described it as “quite an exciting site”, though its exact location is a secret and isn’t open to the public due to the nature of its business.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Propagation of cannabis is really interesting and the way they use lights … to increase the growth cycle and speed up the whole process is quite amazing,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I look forward to many other innovative producers coming to the region and bringing their glows with them.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2c7e2cfa-7fff-f9a3-9a9e-ee91cff6f50b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Caring

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“Australia wanted us out”: 501 deportee defies odds to return to Australia

<p dir="ltr">A New Zealand man deported from Australia under the controversial 501 section of the Australian Migration Act will be allowed to return, in a victory that he hopes will be a source of hope for others affected by the same scheme.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gavin Doré was a successful motorcycle salesman in Australia until 2018, when he was convicted for drug offending after his life was upended by a relationship break-up and losing his job.</p> <p dir="ltr">Desperate to stay in his mortgaged home, the 33-year-old began accepting boarders to help him cover his bills, and who brought with them exposure to the drugs scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was sentenced to three years and three months in prison after his costly dependence on methamphetamine pushed him to start dealing, prompting his visa to be cancelled under Section 501, which then resulted in his deportation once his sentence was complete.</p> <p dir="ltr">By then, Doré had undergone much of a drug rehabilitation program and became the father of a baby girl to his former partner.</p> <p dir="ltr">He then worked hard to appeal his case and have his visa reinstated, with the Australian Administrative Appeals Tribunal only recently allowing his return and for his visa to be reinstated.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Four plus years it took,” he told <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/501-deportee-overturns-visa-cancellation-so-that-he-can-go-back-to-visit-daughter/XAQWP7DAJ363CPR6PV6ER3F4B4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Open Justice</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The tribunal said the combination of financial shock from losing his job and the emotional difficulty from the relationship break-up led to a “psychological malaise” and depression.</p> <p dir="ltr">It found that Doré had a “low to negligible risk” of reoffending in Australia and that it was in the best interest of his now four-year-old daughter that he be able to return.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A lot of 501s arrive (in New Zealand) without hope and, as a result, turn to crime,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’d like people to know that this is possible (to reinstate an Australian visa), and that there is a better way.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Doré added that he was “one of the lucky ones”, having joined a group in prison who were given advice on how to appeal the decision, including what to say and not say.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When I joined the group we were given the information that the process was possible, where to find the application, who to send it to,” he explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We actually also got given the details of how to get in touch with an immigration lawyer.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With Australia tightening the rules since he started his appeal, Doré said people are “losing hope in the process” of appealing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I do a bit of work with a church here (in Auckland) … and do quite a bit of work with the 501s. Anyone beating it is unheard of, really,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Australia wanted us out, no matter what.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On the surface they wanted it to look as though there was a legitimate process for an appeal to occur, but … the process itself was so difficult for everyone, really, that a lot of people can’t see a way.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With most deportees arriving with “literally a backpack” and nothing else, Doré said he was fortunate to have the support of his parents when he arrived in New Zealand.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to <em>Open Justice</em>, 192 Kiwi deportees have applied to have their deportations revoked since July 2020. Out of those, only 61 people were successful.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-53a853dc-7fff-fe5b-93ad-838ab9b58209"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: NZ Herald</em></p>

Legal

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5 household jobs to do over summer

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Christmas may be over, many still on holidays have a chance to not only spend time together, but to finally tackle some of those niggly jobs around the house that you have been meaning to get done.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether the pool is looking a bit murky or you’re looking to make some small improvements, here are five odd jobs around the house to tick off your to-do list this summer.</span></p> <p><strong>1. Treat your garden to a little TLC</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While mowing the lawn and edging the driveway are done on a more regular basis, the summer holidays are a perfect chance to tidy up your garden and show some love to your plants with some pruning.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In particular, the start of the year is a good time to prune gardenias and other plants that have finished flowering, cut back herbs that have run to seed, and inspect plants for mildew, petal blight, or signs of being eaten.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For help with your garden, Stuart Tucker, the Chief Customer Officer at hipages, recommends using the Yates My Garden app.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Consider it your ‘personal trainer’ of the garden world. The app gives you access to qualified horticulturalists that can talk you through anything that’s happening in your garden,” he told </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bhg.com.au/summer-household-jobs?category=garden" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Better Homes and Gardens</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You can take a picture and share via the live chat and the team will help ID and provide further details on what you need to do.”</span></p> <p><strong>2. Refresh your interiors with paint</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For a cost-effective way to change the look of your home, a fresh coat of paint can refresh your interiors and make your walls look cleaner without costing an arm and a leg.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, it’s recommended that you put the paintbrushes down on especially </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://trimaco.com/blog/5-tips-for-interior-painting-in-the-winter/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">humid days</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as the heat can affect how the paint dries.</span></p> <p><strong>3. Get your pool in tip-top shape</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Maintaining a pool during winter months can seem like an unrewarding task, so the summer break can be a perfect time to give it some of the attention it may have missed during the rest of the year - especially so you can finally enjoy it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If your pool filter or equipment needs attention, see to it now before your friends and family start commenting on the murky pool water,” Stuart said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re in need of a helping hand, Stuart said there’s an app for that too.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Try using an app like Blue Connect - Pool Care to track and analyse your pool water by measuring the temperature, pH, the disinfectant concentration and salinity,” he explained.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The app will also notify you in case of any problems.”</span></p> <p><strong>4. Service your air-con unit</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A must for staying cool when the mercury rises, air-conditioning units often work their hardest during summer - meaning it;s important to check that they’re still in good shape.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If you have an internal unit, clear any dust to prevent it (from) performing poorly,” Stuart said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“External units need to be cleared of leaves and other debris.”</span></p> <p><strong>5. Tidy up</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With many of us visiting and receiving family during most of the holidays, it can be tricky to keep our homes clean. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, giving your home a deep clean can make maintaining it that much easier - though you don’t have to do it all on your own.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Before you welcome any visitors, consider hiring a local on-demand cleaner who can give your home a deep clean from top to bottom, including all floors, surfaces and windows,” Stuart said.</span></p>

Home & Garden

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Never been done before: Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi reveal odd choice for best man

<p>Princess Beatrice and her fiancé Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have made royal history after revealing their unlikely choice for best man in their upcoming wedding.</p> <p>It has been confirmed that it will be Edoardo’s three-year-old son Christopher, whom he shares with ex-partner Dara Huang, who will take on the massive role as best man for his dad’s wedding to Princess Beatrice.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B23ycotot3y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B23ycotot3y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Beatrice and Eugenie (@beatriceandeugenie.ofyork)</a> on Sep 26, 2019 at 3:50am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>A spokesperson for the couple first confirmed the news to the <em>Daily Mail</em>, citing that the couple wanted the three-year-old to know how important he was to his stepmother.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B23zE1yn7Ky/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B23zE1yn7Ky/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by •Cambridge•Sussex•York• (@aboutcambridgesussexandyork)</a> on Sep 26, 2019 at 3:56am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The Palace has also confirmed the exciting nuptials will take place on May 29, at The Chapel Royal in St James’s Place, London.</p> <p>Edo and Beatrice got engaged in September 2019 after the property developer proposed while they were holidaying in Italy.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvsUhHjhJAK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvsUhHjhJAK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dara Huang (@dara_huang)</a> on Mar 31, 2019 at 5:17pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The pair spoke about their exciting news in a statement, saying: "We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and can't wait to actually be married.</p> <p>"We share so many similar interests and values, and we know that this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness."</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's engagement pictures. </p>

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One eyed mare defies the odds and gives birth to twin foals

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A horse stud owner has been left stunned after discovering that his one-eyed mare had defied the odds and given birth to live twin foals.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The chances of twin goals being born alive are considered 1 in 10,000.</span></p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fabcnews.au%2Fvideos%2F933297287036597%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=476" width="476" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spurrs Stud owner Kevin Spurr said that the birth was a complete surprise.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My first thought was ‘don’t tell me another mare has had a foal and run away and left that’,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A bit after that I realised she’d had twins. I was a little bit stunned, actually, I didn’t know what to think.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Katanning Regional Veterinary Hospital owner John Maxwell has been practicing as an equine vet for more than 50 years and has said he has never seen the successful delivery of twin goals that go on to survive.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m surprised, very surprised,” Dr Maxwell said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I have had a breeder in Wagin that I’ve [aborted] twice because the chances of both surviving were considered almost zero. So this is an exceptional occurrence.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The twin foals, named Snip and Drop, are being well looked after by Mr Spurr and his farmhand Nicole Kumpfmueller. Round-the-clock care is needed for the foals as their mother has one eye and needs to make sure she does not tread on them. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We get out here and they're already waiting and know the routine," Ms Kumpfmueller said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"And you have to give them antibiotics twice a day.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Every now and then we give them an extra milk bucket as well to make sure they have enough milk because we currently don't know how much she can produce for them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I think it's worth it. If you look at them, they're just too cute not to get up."</span></p>

Family & Pets

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The odd detail you probably never noticed about Duchess Kate

<p>Although the Duchess of Cambridge is known for her sense of style, she can sometimes be seen sporting a less than appealing accessory with some of her outfits.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp8sP56AtjO/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp8sP56AtjO/" target="_blank">The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend the 6th Annual Tusk Conservation Awards 💙 8 November 2018</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/katemiddletonphotos/" target="_blank"> Kate Middleton</a> (@katemiddletonphotos) on Nov 8, 2018 at 9:44pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Can you see it?</p> <p>It’s a band-aid on her hand.</p> <p>It’s not the first time she’s been spotted in public with a plaster on her hand either.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BNJGeeQj70Q/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BNJGeeQj70Q/" target="_blank">Catherine, Duchess of Cambridges arrives at the National History Museum to join Oakington Manor school for a special tea party to say goodbye to Dippy, The Natural History Museum’s world famous Diplodocus before he embarks on a nationwide two-year tour on Nov 22,2016.</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/katemiddletonphotos/" target="_blank"> Kate Middleton</a> (@katemiddletonphotos) on Nov 22, 2016 at 10:14pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Duchess Kate was spotted wearing one when she arrived at the National History Museum back in 2016.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu6HOBYHEYM/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu6HOBYHEYM/" target="_blank">The Duchess of Cambridge visits the Henry Fawcett Children’s Centre on March 12, 2019 in London,England.</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/katemiddletonphotos/" target="_blank"> Kate Middleton</a> (@katemiddletonphotos) on Mar 12, 2019 at 5:19am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>However, it’s not all the time. This was just the other day on May 12, 2019.</p> <p>Buckingham Palace has refused to comment on the issue, especially when <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/kate-wear-many-plasters-duchess-9521028" target="_blank">The Mirror</a> </em>reached out and inquired about the plasters.</p> <p>Buckingham Palace insisted: “We have no comment on the plaster.”</p> <p>For now, many tend to believe that the regular wounds that have appeared over the years is due to the Duchess of Cambridge’s well-established green-thumb. This has been highlighted with her Back to Nature Garden in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London that begins this week.</p> <p>“I believe that spending time outdoors when we are young can play a role in laying the foundations for children to become happy, healthy adults,” she said in a statement.</p>

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"You will literally wait for hours!": Frustrated woman vents about husband's odd bathroom habit

<p>A woman has been left wondering whether she was in the right to complain about her husband’s odd bathroom habit.</p> <p>The wife and mother has been left frustrated by her partner, who would take over the house’s bathroom for anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours at a time.</p> <p>Writing on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/bbvgh2/aita_for_getting_pissy_about_my_husbands_bathroom/" target="_blank">Reddit</a>, the woman said the long bathroom breaks often kept her and her young son from using the loo when needed. </p> <p>“Fortunately, my son has a private little corner of our backyard where he can go relieve himself in emergencies, but it can be torture for myself or any other women stuck waiting to tinkle,” she shared.</p> <p>Explaining that the situation had been going on for years, she said the wait would be longer if her husband decided to take a shower after relieving himself. </p> <p>“You will literally wait for hours! I have finally got him to where he will unlock the door before he jumps in the shower so we can at least get in to relieve ourselves.”</p> <p>She suspected that her partner has not been using the bathroom for anything related to bodily functions. </p> <p>“I have to go in after him and a lot of time it doesn’t even smell! Zero evidence that he was ‘using the facilities’,” she vented.</p> <p>“I really don’t want to know what he does with his bathroom time, I just want him to be more respectful of the fact that other people have needs too!”</p> <p>Many people jumped in to reassure the woman that her concerns are valid. </p> <p>“That sounds excessive and rude. Is he reading? Needs a quiet place?” one commented. “Something is up!”</p> <p>Another wrote, “He’s being really inconsiderate ... and honestly it kinda sounds like he’s just chilling in there to avoid his childcare responsibilities.”</p> <p>The woman was also encouraged to address the issue with her husband. </p> <p>“I think you really ought to ask the reason,” one advised. “It’s possible he has a condition he’s embarrassed about that you could help him with. Or it’s possible he needs alone time and tries to get it this way. In any case, I don’t see this getting better without you insisting on getting the reason.”</p> <p>Another user chimed in, saying, “The fact that your son has learned to pee in the yard because daddy monopolizes the bathroom is shocking. That isn’t normal … What you are dealing with is really terrible and this isn’t going to be easy to fix. Counselling would be a good idea.”</p> <p>What do you think of the bathroom dilemma? Share your thoughts in the comments.</p>

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Mum defends child’s unusual name after being mocked by critics

<p>A mum has defended her baby’s name after trolls made fun of the parent’s decision.</p> <p>Jade Jeanes told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/disney-belle-beauty-and-beast-2669541" target="_blank">The Bristol Post</a></em> that herself and her husband Joshua, both 27, wanted something extravagant for their child’s name as they had been waiting for seven years to conceive.</p> <p>After some debate on whether their child should be called Belle after Jade’s favourite Disney heroine in Beauty and the Beast, the couple settled on Disney.</p> <p>Despite making her choice and having nurses in the delivery room recognise that the name is unique, Jade decided to share her baby’s name with a Facebook page created for parents.</p> <p>She was devastated when mums mocked her baby’s name on the page.</p> <p>Jade couldn’t understand the criticism, saying “it’s just a name.”</p> <p>Jade said:</p> <p>“Friends and family love the name, and I do too. It’s no one’s business what we decided to call her.”</p> <p>Jade also said that Disney loves Disney films, as she’s been described as “transfixed” whenever there’s a Disney movie on TV.</p> <p>“It was more of a fun post that I assumed people would be okay with. In the end, people just either hate it or love it.”</p> <p>What do you think of the unique name? Let us know in the comments below.</p>

Family & Pets

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Tricky quiz: Can you pick the odd one out?

<p>A tricky general knowledge quiz promises to challenge even the brightest brains.</p> <p>The 15-question quiz asks you to pick the odd word out and although some are fairly easy to spot, others questions are much more challenging.  </p> <p>Creator Cody Cross, who shared the quiz on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.playbuzz.com/codycross10/no-one-can-score-10-15-in-this-iq-test-and-its-driving-the-internet-wild#eightieth" target="_blank">Playbuzz</a></strong></span>, claims it is so difficult that no one will be able to answer 10 correctly – let alone score full marks.</p> <p>Take the test yourself:</p> <div class="playbuzz" data-id="d1c4cad7-d11d-4e83-b8eb-c7f61793da1e" data-show-info="false" data-comments="false" data-show-share="false"></div>

Mind

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10 Aussie places with odd names (and why you should visit)

<p>Don’t let a strange name scare you off!</p> <p><strong>1. Dismal Swamp, Tasmania</strong></p> <p>The largest sinkhole in the Southern Hemisphere is more magical than dismal. It’s filled with ancient blackwood trees and you can ride a curvy 110-metre slide right to the bottom, where you’ll find dreamy sculptures and local artworks.</p> <p><strong>2. Dump Beach, New South Wales</strong></p> <p>It’s doesn’t sound very appealing, but dog lovers will love this stretch of sand close to the town of Yamba on the NSW north coast. It's quiet and unpatrolled, and the local doggy community has claimed it as their own. The perfect place for your furry friend to have a roll in the sand.</p> <p><strong>3. Success, Western Australia</strong></p> <p>This suburb in southern Perth is named for Captain James Stirling’s ship the HMAS Success that explored the region in 1827. Now, it’s a sleepy, safe suburb that’s surrounded by some lovely parks and is just a short drive to the beach.</p> <p><strong>4. Mount Misery, Tasmania</strong></p> <p>There are a few Mount Miseries to be found around Australia, which suggests that early explorers must have had a pretty difficult time. This one overlooks Huonville in southeast Tasmania and its slopes are covered in tall eucalypts and small pockets of rainforest. The climb to the summit takes about three hours.</p> <p><strong>5. Stinky Bay, South Australia</strong></p> <p>This two-kilometre curve of sand on South Australia’s Limestone Peninsula gets its name from the large piles of seagrass that frequently wash up on the beach, giving off a distinctive odour. If you can get past that, lots of inshore holes and gutters make it a great spot for fishing right from the beach.</p> <p><strong>6. Eggs and Bacon Bay, Tasmania</strong></p> <p>Tassie seems to have more than its fair share of strangely-named places, and Eggs and Bacon Bay is the next one on our list. It’s actually named for the distinctive yellow and red flowers found all over the shore, rather than breakfast, and has gorgeous scenery, deserted beaches and lots of fresh Tasmanian produce.</p> <p><strong>7. Promised Land, New South Wales</strong></p> <p>With a name like this, you know it’s going to be good. The Promised Land is a delightful valley near the Dorrigo National Park and the bohemian town of Bellingen. Spend your days discovering hidden waterfalls, lush rainforest and crystal clear swimming holes.</p> <p><strong>8. Yorkeys Knob, Queensland</strong></p> <p>Ahem, take your mind out of the gutter! This picturesque beach village just north of Cairns was named for a Yorkshire fisherman who built his homestead here and the ‘knob’ part refers to the peninsula jutting out from the beach. It’s a charming family holiday spot and famous for kitesurfing.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qNZIJmEZ91g" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>9. Teddy Bear Gap, Victoria</strong></p> <p>If you go down to the Grampians today, you’re sure of a big surprise… No word if any teddy bears have been known to picnic at their eponymous gap, but the walk itself is quite lovely and well worth the effort.</p> <p><strong>10. Edge of the World, Tasmania</strong></p> <p>The name here is pretty self-explanatory. The Edge of the World is a desolate, windswept spot in the Tarkine Rainforest on the northwest coast of Tasmania. From here, there’s nothing else to the west except 20,000 kilometres of raging ocean. The nearest landfall is in Patagonia, South America.</p> <p>Have you been to any of these places?</p>

International Travel

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Woman defies odds with two huge lottery wins in one day

<p><span>A lucky punter has done the unimaginable and won two substantial lottery prizes in the same day.</span></p> <p><span>Kimberly Morris from the US, bought two North Carolina lottery tickets.</span></p> <p><span>Kimberly couldn’t believe her luck when she purchased a ticket during a grocery ticket and scratched off the $10,000 prize.</span></p> <p><span>The mother-of-three went to the lottery headquarters in Raleigh to claim her prize when she felt like her lucky streak wasn't over yet.</span></p> <p><span>Kimberly made a quick stop to purchase another ticket and this time she won an astounding $1 million.</span></p> <p><span>"It felt really great to win, but I really have always dreamed I would win $1 million!" she told North Carolina Education Lottery.</span></p> <p><span>Kimberly chose to take the lump sum of the $1 million prize, which left her with $417,012 after taxes.</span></p> <p><span>Kimberly plans to give some of her money to her three children and invest the rest.</span></p>

Retirement Income

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The reason wine tastes odd on planes

<p>If you’ve ever asked for a glass of red on a plane to relax (or perhaps calm your nerves) you might’ve noticed how it tastes a little bit different when you’re in the plane cabin.</p> <p>Well, there’s a good reason for this.</p> <p>Writing for <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff</span></strong></a>, travel expert Michael Austin explains why this is the case.</p> <p>“That air is being recirculated, and it carries provocative notes of jet fuel, upholstery and carpet, all of which tend to fade the longer you spend in that tube, and maybe that's a good thing for those of us who don't particularly love those smells,” Austin writes.</p> <p>“But the problem is that even the stuff we do want to smell eventually fades. And when the aromas go, the flavours go too. It's all caused by your own aircraft-induced dehydration – the drying-out that afflicts you every time you go wheels-up.</p> <p>“You don't get entirely stripped of your ability to smell and taste, obviously (you can taste well enough to know that you're not wild about the over-salted yet still-kind-of-bland food resting on the tray in front of you), but your senses very quickly begin to operate at a fraction of their normal capacity - and they go downhill from there.</p> <p>“You gradually lose your ability to smell and taste the subtle aromas and flavours you might have been easily able to identify and name in the most creative ways on the ground.”</p> <p>So, there you have it, that’s why wine tastes a little odd on planes.</p>

Travel Tips

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Can you spot the odd word out?

<p>Give your brain a workout with this multiple-choice test asking users to pick out the word that does not belong.</p> <p>Created by Playbuzz, the quiz gives you 25 examples of three words. You have to choose the word that has a different meaning to the other two.</p> <p>Scroll down to view the questions and make a note of your answers. View the correct answers by scrolling right in the gallery above. </p> <p><img width="634" height="89" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B99600000578-4607194-image-m-31_1497527297986.jpg" alt="Question 1" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-168356feb99c8d6c"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="94" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B99C00000578-4607194-image-m-33_1497527349232.jpg" alt="Question 2" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-b64b10485f3cabd3"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="90" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9A600000578-4607194-image-m-35_1497527387084.jpg" alt="Question 3" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-dcf194937afce0bb"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="92" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9AA00000578-4607194-image-m-37_1497527431758.jpg" alt="Question 4" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-9b404c2591dbcfc3"/></p> <p> </p> <p><img width="634" height="92" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9AE00000578-4607194-image-a-40_1497527547026.jpg" alt="Question 5 " class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-25a0c20c9a32882"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="113" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9B600000578-4607194-image-m-42_1497527570028.jpg" alt="Question 6" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-76b19f9621e2034c"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="108" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9BA00000578-4607194-image-m-44_1497527598032.jpg" alt="Question 7" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-3579b4d0f6e682c"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="101" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9BE00000578-4607194-image-m-46_1497527638205.jpg" alt="Question 8" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-7a3657fbeb79fe58"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="96" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9C200000578-4607194-image-m-48_1497527720491.jpg" alt="Question 9" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-684e68fb4dd811c9"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="96" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9C600000578-4607194-image-m-50_1497527780449.jpg" alt="Question 10" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-112c66211b27a4dd"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="97" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9CA00000578-4607194-image-m-52_1497527832716.jpg" alt="Question 11" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-e2979697f2dd0d63"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="94" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9CE00000578-4607194-image-m-54_1497527934608.jpg" alt="Question 12" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-7d56d74cdaf9f9c2"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="103" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/12/4170B9D200000578-4607194-image-m-56_1497527974266.jpg" alt="Question 13" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-781784fa32b182d9"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="96" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170B9D800000578-4607194-image-m-58_1497528072566.jpg" alt="Question 14" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-ed7dee0992b9afa8"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="96" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170B9DE00000578-4607194-image-m-60_1497528116258.jpg" alt="Question 15" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-25d2a5d0776e8871"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="93" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170B9E200000578-4607194-image-m-62_1497528185877.jpg" alt="Question 16" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-4a83d6669e903caf"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="97" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170B9E600000578-4607194-image-m-64_1497528216489.jpg" alt="Question 17 " class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-9f2d1dbdb6bce2f9"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="99" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170B9EA00000578-4607194-image-m-66_1497528280763.jpg" alt="Question 18 " class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-da101e0b58391b41"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="95" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170B9EE00000578-4607194-image-m-68_1497528304262.jpg" alt="Question 19" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-15f9510bf98c5923"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="96" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170B9F200000578-4607194-image-m-70_1497528341255.jpg" alt="Question 20" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-4c09cfd1a68351ba"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="93" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170B9F600000578-4607194-image-m-72_1497528374247.jpg" alt="Question 21" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-7f06cc6745e7a4a9"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="95" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170B9FA00000578-4607194-image-m-74_1497528404819.jpg" alt="Question 22" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-d98b13bc6dad0124"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="100" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170B9FE00000578-4607194-Question_23-m-76_1497528474140.jpg" alt="Question 23" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-d18c09a03f74611d"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="97" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170BA0200000578-4607194-image-m-78_1497528492195.jpg" alt="Question 24" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-50910c8a26887f83"/></p> <p><img width="634" height="95" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/06/15/13/4170BA0600000578-4607194-image-m-80_1497528540981.jpg" alt="Question 25" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" id="i-7529475a7b9c8714"/></p> <p> </p>

Mind

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The odd reason airplane windows are round

<p>Round windows are as synonymous with air travel as peanuts, turbulence and the in-flight safety demonstration. But have you ever wondered why they’re round?</p> <p>Well, there’s a good reason why this is the case. As a recent article in <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Travel + Leisure</span></strong></a> explains, early models of airplanes featured designs with square and rectangular windows, not dissimilar to what you’d expect to see in a home or automobile.</p> <p>In the 1950s, as the commercial jetliner started to rise to popularity and prominence, <a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140414-crashes-that-changed-plane-design/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">two tragic incidents</span></strong></a> would change the face of aviation design forever.</p> <p>The incidents, in which two planes fell apart mid-air, were examined strenuously by scientists and it was found that the cause was square windows. The sharp corners created natural weak spots, concentrating the stress that was further weakened by the pressure in the air, and at high altitudes this spelt absolute disaster.</p> <p>Curved windowpanes distribute this stress evenly, reducing the likelihood of cracks or breaks occurring. They’re also stronger and more resistant to deformations, allowing them to survive the extreme pressure differences on a flight.</p> <p>So there you have it. Did you realise why plane windows were round?</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong>                                                     </p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2017/01/passengers-should-be-weighed-for-flights-according-to-fellow-flyers/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Passengers should be weighed for flights, according to fellow flyers</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2017/01/snake-on-a-plane-grounds-emirates-flight/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Snake on a plane grounds Emirates flight</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2017/01/why-passengers-always-board-planes-from-the-left-side/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Why passengers always board planes from the left side</strong></em></span></a></p>

Travel Tips

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600g premature baby beat the odds thanks to you

<p>Four months ago, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Wellington Children’s Hospital received an urgent call for help. A Wairarapa woman, just 24 weeks into her pregnancy, was bleeding heavily and required an emergency caesarean. Since Wairarapa Hospital is not able to adequately tend to such a premature delivery, it was down to the Wellington Hospital’s flight team to reach the mother and save her baby’s life.</p> <p>Funded by generous donations by people like you, Wellington Children’s Hospitals Neonatal Transport system emulates the environment of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It was able to monitor and adjust the tiny, 600-gram baby’s temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, arterial blood gases, expiratory CO2 levels and oxygen saturation levels throughout the life-saving journey to hospital.</p> <p>Upon landing at Wellington Regional Children’s Hospital, the transport incubator was wheeled straight into the neonatal unit. Thanks to this cutting-edge piece of equipment and specialist Neonatal Doctors and Nurses, the baby, despite arriving 16 weeks early, survived.</p> <p>It’s because of these specialised services that extremely premature babies have greatly increased chances of survival. And, while Wellington Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is considered to be one of the best in Australasia, demand is increasing.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="583" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34079/nz_map_1200x1400_500x583.jpg" alt="NZ_Map _1200x 1400"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>The Wellington Children’s Hospital Flight Team operates 24/7 to help save the lives of critically ill babies from within the hospitals service area and beyond. </em></p> <p>Last year, Wellington Hospital’s Medical Flight Teams completed around 400 Air Ambulance baby transfers and 700 inter/intra-hospital road transfers. And, as the population and rate of multiple births increases, these numbers will only continue to grow. That’s why a second transport incubator is desperately needed, so that more than one baby may be transferred at one time – something that will be particularly beneficial for premature twins.</p> <p>As part of its “Little Lives, Big Journeys” appeal, Wellington Hospitals Foundation is calling on the community to help raise $212,000, allowing a second custom-built Transport System to be purchased so the Wellington Hospital Flight Team can continue their essential work of saving these tiny lives in Wellington and beyond.</p> <p>If you are able, why not help out? To make a donation to the “Little Lives, Big Journeys” appeal, <a href="http://whf.org.nz/donate/?utm_source=Over60NZ&amp;utm_campaign=SponsoredContent_March2017" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span></strong></a>. </p> <p>THIS IS SPONSORED CONTENT BROUGHT TO YOU IN CONJUNCTION WITH <a href="http://whf.org.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">WELLINGTON HOSPITALS FOUNDATION.</span></strong></a></p>

Family & Pets

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The odd invention making it easier to sleep on planes

<p>It is strange what people will do to find a bit of comfort on an airplane and catch forty winks.</p> <p>We've tried it all: Piling your belongings on the tray table so you can rest your head. Pushing the armrest down and stuffing a pillow beside it. Or just lying still with your eyes closed and hoping when you fall asleep you don't drop onto your neighbour's lap.</p> <p>While sometimes these work, you're usually left bleary-eyed and cranky after that long-haul flight.</p> <p>But discomfort may be a thing of the past, with the nifty new invention, the NodPod (or its funnier nickname, the Head Hammock).</p> <p>The NodPod is not just for airplanes; its designers claim to have found the solution to amazing sleep while travelling by "recreating how you sleep in a bed but in an upright position."</p> <p>US entrepreneur Paula Blankenship invented the unusual travel accessory after years of sleepless commuting.</p> <p>If you can overcome the embarrassment of wearing the thing, you can pre-order on crowd-funding website Kickstarter for US$30 (AU$41).</p> <p>What’s your take? Could you ever see yourself using the NodPod? Let us know in the comments.</p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / Chepu belya</em></p> <p><em>First appeared on <a href="https://elevate.agatravelinsurance.com.au/oversixty?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=link1&amp;utm_campaign=travel-insurance" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2016/09/10-of-the-most-annoying-things-on-a-flight/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>10 of the most annoying things on a flight</strong></span></em></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/08/7-things-never-to-do-on-a-plane/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>7 things never to do on a plane</em></span></strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2016/08/7-tips-to-keep-belongings-safe-on-a-flight/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>7 tips to keep belongings safe on a flight</strong></span></em></a></p>

Travel Tips

Over 60

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