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Loyalty programs may limit competition, and they could be pushing prices up for everyone

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexandru-nichifor-1342216">Alexandru Nichifor</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/scott-duke-kominers-1494057">Scott Duke Kominers</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/harvard-university-1306">Harvard University</a> Loyalty programs enable firms to offer significantly lower prices to some of their customers. You’d think this would encourage strong competition. But that isn’t always what actually happens. <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4377561">New research</a> shows that paradoxically, by changing the way companies target customers, loyalty programs can sometimes reduce price competition. The research also points to solutions. <h2>A win-win proposition?</h2> Joining a loyalty program is supposed to be a win-win. You – the customer – get to enjoy perks and discounts, while the company gains useful commercial insights and builds brand allegiance. For example, a hotel chain loyalty program might reward travellers for frequent stays, with points redeemable for future bookings, upgrades or other benefits. The hotel chain, in turn, records and analyses how you spend money and encourages you to stay with them again. Such programs are commonplace across many industries – appearing everywhere from travel and accommodation to supermarket or petrol retailing. But they are increasingly coming under scrutiny. In 2019, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/publications/customer-loyalty-schemes-final-report">cautioned</a> consumers about the sheer volume of personal data collected when participating in a loyalty program, and what companies can do with it. Hidden costs – such as having to pay a redemption fee on rewards or losing benefits when points expire – are another way these schemes can harm consumers. But a larger question – how loyalty programs impact consumers overall – remains difficult to settle, because their effect on competitiveness is unclear. As the ACCC’s <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/publications/customer-loyalty-schemes-final-report">final report</a> notes, on the one hand: "Loyalty schemes can have pro-competitive effects and intensify competition between rivals leading to competing loyalty discounts and lower prices for consumers." But on the other hand: "Loyalty schemes can also reduce the flexibility of consumers’ buying patterns and responsiveness to competing offers, which may reduce competition." <h2>How a two-speed price system can hurt everyone</h2> A new economic theory research <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4377561">working paper</a>, coauthored by one of us (Kominers), suggests that on competitive grounds alone, loyalty programs can sometimes harm all consumers – both ordinary shoppers and the program’s own members. It’s easy to see how the ordinary shopper can be worse off. Since a firm’s loyalty program enables it to offer discounted prices to its members, the firm can raise the base prices it offers to everyone else. Those not participating in the program pay more than they otherwise would have, and the firm can respond by saying “join our program!” instead of having to lower its price. But sometimes, even the program’s own members can end up worse off. When a given customer’s loyalty status is not visible to a firm’s competitors – as is the case in many loyalty programs today – it’s hard for those competitors to identify them and entice them to switch. The main way to compete for those customers becomes to lower the base price for everyone, but this means missing out on the high base margins achieved through the existence of your own loyalty program – remember, having a loyalty program means you can charge non-members more. It’s often more profitable for firms to just maintain high base prices. This, in turn, reduces overall price competition for loyal customers, so firms can raise prices for them, too. <h2>What’s the solution?</h2> Despite these effects on competition, loyalty programs still offer benefits for consumers and an opportunity for brands to form closer relationships with them. So, how do we preserve these benefits while enabling price competition? The research suggests an answer: making a customer’s loyalty status verifiable, transparent and portable across firms. This would make it possible for firms to tailor offers for their competitors’ loyal customers. This is already happening in the market for retail electricity. While there aren’t loyalty programs there per se, a consumer’s energy consumption profile, which could be used by a competitor to calibrate a personalised offer, is known only to their current electricity supplier. To address this, in 2015, the Victorian government launched a <a href="https://compare.energy.vic.gov.au">program</a> encouraging households to compare energy offers. This process involved first revealing a customer’s energy consumption profile to the market, and then asking retailers to compete via personalised offers. By opening information that might have otherwise been hidden to the broader market, this approach enabled firms to compete for each other’s top customers, in a way that could be emulated for loyalty programs. Such systems in the private sector could build upon “<a href="https://thepointsguy.com/guide/airline-status-matches-challenges/">status match</a>” policies at airlines. These allow direct transfer of loyalty status, but currently rely on a lengthy, individual-level verification process. For example, a design paradigm known as “<a href="https://hbr.org/2022/05/what-is-web3">Web3</a>” – where customer transactions and loyalty statuses are recorded on public, shared blockchain ledgers – offers a way to make loyalty transparent across the market. This would enable an enhanced, decentralised version of status match: a firm could use blockchain records to verifiably identify who its competitors’ loyal customers are, and directly incentivise them to switch. Both startups and established firms have experimented with building such systems. <h2>What next?</h2> New academic research helps us model and better understand when loyalty programs could be weakening supply side competition and undermining consumer welfare. A neat universal solution may prove elusive. But targeted government or industry interventions – centred on increasing the transparency of a customer’s loyalty status and letting them move it between firms – could help level the playing field between firms and consumers.<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/220669/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexandru-nichifor-1342216">Alexandru Nichifor</a>, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Melbourne, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/scott-duke-kominers-1494057">Scott Duke Kominers</a>, Sarofim-Rock Professor of Business Administration, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/harvard-university-1306">Harvard 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/loyalty-programs-may-limit-competition-and-they-could-be-pushing-prices-up-for-everyone-220669">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Can’t afford a gym membership or fitness class? 3 things to include in a DIY exercise program

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lewis-ingram-1427671">Lewis Ingram</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-bennett-1053061">Hunter Bennett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/saravana-kumar-181105">Saravana Kumar</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> With the rising cost of living, gyms memberships and fitness classes are becoming increasingly unaffordable. But the good news is you can make <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28655559/">just as much progress at home</a>. Cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength and flexibility are the <a href="https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/publications-files/acsms-exercise-testing-prescription.pdf?sfvrsn=111e9306_4">most important</a> components of fitness. And each can be trained with little or no equipment. Let’s look at why – and how – to fit them into your DIY exercise program. <h2>1. Cardiovascular endurance</h2> Cardiovascular endurance exercise (or “cardio”) forces the heart and lungs to increase the supply of oxygen to the working muscles. Heart disease is a <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death">leading cause of death</a> and cardiovascular endurance exercise helps keep the heart healthy. The best thing about cardio is you don’t need any fancy equipment to do it. Walking, jogging and running are great options, as are cycling, skipping rope and swimming. There are two approaches to maximise cardiovascular endurance: <ul> <li> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8897392/">high-intensity interval training</a> (HIIT) – short bouts of hard exercise (around 80% to 95% of your maximum heart rate) interspersed with lower intensity recovery periods (around 40% to 50% of your maximum heart rate) </li> <li> <a href="http://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26664271/">low-intensity steady-state</a> (LISS) exercise – aerobic activity performed continuously at a low-to-moderate intensity (around 50% to 65% of your maximum heart rate) for an extended duration. </li> </ul> Both are great options. While high-intensity interval training can be more time efficient, low-intensity steady-state training might be more enjoyable and easier to sustain long-term. No matter what you choose, <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">aim for</a> a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardiovascular exercise each week. For example, you could try 30 minutes, five days per week of low intensity cardio, or 25 minutes, three days per week of high-intensity activity, or a combination of the two. How do you know if you’re exercising at the right intensity? Smart watches that measure heart rate can help to monitor intensity. Or you can rely on the good old-fashioned <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25536539/">talk test</a>. During low-intensity activity, you should be able to speak in full sentences. Conversely, short phrases (initially) or single words (towards the end) should be all that’s manageable during high-intensity exercise. <h2>2. Muscle strength</h2> Next is muscle strength, which we train through resistance exercise. This is important for bone health, balance and metabolic health, especially as we age and our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30276173/">muscle mass and strength declines</a>. Aim for two days per week of whole-body resistance exercise performed at a moderate or <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">greater intensity</a>. Try to build two weekly sessions that target the major muscle groups. This could include: <ul> <li>squats – lower to the ground from standing by bending the hips, knees, and ankles while keeping the chest up tall before returning to standing by straightening the hips, knees and ankles</li> </ul> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.physio-pedia.com/Hip_Hinge">hinges</a> – fold forward at the hips by pushing your bottom back to the wall behind you, keeping your back straight. A slight bend in the knees is fine but aim to keep your shins vertical </li> <li> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7196742/">push-ups</a> – if a full push-up is too difficult, you can place your hands on a raised surface such as a step or a chair </li> <li> horizontal and vertical pull ups – using something like a portable chin up bar, which you can buy from sports supply stores </li> <li> vertical pushes – pushing an object (or weight) vertically from the top of your chest to an overhead position. </li> </ul> Once you have selected your exercises, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35873210/">perform</a> 2–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions at a moderate to greater intensity, with about 90 seconds rest between each set. As you progress, continue to challenge your muscles by adding an extra set to each exercise, or including dumbbells, changing body position or wearing a backpack with weights. The goal should be to progress slightly each session. However, if you have any underlying health conditions, disabilities, or are unsure how best to do this, see an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist. <h2>3. Flexibility</h2> Improved flexibility can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273886/">increase your range of motion</a> and improve your ability to manage daily life. While we don’t know the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273886/">best means of increasing flexibility</a>, the most basic and readily accessible is static <a href="https://www.topendsports.com/testing/flex.htm">stretching</a>. Here, we lengthen the muscle – for example, the hamstrings, until we feel a “stretching” sensation. Hold that position for 15–30 seconds. While the precise intensity of this stretching sensation <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26347668/">remains elusive</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29506306/">around 5–10 minutes</a> per week per <a href="https://exrx.net/Lists/Directory">muscle group</a>, spread across five days, seems to provide the best results. <h2>How to stick with it?</h2> The best exercise is the one that gets done. So, whatever you choose, make sure you enjoy it. After all, it’s about creating an ongoing commitment to exercise that will deliver long-term health benefits. It’s also important to ensure you’re ready to exercise, especially if you have any underlying health issues, have been previously inactive, or are unsure how to start. A <a href="https://www.ausactive.org.au/apss">pre-exercise screening</a> can help you to determine whether you should see a doctor or allied health professional before starting an exercise program and for guidance on the next steps. <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/206204/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lewis-ingram-1427671">Lewis Ingram</a>, Lecturer in Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-bennett-1053061">Hunter Bennett</a>, Lecturer in Exercise Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/saravana-kumar-181105">Saravana Kumar</a>, Professor in Allied Health and Health Services Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</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/cant-afford-a-gym-membership-or-fitness-class-3-things-to-include-in-a-diy-exercise-program-206204">original article</a>.

Body

Reward in mystery murder of billionaire couple tops $52 million

The deaths of Canadian billionaires Barry and Honey Sherman have been a mystery right from the start. On December 15, 2017, a realtor giving a tour of the couple's Toronto mansion around midday discovered their bodies, fully dressed, beside their indoor basement swimming pool. They were semi-seated side by side, with belts tied around their necks and attached to the railing of the indoor pool according to police. Barry Sherman was 75 and his wife Honey was 70. The story made headlines across the globe, as police called the deaths suspicious. Theories have swirled about who might have wanted to kill the founder of Canadian generic drug giant Apotex and his philanthropic wife – being one of Canada's richest couples. Investigators have worked to connect the dots however, five years later, no arrests have been made. On this week's anniversary of the killings, the Shermans' son offered an additional $25 million (A$37 million) for information leading to an arrest. The reward is now $52 million. "This week marks the five-year anniversary since my parents were murdered in their home. Every day since then has been a nightmare. I have been overwhelmed with pain, loss, and sorrow and these feelings only continuously compound," Jonathon Sherman said in a statement announcing the reward money. "Closure will not be possible until those responsible for this evil act are brought to justice," he added. The victims' prominence meant the case was high profile from the start. At the time of his death, Forbes estimated Barry was worth $4.5 billion. The Shermans' wealth, vast investments and philanthropy work saw them cross paths with Canada's business and political elites, their funeral was attended by thousands of people, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Kathleen Wynne, premier of the province of Ontario. At the service an emotional Jonathon Sherman took the stage, with his three sisters, and slammed speculation that their parents died by suicide. Police later concluded someone had killed them, only six weeks after the bodies were found, Toronto police announced a review of evidence showed they were victims of a homicide, saying they believed the couple was targeted. With no forced signs of entry to the property, it's possible someone had a key, had access to the lockbox that held the keys or was known to the couple, Gomes said. In 2021, police asked for help identifying a shadowy suspect. After years of silence, police made a shocking announcement on the fourth anniversary of the couple's deaths last year, sharing a video of a shadowy person caught on security video walking on the snow-covered sidewalks in the couple's North York neighborhood. The Sherman children say the lack of answers adds to their grief. It's been five years since the murders and there have been no major developments. True crime podcasts have even have tried to unravel intrigue surrounding the deaths. In a statement to the CBC, her brother, Jonathon Sherman, echoed the same sentiment, saying the family will never get closure until the killer is brought to justice. The siblings reminded the public of the $52 million in reward money and pleaded for anyone with information to contact the Toronto Police Service. Image: AP

Legal

Why you should beware spending rewards and BNPL programs

Malware is software designed to disrupt and destroy, and there are plenty of ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ financial programs doing just that to people’s financial futures. Some that come to mind are programs (yes, they’re called ‘programs’) that make it easier to spend and / or reward and incentivise spending, and harder to make good financial decisions. When you get tricked into spending, or spending more than you otherwise would, you transfer your wealth to someone else. The more wealth you consume, the less you have for later on. Let’s consider two marketing malware culprits to avoid wherever possible. Rewards Programs Beware programs that trick you into thinking that spending is good. Consider Flybuys for example. It is a rewards program where you generally receive one Flybuys point for every dollar spend. Therefore, to earn 1 000 000 Flybuys points, you need to spend $1 000 000. What if I told you that the cash value of one Flybuys point is 0.5 cents? That would mean to earn 1 000 000 Flybuys points you’d have to spend $1 000 000, yet that $1 000 000 is really only ‘worth’ $5000. They’ve actually created a system where you think you’re being rewarded on a one-for-one basis (i.e. one dollar spent equals one point) when really you’re being rewarded at the rate of half of one cent for every dollar spent. Additionally, when it comes time to redeem your points, the products you can ‘purchase’ are valued at top dollar, rather than at any discounted price you might be able to find if you shopped around. Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Back in the day, department stores offered something called lay-by. This was where you could grab a product off the shelf, take it to the store’s lay-by counter and enter an arrangement with them to pay it off over two or three instalments. Once you’d made the final payment, the product was yours to own and take home. Lay-by was a great option for people who couldn’t access or didn’t want to use credit cards. There were no upfront fees associated with lay-by, and there was certainly no interest charged. Lay-by has been reborn and rebadged as BNPL; you pay by instalments, and you can take the product with you immediately. You won’t pay any fees provided you make the required instalments in full and on time. If you don’t, then you’ll be slugged with establishment fees, late fees, account-keeping fees and payment processing fees. The danger is that BNPL is easier to access than traditional debt options such as credit cards because BNPL is not technically credit since providers don’t charge interest. But BNPL is consumer debt with instant gratification, and that makes it credit in my book. Afterpay is one of the biggest BNPL providers on the planet. It advertises that it is a ‘free service’, provided you pay on time. If you don’t, their late fee is $10 per missed payment, plus an additional $7 if the payment is still outstanding after a week. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you had bought something that only cost $20 and forgot to make a $5 instalment, then the $10 fee is 200 per cent of the missed payment. Ouch! Don’t forget that the fee is per missed payment. If there were other purchases made, then the fee would compound. Late fees, however small, can quickly cascade into a significant sum of money, potentially many times more than the instalment due or even the price of the item purchased. Plus, there are other consequences of missed payments—black marks on credit records, difficulties borrowing for other debt such as a home loan, and the possibility of additional fees as debts are passed over to debt collectors. BNPL organisations profit from users who fail to meet their repayment obligations, and so part and parcel of running a successful business and growing profits would involve them doing well when their customers do poorly. You can’t expect corporate behemoths to do the right thing by you if it’s the wrong thing by them. The best you can do is gain the skills and awareness you need to know when you’re being played. Marketing malware disrupts your ability to accumulate wealth by tricking you into believing you are getting a better deal than is the case. Ideally, you’d avoid using it at all, but if it’s too late for that, then you need to clean up your code as soon as you can. Being rewarded for spending money you haven’t yet earned is a toxic combination that will poison your efforts to attract and keep a fortune that counts. Make sure you are a good shepherd of your financial flock by being vigilant in keeping an eye out for marketing malware wolves, and not falling for their enticing yet financially disempowering charms. Edited extract from Steve McKnight’s Money Magnet: How to Attract and Keep a Fortune that Counts (Wiley $32.95), now available at all leading retailers. Visit www.moneymagnet.au Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Have you fallen for the myth of ‘I can’t draw’? Do it anyway – and reap the reward

Drawing is a powerful tool of communication. It helps build self-understanding and can <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0276237420923290">boost</a> mental health. But our current focus on productivity, outcomes and “talent” has us thinking about it the wrong way. Too many believe the <a href="http://www.visuallanguagelab.com/P/NC_drawingdevelopment.pdf">myth</a>of “I can’t draw”, when in fact it’s a skill built through practice. Dedicated practice is hard, however, if you’re constantly asking yourself: “What’s the point of drawing?” As I argue in a new <a href="https://www.closure.uni-kiel.de/closure8/fisher">paper</a> in <a href="https://www.closure.uni-kiel.de/start_en">Closure E-Journal for Comic Studies</a>, we need to reframe our concept of what it means to draw, and why we should do it – especially if you think you can’t. Devoting a little time to drawing each day may make you happier, more employable and sustainably productive. <h2>The many benefits of drawing</h2> I’m a keen doodler who turned a hobby into a PhD and then a career. I’ve taught all ages at universities, in library workshops and online. In that time, I’ve noticed many people do not recognise their own potential as a visual artist; self-imposed limitations are common. That’s partly because, over time, drawing as a skill set has been devalued. <a href="https://mili.eu/insights/sunday-times-essential-workers-poll-response">A 2020 poll</a> ranked artist as the top non-essential job. But new jobs are emerging all the time for visual thinkers who can translate complex information into easily understood visuals. Big companies <a href="https://inkfactorystudio.com/">hire</a> comic creators to document corporate meetings visually, so participants can track the flow of ideas in real time. Cartoonists are paid to draft <a href="https://australiacouncil.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Graphic-Storytellers-at-Work-GSAW-Report-Case-Study-One.pdf">innovative, visual contracts</a> for law firms. Perhaps you were told as a child to stop doodling and get back to work. While drawing is often quiet and introspective, it’s certainly not a “waste of time”. On the contrary, it has significant mental health benefits and should be cultivated in children and adults alike. How we feel influences <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261661107_An_Introduction_to_the_Diagnostic_Drawing_Series_A_Standardized_Tool_for_Diagnostic_and_Clinical_Use">how we draw</a>. Likewise, engaging with drawing affects how we feel; it can help us understand and process our inner world. Art-making can <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0276237420923290">reduce anxiety</a>, <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ722383">elevate mood</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6124538/">improve quality of life</a> and <a href="https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8bq69315">promote general creativity</a>. Art therapy has even been <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16288447/">linked to</a> reduced symptoms of distress and higher quality of life for cancer patients. And it can help you enter a “flow state”, where self-consciousness disappears, focus sharpens, work comes easily to you and mental blockages seem to evaporate. <h2>Cultivating a drawing habit</h2> Cultivating a drawing habit means letting go of biases against drawing and against copying others to learn technique. Resisting the urge to critically compare your work to others’ is also important. Most children don’t care about what’s considered “essential” to a functioning society. They draw instinctively and freely. Part of the reason drawing rates are thought to be <a href="http://mtoku.yourweb.csuchico.edu/vc/Articles/toku/Toku_what%20is%20manga_.html">higher in Japan</a>is their immersion in Manga (Japanese comics), a broadly popular and culturally important medium. Another is an emphasis on diligent practice. Children copy and practise the Manga style, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/20716077">providing a critical stepping stone</a> from free scribbling to controlled representation. Copying is not seen as a no-no; it’s integral to building skill. As researcher and artist Neil Cohn <a href="http://www.visuallanguagelab.com/P/NC_drawingdevelopment.pdf">argues</a>, learning to draw is similar to (and as crucial as) learning language, a skill built through exposure and practice, "Yet, unlike language, we consider it normal for people not to learn to draw, and consider those who do to be exceptional […] Without sufficient practice and exposure to an external system, a basic system persists despite arguably impoverished developmental conditions." So choose an art style you love and copy it. Encourage children to while away hours drawing. Don’t worry about how it turns out. Prioritise the conscious experience of drawing over the result. With regular practice, you may find yourself occasionally melting into states of “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)">flow</a>”, becoming wholly absorbed. A small, regular pocket of time to temporarily escape the busy world and enter a flow state via drawing may help you in other parts of your life. <h2>How to get started</h2> Use simple tools that you’re comfortable with, whether it’s a ballpoint pen on post-it notes, pencil on paper, a dirty window, or a foggy mirror. Times you’d typically be aimlessly scrolling on your phone are prime candidates for a quick sketch. Doodle when you’re on the phone, watching a movie, bored in a waiting room. Together with mindful doodling, drawing from observation and memory form a holy trinity of sustainable proficiency. Drawing from life strengthens your understanding of space and form. Copying other styles gives you a shortcut to new “visual libraries”. Drawing from memory merges the free play of doodling with the mental libraries developed through observation, bringing imagined worlds to life. With time and persistence, you may find yourself producing drawings you’re proud of. At that point, you can ask yourself: what other self-limiting beliefs are holding me back? Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/have-you-fallen-for-the-myth-of-i-cant-draw-do-it-anyway-and-reap-the-rewards-172623" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Art

Million-dollar reward offered 20 years after woman disappeared

Two decades after she disappeared, authorities have increased a reward of $1 million for information relating to the whereabouts of missing NSW woman Amber Haigh. Ms Haigh vanished on June 5, 2002, and was reported missing on June 19 after she didn’t return to her Kingsvale home where she lived with her six-month-old son and a married couple. According to a statement from NSW Police, they were told the married couple dropped Ms Haigh off at Campbelltown train station on Wednesday 5, as she had planned to travel to Mt Druitt to visit her hospitalised father. <iframe style="overflow: hidden; border: initial none initial;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnswpoliceforce%2Fposts%2F366441632194929&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="638" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> The increase was announced by the NSW Government and NSW Police Force, in a move that has been welcomed by Ms Haigh’s family. Rosalind Wright, Ms Haigh’s mother, said she “knows in her heart she (Amber) would never have left her son” while Ms Haigh’s sister, Melissa Millar-Hodder, has urged anyone with information to come forward. “Any information would help, please contact police,” she said. “Amer had a kind, warm, loving soul. She would help anyone she can if she needed help. “Her son never got to know or grow up with his caring, loving mum. “This impact this has had is feeling incomplete, feeling lost. Not knowing where she is and what happened to Amber, not even to lay her to rest, or pick up the phone or give her hugs one last time; that has been taken away from us.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/haigh-relatives.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Amber Haigh’s sister (left) and mother (right) shared a video message urging anyone with information to come forward. Image: NSW Police (Hightail) After a 2011 Coronial Inquest found Ms Haigh to be deceased as a result of homicide or other misadventure, a formal review of the case was conducted in 2020 resulted in the investigation re-commencing under Strike Force Villamar II. Detective Superintendent and Homicide Squad Commander Danny Doherty told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/amber-haigh-reward-of-1-million-offered-20-years-after-nsw-woman-suspiciously-disappeared/2439461c-ea78-44fc-a052-8ed3237acf85" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News </a>police believed Ms Haigh was met with foul play but were yet to find enough evidence to prosecute. “But, to date, we have been unable to find enough evidence to prosecute anyone over her disappearance,” he said. “Police can only expect breakthroughs in these sorts of cases with the help of the public, so please, do what is right and come forward.” Anyone with information that could assist Strike Force Villamar II investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or <a href="https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au./" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online</a>. Image: NSW Police (Hightail)

Caring

$1 million Cleo Smith reward status

Image: Facebook Western Australia Police have said they do not anticipate the state’s landmark $1 million reward for information about Cleo Smith to be paid out. WA Premier Mark McGowan offered the hefty reward for information leading to Cleo’s location, or to the arrest and conviction of those involved in her disappearance. The reward was announced just six days after Cleo was abducted from her family tent at the remote Blowholes campsite on October 16th. While police remain tight-lipped about what prompted them to search the locked Carnarvon home where Cleo was found, they did credit the hard work of a 140-strong police taskforce. WA Police Minister Paul Papalia told ABC on Thursday morning: “It wasn’t a random tip off or clairvoyant or any of those sorts of things you might hear. “It was just a hard police grind,” he said. WA Police Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch previously said he doesn’t expect the $1 million reward to be claimed, but he told Channel Seven’s Sunrise on Thursday he’s not completely ruling out the possibility. “Look, the police collected so much information from day one for those 18 days that they were able to trawl through and put that jigsaw puzzle together,” Comm Blanch said. “Now part of that jigsaw puzzle was information from the community, but it all contributed to the outcome. “Look, we’re not going to discount that it’s not going to be paid out, but certainly the information that I have from the police is that really it was good, hard detective and analyst work." Criteria for police paying reward Associate Professor of Criminology and forensic anthropologist Dr Xanthé Mallet from the University of Newcastle told Yahoo News Australia there are specific rules around rewards regarding what they will be paid out for. Cleo’s reward was offered for location information, or details that could lead to an arrest and conviction. “Each reward has its own structure for what it will be paid out for,” she said. “If there was a genuine call on this reward I’m sure they’d be very happy to pay it,” she added. Speaking with the ABC, Dr Mallet said the Carnarvon community and the whole of Australia just really “wanted to see Cleo found alive and unharmed”. “…at the end of the day Cleo is home, and for most people the reward is seeing her in her parents’ arms in the hospital safe and unharmed.”

Money & Banking

The unbeatable poker-playing program

<div class="copy"> When it comes to games, machines have left us in the dust – we’ve been trounced at draughts, chess, even the TV quiz show Jeopardy. But clever humans still had an edge when it came to poker – until now. A new program, Cepheus, plays the game so well you could play against it your whole life and, unless you were unbelievably lucky, still not finish on top. It is the brainchild of Michael Bowling and colleagues at the University of Alberta who published the algorithm behind their winning result in Science. And yes – Cepheus can even bluff. “It will almost certainly leave human opponents in its wake,” says David Dowe, a machine learning and artificial intelligence expert at Monash University. Computer algorithms are very good at cracking those games where players know everything that has occurred before making their move – this is known in game theory as “perfect information”. Examples are Connect Four and draughts – each player can see where all pieces lie on the board. These games were solved by computers in 1998 and 2007 respectively. But poker is an imperfect-information game. A player doesn’t know what cards their opponent holds or what cards their opponent thinks they hold. Not surprisingly, it’s these unknowns that make poker extremely challenging for computers to handle. So in 2008, Las Vegas was a little shaken up when a computer program, Polaris, beat some of its best poker pros at Texas hold ’em. But Polaris was not perfect – it occasionally lost. By rejigging its algorithm, Bowling and his poker research group have upped the ante and “solved” the game of poker while they were at it. “Solving” a game is not quite the same as beating your opponents. When it comes to chess or Jeopardy, all IBM’s Deep Blue or Watson had to do was provide a solution superior to their human opponents – but not necessarily the perfect one. By contrast, Cepheus’s algorithms were derived as rigorously as any mathematical proof. Its solutions are unbeatable by any opponent. So poker can be said to have been solved in a way that neither chess nor Jeopardy have. To get to its virtually unbeatable state, Cepheus had to “learn” from experience. It played the equivalent of a billion billion hands over two months, “… more poker than has been played by the entire human race,” says Bowling. And in a classical example of machine learning, it reviewed every decision, learnt which did or didn’t pay off and used that information to play as perfectly as possible. Cepheus’s strength lies in its ability to solve problems where there is a great deal of uncertainty. A human opponent might win individual hands if they get lucky with the cards, but Cepheus always comes out on top in the long run. Texas hold ’em is the most popular form of poker played today and Bowling’s group restricted Cepheus to a simple version called “heads-up limit hold ’em” – it’s played with two players (heads-up) and has fixed bet sizes and number of raises (limit). But when faced with a decision in real life, people aren’t usually limited to a set number of choices. So might a future version of Cepheus solve a no-limit version of poker? “Out of the question, ” says Bowling. “No-limit poker is considerably more complex. The heads-up limit game has 1014 (100 trillion) possible decision points and heads-up no-limit hold ’em has 10140 decision points.” To put that number in context, there are around 1070 atoms in the universe. If every atom contained its own universe you’d have as many atoms as decision points in heads-up no-limit hold ’em poker, well beyond the capabilities of any computer. Bowling believes the decision-making strategies Cepheus has mastered will have their greatest impact outside of the games room. Artificial intelligence has a history of beating humans at games and then going on to bigger and better things. For example, IBM’s Jeopardy-winning computer system Watson now helps optimise cancer treatment at Sloan Kettering and provides financial advice at Citicorp and ANZ. Cepheus’s strength lies in its ability to solve problems where there is a great deal of uncertainty. For instance, if you have diabetes, calculating the wrong amount of insulin needed day-to-day can be life threatening, particularly when you take into account unforeseen changes in physical activity or diet. Working with clinicians, Bowling is already using Cepheus-like strategies to develop diabetes management policies, although he says it will be years before they are implemented. Despite heading the poker research laboratory, Bowling says he’s not much of a poker player and has only played a few hands against his “perfect player” program. “The first time I ran for about 20 hands and I was in the lead and ready to quit, but then I played another 20 hands and lost a bunch of money, so now I’m behind,” he laughs. You can try your hand against Cepheus at <a rel="noopener" href="http://poker.srv.ualberta.ca/play" target="_blank">http://poker.srv.ualberta.ca/play</a> Image credits: Shutterstock <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=6287&title=The+unbeatable+poker-playing+program" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/mathematics/the-unbeatable-poker-playing-program/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Belinda Smith. </div>

Technology

"No hesitation": WA Premier announces huge reward in Cleo Smith search

Image: Instagram A $1 million reward for information about missing four-year-old Cleo Smith has been offered by The Western Australian government. The decision comes as the search enters its sixth day. The focus has now been switched to the prospect the little girl was abducted. The ground search around the campsite north of Carnarvon in WA’s Midwest was back in full swing on Thursday. It’s becoming increasingly unlikely that Cleo will be found alive around there. Acknowledging someone must know something about her disappearance, the WA government is now offering a $1 million reward. “All Western Australians’ thoughts are with Cleo’s family during what is an unimaginably difficult time,” WA Premier Mark McGowan said. “We’re all praying for a positive outcome.” “We want to ensure police have everything they need to solve this case and that’s why my government has no hesitation in supporting police with this reward offer.” The reward is for $1 million for information resulting in finding Cleo or leading to arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved in her suspicious disappearance. It is the equal largest reward offered in WA history. A number of other high profile disappearances and murders have also attracted a $1 million reward, including for information about the murder of 11-year-old Gerard Ross in 1997, the disappearance of 12-year-old Lisa Mott in 1980 and the disappearance of Lisa Govan in 1999. Evidence is mounting in the Cleo Smith case that a third party was involved. Police say there is crucial evidence that includes the tent were Cleo, her mother Ellie, stepfather Jake, and baby sister Isla were sleeping. The zipper on the front of the tent had been opened to a height that made it impossible for Cleo to have opened it herself. Added to that, the little girl’s sleeping bag was missing and has not been found. Cleo was last seen inside the tent around 1:30 am on Saturday when her mum gave her a drink of water. At 6 am they awoke to give the younger child a bottle, Cleo was gone. A massive land and sea search was mounted in rough country with a treacherous coastline. Twenty registered sex offenders are currently living in and around the town of Carnarvon and have all been questioned. The state government have offered million-dollar rewards before but never this soon after a suspected crime was committed, signalling the urgency to find Cleo quickly. “I urge anyone who knows what happened to little Cleo to come forward with the information police need to find her.”

News

Family offers $1million reward for missing heiress

The family searching for the missing heiress Juanita Nielsen has offered up a $1 million reward for anyone who may have information on her disappearance. Juanita, who was 38 when she was seen for the last time, owned the alternative newspaper NOW which, over 46 years ago, she used to rally against developers who were wanting to build on protected heritage buildings in Potts Point. She also used her magazine to promote the Builders Labourers Federation’s controversial green bans during the 70s. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841997/juanita-nielsen.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9b4f59dabe384bef9b19ee7fa5c99b52" /> Juanita was last ever seen at the nightclub Carousel Cabaret in Kings cross on the early morning of July 4, 1975. The club was run by a man who allegedly had close ties to notorious underworld crime boss Abe Saffron. While Juanita’s family, nor investigators can confirm why she mysteriously disappeared all those years ago, her living relatives are desperate to find answers. It is widely believed she was kidnapped and murdered due to her anti-development and anti-corruption campaigns which she broadcasted loudly. A coronial inquiry in 1983 found Ms Nielson, who was also an heiress to the Mark Foy's retail empire, had likely died. However, what perhaps is the most shocking and mystifying part of this case, is that despite its extraordinary publicity – a body, nor more information has ever been uncovered. Her family say they are desperate to give Juanita a proper burial with her cousin Francis Foy appealing for any information about her suspected murder. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841996/juanita-nielsen-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8ce11450707b4a428abaf232d833c59e" /> "Juanita was very much loved by her family and very much missed," Mr Foy said on Monday. "Her disappearance and the unknown of what happened to her caused incredible pain for her family." Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said in a statement that it was unlikely they would be able to collect any further forensic evidence or witness statements, but that hope is not lost. "In turn, it has also become difficult for police to target known persons of interest or associates due to their passing," he said in a statement. "However, it is our hope that someone in the community may have information about Juanita's disappearance, or the location of her remains."

Retirement Life

The most rewarding thing about being a parent

Being a parent (and later, a grandparent) is one of life’s most rewarding experiences. From the little things to watching their kids grow into unique, caring adults and parents themselves, we asked the Over60 community to tell us what they loved most about being a parent. Here are some of our favourite responses. 1. The simple things “One great memory was Sunday morning breakfast in bed. On the menu: hot or cold tea, hot or cold orange juice and toast with vegemite (from the eight-year-old with help from the younger ones). So lovely.” – Jo Bolland. 2. Watching them become their own people “Seeing our children reach their potential and their own expectations, learning to be kind, thoughtful, caring, tolerant and patient, but also having their own opinions on many, many subjects – which are sometimes totally different to ours!” – Sarah McInnes. 3. Dealing with their naughty behaviour “Button pushing encouraged me to learn a lot about myself and to become a better human being, as well as a better mother than those who went before me (in my family). Helped me to overcome and to eventually really like the person that I am.” – Lorraine Moyes. 4. Fostering a new generation of great parents “Everything about my children is rewarding and now they are all adults with families of their own, the reward is seeing what wonderful parents they all are. That is reward enough for me and tells me we did a pretty good job raising them. A very rewarding job!” – Janis White. 5. Becoming a grandparent “Experiencing how kind, capable and well-mannered they are now they are adults. And, of course, being a grandparent. That is a real joy.” – Laraine Buscombe. 6. Seeing them learn new things “The joy of watching your children learning new things and growing from babies. My son once made me an interesting Mother’s Day breakfast – a toasted vegemite and lettuce sandwich!” – Annette Brown. 7. The routine “The best part of the day was when the kids had gone to bed and there was a peaceful silence that wrapped itself around the house until the next adventure/drama/joy of being a parent unfolds!” – Doug Lambert. What did you find to be the most rewarding part about being a parent? And what’s the best thing about being a grandparent? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Family & Pets

5 good reasons to join a hotel loyalty program

There are lots of good reasons to get with the program. 1. Earn loyalty points Just like airline frequent flyer points, hotel loyalty programs give you points every time you make a booking. These add up and can be used to book hotel nights at any property in the group or you can spend them on extras within the hotel, like the restaurant or spa. You’ll actually find that hotel loyalty points are much easier to accrue and redeem than airline points, so you can take advantage of them straight away. 2. Get extra discounts Everyone loves saving money! Members will be offered exclusive discounts or special rates that aren’t available to the general public. These could be sent out in a members-only email or there might be a special members’ area you can access on their website when booking direct. Never pay full price again. 3. Enjoy exclusive freebies Even if you are just paying the standard room rate, that loyalty card still has value. Most hotels will offer members things like free Wi-Fi access, welcome drinks, breakfast, lounge access and more. These are the little extras that can quickly add up during a hotel stay, so it pays to be a member and get them at no extra charge. 4. Take advantage of the perks Hotels want you to stay loyal to them, so they will sometimes offer members special perks when they stay with them. That could be room upgrades, a bottle of champagne in the room, free breakfast or even things like spa treatments if you are one of their top frequent sleepers. 5. Get the royal treatment Every time you book, the fact that you are a member of the loyalty program will be noted in the system. Hotels want to keep their members happy (and keep them coming back), so they will go out of their way to make sure you have a pleasant stay. Are you part of a hotel loyalty program? Do you think it’s worth it? Let us know in the comments below.

Travel Tips

This annoying computer program is about to be scrapped

Adobe is planning to remove its Flash Media Player by the end of 2020, the company announced in a blog post on Tuesday. Adobe Flash Player is still being used by a number of gaming, education, and video sites, but the company is encouraging businesses and people that use Flash to migrate to other platforms. <img src="http://cdn.arn.com.au/media/8340179/flashupdate.jpg?width=500&height=315.4435925520263" alt="undefined" style="width: 354px; height: 223px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Say goodbye to annoying update messages like this. “We will stop updating and distributing the Flash Player at the end of 2020 and encourage content creators to migrate any existing Flash content to these new open formats,” Adobe said in a statement. In the past few years, web browsers Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari have all blocked Flash ad used HTML5 instead. Adobe Flash was crucial in enabling early websites to run videos and online games. But as the web has evolved and improved, there's little need for Flash now. The full migration to HTML5 will likely result in more secure experiences and longer battery life.

Technology

Why spoiling your grandchildren isn’t always a bad thing

Bratty, demanding, impatient, rude – it is a truth universally acknowledged that no one likes a spoiled child. So why do so many grandparents gleefully admit to “spoiling” their grandchildren? Surely they remember the difficulties of parenting a young child. At this point, it’s important to remember that there’s a difference between surprising children with gifts and treats, and indulging bad behaviour with rewards – though the former can evolve into the latter over time. Let’s take a look at ways you can “spoil” your grandchildren without spoiling them. Spoil with gifts We get such joy from being able to buy things that will make our grandchildren happy. While it’s not something you should do all the time, buying surprise gifts for your grandkids will bring a smile to their face. If you’re worried about the kinds of toys they might be playing with, or what their parents will say about that, visit an educational toy shop or a games store. The salespeople there are usually full of excellent suggestions of out-of-the-box gift ideas for young children. If it’s a gift they have never seen before, it will make it more special and memorable. Spoil with time Not all gifts have to be physical. Spending quality time with your grandchildren can be a treat for everyone involved. Not only will their parents appreciate a little time to themselves, your grandchildren will love having the undivided attention of another grown-up. Next time you’re babysitting, or out to lunch with the family, make a point of having a conversation just with your grandchild. Or help them write a story. Have them help you bake cupcakes or biscuits. Teach them a game of cards. Make the moment special and unique and your grandchild will feel truly spoiled. Spoil with experiences Do you remember those times when an adult in your life took you somewhere amazing for a morning, an afternoon, or even an entire day? Get creative and think of fun experiences your grandchildren might love. Research the best local parks and take them to one they’ve never visited. Or take them to a nearby town for a picnic lunch. Making your grandchild the star of the day will help them feel appreciated and loved. Spoil with treats If you’re spending an afternoon with your grandchild, and you want to treat them because they’ve been so good, consider spoiling them with an over-the-top sweet treat. In this case, it’s about buying them something they’ll remember for years to come – that fancy-looking dessert, perhaps? This is something you should only do with complete awareness of your grandchild’s dietary requirements. Spoil with permission When you want to spoil your grandchildren, you should try to do so in keeping with the wishes of their parents. If you’re told that a child has been naughty at home for a while, then buying them a special treat may not be the best idea – that’s when legitimate spoiling happens. Are you a grandparent who spoils? What are your favourite treats to share with your grandchildren?

Family & Pets

Why training an assistance puppy is so rewarding

Pip Jacobson was born and raised as a dairy farmer’s daughter on the remote King Island, in Bass Strait, and now resides with her husband in Queensland's sunshine. Having had farm and rescue dogs all her life, she fell upon a SmartPup fundraising event and became involved with the non-profit organisation in March 2016. "Ugh, these better be tossed," I thought as I hoiked up my knickers with the long-handled BBQ tongs, unable to bend with my newly fractured hip screaming blasphemy as I barely lifted my left foot from the floor. "Amazing how ingenious one can become," was my second thought as the tongs did their magic and my dressing progressed. Just three days prior I'd raced through the kitchen yelling at my foster pup to "LEAVE IT! LEAVE IT! " as an aggressive brown snake made its mad mission to corner her in the smallest area of the garden. Christmas 2016 proved to be our quietest one yet. Not that it was planned that way – in fact we were expecting a very special guest called Shine – who was coming with the intention of displaying a few manners to my little foster pup Chilli who was being over-friendly, and needing to learn the etiquette of “meeting other dogs”. Actually, Chilli took on a roll much bigger than was expected of her by caring for my needs instead!! <img width="419" height="559" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34203/tired-baby_419x559.jpg" alt="Tired Baby" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Both Chilli, and Shine are SmartPups – assistance dogs for children. As it turned out Chilli finished her training with an added bonus... learning to keep her feet away from a wheelchair's wheels, and crutches! She graduated with flying colours. Chilli arrived in March 2016 as a wee soft nine-week-old cute Labrador – the kind of canine I'd never owned... not that I would ever own Chilli as a foster. It had taken me 12 months to decide whether I was cut out to help socialise and home-train these special puppies, knowing that there would be a doomsday when she went off to her forever family – her new owner being an autistic child, or one that suffered from diabetes or seizures. Chilli quickly proved her nose 'knows'; such a 'snifter' she focused on getting as much knowledge as she could from her nasal sensory gift, she was destined to become a seizure response assistance dog. I am proud to say that only this week she was placed in her new home as exactly that! My overnight stay in hospital was, at least, enlightening. As I lay in the Observation Ward willing my mind away from left hip howling, a very thoughtful young 'lady' hurling obscenities and abuse in 360 degrees proved to be both scary, and entertaining! Knowing that I couldn't exactly run if I had to, I was relieved to realise that she had six burly security guards around her and her cries of "I don't feel safe! I don't feel safe" resonated very clearly in my ears. "I'm with you, babe!" And I hadn't even sampled ice, I merely had a hip in fragments. This sent an urgent message to my bladder so I hailed a passing nurse (no call bell on my bedframe) and suggested help to get me to the Ladies. "Too busy," she breathlessly panted as she reefed aside my privacy curtain, and flung in a commode chair. Tentatively I eventually managed to board this thing, but failed to realise that the potty had slipped backwards, it too trying to escape tidal waves of shouting. So there I was with a left hip hollering and a right foot reeking of urine with a huge puddle between me and safety. An avalanche of abuse quickly swept me back to my spot, hurty hip ignored and dripping foot dripping while I vainly tried to throw fleeing tissues into the offending pee-pool. Release the next morning didn't come soon enough. <img width="381" height="510" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34205/img_0771_381x510.jpg" alt="IMG_0771 (1)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Chilli wasn't home when I arrived back from hospital. She was back at the training centre and I was mortified. Knowing that I only had six weeks left before she was to be placed with her forever family, I pleaded with the trainers, stating that my recovery would be twice as quick if I had this special dog with me. Yes, they agreed and sent her back, along with a wheelchair and the command "WATCH IT". Chilli learned very quickly to keep her toes away from those huge wheels, and not only did she walk sedately beside me, she walked slowly and gently next to me once I mastered the crutches – without ever having been taught. She had her one year birthday two weeks after my fall. She had mastered her seizure detection work plus wheelchair experience! Chilli and I attended the regular Saturday training session in the New Year – me of course, skiting that a dedicated foster parent takes all kinds of spills to accompany the thrills for this SmartPup training! The Foster Families Saturday get togethers had become the highlight of our week – we encouraged our puppies to be calm and not distracted by other dogs, skateboards, balls, prams, motorbikes, runners; anything that may cause an assistant dog tethered to a child to break their focus from their "work". We'd sit and gossip and the puppies learned to sit and be patient. Then we would have puppy-play time – these amazing dogs earned their play time where we encouraged them to run free and be themselves, playing and sharing toys, bones and water bowls. The joys to see a pack of ten or so dogs tumbling and frolicking after being so well behaved was our laughter-fix for the week. <img width="387" height="518" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34206/1_387x518.jpg" alt="1 (165)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> My decision to commit to fostering a SmartPup took 12 months, my yo-yo-ing as to whether I could hand back a puppy that I'd seen grow and develop, and of course love to bits. Last Monday I handed her lead to her brilliant trainer – we were at the airport, and my time with Chilli was on its tail end. My tears were pushed to the depths as I knew Chilli would pick up on my feelings. Her trainer took one last loo-stop before boarding and I could see Chilli, sitting next to me, search for her trainers return… I knew then, that this little pocket rocket Labrador had placed her trust in her trainer and I was content knowing that Chilli would board that flight feeling safe and secure. My time with my beautiful puppy/toddler/newly graduated Assistance Dog was done. There is a beautiful child suffering seizures who now has Chilli's dedication. How wonderful is that? P.S I received news recently that Chilli alerted her new family to an oncoming seizure that their young boy was about to have – so they took immediate action. She was placed only two weeks ago. My heart is humbled by this amazing dog. I just had to share that! For more information about SmartPups Autism Assistance Dogs, please visit their <a href="http://www.smartpups.org.au/" target="_blank">website</a>.

Family & Pets

Running programs aims to help homeless transform their lives

An Australian businessman, who launched not-for-profit running program On My Feet in late 2014, believes exercise might be the key to transforming the lives of Australia’s homeless population. Keegan Crage began visiting homeless shelters and inviting residents to come for a run to reap the positive benefits of exercise. “I told them: ‘Running is pure, simple, makes you feel great, I’ll provide the gear...and if you make the effort I’ll reward you with pathways to education and employment’,” Mr Crage told 9news.com.au. The strong response to his invitation led Mr Crage to create an incentivised program offering fitness gear, including shirts and shoes, to participants who are currently, or at risk of becoming, homeless. He said those with 90 per cent participation rate would also be assisted to find education and work experience, an opportunity Mr Crage says facilitates “not just self-worth and a sense of purpose… but a genuine pathway to self-sufficiency”. “Running is a great metaphor for life – you get out of it what you put in,” he said. The program has expanded from Perth to Fremantle, Rockingham, Melbourne, and Cape Town, South Africa. Kyle Holtzman, who has struggled with substance abuse problems for 26 years, is one of the 100 people participating in the program. He says the My Feet has left him with a new sense of purpose. “It’s certainly given me a sense of community, a sense of belonging, something to strive toward. It’s given me people I can talk to, people that are prepared to support me,” he said in a video recently posted on the On My Feet’s YouTube page. Watch Kyle’s story in the video above. Do you think this program will help Australia’s homeless population? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2016/08/how-to-take-care-of-your-heart-in-cooler-months/">How to take care of your heart in cooler months</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2016/01/cardiologist-tips-for-better-heart-health/">5 tips from a cardiologist for better heart health</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2016/07/secrets-for-a-healthy-heart-after-60/">5 secrets for a healthy heart after 60</a>

News

Importance of programs connecting aged care patients and children

Intergenerational care. It could be the next big thing in both aged care and childcare. But what exactly is it, and how does it benefit both parties? Australia’s Griffith University is currently researching how intergenerational model might be the next logical step in caring for both the elderly and the very young. “It arose from thinking – ‘Wow, why isn’t it normal to bring up children with the help of older people?’” Professor Anneke Fitzgerald told <a href="http://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2016/03/10/researchers-test-intergenerational-model-of-care/" target="_blank">Community Care Review</a>. “It may very well be that older people learn very well from children, like children learn very well from older people,” Professor Fitzgerald believes. “If you just imagine a picture of an older person sitting with an iPad being taught by a four-year-old how to swipe from one window to another, then that is exactly what we are talking about.” Intergenerational care programs have already proven successful overseas and are slowly being introduced to Australia and New Zealand. The <a href="http://careforourgreats.com/" target="_blank">Adopt a Pop, Gain a Granny</a> program is currently being rolled out in Geelong, pairing together local primary schools with aged care residents, and so far the results have been very positive. “We learnt about the history of many of the elderly people there and we got to make relationships with our new friends,” one primary student wrote on the program’s <a href="http://careforourgreats.com/2016/04/29/st-patricks-students-reflections/" target="_blank">website</a>. So, what is it about intergenerational care that’s so beneficial for both the young and the old? Let’s take a look at some of the benefits. For the elderly: <ul> <li>More opportunities for social interaction</li> <li>Improved mental and physical health</li> <li>Stronger sense of community</li> <li>Sense of purpose</li> <li>Boost in mood</li> </ul> For children: <ul> <li>Improved social skills, particularly towards the elderly and disabled</li> <li>Better academic performance</li> <li>More positive attitude to ageing and disability</li> </ul> Related links: <a href="/health/caring/2016/06/dementia-malnutrition-risk/">Dementia patients at risk of malnutrition</a> <a href="/health/caring/2016/05/this-mobile-game-is-helping-fight-dementia/">This mobile game is helping fight dementia</a> <a href="/health/caring/2016/05/animals-changing-lives-in-aged-care/">How animals are changing lives in aged care</a>

Caring

Princess Cruises husky puppy program

While cute husky puppies probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a luxury cruise, we’re sure you’ll agree they sound like a welcome addition! Princess Cruises is giving passengers on its Alaska itineraries the chance to meet these adorable sled-dogs-in-waiting as part of the line’s North to Alaska program. This award-winning program debuted last year, and aims to bring local personalities, culture and cuisine on-board Princess ships, to provide a more immersive experience. Puppies in the Piazza allows guests on select cruises to pet and take photos of the adorable puppies, as well as meeting the dog handlers who will eventually be preparing these cute little balls of fur for a lifetime of dog mushing. The handlers will also answer any questions you might have about the future sled dogs, although you may be a little disappointed with answer you get when you ask, “Can I take this sled dog home?” <img width="499" height="304" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/18108/puppies-in-text_499x304.jpg" alt="Sled puppies"/> In addition to the Puppies in the Piazza experience, Princess Cruises is also offering passengers the opportunity to enjoy their own catch of the day for dinner. A range a fishing experiences will now be offered, allowing passengers to bring back a well-earned catch and have it expertly prepared by the Princess’ culinary team. And, as if that wasn’t enough, Princess is also going to be offering a unique meet the Mountain Climber experience, which gives cruise passengers the opportunity to hear gripping, first-hand accounts from mountain climbers who have conquered the famous Denali Mountains. Climbers will present thrilling photos of their experience in Hudson Theatre at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, and after the presentation you’ll be able to meet the climbers and ask them any questions. You can also go outside for a glimpse at one of the retired airplanes which is very similar to the one the climbers used to transport people to and from base camp. Princess Cruises is currently offering the North to Alaska experience on the Crown Princess, Star Princess, Ruby Princess, Island Princess, Coral Princess and Grand Princess. These six ships will be offering more than 120 Alaska cruise departures in 2016. We have to say our favourite part of the North to Alaska program has to be those gorgeous huskies though, they’d almost be worth the price of the cabin alone. For more information on Princess Cruises; North to Alaska program, <a href="http://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-destinations/alaska-cruises/north-to-alaska/" target="_blank">click here</a>. Related links: <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/03/how-to-make-cruise-ship-towel-animals/">How to make cruise ship towel animals</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/03/inside-worlds-biggest-cruise-ship/">Inside one of the world’s biggest cruise ships</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/02/can-the-historic-queen-elizabeth-2-cruise-ship-be-saved/">Can the historic Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship be saved?</a>

Cruising

Why you need to reward yourself

One of the keys to achieving your goals – whether fitness, finance or family oriented – is to stay motivated. When you’re in the middle of the hard slog you can lose sight of the greater goal. Rewarding yourself along the way is a great way to keep your eyes on the prize. But you need to make sure you’re choosing the right rewards. So how do you decide? First, it’s important to understand that there are two types of rewards – those you give yourself for reaching your goal and smaller rewards you give yourself along the way. The size or scope of the reward needs to match what you’ve achieved. If you treat yourself with something big – like a holiday – when you complete the first stage of your goal, it can actually lessen your chances of reaching the end. What reason do you have to keep going? You should also remember that rewards don’t need to be financial. There’s no point working hard to pay off your credit card and then celebrating with a blow out at David Jones. You need to choose something that has significance for you and encourages you to keep meeting your goals. The essential ingredient in choosing these rewards is that they should make you feel great – physically, emotionally or spiritually. Start small. If you are on a fitness kick and complete all your workouts for the week you could reward yourself by downloading the next episode of your favourite podcast or a new album to listen to while you exercise. If you’re addicted to social media and have trouble getting out of bed for that early morning run, hold off on checking Facebook or Twitter until you get back. It’s a small reward but something you can genuinely look forward to when you walk back in the door. You can also try and sync your rewards with the goals themselves. Keeping with the fitness goals, how about a great new pair of sneakers or some workout gear when you reach a milestone? Or promise to treat yourself to a massage every week to soothe those aching muscles? Also don’t be afraid to take some ‘me time’ out for your reward. Sometimes there’s nothing you need more once you’ve met your responsibilities than to switch off – from everyone and everything – and take stock of what you’ve achieved. The final point to consider is that there doesn’t need to be a flipside to this. If you fail to meet your goal or have a setback, there’s no need to punish yourself. Obviously you shouldn’t take the reward, but numerous studies show that self-flagellation is no good to anyone. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2015/12/positive-thinking-and-mental-health/">Can positive thinking improve your mental health?</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2015/11/expert-tips-to-stress-less/">5 expert-approved ways to stress less</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/relationships/2016/01/bad-habits-that-ruin-relationships/">4 bad habits that will destroy your relationship</a>

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Importance of programs connecting aged care patients and children

Princess Cruises husky puppy program

Why you need to reward yourself