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Baggage handler calls out crucial mistake at bag-drop

A ramp agent for a major airline has revealed one crucial mistake that many people make when checking their luggage before they fly. Sharing all the details of the little-known trick on a lengthy Reddit thread, the baggage handler, who has years of experience working with American Airlines, noted an extra step that many people miss to ensure the safe arrival of their bags. "Your bag tag has three 'bingo' stickers with your itinerary on them. Take one off and stick it on your suitcase," the airline worker shared. "This way, even if the bag tag gets torn off at some point, we can still get it to its destination." The stickers look like small barcodes at the very end of the long luggage tag and can simply be pulled off and placed anywhere else on the suitcase. It can also be a good idea to keep one of these small tickets with you, whether on your boarding pass (in an area that doesn’t restrict important information), or simply on an old receipt. That way if your luggage unfortunately goes missing, you have the right barcode and number for your bags to be easily located, wherever they may be. Another thing the baggage handler mentions is the location of the luggage tag. While many signs indicate it should be placed around the side handle (if your case has one), the staff member suggests the top handle is better. "Having the tag on the top handle, which is the one that faces outward on the cart, makes it more likely for mistakes to be caught," he points out. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

What to claim for lost, delayed or damaged bags on overseas flights

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-johnston-123333">Rebecca Johnston</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-australia-852">University of Notre Dame Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-hodgkinson-6574">David Hodgkinson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> If you get on a plane and your baggage ends up being delayed, damaged or lost, who’s responsible: you or the airline? And what rules apply when you’re flying between different countries – even if you don’t have travel insurance? Airlines (otherwise known as carriers) generally include baggage requirements in their terms and conditions of carriage, which are set out or referred to on your ticket. These are the rules that apply to the journey that you have booked. But for international flights, a carrier’s liability for damage, loss or delay of baggage is governed by a number of overarching international treaties, which many passengers aren’t aware of. <h2>International agreements</h2> The <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.1929/doc.html">Warsaw Convention</a> of 1929 was the first of these treaties, and the latest is the passenger-friendly 1999 <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.unification.convention.montreal.1999/">Montreal Convention</a>. In order for one of these treaties to apply to a particular journey, the same treaty must be in place at the point of departure and the passenger’s final destination. For many trips, the agreement that will apply will be the Montreal Convention, which has to date <a href="http://www.icao.int/secretariat/legal/List%20of%20Parties/Mtl99_EN.pdf">108 state parties</a>, covering everywhere from Albania and Australia to Zambia. In time, the Montreal Convention is expected to apply to almost all air travel. The Warsaw Convention (as amended by the <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.hague.protocol.1955/doc.html">Hague Protocol</a> and <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.montreal.protocol.4.1975/doc.html">Montreal Protocol No. 4</a>) will generally apply where the Montreal Convention does not. It is less favourable to passengers. All these treaties have similar provisions to deal with baggage claims – but very different limits to what you might get if you need to make a claim. <h2>What the airline is responsible for</h2> A carrier is liable if your checked baggage is lost, delayed or damaged regardless of fault. This is so unless the damage resulted from the inherent defect or quality of the baggage or, in terms of delay, if it proves that it took all reasonable measures to avoid the damage occasioned by that delay. As for unchecked baggage (that is, carry-on baggage), the carrier is only liable if the damage is due to the fault of the carrier or its agents. Unless otherwise specified, reference to “baggage” includes both checked and unchecked baggage. <h2>Calculating baggage compensation</h2> Under the Warsaw Convention (as amended by the <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.hague.protocol.1955/doc.html">Hague Protocol</a> and <a href="http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/air.carriage.warsaw.convention.montreal.protocol.4.1975/doc.html">Montreal Protocol No. 4</a>) and the Montreal Convention, liability limits are expressed in <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/sdr.HTM">special drawing rights</a> (SDRs). An SDR is a type of foreign exchange reserve asset created by the International Monetary Fund. Its value is based on an artificial basket of currencies consisting of the US dollar, the euro, the pound and the Japanese yen. The liability limits are reviewed every five years. As of October 16, 2014, the <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/param_rms_mth.aspx">value of an SDR</a> is about US$1.49, £0.93 or A$1.70. Current SDR values for other currencies are also listed <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/param_rms_mth.aspx">here</a>. <h2>So what is your baggage worth?</h2> In terms of baggage liability limits, the Warsaw Convention is of relatively little assistance to passengers. If your international travel is subject to Warsaw (for example, if you flew out of the United States on a one way ticket to Guatemala), liability for delayed, damaged or lost baggage is limited to 17 SDRs (about US$25.33, £15.81 or A$28.90) per kilogram per passenger for checked baggage and 332 SDRs (about US$494.68, £308.76 or A$564.40) per passenger for unchecked baggage. In contrast, a carrier is liable to pay far greater damages if the Montreal Convention applies. For any travel covered by Montreal, the carrier’s liability for baggage is limited to 1131 SDRs per passenger (US$1685.19, £1051.83 or A$1922.70), unless otherwise declared. The carrier is not liable for damages caused by delay if the carrier took all reasonable measures, or if it was impossible for it to take such measures. <h2>Time limits on baggage claims</h2> Time limits are imposed on making a claim for delayed, damaged or lost baggage. Any potential claims should be made to a carrier in writing within these specified limits. Article 26 of Warsaw provides that any complaint as to delay of baggage must be made at the latest within 21 days from the date the baggage was placed at the passenger’s disposal. <figure class="align-right zoomable"></figure> Similarly, under Article 31 of Montreal, a complaint must be made within 21 days of a passenger receiving their baggage. With respect to damaged baggage, under Warsaw, any claim must be made “forthwith” after the discovery of the damage and at most seven days from the date of receipt of the baggage. Montreal also gives passengers seven days from receipt of checked bags to report a damage claim. Neither convention imposes a time limit for reporting lost baggage claims. But it is advisable that you make your complaint as soon as possible. Warsaw does not state when baggage is considered “lost”, leaving it up to carriers to make that ruling. Under Montreal, baggage is only considered lost after 21 days or if the carrier admits that they have lost it. If a passenger fails to make a complaint within the specified times, the carrier will not be liable unless there has been fraud on the carrier’s part. <h2>Insurance alternatives</h2> If you are concerned that the contents of your baggage exceed the liability limits outlined above, you can make a special declaration of the value of your baggage prior to check-in and pay any additional fee (if required). In this case, the carrier will be liable to pay a higher amount, unless it is proved that the declared amount is greater than the actual value of your baggage. Alternatively, prior to travelling, check with your insurance company as to whether your travel insurance covers any excess from delayed, damaged or lost baggage. You might also want to <a href="http://www.icao.int/secretariat/legal/List%20of%20Parties/Mtl99_EN.pdf">check this list</a> to see whether the places you’re departing from and finally arriving at are parties to the Montreal Convention. If not, you might just find yourself out of pocket.<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/32111/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-johnston-123333">Rebecca Johnston</a>, Adjunct Lecturer, Law School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-australia-852">University of Notre Dame Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-hodgkinson-6574">David Hodgkinson</a>, Associate Professor, Law School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-to-claim-for-lost-delayed-or-damaged-bags-on-overseas-flights-32111">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Do red bags get loaded onto a plane first? Travel hack goes viral

One TikTok user has racked up over 75 million views for their hack which warns travellers against buying red suitcases. The reason behind it? He claims that red suitcases are always loaded onto a plane first - meaning that they will be the last ones to come out at the baggage carousel. The <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@airportlife_/video/7359248989134327072" target="_blank" rel="noopener">viral video</a> showed a plane's cargo being loaded, with all the red bags being loaded first. Many commenters have shared their theories on why this might be the case. "If the red are at the back then they are less likely to get left behind when unloading," one wrote. "So that it's easier to check if there is any bag left at end corner of loading area and prevent missing out black bags at dark corners, maybe," another added. However, a spokesperson for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has debunked this theory and claimed that the video is "nonsense" and "was made purposefully to mislead or provide false information". They also said that there was simply not enough time for their baggage handlers to sort suitcases out by colour. The question of "Do red bags get loaded onto a plane first?" also made its way to Reddit, after the video went viral, and one user who claimed to be a ramp worker denied the theory. "If we had taken the time and brain power to load bags based on colour I'd still be loading flights from 2015." Image: TikTok

Travel Tips

Why do airlines charge so much for checked bags? This obscure rule helps explain why

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jay-l-zagorsky-152952">Jay L. Zagorsky</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/boston-university-898">Boston University</a> Five out of the six <a href="https://www.oag.com/blog/biggest-airlines-in-the-us">biggest U.S. airlines</a> have <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/05/delta-is-the-latest-airline-to-raise-its-checked-bag-fee.html">raised their checked bag fees</a> since January 2024. Take American Airlines. In 2023, it cost US$30 to check a standard bag in with the airline; <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2024/02/20/american-airlines-bag-fees-mileage-earning/72669245007/">today, as of March 2024, it costs $40</a> at a U.S. airport – a whopping 33% increase. As a <a href="https://www.bu.edu/questrom/">business school</a> <a href="https://www.bu.edu/questrom/profile/jay-zagorsky/">professor who studies travel</a>, I’m often asked why airlines alienate their customers with baggage fees instead of bundling all charges together. <a href="https://www.vox.com/2015/4/16/8431465/airlines-carry-on-bags">There are</a> <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/2023/06/21/bag-fees-will-stay-a-while-cruising-altitude/70338849007/">many reasons</a>, but an important, often overlooked cause is buried in the U.S. tax code. <h2>A tax-law loophole</h2> Airlines pay the federal government <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-26/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-49/subpart-D">7.5% of the ticket price</a> when <a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/tax/library/aircraft-club-nov-2023-air-transport-excise-tax-rates-for-2024.html">flying people domestically, alongside other fees</a>. The airlines dislike these charges, with their <a href="https://www.airlines.org/dataset/government-imposed-taxes-on-air-transportation/">trade association arguing</a> that they boost the cost to the consumer of a typical air ticket by around one-fifth. However, the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-26/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-49/subpart-D/section-49.4261-8">specifically excludes baggage</a> from the 7.5% transportation tax as long as “the charge is separable from the payment for the transportation of a person and is shown in the exact amount.” This means if an airline charges a combined $300 to fly you and a bag round-trip within the U.S., it owes $22.50 in tax. If the airline charges $220 to fly you plus separately charges $40 each way for the bag, then your total cost is the same — but the airline only owes the government $16.50 in taxes. Splitting out baggage charges saves the airline $6. Now $6 might not seem like much, but it can add up. Last year, passengers took <a href="https://www.transtats.bts.gov/Data_Elements.aspx?Data=1">more than 800 million trips on major airlines</a>. Even if only a fraction of them check their bags, that means large savings for the industry. How large? The government has <a href="https://www.bts.dot.gov/topics/airlines-and-airports/baggage-fees-airline-2023">tracked revenue from bag fees</a> for decades. In 2002, airlines charged passengers a total of $180 million to check bags, which worked out to around 33 cents per passenger. Today, as any flyer can attest, bag fees are a lot higher. Airlines collected over 40 times more money in bag fees last year than they did in 2002. When the full data is in for 2023, <a href="https://www.bts.dot.gov/baggage-fees">total bag fees</a> will likely top $7 billion, which is about $9 for the average domestic passenger. <a href="https://viewfromthewing.com/the-real-reason-airlines-charge-checked-bag-fees-and-its-not-what-you-think">By splitting out the cost of bags</a>, airlines avoided paying about half a billion dollars in taxes just last year. In the two decades since 2002, flyers paid a total of about $70 billion in bag fees. This means separately charging for bags saved airlines about $5 billion in taxes. <iframe id="88MYD" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/88MYD/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> It seems clear to me that tax savings are one driver of the unbundling of baggage fees because of a quirk in the law. The U.S. government doesn’t apply the 7.5% tax to <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-26/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-49/subpart-D/section-49.4261-3">international flights that go more than 225 miles</a> beyond the nation’s borders. Instead, there are fixed <a href="https://www.airlines.org/dataset/government-imposed-taxes-on-air-transportation">international departure and arrival taxes</a>. This is why major airlines charge $35 to $40 <a href="https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/baggage/checked-baggage-policy.jsp">for bags if you’re flying domestically</a>, but don’t charge a bag fee when you’re flying to Europe or Asia. <h2>Do travelers get anything for that money?</h2> This system raises an interesting question: Do baggage fees force airlines to be more careful with bags, since customers who pay more expect better service? To find out, I checked with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, which has been <a href="https://www.bts.gov/content/mishandled-baggage-reports-filed-passengers-largest-us-air-carriersa">tracking lost luggage for decades</a>. For many years, it calculated the number of mishandled-baggage reports per thousand airline passengers. The government’s data showed mishandled bags peaked in 2007 with about seven reports of lost or damaged luggage for every thousand passengers. That means you could expect your luggage to go on a different trip than the one you are taking about once every 140 or so flights. By 2018, that estimate had fallen to once every 350 flights. In 2019, the government <a href="https://www.bts.gov/topics/airlines-and-airports/number-30a-technical-directive-mishandled-baggage-amended-effective-jan">changed how it tracks</a> mishandled bags, calculating figures based on the total number of bags checked, rather than the total number of passengers. The new data show about six bags per thousand checked get lost or damaged, which is less than 1% of checked bags. Unfortunately, the data doesn’t show improvement since 2019. Is there anything that you can do about higher bag fees? Complaining to politicians probably won’t help. In 2010, two senators <a href="https://www.nj.com/business/2010/04/us_senators_present_bill_to_ba.html">tried to ban bag fees</a>, and their bill went nowhere. Given that congressional action failed, there’s a simple way to avoid higher bag fees: <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/packing-expert-travel-world-handbag/index.html">travel light</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/opinion/carry-on-packing-airlines-lost-luggage.html">don’t check any luggage</a>. It may sound tough not to have all your belongings when traveling, but it might be the best option as bag fees take off.<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/225857/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jay-l-zagorsky-152952">Jay L. Zagorsky</a>, Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy and Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/boston-university-898">Boston University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-airlines-charge-so-much-for-checked-bags-this-obscure-rule-helps-explain-why-225857">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Why do I have to take my laptop out of the bag at airport security?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Anyone who has travelled by air in the past ten years will know how stressful airports can be. You didn’t leave home as early as you should have. In the mad rush to get to your gate, the security screening seems to slow everything down. And to add insult to injury, you’re met with the finicky request: “laptops out of bags, please”. But what does your laptop have to do with security? <h2>The day that changed air travel forever</h2> Airport security changed dramatically after the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11 2001. Before 9/11, you could pass through security with a carry-on bag full of everything you might need for your holiday, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/10/1035131619/911-travel-timeline-tsa">including a knife</a> with a four-inch blade. Indeed, that’s how the 9/11 attackers brought their <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/10/1035131619/911-travel-timeline-tsa">weapons on board</a>. After 9/11, screening processes around the world changed overnight. In the US, private security contractors being paid a minimum wage were swapped out for a federalised program with highly trained security personnel. Anything that could be <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00654/full">considered a weapon</a> was confiscated. Around the world, travellers were suddenly required to <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=6hBnJ-1hRp0C&oi=fnd&pg=PA86&dq=why+do+I+have+to+take+my+shoes+off+at+airport+security&ots=o6JIFHJzF1&sig=B6azb6xqN2uxM9CP-VZdfyt3Ag0#v=onepage&q=why%20do%20I%20have%20to%20take%20my%20shoes%20off%20at%20airport%20security&f=false">remove their shoes</a>, belts and outerwear, and take out their phones, laptops, liquids and anything else that could be used as part of an improvised explosive device. This lasted for several years. Eventually, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">more advanced</a> screening methods were developed to effectively identify certain threats. Today, some countries don’t require you to remove your shoes when passing through security. So why must you still take your laptop out? <h2>Airport scanners have come a long way</h2> The machine your bags and devices pass through is an X-ray machine. The main reason you have to remove your laptop from your bag is because its <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/why-do-i-have-to-remove-my-laptop-from-my-bag-at-the-airport-xray-machine-20170320-gv1vqs.html">battery</a> and other mechanical components are too dense for X-rays to penetrate effectively – especially if the scanning system is old. The same goes for power cords and other devices such as tablets and cameras. With these items in your bag, security officials can’t use the screened image to determine whether a risk is present. They’ll have to flag the bag for a physical search, which slows everything down. It’s easier if all devices are removed in the first place. A laptop inside a bag can also shield other items from view that may be dangerous. Scanning it separately reveals its internal components on the screen. In some cases you might be asked to turn it on to prove it’s an actual working computer. With newer multi-view scanning technology, security officials can view the bag from multiple angles to discern whether something is being covered up, or made to look like something else. For instance, people have tried to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">mix gun parts</a> with other components in an effort to pass checked baggage screening. Some airports have upgraded <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/no-more-removing-liquids-and-gels-laptops-at-melbourne-airport-as-new-scanners-installed-20191002-h1ijdf.html">3D scanning</a> that allows travellers to pass their bags through security without having to remove their laptops. If you’re not asked to take out your laptop, it’s probably because one of these more expensive systems is being used. Nonetheless, amping up the technology won’t remove the lag caused by airport screenings. Ultimately, the reason these are a major choke point is because of the speed at which staff scan the imagery (which dictates the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">speed of the conveyor belt</a>). Unless we find a way to automate the entire process and run it with minimal human supervision, you can expect delays. <h2>What about body scanners?</h2> But your bags aren’t the only thing getting scanned at airport security. You are too! The tall frame you walk through is a <a href="https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/airport-security3.htm">metal detector</a>. Its purpose is to uncover any weapons or other illegal objects that may be concealed under your clothes. Airport metal detectors use non-ionising radiation, which means they don’t emit X-rays. The larger body scanners, on the other hand, are a type of X-ray machine. These can be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212478013000944">active or passive</a>, or a combination of both. Passive scanners simply detect the natural radiation emitted by your body and any objects that might be concealed. Active scanners emit low-energy radiation to create a scan of your body, which can then be analysed. The kind of machine you walk through will depend on where in the world you are. For instance, one type of active body scanner that emits X-rays in what’s called “backscatter technology” was once <a title="https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/backscatter-x-ray.htm" href="https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/backscatter-x-ray.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">used widely</a> in the US, but is no longer used. It’s also banned in <a title="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/travelsecure/passenger-screening" href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/travelsecure/passenger-screening" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia</a> and <a title="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/11/15/europe-bans-airport-body-scanners-over-health-and-safety-concerns/" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/11/15/europe-bans-airport-body-scanners-over-health-and-safety-concerns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the European Union</a>, where only non-ionising technology can be used. Another type of scanner emits lower-energy <a href="https://science.howstuffworks.com/backscatter-machines-vs-millimeter-wave-scanners.htm">millimetre waves</a>, instead of X-rays, to image the passenger. Millimetre wave frequencies are considered to be non-ionising radiation. <h2>AI in our airports</h2> AI seems to be all around us lately, and our airports are no exception. Advancements in AI systems stand to transform the future of airport security. For now, human reviewers are required to identify potential threats in scanned images. However, what if an advanced <a href="https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/artiificialintelligenceinsecuritycheck/article/">AI was trained</a> to do this using a database of images? It would do so in a fraction of the time. Some airports are already using advanced <a href="https://www.in-security.eu/index.php/editorial/the-future-of-airport-security-faster-smarter-safer">computed tomography</a> (CT) <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/21/3d-body-scanners-at-australian-airports-what-are-they-and-how-do-they-work">scanners</a> to produce high-definition 3D imagery. In the future, this technology could be further enhanced by AI to detect threats at a much faster rate. Hypothetically, CT scans could also be used for both humans and their baggage. Could this allow travellers to walk through a body scanner while carrying their bags? Possibly. Until then, you should probably try your best to leave the house on time.<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/209041/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, Professor/Head of Aviation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity 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/why-do-i-have-to-take-my-laptop-out-of-the-bag-at-airport-security-209041">original article</a>.

Travel Tips

What's inside the $126k Oscars gift bags?

For many actors, being awarded an Oscar is the greatest gift of their career. However, if an actor misses out in their category, it doesn't mean they'll walk away with nothing. The Oscars' gift bags have long been jam-packed with a selection of luxury goods, bringing the total value of the goodies well into the six-figure mark. This year is no exception, with the Los Angeles-based marketing company Distinctive Assets once again sending out its infamous "Everybody Wins" swag bags to the top nominees. The bags are worth an impressive $126,000 this year, with 26 nominees in acting and directing categories going home with the goodies. The celebrities will be offered thousands of dollars worth of luxury goods, and even more in vouchers for things like vacations and cosmetic procedures. Among the contents is a luxury getaway to Canada, which is said to be valued at $40,000, vouchers for cosmetic procedures like liposuction and micro-needling, luxury skincare and gourmet foods, and and "the first-ever chocolate box with a personalised video embedded inside." Also in the goodie bag is one unusual gift that has caused outrage with Indigenous Australian communities: a plot of land in regional areas of Australia. Pieces of Australia is one of a number of brands to pay $4,000 to secure a spot in the Oscars gift bag, offering a small parcel of land in outback Australia as part of its “Conservation Gift Packs”. The land parcels all come with a “certificate of land licence”, but the terms and conditions go on to state that “you have purchased a symbolic souvenir … of the land” and people who own a “pack” may not “take possession of the parcel; use the parcel; enter upon the parcel and/or the land without the licensor’s express written consent”. The digital “member’s handbook” which comes with the pack referenced the Indigenous Carbon Industry Network (ICIN) without the company's permission, causing outrage with the traditional owners of the land. In a statement, ICIN said it “has not granted permission for any of our information, publications or photos to be reproduced to support the Oscars ‘Goodie Bag’ or ‘Pieces of Australia’.” “The Indigenous Carbon Industry Network is a 100% Indigenous-owned charitable company owned by 23 Indigenous organisations across Australia,” it said. “ICIN is seeking legal advice regarding this matter and will be able to provide further statement once we have sought appropriate advice.” The Pieces of Australia founder, Niels Chaneliere, said the intention of his organisation was to provide “land licence agreements (where there is no land title transfer at any point) as novel/symbolic gifts for people around the world to engage and participate positively in conservation efforts”. Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

Here’s how you can bag a night at Bag End

While many visitors to New Zealand’s Hobbit movie set have gone there and back again, no-one has had the chance to stay overnight - until now that is. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Airbnb will be offering a few lucky fans the opportunity to spend the night at the original movie set. Winners will score one of three overnight stays at the set in Waikato, with access to the Hobbit Holes, Millhouse and The Green Dragon Inn, a private tour of the movie set, and an evening banquet in the Green Dragon - think beef and ale stew, fresh bread, chickens and ale. Two decades after the working farm caught the attention of Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, the farm’s owner Russell Alexander said he was excited to offer guests the experience of living like a Hobbit. “We’ve welcomed millions of passionate fans to the Hobbiton Movie Set, but never before has anyone had the opportunity to spend a night in Middle-earth,”he said. “I am delighted to share the beauty of my family’s farm and pleased to be hosting this iconic location on Airbnb for fans from around the world.” The three two-night stays will come with a four-guest limit and cost $10 a night to mark the 10th anniversary. Each of the stays will take place on March 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18. Unsurprisingly, there are some rules for the lucky guests who stay on-set, with plenty of references to the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings sagas, including “no unexpected parties”, “magical rings permitted, but keep them secret, keep them safe”, “straying far at night is discouraged, thanks to multiple troll sightings of late”, and “pony parking” available only at the Green Dragon Inn. To go in the running, applicants can request to book one of the stays from Wednesday December 14. Applicants must have a history of positive reviews on Airbnb, have an Airbnb profile and be over the age of 18. To enter, head <a href="https://news.airbnb.com/hobbiton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Images: Airbnb

Real Estate

Dog found hidden in carry-on bag at airport security

A US Transportation and Security Agency (TSA) officer has discovered a small dog stashed in a traveller's carry-on luggage. The animal was found in a backpack when going through the X-ray machine at the Dane County <a title="Airport " href="https://www.9news.com.au/airport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Airport</a> in Wisconsin. TSA told a local news outlet that the passenger was unaware of the screening protocol and did not tell security officers about her dog. After an officer explained the proper process and confirmed she disclosed she was travelling with a pet to the airline, she proceeded to her gate to board her flight. TSA Great Lakes confirmed that the woman's error was an accident on social media, while alerting people to the proper flying rules. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Video: Here’s the proper way to travel with your pet. Note: This is a <a href="https://twitter.com/TSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TSA</a> PreCheck passenger traveling with a cat. If you think your pet will attempt an escape, ask to speak with a supervisor before removing the animal. Alternative screening options may be available. (2/2) <a href="https://t.co/NL2jNjni2l">pic.twitter.com/NL2jNjni2l</a> — TSA_GreatLakes (@TSA_GreatLakes) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSA_GreatLakes/status/1600210121136537600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2022</a></blockquote> "A dog was accidentally sent through the X-ray @MSN_Airport this week," it tweeted. "When travelling with any animal, notify your airline and know their rules." "At the checkpoint, remove your pet from the bag and send all items, including the empty carrier, to be screened in the machine." It then uploaded a video showing "the proper way" to travel with pets. Image credits: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Prince Charles denies wrongdoing for reportedly accepting bags of cash

Prince Charles reportedly accepted a suitcase containing €1 million ($NZD 1.67 million) in cash from a Qatari sheikh in 2015, according to recent reports - and it is one of three payments that will be reviewed by the UK’s Charity Commission. According to The Sunday Times, the senior royal received a total of €3 million ($NZD 5.02 million) from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar, between 2011 and 2015. Clarence House has denied that there was any wrongdoing in Charles’ acceptance of the money as charity donations and said the money was “passed immediately to one of the prince’s charities who carried out the appropriate covenants and assured us that all the correct processes were followed”. On one occasion, Charles reportedly received €1 million in carrier bags from high-end grocer Fortnum & Mason. At another, in 2015, Charles accepted another €1 million in a holdall during a one-on-one meeting at Clarence House. Two advisors from the royal household reportedly counted the cash by hand, which was said to be made up of now-discontinued €500 notes, which earned the nickname “bin Laden” because of links to funding terrorism, per <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/prince-charles-denies-any-wrongdoing-over-bags-of-cash-claim/0face1c8-1ebb-4139-a91c-9c9aa0dee13c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a>. The money was understood to have been collected by private bank Coutts, with each payment being deposited into the accounts of the Prince of Wales’ Charitable Fund (PWCF). As the prince’s meetings with Hamad were private, they don’t appear in the Court Circular - the official record of court engagements - but they do raise questions about how much Charles knew about the cash and where it came from. Sir Ian Cheshire, the chairman of PWCF, said on Friday that “there was no failure of governance” in relation to the organisation receiving the funds. “At a few hours’ notice from The Sunday Times, we have checked into this event in the past, and confirm that the previous trustees of PWCF discussed the governance and donor relationship, (confirming that the donor was a legitimate and verified counterparty) and our auditors signed off on the donation after a specific enquiry during the audit. There was no failure of governance.” After confirming that he was referring to the 2015 payment, Sir Cheshire added: “I believe the same assurance applied to earlier donations and look forward to confirming that in due course.” Though there is no suggestion that the payments were illegal, a Charity Commission spokesperson said on Sunday that they will be reviewed by the Commission. “We are aware of reports about donations received by the Prince of Wales’ Charitable Foundation,” they said in a statement. “We will review the information to determine whether there is any role for the Commission in this matter.” It comes as London police continue to investigate a separate allegation that the prince’s top aide, Michael Fawcett, offered to help a Saudi billionaire secure a knighthood and British citizenship if he donated to The Prince’s Foundation, another of Charles’ charities. Fawcett resigned from his role as chief executive of the foundation in light of the allegations. “We are disappointed not to have been given more time to look into this matter, which dates from a decade ago,” Clarence House said in relation to reports from The Sunday Times. “In the few hours we have had on a Saturday, we have confirmed that Charitable donations were received from sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, and these were passed immediately to one of the prince’s charities who carried out the appropriate governance and have assured us that all the correct processes were followed.” Image: @clarencehouse (Instagram)

Legal

At-home dialysis for the cost of a bag of chips

<div> <div class="copy"> A new low-carbon-footprint dialysis treatment might soon be available for the cost of a bag of chips. Sydney-based start-up Ellen Medical Devices has received $427,000 in government funding to develop the award-winning <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ellenmedical.com/the-device/" target="_blank">Ellen Medical Dialysis System</a>. <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <div class="entry-content-asset"> <div class="embed-wrapper"> <div class="inner"><iframe title="1.4 million people die every year in India because they cannot afford dialysis" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nF7vMdckIxc?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://cosmosmagazine.com" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div> Dialysis replaces normal kidney function by purifying and cleaning the blood when kidneys alone can’t do it. It has been a common and effective treatment for kidney failure for 70 years but the rate of kidney failure is <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/geographical-health-data-australia/" target="_blank">increasing</a> globally. “The number of people needing treatment for kidney failure is predicted to double to over five million by 2030,” says Ellen Medical Managing Director John Knight, a kidney specialist and UNSW Sydney professor of medicine. “This is not only a preventable human tragedy but a significant market opportunity.” On top of this, dialysis costs around $85,000 per year. This might be covered by insurance in high-income countries, but the cost is prohibitive for many people in low income countries. In fact, 75% of people who require dialysis around the world can’t afford it, and face death as a result. “Families try the best they can to pay for the treatment and often they’ll suffer quite severe financial hardship,” says Knight. “They can often lose their house in an attempt to find the money for payment. “But in the end, they run out of money and the patient will die – not because the treatment doesn’t work, but just because they can’t afford it. “This lack of dialysis treatment is one of the big health inequities around the world.” The new funding will take the product through clinical trials to test how effective it will be as a low cost, low-carbon-footprint alternative to current dialysis. “We think that, while we are mainly aiming for people who are missing out in the poorest countries in the world, the opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint by a factor of 20 means that our system might be very attractive to Australian patients as well,” says Knight. <h2>How does dialysis work?</h2> Normally, a kidney filters out salts, waste and fluids from the blood, which will be excreted from the body as urine. A dialysis machine mimics this process. First, the machine slowly draws out blood from the body using a catheter. Then, a special fluid called dialysate is mixed with the blood to filter the waste products. The dialysate comes in a bag and is made of extra minerals and electrolytes – salts and sugars – and bicarb soda mixed with purified water. Any excess is washed down the drain with blood waste products. The newly cleaned blood is then pumped back into the body. Depending on the person, this needs to be done 3–5 times every 24 hours and can take up to 40 minutes each time. Every session requires a new bag of dialysate, which contributes to the huge cost of treatment. The only way to get the bags is pre-filled and delivered to your door – four bags a day can be up to 2 litres/2 kilograms, or 240kg of fluid delivered per month. The distance delivery trucks must travel to deliver monthly dialysate bags contributes to a high carbon footprint. <h2>The Ellen Medical Dialysis System</h2> Many good ideas come about because of simple competitions. “As a research institute we recognise this medical need, and we ran a global competition called the affordable balances prize,” says Knight. “We had entries from all over the world, and the [dialysis] technology that we’re developing [now] was the prize-winning entry.” The inventor and prize winner, Vincent Garvey, was working on domestic appliances in Shanghai when he came up with the idea and its underlying concept: instead of looking to complicated medical technology, why not model it on everyday items? “The concept is very, very simple,” says Knight. “The distiller that makes pure water [for the dialysate] is basically like a kettle on your kitchen bench to boil water for a cup of tea. “It’s got a few extra bells and whistles, but the technology is really like that of a kettle. We can mass produce it for the same sort of price as you might expect to pay for a good quality kettle in [an appliance store].” The second part of this innovation is bags that can be filled from home using the purified ‘kettle’ dialysate, instead of being frequently delivered pre-filled. “Our approach to manufacturing the bags is less like high-tech med manufacturing and more like food manufacturing,” says Knight. “The bags basically [just have] salt and sugar in them. So, if you think of how much it costs to make a bag of chips or a bag of pretzels, that’s the kind of manufacturing cost we’re looking at. “A very high volume, mass produced, very low unit cost. We think they’re going to come in between five and 10 times less than current dialysis systems.” <h2>Saving lives and saving the planet</h2> The staggering price drop is essential for equitable dialysis globally but filling the bags from home could also dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of dialysis treatment. “Currently in Australia, delivering four bags a day to the patient’s home already filled with fluid works out that each patient needs three tonnes of fluid delivered to their home [each year] so they can do the dialysis at home three times [a day],” explains Knight. “All of the bags for Australia and New Zealand are made in one factory in Western Sydney. That’s fine if you live in Paramatta because the truck can bring you the bags once a month. “But if you live in Perth or in Auckland, then those three tonnes of fluid have to be taken by truck from [Western Sydney] to your home. That carbon footprint, each year, is huge. “Our bags were delivered for 20 times less, so our carbon footprint is going to be 20 times less than current systems. “We’re very proud of that.” Image credits: Getty Images  <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=169106&title=At-home+dialysis+for+the+cost+of+a+bag+of+chips" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/medicine/at-home-dialysis-for-the-cost-of-a-bag-of-chips/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Deborah Devis. </div> </div>

Technology

Pack your bags: The trans-Tasman bubble is officially open

Set your sights on New Zealand, as our kiwi neighbour welcomes Aussie travellers once again. The trans-Tasman bubble has officially opened, allowing visitors to fly between the two countries without needing to quarantine before or after travel. Andrew Waddel, Tourism New Zealand’s General Manager, told Today there would be “emotional scenes” in New Zealand today as friends and families reunite following border closures last March. <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/CNT6ru9AGpx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CNT6ru9AGpx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by New Zealand (@purenewzealand)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Building from that, there are going to be business travellers and holiday arrivals,” Mr Waddel said. “New Zealand gets to welcome back our Australian friends and vice-versa, New Zealanders coming back to Australia as well.” It’s been a long time coming, but Mr Waddel said, “We’re really excited. It’s a great buzz here in the airport.” As well as seeing family and friends reunite, the trans-Tasman bubble would also offer a large economic return and create jobs according to Mr Waddel. He recommended that Australians eager to travel to “plan ahead” and do their research ahead of their trip. “We’re encouraging people to visit websites like New Zealand.com or COVID19.gov.nz and they’ll provide good travel advice,” he said. “Download the COVID app, plan ahead and have contingencies in place as well.” “There’s so much to offer … which we’re looking forward to sharing soon. We’re really excited.” <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/CN0ysmujaJ9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CN0ysmujaJ9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern)</a> </div> </blockquote> On the night of Sunday, April 18, the first quarantine-free flight between the two countries touched down in Auckland, just minutes after the trans-Tasman bubble officially opened.

International Travel

Australian mum’s unbelievable find in lettuce bag

A mum in Sydney, Australia has taken to Facebook to show her unexpected find in a bag of lettuce she claims she purchased at ALDI. Lesley Khun warned others on the Mosman Living group to "check packed lettuce carefully!" "Last night my son found this baby white headed snake in with the packaged baby cos lettuce he purchased from Aldi," Khun wrote. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840717/cos-lettuce-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ab4ef30453e44af1a0970a35ac96bc3f" /> "Make sure you check packed lettuce carefully!" When asked by group members what fate the snake had met, Khun revealed that WIRES Wildlife Rescue had come to remove the creature. White headed snakes are thankfully not too common in Brisbane, and are also not considered dangerous to humans. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840716/cos-lettuce-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a4b27bb2496549c2a9e151d47466daf3" /> "Oh my Lord!" one person wrote on the post. Another user commented: "Allens taking Snakes Alive to a whole new meaning."

Food & Wine

“Don’t touch the bag”: Former Obama staff member reprimanded by Queen’s aid

Barack Obama’s former Chief of Protocol has revealed the extreme lengths Queen’s staff go to in order to protect her privacy. Capricia Penavic Marshall worked for former President Obama from 2009 to 2013 and her role meant she advised him on all matters of national and international diplomatic protocol. She also recalled to <a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/politics/capricia-penavic-marshall-new-book-remembers-trying-take-queen-elizabeth-purse/" target="_blank">People</a> the embarrassing moment she was scolded for trying to help the royal with her purse during an official visit to Buckingham Palace in 2011. After stepping forward to assist the Queen with her bag so that she could greet the Obamas without it, Marshall, 56, says her British counterpart quickly pushed her back and told her simply: “We do not touch the bag.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836673/queen.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/79d44520f5384eb18817bb6ddbc449b6" /> Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth. “As Her Majesty walked out, I made a comment to my counterpart. I said, ‘Oh, my goodness, Her Majesty has her bag.’ And I made an ever so slight move with my left foot,” she recalled. “He, with both of his hands, pushed me back against the wall and said, ‘Do not touch the bag,’ and I said, ‘Oh, my goodness. I'm so sorry.’” The unnamed royal staffer reiterated his point again, saying no one was to ever touch the Queen’s bag. “He goes, ‘We do not touch the bag.’ And I said, ‘Okay, I apologize. I would never. But do we know what's in the bag?’ And he said, ‘We don't know what's in the bag. But we never touch the bag,'” she revealed. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836672/queen-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fb25d221d26e4870a22bd919086447da" /> Capricia Penavic Marshall In Marshall’s new book, Protocol: The Power of Diplomacy and How to Make It Work for You, she said she actually learned Her Majesty actually uses her bag as a means of signalling to her staff. “If it's on one part of her arm, it means the meeting is going fine, leave me alone. But if she lowers it, it means, ‘End this now. I want to go,'” Marshall explained. Despite the awkward moment that could have gone terrible wrong, Marshall says the visit was a huge success and noted that the former President Obama and his wife Michelle were “so, so very fond” of the royal.

International Travel

Make your own mask from a tea towel, t-shirt or vacuum bag

The worldwide coronavirus pandemic has led to a shortage of protective face masks, leading to a number of online tutorials on how to make your own using items found around the house. Homemade masks offer significantly less protection than the N95 medical masks, which are made of a thick, tightly woven material that fits over the face and can stop 95 per cent of all airborne particles. And while many health organisations have recommended to ditch the masks unless in a medical setting, there is a good reason to think DIY masks could be effective in tackling the pandemic. They’ve been used extensively in countries such as Hong Kong, Mongolia and South Korea – places that have the disease largely under control. The World Health Organisation also does not recommend that people without the illness wear the face mask, but they’re looking at reversing their decision due to evidence from Hong Kong that it may be effective in fighting the virus. Here’s how you can make your own at home using a kitchen towel What you will need: <ul> <li>Kitchen towel</li> <li>One tissue</li> <li>Masking tape</li> <li>Elastic bands</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Cut both the paper towel and tissue in half and apply masking tape on each end to make sure the mask is stiff.</li> <li>Punch holes through either end of the mask and thread the elastic bands through the holes.</li> </ol> Your mask is ready in two simple steps. How to make a face mask with a t-shirt A tutorial by YouTuber Runa Ray shows how to make a face mask with a t-shirt, no sewing required. What you will need: <ul> <li>Scissors</li> <li>Pencil</li> <li>Ruler</li> <li>Unwanted t-shirt</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Cut out a 16" by 4" rectangle from the middle of the t-shirt, then fold it in half, and measure four inches on either side.</li> <li>Mark the t-shirt with an even number of tassels on each side and use scissors to cut them.</li> <li>Turn the t-shirt inside out and separate the corner tassels, but tie the remaining ones in-between.</li> <li>With the remaining t-shirt material cut some ear straps using the hem of the shirt. </li> <li>Attach the straps to the remaining outer tassels and you have yourself a face mask, with no sewing involved, and using an old t-shirt.</li> </ol> How to make a face mask from vacuum cleaner bags What you will need: <ul> <li>Vacuum bag</li> <li>Paperclip</li> <li>Two rubber bands</li> <li>Stapler</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Cut the bag into a rectangle. Make sure to keep all the layers together.</li> <li>With the inside of the bag facing upwards fold twice along the bottom and top.</li> <li>Fold both bottom corners of the bag.</li> <li>Get a paperclip or other thin wire and straighten it out.</li> <li>Take two rubber bands and fold the far ends around them. Staple the folds to secure them.</li> <li>Push the straightened wire through the centre of the top.</li> <li>Stretch the rubber bands around your ears to hold the mask against your face. Pinch the wire to secure around your nose.</li> </ol>

Art

5 extraordinary uses for paper bags

Paper bags are very to handy to have around the home. While they are standardly use to carry food, they have other incredible uses. Here are five extraordinary ways you can use paper bags. 1. Dry herbs <ul> <li>Wash and thoroughly dry several bunches of herbs and place them upside down in a paper bag.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Tie the bag at the stems, punch in a few holes and put it in a warm, dry place for two weeks.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Grind the herbs, then store. </li> </ul> 2. Boost compost <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">A great addition to any compost heap, brown paper bags contain less ink and pigment than newspaper, and attract more worms.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">First shred and wet the bags, then mix into the compost well so they don’t dry out and blow away.</li> </ul> 3. Prepare vegetables <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Rip open one or two paper bags and spread them over your benchtop when peeling vegetables, shelling peas, or doing any other messy job.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">When you’re done, simply fold the paper and throw it all into the compost.</li> </ul> 4. Catch dust <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Remove dust from a mop by placing a paper bag over the head, then use string or a rubber band to stop it slipping.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Shake and gently bump the mop so the dust falls into the bag, let the dust settle, then take off the bag.</li> </ul> 5. Spray stuff <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">You don’t have to make a mess when spray-painting small items.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Just place what you’re painting inside a large paper bag and it will contain the excess spray.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Once the item has dried, remove it and throw the bag away.</li> </ul> Republished with permission of<a href="https://www.handyman.net.au/5-extraordinary-uses-paper-bags?slide=all"> Handyman.net.au.</a>

Caring

5 extraordinary uses for paper bags

Paper bags are very to handy to have around the home. While they are standardly use to carry food, they have other incredible uses. Here are five extraordinary ways you can use paper bags. 1. Dry herbs <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Wash and thoroughly dry several bunches of herbs and place them upside down in a paper bag.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Tie the bag at the stems, punch in a few holes and put it in a warm, dry place for two weeks.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Grind the herbs, then store.</li> </ul> 2. Boost compost <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">A great addition to any compost heap, brown paper bags contain less ink and pigment than newspaper, and attract more worms.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">First shred and wet the bags, then mix into the compost well so they don’t dry out and blow away.</li> </ul> 3. Prepare vegetables <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Rip open one or two paper bags and spread them over your benchtop when peeling vegetables, shelling peas, or doing any other messy job.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">When you’re done, simply fold the paper and throw it all into the compost.</li> </ul> 4. Catch dust <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Remove dust from a mop by placing a paper bag over the head, then use string or a rubber band to stop it slipping.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Shake and gently bump the mop so the dust falls into the bag, let the dust settle, then take off the bag.</li> </ul> 5. Spray stuff <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">You don’t have to make a mess when spray-painting small items.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Just place what you’re painting inside a large paper bag and it will contain the excess spray.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Once the item has dried, remove it and throw the bag away.</li> </ul> Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.handyman.net.au/5-extraordinary-uses-paper-bags?slide=all">handyman.net.au.</a>

Travel Tips

Cruise insider reveals trick to bagging cabin upgrade that WORKS

Cruise ships are not so different from hotel rooms and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and amenities. While some passengers would prefer to save a few hundred dollars by going for a smaller room so they can enjoy their time out in the sun or in the ocean - there are passengers who prefer a level of luxury that can cost. A former Carnival Cruise Line employee Joshua Kisner told <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/travel/cruise/1147756/cruises-2019-cruise-2020-ship-cabin-upgrade-crew-purser-passenger">express.co.uk </a>there are simple tips to get a free upgrade so passengers might enjoy lapping in luxury without scraping the back of their wallets. In Kisner’s book, The Truth About Cruise Ships, he wrote sometimes the ships he worked on were fully booked, meaning the only way to get an upgrade was if there were no-shows (cruisers who paid but for some reason or another couldn’t make it onboard). “The pursers didn’t know if there were any no shows until the ship sailed. “Most of the time the cruise line was very accommodating and unfortunately, the ones who complain themes usually got the most compensation.” If a passenger goes out of their way to seek out the cruiser after the cruise ship has set sail, they may be able to get a room upgrade. If you are looking to do this, it is advised not to unpack - so scooting to another cabin will be of ease.

Cruising

New research exposes big plastic bag myth

If you’re someone who uses biodegradable plastic bags for the greater good of the environment, then unfortunately, there’s some bad news. Plastic bags that claim to be biodegradable are anything but. A new research has revealed in some instances, bags can still carry a full load of shopping three years after they were disposed. Disposable bags are supposed to be the solution to the worrying problems our planet is currently facing, with the plastic expected to decompose when buried in landfill or washed into sea. Published in Environmental Science and Technology, the study researched biodegradable, oxo-biodegradable, compostable and standard plastic bag over three years. The bags were then exposed to three different environments: open air, buried in soil and submerged in seawater. They also studied the bag in laboratory conditions. Depending on the environment they were in, the bags reacted different. When left in the open-air for nine months, all bag materials dissolved into fragments. When exposed to water, the bag disintegrated within three months, and when buried in soil, the environmentally friendly bag was still around after 27 months but was unusable due to tearing. But two of the bags, which are termed as oxo-biodegradable, spent three years in the ground or underneath seawater, and could still carry a load of shopping. “It is therefore not clear that the oxo-biodegradable or biodegradable formulations provide sufficiently advanced rates of deterioration,” wrote researchers from the UK’s University of Plymouth. Professor Richard Thompson, of the International Marine Litter Research Unit claims that come bags may be responsible for polluting our oceans as people expect them to decompose. “This research raises a number of questions about what the public might expect when they see something labelled as biodegradable. We demonstrate here that the materials tested did not present any consistent, reliable and relevant advantage in the context of marine litter,” he said.

Home & Garden

The bizarre item pregnant Kate's packed in her hospital bag

With Kate and Prince William’s third baby due any day now, it’s no surprise the Duchess has her hospital bag packed and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2018/04/royal-baby-countdown-road-closed-outside-st-marys-hospital-in-london/">ready to go to the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s hospital</a>. But what might surprise you is what she’s packed inside her bag. Insiders disclose that Kate is quite sentimental when it comes to surrounding herself with comforting items while she’s in labour. She has packed her mother Carole Middleton’s black onyx beads which she “squeezes” for good luck, reports OK! magazine. She has also included a good luck charm given to her by the Queen for her previous two births. "Kate actually takes a 19th century alabaster cameo pendant the Queen gave her for good luck,” a source told OK! Kate has also packed a framed photo of the family, which includes Her Majesty. Prince George and Princess Charlotte have also given their mum some of their favourite toys to welcome in the third baby.

Body

10 ways to make your bag lighter

The one thing you’ll never hear from someone getting back from a holiday is, “Gee, that was a great trip, but I wish my bag was a little big heavier”. But with so many important travel items to bring on every trip, it seems there’s no real way around the reality that you’ll be lugging a huge suitcase for the duration of your overseas jaunt. But this needn’t be the case! With a little creativity, a judicious mind and a willingness to compromise over essential items, you can have and manageably-sized suitcase on any trip, without feeling as though you’ve left too much at home. For 10 clever ways to make your bag lighter, scroll through the gallery above. You’ll be surprised at how much you can do to make your bag much more manageable. Do you think you’ll try any of these tips?

Travel Tips

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5 extraordinary uses for paper bags

5 extraordinary uses for paper bags

Cruise insider reveals trick to bagging cabin upgrade that WORKS

New research exposes big plastic bag myth

The bizarre item pregnant Kate's packed in her hospital bag

10 ways to make your bag lighter