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200-year-old message in a bottle unearthed

<p>In a discovery that has the archaeology world buzzing (and possibly rolling its ancient eyes), a team of student volunteers in northern France has unearthed something rather unexpected during their dig at a Gaulish village.</p> <p>While they were hoping for the usual – ancient pottery shards, perhaps a coin or two – they instead stumbled upon what can only be described as the 19th-century equivalent of a DM in a bottle.</p> <p>The scene played out like a low-budget historical drama: volunteers painstakingly sifting through centuries-old dirt on the cliff-tops near Dieppe when, voilà! They found an earthenware pot containing a small glass vial, like something you might see in a vintage pharmacy, but with fewer essential oils and more existential surprises.</p> <p>Guillaume Blondel, the team leader and head of the archaeological service for the nearby town of Eu, was immediately intrigued. “It was the kind of vial that women used to wear around their necks containing smelling salts,” he explained, before casually dropping the bombshell: inside the vial was a note.</p> <p>Cue dramatic music.</p> <p>After what we can only assume was a long, suspenseful pause, Blondel and his team opened the note, which turned out to be written by none other than P.J. Féret, a 19th-century intellectual who clearly had a flair for both excavation and theatrics.</p> <p>The note, written with all the panache of a man who had just unearthed Caesar’s salad fork, read:</p> <p>"P.J. Féret, a native of Dieppe, member of various intellectual societies, carried out excavations here in January 1825. He continues his investigations in this vast area known as the Cité de Limes or Caesar’s Camp."</p> <p>Naturally, Blondel was floored. “It was an absolutely magic moment,” he said, no doubt imagining Féret winking at him from the beyond. “We knew there had been excavations here in the past, but to find this message from 200 years ago? It was a total surprise.”</p> <p>Local records confirm that P.J. Féret was indeed the real deal. He wasn’t just a dabbler in dirt – he was a notable dabbler in dirt who had conducted an earlier dig at the site in 1825.</p> <p>In a stroke of irony not lost on Blondel, he mused, “Most archaeologists prefer to think that there won’t be anyone coming after them because they’ve done all the work.” Féret, however, clearly believed in leaving a trail of breadcrumbs – or, in this case, a literal note in a bottle, just to remind future archaeologists that he got there first. Féret: 1, Modern Archaeology: 0.</p> <p>Of course, this whole affair raises some important questions: Did Féret expect someone to find this? Did he laugh to himself as he buried it, imagining Blondel’s reaction? Did Féret know how cliff erosion would eventually turn his humble Gaulish village into a treasure trove for future archaeologists? Or was he simply trolling them from the past?</p> <p>Whatever the case, Féret’s note may not have contained ancient secrets, but it certainly delivered some 19th-century sass. And if we’ve learned anything from this dig, it’s this: archaeology isn’t just about discovering the past – it’s also about being occasionally roasted by it.</p> <p>As Blondel and his team continue their emergency dig (which was ordered due to cliff erosion eating away at the site like a bad buffet), they’ve already uncovered a number of artefacts, mostly pottery, from around 2,000 years ago. But will any of <em>them</em> have the audacity to leave a note for the archaeologists of 2225?</p> <p>We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, Féret is probably laughing somewhere in the afterlife, shaking his head and muttering, “Amateurs”.</p> <p><em>Images: <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Guillaume Blondel / Facebook</span></em></p>

International Travel

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Mum shamed and denied food for bottle feeding her baby

<p>A Brisbane mother has been left feeling "devastated, guilty and enraged" after being targeted by a controversial rule after she took her baby to the emergency room. </p> <p>It was the middle of the night when Sarah Stoddart's 12-week-old daughter became extremely unwell. </p> <p>The baby, who Sarah had decided to bottle feed, was vomiting and running a temperature, prompting her worried mother to take her to the emergency department of Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane's north. </p> <p>Things started to go wrong for Sarah when she was handed a "welcome sheet" after arriving at the hospital.</p> <p>"They had circled and brought to my attention that only breastfeeding mothers were entitled to meals," she <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-mum-denied-food-at-hospital-for-not-breastfeeding-child/f8ea2db9-b448-4ce8-8dfb-6e65657cc5ab" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:told Nine News;cpos:5;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0" data-rapid_p="12" data-v9y="1">told <em>Nine News</em></a>.</p> <p>"First of all [it] made me feel devastated and guilty but then quite enraged, that is a decision that is being made in this country and this state in 2023."</p> <p>Furious, Ms Stoddart claims staff eventually told her that they could "make an exception" and would "sneak through an approval" so that she could get fed.</p> <p>According to Sarah, her partner was at home looking after the couple's other kids, and the whole ordeal left her feeling guilty over a decision that was made for the health of their child.</p> <p>She added that mothers are "already struggling with enough" in the first trimester and "don't need the judgement from the government as to how they chose to feed their child".</p> <p>After speaking out about her treatment at the hospital and raising the issue with Metro North Health, the hospital has changed their policy.</p> <p>"The Prince Charles Hospital now provides meals to parents of children six months and under who are admitted into our care," Prince Charles Hospital said in a statement.</p> <p>"Parents of all patients admitted to the Paediatric Ward at The Prince Charles Hospital have access to food, water, tea and coffee. Further paid options, including fresh food vending machines, cafes and a stocked fridge, are accessible 24hrs a day."</p> <p>Queensland's Health Minister Shannon Fentiman she would work with other hospitals across the state to ensure a similar scenario does not occur again.</p> <p>"It shouldn't really matter whether you are breastfeeding or not, it should be about trying to make our parents who are doing the best they can to look after their sick kids as comfortable as possible," she said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine News</em></p>

Caring

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"Honey, we are about to fight": Woman kicked off flight for hurling water bottle

<p dir="ltr">A woman who was told to get off a flight for not following the rules turned aggressive toward another passenger after she realised she was being filmed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Footage shared to Reddit shows a calm flight attendant asking the woman to take her dog off her lap on a flight to New York from Atlanta.</p> <p dir="ltr">The woman became aggressive when she was told to get off the flight after refusing to take her dog off her lap. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh no, no, honey we are about to fight then.I didn’t f***ing do anything to you guys,” she can be heard saying.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My dog was sitting on my lap, I put him in the bag.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The traveller is then offered a refund on her ticket and once again asked to leave the flight before she swears at the flight attendant and everyone.</p> <p dir="ltr">“F**k you. F**k all of you,” she yells as she packs up her belongings. </p> <p dir="ltr">As she packs her bags, someone could be heard shouting at her to “get off the plane”. </p> <p dir="ltr">““I am! Shut the f**k up,” she yells back before noticing another passenger filming her and throws her water bottle at them. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Turn your f***ing phone off!” she yells.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why is she recording me?” she asks another flight attendant.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Anyone can record anything. You just struck a passenger with a bottle,” the flight attendant responds.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Nobody acting this way flies on a flight with us.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Social media users called the woman out for her disgusting behaviour saying she deserved to be kicked off the flight. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I love how she's wearing pigtails and acting like a first grader,” someone commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That dude was such a boss. Calm, cool, and collected the whole time and got her off the plane,” someone wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Now we wait for that person's footage, and also the footage of her getting arrested,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Watch the footage <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/flights/woman-unleashes-on-plane-throws-bottle-at-passenger/news-story/7887c8bb3bb4ece68aebaae13c7349e9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Reddit</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Message in a bottle found after 37 years

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A nine-year-old girl in Hawaii has </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/japanese-students-message-in-a-bottle-turned-up-in-hawaii/46ce3dd6-e6f4-45b9-8cd9-396f95d101a9" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">found a bottle</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> containing a message from 1984 … fully 37 years after Japanese high school students dropped it in the ocean.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The message inside the bottle, titled “Ocean current investigation”, was written by students and placed in the Kuroshio Current near Miyajima Island in western Japan.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The letter, dated July 1984, asked the finder to return the bottle to Choshi High School, in eastern Japan.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844278/https___prodstatic9net-24.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b86eb4b6483a434689df971911c6be14" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Choshi High School</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hawaiian local media named the finder as nine-year-old Abbie Graham, who made the discovery while on a family trip to the beach near the Hawaiian city of Hilo.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The bottle had travelled some 7000 kilometres.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a press statement, the school said it had released 450 bottles in 1984 and an additional 300 in 1985 as part of its survey of ocean currents.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">51 of the bottles have been found so far, with the school adding that the most recent find was the first since 2002.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other bottles have washed up in Washington state in the US, Canada, the Philippines, and the central Pacific Marshall Islands.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mayumi Kanda, a former student at Choshi High School and a member of the science club in 1984, said she was surprised to hear of the bottle’s reappearance after so long.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Kanda said the news had “revived the nostalgic memory of my high school days”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The school said its pupils planned to send Abbie a thank-you note for returning the bottle, along with a miniature Tairyo-bata - a type of fisherman's flag used to indicate a good haul - as a gift.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty</span></em></p>

International Travel

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Put the baking soda back in the bottle: Banned sodium bicarbonate ‘milkshakes’ don’t make racehorses faster

<p><em> </em></p> <p>The controversial and banned practice of giving horses baking soda “milkshakes” before a race doesn’t work, according to our analysis of the available research.</p> <p>Racing folklore says sodium bicarbonate milkshakes can boost racehorses’ endurance because the alkalinity of the baking soda helps counter the buildup of lactic acid in the blood when running.</p> <p>But our systematic research review, <a href="https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1bv2Z2dbxqYqLj">recently published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science</a> reveals milkshakes don’t boost horses’ athletic performance.</p> <p>This means any trainer still tempted to flout the ban on this tactic would be endangering their horses’ welfare and risking heavy sanctions over a practice that is basically snake oil.</p> <p>Despite the fun-sounding name, milkshakes are anything but. The process involves inserting a tube up the horse’s nose, down its throat and into the stomach, and then pumping in a concentrated solution of sodium bicarbonate dissolved in water.</p> <p>This can be stressful to the horse, and potential <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2004.08.014">side-effects</a> include lacerations to the nasal cavity, throat and oesophagus, gastrointestinal upset, and diarrhoea. It can even be fatal if the tube is mistakenly inserted into the trachea and the solution is pumped into the lungs.</p> <p>It’s little wonder Racing Australia has <a href="https://www.racingaustralia.horse/uploadimg/Australian_rules_of_Racing/Australian_Rules_of_Racing_01_March_2019.pdf">banned</a> the use of “alkalising agents” such as milkshakes on race day, with potentially career-ending ramifications for trainers caught doing it.</p> <p><strong>No boost after all</strong></p> <p>The effect of baking soda on athletic performance has been studied in human athletes for decades with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31191097">inconclusive results</a>, but has only been analysed in horses since the late 1980s.</p> <p>Our analysis included data from eight experimental trials featuring 74 horses. Overall, sodium bicarbonate administration in the hours before treadmill tests or simulated race trials did not improve horses’ running performance in either type of test.</p> <p>In fact, in treadmill exercise tests in which horses were not ridden by jockeys, sodium bicarbonate actually had a very small negative effect on running performance, albeit not a statistically significant one.</p> <p>Whereas human athletes might gain a placebo effect from sodium bicarbonate, this is unlikely to apply to horses who don’t understand the intended point of the milkshake. And while some racehorse trainers may be educated in exercise physiology and the importance of blood pH, others may believe they work simply because received wisdom and racing folklore say so.</p> <p>Racing aficionados steeped in tradition might respond with scepticism, or argue that research can’t replicate the unique conditions of race day. But given that our comprehensive analysis of a range of research trials shows no evidence that milkshakes work, we argue any recalcitrant trainers have a moral responsibility to listen to the science.</p> <p>Milkshakes are already banned. But our research shows they deliver no benefit anyway. Trainers who are happy to continue this illicit practice and run the gauntlet of potential sanctions should consider whether it is worth it at all, and whether instead they should reconsider on moral, medical and scientific grounds.</p> <p><em>Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-denham-1165121">Joshua Denham</a>, RMIT University and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-hulme-401293">Adam Hulme</a>, University of the Sunshine Coast. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/put-the-baking-soda-back-in-the-bottle-banned-sodium-bicarbonate-milkshakes-dont-make-racehorses-faster-148907">The Conversation.</a> </em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Recycling plastic bottles is good but reusing them is better

<p>Last week <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/woolworths-to-be-first-in-australia-with-zerowaste-food-delivery-system/news-story/8fb2f4018a2b0d25a63c58ba8b12a19b#.mo33b">Woolworths announced</a> a new food delivery system, in collaboration with US company TerraCycle, that delivers grocery essentials in reusable packaging.</p> <p>The system, called Loop, lets shoppers buy products from common supermarket brands in reusable packaging.</p> <p>As Australia works out how to meet the national packaging target for 100% of Australian packaging to be <a href="http://www.joshfrydenberg.com.au/guest/mediaReleasesDetails.aspx?id=562">recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025</a>, programs like this offer an opportunity to overhaul how plastic packaging is produced, used and recycled.</p> <p><strong>Recycling alone is not the silver bullet</strong></p> <p>Plastic packaging, most of which is for <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/3f275bb3-218f-4a3d-ae1d-424ff4cc52cd/files/australian-plastics-recycling-survey-report-2017-18.pdf">food and beverages</a>, is the fastest growing category of plastic use.</p> <p>In Australia <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/3f275bb3-218f-4a3d-ae1d-424ff4cc52cd/files/australian-plastics-recycling-survey-report-2017-18.pdf">less than 10%</a> of this plastic packaging is recycled, compared with 70% for paper and cardboard packaging.</p> <p>Of the <a href="http://www.sita.com.au/media/publications/02342_Plastics_Identification_Code.pdf">seven categories of plastic</a>, recycling of water bottles (PET) and milk bottles (HDPA) is most effective, yet recycling rates remain relatively low, around 30%.</p> <p>Other hard plastics (PVC, PS) and soft or flexible plastics, such as clingfilm and plastic bags, present significant challenges for recyclers. In the case of soft plastics, although recycling options are available, the use of additives known as plasticisers – used to make the hard plastic soft and malleable – often make products <a href="https://www.packagingcovenant.org.au/documents/item/2179">recycled out of soft plastics</a> weak, non-durable, and unable to be recycled further.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/we-cant-recycle-our-way-to-zero-waste-78598">Some researchers</a> argue recycling actually represents a <a href="http://www.greenlifestylemag.com.au/features/2936/disposable-drink-bottles-plastic-vs-glass-vs-aluminium">downgrading process</a>, as plastic packaging is not always recycled into new packaging, owing to contamination or diminished quality.</p> <p>Even where single-use plastic packaging can be effectively recycled, it often isn’t. The more single-use plastics that are produced, the higher the chance they will enter the ocean and other environments where their <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2017-02-27/plastic-and-plastic-waste-explained/8301316">plasticiser chemicals leach out</a>, harming wildlife populations and the humans who depend on them.</p> <p>Zero Waste Europe recently updated its <a href="https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/your-environment/recycling-and-reuse/warr-strategy/the-waste-hierarchy">Waste Hierarchy</a> to emphasise avoiding packaging in the first instance, and to encourage reuse over recycling.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299986/original/file-20191103-88399-1hlgzdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299986/original/file-20191103-88399-1hlgzdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">The zero waste hierarchy for a circular economy.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://zerowasteeurope.eu/2019/05/a-zero-waste-hierarchy-for-europe/" class="source">Zero Waste Europe</a></span></p> <p><strong>Getting reuse right</strong></p> <p>For a reusable product to be more environmentally sustainable than a single-use product, it must promote the use of less energy and resources in our daily routines.</p> <p>Although the uptake of products such as reusable cups and shopping bags have increased, these types of reusable items have attracted criticism. If used correctly, these products represent a positive change. However, <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-how-many-times-you-actually-need-to-reuse-your-shopping-bags-101097">some research suggests</a> these products can be less sustainable than the single-use items they are replacing if people treat them like disposable items and do not reuse them enough.</p> <p>For example, if you regularly buy new reusable bags at the supermarket, that potentially has a greater environmental impact than using “single-use” plastic bags.</p> <p>To really reduce plastic packaging, we need to find ways to alter the routines that involve plastic packaging, rather than directly substituting individual products (such as reusable bags for single-use ones).</p> <p><strong>Developing new reusable packaging systems</strong></p> <p>Redesigning ubiquitous plastic packaging means understanding why it is so useful. For food packaging, its functions might include:</p> <ol> <li> <p>allowing food to travel from producer to consumer while maintaining its freshness and form</p> </li> <li> <p>enabling the food to be kept on a shelf for an extended period of time without becoming inedible</p> </li> <li> <p>allowing the brand to display various nutritional information, branding and other product claims.</p> </li> </ol> <p>So how might these functions be met without disposable plastic packaging?</p> <p><a href="https://loopstore.com/how-it-works">TerraCycle Loop</a>, the business model that Woolworths has announced it will partner with, is currently also trialling services in the United States and France. They have partnered with postal services and large food and personal care brands including Unilever, Procter &amp; Gamble, Clorox, Nestlé, Mars, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo.</p> <p>Customers order products online, from ice-cream to juice and shampoo, with a small container deposit. These items are delivered to their house, and collected again with the next delivery. The containers are washed and taken back to the manufacturers for refill. The major participating brands have all redesigned their packaging to participate in the program.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299987/original/file-20191103-88403-1n63f5v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299987/original/file-20191103-88403-1n63f5v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">TerraCycle Loop reusable packaging.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://loopstore.com/how-it-works" class="source">TerraCycle Loop</a></span></p> <p>This model works because it is not replacing products one-for-one, but creating a new product <em>system</em> to allow people to easily integrate reuse into their daily routines.</p> <p>We can examine the function of single use plastic packaging in takeaway food in a similar way. The purpose of takeaway food packaging is to let us enjoy a meal at home or on the move without having to cook it ourselves or sit in a restaurant. So how might these functions be achieved without disposable packaging?</p> <p>Australian company <a href="https://returnr.org/">RETURNR</a> has addressed this with a system in which cafes partner with food delivery services. Customers buy food in a RETURNR container, pay a deposit with the cost of their meal, and then return the container to any cafe in the network.</p> <p>The Kickstarter campaign <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zeroco/zero-co-win-the-war-on-waste-at-your-place">Zero Co</a>, is offering a similar model for a resuse service that covers kitchen, laundry and bathroom products.</p> <p>Making reuse <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/institute-sustainable-futures/news/developing-alternatives">easy and convenient</a> is crucial to the success of these systems.</p> <p>If Australia is to meet our national packaging targets, we need to prioritise the elimination of unnecessary packaging. Although recycling is likely to remain crucial to keeping plastic waste out of landfill in the near future, it should only be pursued when options higher up the waste hierarchy – such as reuse – have been ruled out.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/126339/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachael-wakefield-rann-321286">Rachael Wakefield-Rann</a>, Research Consultant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jenni-downes-12549">Jenni Downes</a>, Research Fellow, BehaviourWorks Australia (Monash Sustainable Development Institute), <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-florin-160370">Nick Florin</a>, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/recycling-plastic-bottles-is-good-but-reusing-them-is-better-126339">original article</a>.</em></p>

Technology

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San Francisco International Airport to ban plastic water bottles

<p><span>Travellers flying out of San Francisco International airport will no longer be able to buy plastic-bottled water before their flight.</span></p> <p><span>Starting August 20, the airport (SFO) will only allow water to be sold in glass, recycled aluminium or certified compostable materials. The new rule will apply to the airport’s convenience stores, restaurants and vending machines.</span></p> <p><span>While travellers are still prohibited from bringing filled water bottles from outside, they can bring empty disposable plastic water bottles to refill at one of over 100 water hydration stations installed at the airport. </span></p> <p><span>The move, which follows the ban on single-use food utensils in March, is part of SFO’s goal of becoming the world’s first <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/02/business/plastic-water-bottle-ban-sfo-trnd/index.html">zero-waste airport</a> by 2021. </span></p> <p><span>“We waited until now because a few years back there was really no market in place to provide an alternative to water in a plastic bottle,” said Doug Yakel, SFO’s public information officer.</span></p> <p><span>“This is a big move for the airport … it just further supports our green initiative.”</span></p> <p><span>Yakel said he hopes the rule can encourage more manufacturers to use <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/02/san-francisco-international-airport-plastic-water-bottle-ban">plastic-free packaging</a>. </span></p> <p><span>“We’re hoping that as the demand from retailers increases, there’s an increasing supply of water that’s bottled in something recyclable,” Yakel said. “We’re hoping to drive that industry as well.”</span></p>

International Travel

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Research shows weekly bottle of wine increases risk of cancer

<p>Bad news for wine drinkers. Research conducted by experts at the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Bangor University and University of Southampton have discovered that women drinking one bottle of wine per week is equivalent to smoking 10 cigarettes a week.</p> <p>The habit contributes to the risk of cancer. Men who drink one bottle of wine a week have an equal cancer risk of 5 cigarettes a week.</p> <p>The results were published in the <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-6576-9"><em>BMC Public Health medical journal</em></a>, which revealed that out of 1000 non-smoking women who indulged in wine, 14 developed cancer. The same applied to men.</p> <p>Dr Theresa Hyde, an author of the study wrote: “We must first be absolutely clear that this study is not saying that drinking alcohol in moderation is in any way equivalent to smoking.”</p> <p>She also clarifies that the study relates to those who drink one bottle of wine a week throughout their lifetime.</p> <p>Sophia Lowes, from Cancer Research UK told <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/weekly-bottle-of-wine-has-cancer-risk-of-up-to-10-cigarettes-11676929"><em>SkyNews</em></a> that, "Research is clear - the less a person drinks, the lower the risk of cancer. Small changes like having more alcohol-free days can make a big difference to how much you drink.”</p> <p>So, to put it simply, reduce the habit of smoking and drinking, and live a healthier life.</p>

Body

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Australian Open’s official water bottles spark outrage

<p>The Australian Open’s official choice of bottled water has baffled the public for the second year in a row.</p> <p>As fans came out to watch the first day of the Melbourne tennis tournament on Monday, they found something strange about the bottled water made available by the Open organisers.</p> <p>“Turns out the ‘official water of the Australian Open’ is Chinese,” reporter Rachel Baxendale posted on Twitter. “In what universe do we need to import bottled water?”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Just bought a bottle of water at the tennis. Turns out the "official water of the <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AustralianOpen</a>" is Chinese. In what universe do we need to import bottled water? <a href="https://t.co/HGYDqoawRr">pic.twitter.com/HGYDqoawRr</a></p> — Rachel Baxendale (@rachelbaxendale) <a href="https://twitter.com/rachelbaxendale/status/1084746524259577856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The water came from the Shenzhen-based brand Ganten, which has also sponsored the International Volleyball Federation and soccer team Juventus.</p> <p>Senator Derryn Hinch chimed in on the Twitter post, suggesting the lucrative nature of the sponsorship.</p> <p>“In a universe where the deal was worth millions of dollars a year to Tennis Australia,” Hinch said.</p> <p>Many Aussies were disappointed that the organisers did not tap an Australian brand, while others questioned the need to provide bottled water at all, given the availability of clean water fountains.</p> <p>This is the Open’s second year with Ganten, after partnering with US brand Titan Fitness Water in 2016 and Aussie-made Frantelle in 2017.</p> <p>In response to the same controversy last year, Tennis Australia said the Open had “a long history of partnering with international brands” given its “global” nature.</p> <p>“Australian Open … attracted fans from 72 countries and was broadcast on 65 channels to more than 220 territories and 900 million households,” said the governing body.</p> <p>“It is a truly global event … The Australian Open continues to expand its global reach and partnerships, which helps to grow the sport at all levels in Australia.”</p> <p>Tennis Australia has not commented on the continued partnership this year.</p>

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Bottle of McDonald's secret ingredient sells for over $19,000

<div class="replay"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Online bidders have gone into a frenzy after a bottle of rare McDonald's Szechuan sauce went for auction, with the sauce eventually selling for for over $19,000 on eBay. </p> <p>The sauce grew in popularity after it was mentioned in the third series of adult sci-fi cartoon <em>Rick and Morty</em>. It was added to the fast food chain's menu in 1988 for a limited time to promote Disney's film <em>Mulan</em>. </p> <p>McDonald's handed out a limited number of bottles of the iconic sauce and writer Robert Workman received a bottle and put it on eBay. The sale attracted a lot of attention and eventually sold for US$15,350 (AU$19,443). </p> <p>"It's being sold here to settle some bills and help out a couple of charities in the process," he said. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/41059/sauce_499x375.jpg" alt="Sauce"/></p> <p>"The auction includes a NEW, SEALED 64 oz. bottle of the special sauce (which isn't being made right now, so it's VERY rare), along with a special Rick and Morty inspired Pelican camera case, which houses the sauce."</p> <p>Part of the proceeds were to go to children's charity Extra Life and gaming charity AbleGamers. </p> <p>However, Robert has explained that he's had "no response from the buyer yet" since the auction concluded.</p> <p>“He did not want the sauce, he did not contact me in any way ... we have not heard back and there’s a possibility we may not hear back."</p> <p>“He’s sitting on a bunch of eBay fees and it’s kind of disappointing. We’re left hanging.”</p> <p>Robert explained that he thought the bottle would sell for over US$20,000 but "the sauce is still here".</p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

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Shock footage shows flight attendant pouring champagne back into bottle

<p>In what could perhaps be a throwback to the adage, “waste not, want not” a flight attendant has been filmed pouring a flute of champagne back into the bottle.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vJ35JYyIm90" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>The footage, originally filmed by Russian passenger Yevgeny Kayumov as a way of taking in the luxury business class surrounding of an Emirates aircraft, appears to catch the flight attendant red-handed, but all is not as it seems.</p> <p>A couple of people posting on Reddit, where the post was re-shared, cleared it up.</p> <p>One said: "I'm a flight attendant. I think what is going on here is that the attendant is probably pouring the unused champagne back in the bottle before take off to then dispose of once the plane takes off. We're not allowed to pour things out while we're on the ground. I bet they're pouring it all back in the bottle so they can then pour it out at cruising instead of dumping it all in the trash can making it all soggy before takeoff."</p> <p>Another agreed: "I can corroborate this with my own anecdote. I asked a flight attendant on my last flight what they do if nobody takes the Champagne from them before takeoff, and he said they usually pour it into an empty container (I'm assuming bottle or something) and seal it for the flight."</p> <p>What’s your take on the footage?</p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / Hands Full</em></p>

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Why beer bottles are always green or brown

<p>If beer is your go-to Friday night drink, you might’ve realised something rather peculiar. Unlike some wines, coke and other soft drinks, beer is one thing you’ll never see in a clear glass bottle – it’s always green or brown. But why is this?</p> <p>Beer has existed for hundreds (if not thousands) of years, but it wasn’t until the 1800s that it was first bottled and sold commercially. Brewers found that glass bottles were the best way to keep their drinks fresh, and initially, they opted for clear bottes. However, something strange began to happen to the beer.</p> <p>When left in the sun, the transparent beer bottles would leave the liquid smelling “skunky,” according to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-beer-bottles-brown-green-clear-glass-uv-rays-skunky-beer-brewing-2017-3?IR=T" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Business Insider</span></strong></a> – not the ideal scent for someone wanting a refreshing bevvy. The unpleasant smell was found to be caused by UV rays penetrating the beer and changing the flavour.</p> <p>The solution? Darker bottles. Green and brown glass are able to block out the sun’s damaging rays, protecting the beer and sparing it from that nasty skunk smell. And, even though brewers these days could simply apply a UV-repellent coating to clear bottles, they’ve opted to keep the classic brown and green.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/03/why-not-to-peel-vegetables/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Why you shouldn’t peel your vegetables</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/03/conclusive-evidence-that-spanking-is-bad-for-children/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Conclusive evidence that spanking is bad for children</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/03/grandma-ingenious-alarm-system/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Grandma has the most ingenious alarm system ever</strong></span></em></a></p>

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Wonderful images of baby pandas drinking milk from bottles

<p>We’ve spent our morning making cooing noises over the adorable photos of these baby pandas drinking milk from bottles. We just want to give them a big cuddle. Check out the baby photos and more of the playful bears from the Chengdu Panda Base in China.</p> <p>Chengdu has been breeding and researching pandas since 1987, with over 124 births in that time.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/09/infographic-explains-cat-behaviour/"><em>Infographic explains cat behaviour</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/09/15-pet-faces-too-cute-to-stay-mad-at/"><em>15 pet faces too cute to stay mad at</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/08/why-you-shouldnt-kiss-your-dog/"><em>Why you shouldn't kiss your dog</em></a></strong></span></p>

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Woman receives late father’s message in a bottle 56 years later

<p>A US woman has been given a message in a bottle written by her father almost six decades earlier.</p> <p>Paula Pierce, of New Hampshire, was recently contacted by a Utah man, Cliff Buffington, after he found the bottle while on holidays in the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.</p> <p>"(I found) this coke bottle half buried in the sand – looked like it had been there since the beginning of time,” Cliff <a href="http://www.wmur.com/article/message-in-a-bottle-returned-to-nh-family-5-decades-later/7166445">told local broadcaster WMUR</a>.</p> <p>“On the paper, there was something written in pencil – like handwriting. It said, ‘Look inside’.”</p> <p>Although some of the writing on the note was illegible, Cliff managed to read: "Return to 419 Ocean Blvd. and receive a reward of $150 from Tina, owner of the Beachcomber.”</p> <p><img width="299" height="168" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/29277/download.jpg" alt="Download (1)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Paula’s father had penned the message as a joke after purchasing the motel.</p> <p>Cliff soon learnt that Beachcomber was a reference to the Beachcomber Motel in Hampton, which was purchased by Paula’s parents in 1960.</p> <p>After getting in touch with Paula, Cliff returned the message by hand. As promised, Paula handed over the reward of US$150 (A$196).</p> <p>Paula has praised Cliff for not only recognising the importance of the bottle’s message but also his willingness to travel interstate to deliver the item.</p> <p>“This is special because it brings back a piece of my father, a piece of my mother, a piece of my childhood, a piece of the Beachcomber,” Paula said.</p> <p>“All of these things are very hard to lose.”</p> <p><strong>Related links; </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/04/friendships-are-important/"><em>Why friendships are important in your 60s</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/2016/01/great-conversation-starters-for-any-situation/"><em>Great conversation starters for any situation</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/2016/07/over60-catch-ups-a-great-way-to-make-new-friends/"><em>Over60 Catch-ups are a great way to make new friends</em></a></strong></span></p>

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10 creative ways to recycle plastic bottles

<p>Doing our bit to save the environment can look as good as it feels with these 10 nifty tricks for recycling plastic bottles. Never throw out a plastic bottle again with these innovative home and garden solutions.</p> <p>What have you created with recyclable materials? Let us know in the comments below what you opted to do.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/08/ways-to-revive-a-nearly-dead-houseplant/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">6 ways to revive a nearly dead houseplant</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/how-to-make-candles/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">How to make candles</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/how-to-make-a-no-dig-garden/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">How to make a no dig garden</span></strong></em></a></p>

Home & Garden

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7-year-old in Norway finds message in bottle from Scotland

<p>While an instant messages might garner a quicker response, one girl holidaying in Scotland has found old methods of communication can be just as an effective way of making friends around the world. Provided of course, you’re not in that much of a rush!</p> <p>A message in a bottle, thrown into the sea by 10-year-old Eva Sweenie, has been recovered on a small island on the west coast of Norway by a seven-year-old called Signe.</p> <p>The message, written on pink paper with plenty of glitter thrown in for good measure, read: “Hello those who have found this letter in a bottle, my name is Eva Sweenie and I am 10 years old. I am on my holidays in Cullen, who knows where you are. It’s 2015 October the 16th and this is a beautiful day. That’s all I have to say apart from safe travels. Bye bye xx”.</p> <p>With contact details vague at best you would think the chances of Eva getting in touch with her would-be pen pal slim, by Signe and her family are a determined bunch.</p> <p><img width="500" height="500" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/21589/message-in-a-bottle-in-text-_500x500.jpg" alt="Message In A Bottle In Text -"/></p> <p>The parents of Signe quickly contacted Cullen Bay Hotel in Scotland, who put the call out on Facebook asking if anyone knew Eva’s family.</p> <p>Someone who did eventually responded to the post and before too long Signe’s family were finally in touch with Eva’s family.</p> <p>The girls are reportedly thrilled to continue their long-distance correspondence (although perhaps they might consider a more-reliable means of communication).</p> <p>It’s been a busy couple of months for messages in a bottle, with a 108 year bottle washing up in Germany which had been thrown into the North Sea back in 1906. Apparently the bottle was one of about 1,000 which has be released in the name of marine research.</p> <p>We think the above is a lovely story and hopefully it will prompt a beautiful new friendship between Eva and Signe.</p> <p>Did you have a pen pal growing up? How did the two of you first get in touch, and are the two of you still friends now? Please let us know in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook / Cullen Bay Hotel</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/04/oldest-message-in-a-bottle-recovered/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">World’s oldest message in a bottle recovered</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/04/how-to-be-a-more-responsible-traveller/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>10 ways you can be a more responsible traveller</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/05/5-stunning-secret-european-islands/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">5 stunning European islands you haven’t heard of</span></em></strong></a></p>

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