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People who are bad with numbers often find it harder to make ends meet – even if they are not poor

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wandi-bruine-de-bruin-275600">Wändi Bruine de Bruin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/usc-dornsife-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-2669">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-slovic-359838">Paul Slovic</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-oregon-811">University of Oregon</a> <h2>The big idea</h2> People who are bad with numbers are more likely to experience financial difficulties than people who are good with numbers. That’s according to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378">our analyses</a> of the <a href="https://wrp.lrfoundation.org.uk/explore-the-poll">Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll</a>. In this World Risk Poll, people from 141 countries were asked if 10% was bigger than, smaller than or the same as 1 out of 10. Participants were said to be bad with numbers if they did not provide the correct answer – which is that 10% is the same as 1 out of 10. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378">Our analyses</a> found that people who answered incorrectly are often among the poorest in their country. Prior studies in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2010.02394.x">United States</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-5890.2007.00052.x">United Kingdom</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2016.02.011">the Netherlands</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12294">Peru</a> had also found that people who are bad with numbers are financially worse off. But <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378">our analyses of the World Risk Poll</a> further showed that people who are bad with numbers find it harder to make ends meet, even if they are not poor. When we say that they found it harder to make ends meet, we mean that they reported on the poll that they found it difficult or very difficult to live on their current income, as opposed to living comfortably or getting by on their current income. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378">Our analyses</a> also indicate that staying in school longer is related to better number ability. People with a high school degree tend to be better with numbers than people without a high school degree. And college graduates do even better. But even among college graduates there are people who are bad with numbers – and they struggle more financially. <iframe id="yOIiX" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/yOIiX/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> Of course, being good with numbers is not going to help you stretch your budget if you are very poor. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378">We found</a> that the relationship between number ability and struggling to make ends meet holds across the world, except in low-income countries like Ethiopia, Somalia and Rwanda. <iframe id="RejA1" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/RejA1/8/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <h2>Why it matters</h2> The ability to understand and use numbers is also called <a href="http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190861094.001.0001">numeracy</a>. Numeracy is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1787/1f029d8f-en">central to modern adult life</a> because numbers are everywhere. A lot of well-paying jobs involve working with numbers. People who are bad with numbers often perform worse in these jobs, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ecin.12873">banking</a>. It can therefore be hard for people who are bad with numbers to <a href="http://www.doi.org/10.1108/00400919710164125">find employment and progress in their jobs</a>. People who are bad with numbers are less likely <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/116/39/19386.short">to make good financial decisions</a>. Individuals who can’t compute how interest compounds over time <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.2009.01518.x">save the least and borrow the most</a>. People with poor numerical skills are also more likely <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.41.3.586">to take on high-cost debt</a>. If you’re bad with numbers, it is hard to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474747215000232">recognize</a> that paying the US$30 minimum payment on a credit card with a $3,000 balance and an annual percentage rate of 12% means it will never be paid off. <h2>What still isn’t known</h2> It is clear that people who are bad with numbers also tend to struggle financially. But we still need to explore whether teaching people math will help them to avoid financial problems. <h2>What’s next</h2> In her book “<a href="http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190861094.001.0001">Innumeracy in the Wild</a>,” Ellen Peters, director of the Center for Science Communication Research at the University of Oregon, suggests that it is important for students to take math classes. American high school students who had to <a href="https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.51.3.0113-5410R1">take more math courses</a> than were previously required had better financial outcomes later in life, such as avoiding bankruptcy and foreclosures. Successfully teaching numeracy also means helping students gain confidence in using numbers. People with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1903126116">low numerical confidence</a> experience bad financial outcomes, such as a foreclosure notice, independent of their numeric ability. This is because they may not even try to take on complex financial decisions. Numerical confidence can be boosted in different ways. Among American <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.41.3.586">elementary school children</a> who were bad with numbers, setting achievable goals led to better numerical confidence and performance. Among American <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180674">undergraduate students</a>, a writing exercise that affirmed their positive values improved their numerical confidence and performance. Other important next steps are to find out whether training in numeracy can also be provided to adults, and whether training in numeracy improves the financial outcomes of people who do not live in high-income countries.<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/172272/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wandi-bruine-de-bruin-275600">Wändi Bruine de Bruin</a>, Professor of Public Policy, Psychology and Behavioral Science, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/usc-dornsife-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-2669">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-slovic-359838">Paul Slovic</a>, Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-oregon-811">University of Oregon</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/people-who-are-bad-with-numbers-often-find-it-harder-to-make-ends-meet-even-if-they-are-not-poor-172272">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Battling to make ends meet? Financial planning expert offers 5 tips on how to build your budget

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bomikazi-zeka-680577">Bomikazi Zeka</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a> Every day seems to bring new headlines about rising costs. <a href="https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/nigerias-big-unions-call-indefinite-strike-over-fuel-prices-and-the-cost-of-living-20230926">In Nigeria</a>, unions are threatening to strike amid soaring fuel prices; the country’s inflation rate <a href="https://www.cbn.gov.ng/rates/inflrates.asp">hit 25%</a> in August. The amount it costs to fill a food basket in South Africa <a href="https://pmbejd.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PMBEJD_Key-Data_September-2023_27092023.pdf">keeps climbing</a>. Ghanaians <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/multi-day-protests-over-economic-crisis-grip-ghanas-capital-2023-09-23/">took to the streets</a> of Accra in late September to protest about the cost of living. A <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/retail-distribution/consumer-behavior-trends-state-of-the-consumer-tracker.html">recent study by the audit and consulting firm Deloitte</a> found that 75% of South Africans were concerned that the prices for everyday purchases would continue to increase, while 80% of consumers across all income groups expected the prices of groceries, household utilities and fuel to rise. This stark reality means budgeting may be more necessary than ever. If you don’t know how to create a budget, then you shouldn’t feel bad – most adults aren’t taught how to create one. And most people don’t budget, because they see it as restrictive or unsustainable. But it need not be: once you appreciate that a budget can work for you, it can be a financially empowering exercise. It’s a cornerstone of financial planning because it ensures you are living within your means and helps you remain in financial control. As a financial planning academic, I focus in <a href="https://researchprofiles.canberra.edu.au/en/persons/bomikazi-zeka/publications/">my research</a> on improving financial wellbeing and promoting savings behaviours through interventions such as budgeting. Here are five guidelines for creating a budget. <h2>1. Apps vs spreadsheet</h2> A good place to start is to choose the format of how you’re going to budget. There are several <a href="https://www.sanlamreality.co.za/wealth-sense/setting-up-a-family-budget-that-works/">online templates</a> and apps you can use for budgeting. For instance, <a href="https://www.22seven.com/">22Seven</a> has gained popularity in South Africa due to its compatibility with several financial institutions, including the country’s big five banks. Similarly, <a href="https://www.the-star.co.ke/business/kenya/2021-01-25-budgeting-using-mint-app/">Mint</a> is a popular budgeting tool that is used in Kenya and Nigeria. If you prefer to put pen to paper, some online templates come with <a href="https://www.wonga.co.za/blog/free-budget-template">free printable budgets</a>. Creating your own <a href="https://create.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/articles/how-to-make-excel-budget">Excel spreadsheet</a> is an equally good approach. What matters most is using a tool that you can commit to. <h2>2. Itemising your income and expenses</h2> A budget essentially shows how much you’re spending in relation to how much you’re earning. So once you have selected your budgeting tool, you need to fill in your income and itemise how much you’re spending on each expense in a month. A budget can be considered a cashflow statement because it allows you to track money coming in (income) and money going out (expenses). If you are living within your means, your budget should indicate a surplus – more cash inflows than cash outflows. So budgeting provides an accurate account of your short-term financial position. <h2>3. A realistic account of expenses</h2> When you look at your financial statements, fill your expenses into your budget honestly and accurately. Don’t cheat! Since everyone’s financial situation is different, your budget will also be unique. Even though there is no one-size-fits-all approach to budgeting, it should still consider all of your expenses (both regular and intermittent). A general rule of thumb is that if it’s deducted from your account then you should treat it as an expense. This includes payments for housing, medical insurance, fuel, dining out, credit card repayments and even bank fees. <h2>4. Save first, spend later</h2> Now you’ve seen how much you’re spending. Either it’s too much – and you can plan where to cut back – or you have savings at the end of the month. When compiling your budget it’s important to demarcate how much will be in the form of savings. What’s more important is getting into the habit of saving before you spend instead of saving after spending. If you spend first then you’ve deprived yourself of the opportunity to save for a rainy day. Furthermore, <a href="https://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/10231/1/Microsoft_Word_-_submitted_version_3rd_June_201.pdf">research</a> has shown that getting into the habit of saving has a transgenerational effect: it can be considered a cultural value that is passed on from one generation to another. So think of saving as paying yourself first. Once you have done so, you won’t feel guilty for treating yourself because you’ve already done the financially responsible thing by putting your savings aside. <h2>5. Considering assets and liabilities</h2> Once you’ve become comfortable with consistently budgeting, you can take it up a notch by including your assets (everything you own with an economic value) and liabilities (everything you owe) to determine your overall financial position. You can get a clearer picture of your overall financial wellbeing by compiling a list of all your assets, for example your savings and <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/home_equity.asp">home equity</a>, in relation to liabilities (such as bank loans). Knowing your long-term financial position can indicate how financially resilient or vulnerable you are. In the event of a financial emergency, you will know which resources you can draw upon to meet an unexpected expense. By creating a budget (and sticking to it), you can protect yourself and your household from financial shocks. Consider the alternative. Imagine you haven’t budgeted and set savings aside. If a financial emergency were to arise, your next best bet would be to borrow the funds you need. You’d have to come up with a plan to repay what you’d borrowed while also building your savings. <h2>A healthy habit</h2> Getting into the habit of budgeting isn’t easy, especially if you haven’t done it before or you’re intimidated by the process. But, as the expression goes, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. Think of budgeting as taking a small but important step towards reclaiming control over your finances and improving your financial well-being.<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/214861/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bomikazi-zeka-680577">Bomikazi Zeka</a>, Assistant Professor in Finance and Financial Planning, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</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/battling-to-make-ends-meet-financial-planning-expert-offers-5-tips-on-how-to-build-your-budget-214861">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Queen Camilla meets . . . Princess Margaret?!

In a collision of regal proportions, the world witnessed an unforgettable convergence of the fictitious and the real, as the one and only Helena Bonham Carter, famous for her portrayal of the indomitable Princess Margaret in seasons three and four of The Crown, found herself in the splendid company of none other than the Queen Consort herself, Camilla, at Clarence House. The rendezvous occurred at a glitzy reception held to celebrate 30 years of the Forward Arts Foundation. The Foundation, on a mission to spread the love of poetry throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, decided to throw this soiree just as London was gearing up for another artistic extravaganza: Frieze Week. Clearly, this was a battle for the city's cultural heart, and poetry had the honour of setting the stage. The highlight of the evening, however, was the majestic meeting of the minds between Bonham Carter and the Queen Consort. As they locked eyes, it was hard to tell who was more starstruck. The actress executed a curtsey so profound it nearly reached the Earth's core before engaging the Queen in delightful conversation. In a refreshing break from her usual attire, which would make even the most extravagant peacock jealous, Bonham Carter sported a dress adorned with bright florals and black feathers, accented by pink ribbons in her hair. Camilla, on the other hand, stole the sartorial spotlight in an arresting peacock feather print shirt dress that must've made any nearby birds quite envious. But Bonham Carter wasn't content with merely being a guest; she also graced the audience with her talents by reciting a poem. Her choice was William Stafford's "Yes," a poem that would have moved Shakespeare himself to stand up, clap and stomp his booted feet. William Sieghart, the founder of the Forward Arts Foundation, expressed his immense pride in the work of the foundation and thanked the Queen for her involvement, calling it "proof of the pudding" that they were indeed making progress. Among the distinguished guests at this intimate soirée were previous winners of the Forward Prizes for Poetry, including the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, the actress Karen Bryson, and Bonham Carter’s former The Crown co-star, Natascha McElhone. Speaking of royalty, Netflix's juggernaut series, The Crown, has once again captured our attention. The recent announcement of the November and December release dates for the final season has ignited a whirlwind of excitement and speculation. The promotional artwork for this last hurrah features a moody and atmospheric image of the Queen, played by the talented Imelda Staunton, and a reimagining of the iconic photograph of Princess Diana poised on the diving board of a yacht in Portofino, just a week before her untimely departure from this world. While fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming season, it hasn't been without its controversies. Critics have <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/tv/major-twist-in-store-for-final-season-of-the-crown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised their eyebrows at reports</a> suggesting that the show will include depictions of Princess Diana's "ghost". Bonham Carter herself, who graciously passed her fictitious tiara to Leslie Manville for the final seasons, has spoken out about the show's duty to distinguish between fact and artistic license. During a chat on the show's official podcast back in 2020, she insisted that The Crown carries a "moral responsibility" to remind viewers that this is a work of fiction inspired by facts, not an educational documentary. It's a reminder to us all that even the fanciest of crowns can come with a little disclaimer. So, as the final season of The Crown approaches, we can only wonder what other regal surprises are in store for us. In the meantime, let's raise a glass to the poetic evening at Clarence House, where fact met fiction, and where, for a brief moment, we were all kings and queens of our own whimsical kingdom. Images: Getty

Beauty & Style

5 ways to meet people when travelling alone

The fear of being along on the road keeps a lot of people from enjoying the liberating experience of solo travel. Which is a shame, because solo travel is actually a great way to meet people! We’ve put together five tips and tricks for meeting people when you’re travelling by yourself. Group tours Group tours are probably your best bet. By their very nature more than anything else, you’ll meet a new group of people as you take in an experience together. See if the place you’re visiting offers a free walking tour and if you meet someone you like invite them to lunch or dinner after. Couchsurfing Contrary to popular belief, Couchsurfing isn’t just about free accommodation. This online community brings together members passionate about travel, and often they’re keen as mustard to meet up with a new solo traveller. Just make sure you weed out the good ones from the crazies. Take a course or class This one’s a really good idea, particularly if you’re planning on staying somewhere for a longer period of time. These classes are full of people looking to bond with other people and join in some interesting travel experiences. Plus you may pick up a new skill in the process. Talk to the locals This one can be a little intimidating (particularly if you don’t know the local language), but if you’re feeling brave try striking up conversations with the people you interact with over your day. This can be anyone from hostel employees, bartenders to people just sitting in a café. Find another travel mate There is a range of websites available now where people can chart their travel plans and find people with similar ideas to join them for a section or more of their trip. But, as with Couchsurfing, make sure you spend enough time weeding out the crazies before you send them your passport details. Embrace the solitude Sometimes it’s nice to just be alone. This sort of thing can give you time to reflect on your trip and how it’s taking shape, the amazing sight you’re witnessing. Some of the most profound moments of solo travel are those that you experience by yourself, in your own company. So there you have it, five ways to meet people as a solo traveller. In the end of the day, it comes down to you. And while it might seem intimidating striking up a conversation with a stranger, remember that there are a lot of good people in this world. You owe it to yourself to meet as many of them as possible. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

Meet the revolutionary beauty brand who are keeping kindness in mind

As the beauty market continues to be flooded with new products, new trends and new ingredients that claim to change your life, it's easy to get lost in the overwhelming choices. Due to all this noise, many beauty consumers are trying to unveil the honest truth about what is going into their makeup and skincare, as priorities are shifting to include multi-use products to simplify daily beauty routines. On top of this, the majority of consumers are looking to support businesses that have a key focus on sustainability. Enter: The KIND Collective. This proudly Australian owned and female-operated business is on a mission to add conscious driven, multi-purpose cosmetic products to everyone’s beauty repertoire without breaking the bank. This is why The KIND Collective makes products that are more than just pretty to wear, but contain nourishing, native ingredients that have been mindfully selected. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CnjI1cZMCDm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CnjI1cZMCDm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The KIND Collective (@thekindcollectiveaustralia)</a> </div> </blockquote> The KIND Collective are also cruelty-free, 100% vegan and are PETA accredited, helping customers indulge in guilt-free beauty. This revolutionary brand has also joined more than 500 B Corp Certified Australian and New Zealand businesses, with only 20 companies being certified in the skin, nail and hair space. This certification assessment measures a business’s ongoing impact on its workers, community and suppliers, while ensuring it is delivering its best for both customers and the environment. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrcJ1euShUa/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrcJ1euShUa/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The KIND Collective (@thekindcollectiveaustralia)</a> </div> </blockquote> Brand co-founder Lynda Chapman believes it is important for businesses to do their part both locally and internationally but looking at their social and environmental impact. She said, “Today consumers are demanding more from businesses and I think that is an amazing thing! We have always believed that a business has the power to create positive change… and we are so excited to be part of this global movement of businesses that are using their power to be a force of good.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci6s1HaMGc6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci6s1HaMGc6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The KIND Collective (@thekindcollectiveaustralia)</a> </div> </blockquote> You can pick up all your makeup and skincare needs from The KIND Collective on their <a href="https://www.thekindcollectiveaustralia.com/collections/bundles">official website</a>, or in-store at <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/brand/kind-cosmetics">Priceline</a>, <a href="https://www.bigw.com.au/health-beauty/makeup-cosmetics/c/6220?filter%5BbrandName%5D=Kind+Collective">Big W</a>, and select <a href="https://terrywhitechemmart.com.au/">Terry White</a> chemists. Image credits: Instagram

Beauty & Style

Meet the woman preparing to spend three years at sea

When Sharon Lane heard about a once in a lifetime trip offered by a cruising company for a three-year voyage around the world, she began dreaming of her life on board. The 75-year-old cruising fanatic, a retired teacher from California, is no stranger to all-or-nothing travel experiences. She has frequented Europe with her students, taught foreign languages, and in the 1990s, she up and left to spend two years in South Africa. While looking for her next adventure, Sharon discovered an incredible voyage with Life at Sea Cruises. The company is selling places on board the <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/travel/cruising/world-first-three-year-cruise-revealed">MV Gemini</a>, which sets sail from Istanbul on November 1st 2023 on an epic three-year global journey that will take in most of the planet's prime cruising destinations. The MV Gemini will stop at 375 ports over its three-year voyage, with 208 of these including overnight stays. The ship will stop everywhere from India to China to the Maldives to Australia, with some multi-night stopovers. A recent convert to the world of cruising as she has gotten older, Lane said one of her favourite sensations is the calming feeling of being adrift at sea. "I actually prefer the ocean days, when we're just sailing through or powering through the oceans, it just thrills me," Lane tells <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/cruise-ship-three-years-mv-gemini-passenger-perspective/index.html">CNN Travel</a>. After hearing about the voyage from a friend, Sharon immediately started her planning and budgeting. "By midnight that night, I had done enough research that I booked a room," she says. The cheapest rooms on the MV Gemini cost around $US30,000 ($45,000) per year, including a discount for solo travellers. Since booking her ticket, Lane is busy working out the details before her embankment date in November. She is selling most of her possessions, giving up her rental lease and preparing for a long stint at sea. "The logistics are crazy," says Lane. "It's a leap of faith, but I know there will be a place here when I get back. Or maybe I'll end up living in another country. I don't know, the sky's the limit." While she is getting rid of most of her belongings, she is determined to bring along a few family photos for the journey, particularly a favourite picture of her now-adult grandsons back when they were kids and she took them on a whale-watching trip. "I have that laminated and I'll take magnets and I'll stick it to my door for two reasons," says Lane. "One, I get to see their faces every time I go in, which is always fun, and the other reason is it makes it really easy to know which door is yours, because you've got your grandsons smiling back." Lane hopes her epic journey might inspire others to take a risk and push themselves out of their comfort zone, as she still regrets the years she spent in midlife putting off travelling and doesn’t want others to hold the same regrets. "I think I was always waiting for the perfect time to go when everything is right in life, when money is right, when appointments are right, when other people want to go," she says. "Don't stay home," she encourages. "Home may be where the heart is, home may be where you hang your hat – hang your hat, and then get on the boat, get on the plane, get in the car, go somewhere." Image credits: CNN Travel

Cruising

Movie myths meet movie maths

Some moments on the screen stay with us forever, but not always for the right reasons. For some avid film and TV fans, there are certain scenes that have left us scratching our heads, inspecting from every angle, and making frame-by-frame comparisons to try and come up with an answer that tells us what we want to hear. After all, we’ve all had our say over that infamous door and those two fated souls in the middle of the ocean, haven’t we? Luckily, those in the know - mathematicians - have put their brains to the task of solving it for us, sharing their findings as they debunk some of the screen world’s more memorable moments. <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The door, Titanic (1997) </li> </ol> Could Jack have fit on the door too? Could Rose have saved him? Such questions have sat with fans of the blockbuster film Titanic since its release, when the end of the film saw Rose and Jack trying to save themselves with a scrap of the ship’s debris - a door - in the middle of the freezing North Atlantic Sea. As anyone who’s seen the film could tell you, Jack gave up his spot so that Rose might survive, but many have refused to accept that this was necessary. They believe, instead, that Jack could have fit there with her, ultimately saving them both from further tragedy. And a group of girls at school in Adelaide believe they know exactly how it could have been done. The solution? Sliding their life jackets beneath the door. “We looked at how buoyant the door would have been, and how that would have changed if there were people on top of that,” 15-year-old Abigail explained to The Daily Telegraph, adding that “there was a lot of exploring and testing, and we had to fiddle with different buoyancies and look at what materials were realistic for that time.” <ol start="2"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The jump, Speed (1994) </li> </ol> From start to finish, Speed is a wild ride. And while many questions about the logistics of the high-speed action bus ride have arisen since the film’s release, one tops the list more often than not - could Jack really have made that jump? At one point in the film, Jack and his runaway bus - which he must keep travelling at a speed of just over 80km/h to prevent the entire thing from exploding - are faced with an incomplete road, and he is forced to make the jump over the gap to give himself and his passengers any hope of survival. While the film’s characters succeed, and make it out of there alright, the people at ZME Science were not quite so eager to leave it at that. Instead, they have studied the scene, and put the likelihood of survival in such a situation to the test. With a few handy equations and crucial bits of info - the gap was 15m, their speed 108km/h - they came to the conclusion that the bus more than likely would have fallen into the gap, rather than landing safely on the other side. This, of course, means that the detonation would have occurred, and the outcome would have been drastically different to what transpired on the screen. <ol start="3"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The bullet, The Matrix (1999) </li> </ol> While The Matrix is held in high regard by many cinema enthusiasts, from its concept alone to its iconic fight scenes, there are those who’ve come out of the films with a few more questions than what its creators ever intended. Namely, questions over how exactly Neo managed to dodge that bullet. While attempting to save Morhepus from Agent Smith, Neo goes head-to-head against agents in a rooftop fight. A shot is made at Neo, and he deftly dodges the potentially fatal wound by bending all the way back, with the bullet clearing the air above him, leaving him unscathed. It’s a scene that wowed audiences worldwide with its slow motion approach, and its attention to detail, but for one mathematician, it was exactly this that drew her curiosity. Could Neo actually have pulled that off? According to Kerry Cue, the answer is no. After working out the distance between Neo and the agent (roughly 12m), the logistics of the weapon, and the speed at which it was moving, Kerry worked her way to her conclusion. The bullet itself would take 0.04 seconds to get to Neo. And as a human’s average reaction time is 0.25 seconds, it’s impossible that Neo would have been able to make that impressive save in the real world. <ol start="4"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The sofa, Friends (1994-2004) </li> </ol> Would pivoting really have helped Ross, Rachel, and Chandler get that unfortunate sofa up the stairwell of their New York apartment building? In the heat of the moment, Ross certainly seemed to think so, but as fans of the sitcom know, their efforts were in vain. Unable to complete their mission, the friends opted to cut it up instead. Some weren’t satisfied with this ‘easy’ way out, and one mathematician put her brain to the test trying to prove that it would have been a possible feat to accomplish. And it was - if only the trio had bothered to take measurements. Caroline Zunckel - a data science consultant - ran approximately 10,000 different simulations using various measurements for both the stairs and the couch, all to prove her point. Luckily for her, she discovered that she was right, and that the furniture only required some tilting upwards to get around that problem corner. Images: Shutterstock

Movies

“Miraculous”: Meet the world’s oldest dog

A dog from the rural village of Conqueiros, Portugal, has taken the world by surprise and claimed the title of not only the world’s oldest living dog - he’s also the oldest dog ever. Two weeks ago, Guinness World Records announced that Spike the chihuahua was the oldest living dog. Spike has been melting hearts for 23 years. Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, was confirmed as being 30 years 266 days old as of February 1 2023. With seven years on his fellow senior canine, it was safe to say that a title transfer was in order. While Spike was the previous oldest living dog, the former oldest dog ever was an Australian cattle dog who went by the name Bluey. Bluey, who was born in 1910, lived to be an astounding 29 years and 5 months old and held that record for almost an entire century. Bobi’s breed, Rafeiro do Alentejo, is a livestock guardian breed. They typically have a life expectancy of anywhere between 12-14 years, meaning Bobi has more than doubled that prediction. The accomplishment is impressive in itself, but Bobi’s miraculous story started many, many years ago. The Costa family, Bobi’s family, told Guinness World Records that Bobi was one of four male puppies born in an outbuilding where they stored their wood. “I was eight years old,” said Leonel Costa, “my father was a hunter, and we always had many dogs.” “Unfortunately,” he went on to explain, “at that time it was considered normal by older people who could not have more animals at home… to bury the animals in a hole so that they would not survive.” Leonel’s parents took the puppies the next day while their mother, Gira, wasn’t there. Leonel and his brothers were distraught, but soon noticed that Gira continued to visit the outbuilding where the pups were born. “We found the situation strange,” Leonel admitted, “because if the animals were no longer there, why would she go there?” After following Gira on one of her expeditions, the brothers discovered a sole surviving puppy - Bobi. Bobi had been disguised amongst the wood in the outhouse, and overlooked by the Costa parents. Leonel and his brothers opted to keep him a secret. Of their decision, Leonel explained, “we knew that when the dog opened its eyes, my parents would no longer bury it. It was popular knowledge that this act could not or should be done.” “I confess that when they found out that we already knew, they screamed a lot and punished us,” Leonel admitted, reflecting on Bobi opening his eyes and securing his place in their family, “but it was worth it, and for a good reason!” Leonel confessed that only Bobi knows the secrets behind his longevity, but believes his lifestyle and environment have been significant factors. Bobi has enjoyed 30 years of roaming freely around the forests and farmlands at home, alongside a whole host of other animals. His diet has consisted of human food, with Leonel mentioning that the decision may or may not have been entirely their own, “what we ate, they ate too. Between a can of animal food or a piece of meat, Bobi doesn’t hesitate and chooses our food.” Happy and healthy senior pets are not an unfamiliar thing for the Costa family. Bobi’s mother, Gira, lived to the age of 18, and another of their dogs, Chicote, saw 22. “I never thought of registering Bobi to break the record because fortunately our animals have always lasted for many years,” Leonel explained. “We see situations like this as a normal result of the life that they have, but Bobi is one of a kind.” Bobi has already achieved a lot this year, and is set to celebrate even more when his 31st birthday rolls around in May. Image: YouTube

Family & Pets

Combating loneliness: How to meet new friends

Many of us will feel lonely at some point in our lives. It’s that sadness that comes from being by yourself or feeling disconnected from the people around you. For some it’s fleeting, for others it becomes entrenched and damaging. Several recent studies indicate loneliness is set to reach epidemic proportions by 2030. Experts say it’s as bad for us as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Britain has even appointed a minister for loneliness. A <a href="https://www.jocoxloneliness.org/pdf/a_call_to_action.pdf">report published by the Jo Cox Commission</a> showed nine million people “always or often feel lonely” and 200,000 older people in the UK have not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month. Here at home, we have the <a href="http://endloneliness.com.au/">Australian Coalition to End Loneliness (ACEL)</a>. Inspired by the work of the <a href="https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/">UK’s Campaign to End Loneliness</a>, the ACEL aims to address loneliness in Australia. The good news is that feeling lonely is nothing to be ashamed of – the research is clear that millions of people are in the same boat. “Being connected to others socially is widely considered a fundamental human need,” says one of the most prominent researchers in the field, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, PhD, professor of psychology at Brigham Young University in the United States. “It is crucial to both wellbeing and survival.” “Help, I’m lonely!" A community member recently asked if we have any suggestions on how to overcome loneliness. “I'm a young 50s and love doing things but I'm lonely. I have lost close friends due to them moving away. I have lost the contact with people. I think I'm a loner – help me. What groups could I join to meet people?” Here are some ideas for meeting new friends: 1. Volunteering Volunteering is all about helping others, but it also benefits you personally – it offers the chance to make new friends, try a different career field, and explore your local area. Organisations that help refugees, the homeless, people with disabilities, disadvantaged youths or the elderly are numerous. Such organisations include <a href="http://mealsonwheels.org.au/">Meals on Wheels</a>, <a href="https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/">The Smith Family</a>, <a href="http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/">The Salvation Army</a>, <a href="https://youthoffthestreets.com.au/">Youth Off The Streets</a>, <a href="https://www.midnightbasketball.org.au/">Midnight Basketball Australia</a>, <a href="https://www.sacredheartmission.org/">Sacred Heart Mission</a>, <a href="https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/">Black Dog Institute</a>, <a href="http://guidedogsaustralia.com/">Guide Dogs Australia</a>, and <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">Lifeline Australia</a>. The State Emergency Service (SES) in your state and <a href="http://stjohn.org.au/">St John Ambulance Australia</a> often put a callout for volunteers. Wildlife rescue groups, such as <a href="https://www.wires.org.au/">WIRES </a>in NSW, and animal welfare organisations like the <a href="https://rspca.org.au/">RSPCA</a>, always appreciate an extra pair of hands – check the parks and wildlife service in your state. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, for example, is seeking volunteers for historic and cultural heritage tours, and for their threatened species and bush regeneration programs. If you enjoy working in customer service, try the local <a href="https://shop.oxfam.org.au/volunteer">Oxfam Shop</a>, <a href="https://www.redcross.org.au/get-involved/connect/volunteer">Red Cross</a> or <a href="https://www.savethechildren.org.au/take-action/volunteer">Save the Children op shop</a>. Libraries need volunteers to help with stocktake to maintain the toy library and to deliver books to library customers. For music lovers, community radio stations are often run by volunteers – you might even have the chance to host your own show. Major events also provide exciting opportunities for volunteers, so keep an eye out for big events that are coming to your town or city. Film, music and fashion festivals are often looking for volunteers. For more information, contact your local council or visit <a href="http://www.volunteering.org.au/">Volunteering Australia</a>. 2. Fitness classes If you’re into group exercise, you have a potential social network right in front of you. Try golf, tennis, dragon boat racing, rowing, squash, salsa classes, ballroom dancing, badminton, ocean swimming, sailing, aqua aerobics or yoga — or find a walking group via the <a href="http://walking.heartfoundation.org.au/">Heart Foundation Walking network</a>. 3. Hobbies Do you like gardening, films, model airplane flying, bird watching, photography, chess, creative writing, clay target shooting, knitting, bridge, quilting, cooking or reading? Look in your local area for groups, clubs or classes that you could join. Car fanatics could join a club, such as a classic car club. For motorcyclists, the <a href="http://www.ulyssesclub.org/">Ulysses Club</a> is a social group for people aged over 40 years. Its motto is “grow old disgracefully”. For the community or politically minded, you could attend local council meetings. And don’t forget your local <a href="https://mensshed.org/">Men’s Shed</a>, which provides a space to work on practical projects while enjoying some good old-fashioned mateship. 4. Faith-based groups Churches and religious organisations tend to host a lot of social gatherings outside of their regular services, offering golden opportunities to meet people with similar beliefs. 5. Virtual spaces Facebook, Instagram and other social networks can be used as a way to connect with old friends, make new ones, and keep up with what’s happening in your community. If you want to learn more about computers or social media, ask at your local library or visit a local computer club. The <a href="http://www.ascca.org.au/">Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association</a> lists over 130 clubs for older Australians – one might be in your area. 6. Meetups <a href="http://www.meetup.com/">Meetup.com</a> is a nifty site that offers users the chance to join groups, known as Meetups, based on their location and interests. Examples of groups you can join include “Monopoly Players”, “More Bakeries Than Cycling Touring Club”, “Women’s Social Club”, and “French Movie Group”. If you can’t find a group that interests you, create your own! 7. Online dating The major online dating sites are <a href="https://www.rsvp.com.au/">RSVP</a>, <a href="https://www.eharmony.com.au/">eHarmony</a>, <a href="https://au.match.com/">Match</a>, <a href="https://www.oasisactive.com/">Oasis Active</a>, <a href="https://www.pof.com/">Plenty of Fish (POF)</a>, <a href="https://www.zoosk.com/">Zoosk</a> and <a href="https://tinder.com/">Tinder</a>. A good place to start might be with eHarmony, as it caters for a large number of older users. Billed as “Australia’s most trusted online dating site”, it offers specific dating advice for seniors. Of course, there are scams out there, so keep your wits about you. 8. Lions and Rotary Clubs <a href="http://lionsclubs.org.au/">Lions </a>and <a href="http://rotaryaustralia.org.au/">Rotary </a>do a lot of good in their local communities and further afield. Lions’ motto is “where there’s a need, there’s a Lion”. Rotary is made up of members “who strive to make the world a better place”. 9. Returning to work Working doesn’t have to be about the money. If you are in need of an outlet for mingling, going back to work could be the answer. Perhaps you could ask your former workplace about casual work or approach your local Bunnings Warehouse – the hardware chain encourages older workers back in to the workforce. Former teachers might register for substitute teaching and pet lovers could advertise pet sitting or walking services. If you love weddings, why not become a marriage celebrant? Adore children? Ask parents you know if they need babysitting or someone to pick their kids up after school. Crafty? How about a market stall? Too many veggies in the garden? Try selling them at a farmer’s market. A spare bungalow, caravan or room could be decorated and listed on <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/">Airbnb</a>. Other ideas include freelance writing, consulting or selling your photos on a microstock site such as <a href="https://www.gettyimages.com/">Getty Images</a>. 10. Pets They are known as man’s best friend but having a dog can help you socialise more with people. A study by the University of Western Australia found “pet owners were significantly more likely to get to know people in their neighbourhood whom they didn’t know previously, compared with non-pet owners”. Published in PLOS ONE, <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0122085">The Pet Factor – Companion Animals as a Conduit for Getting to Know People, Friendship Formation and Social Support</a> concluded that dog owners were more likely to get to know people in their community than owners of other pets, such as cats or birds. 11. Reconnecting with old friends Make a list of people that you remember fondly and reach out to them by phone, email or Facebook. If they live nearby, invite them out for coffee, and if they are interstate or overseas, send a short email – who knows, one day you might take a trip and meet up with them. Don’t assume old friends have forgotten about you just because they haven’t been in touch – they may have been juggling work and parenting in their 30s and 40s, making it hard to stay in touch. Most likely, they will be pleased to hear from you. What have you done to combat feeling lonely? Share you experiences and ideas below. Written by Leah McLennan. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/lifestyle/wyza-life/combating-loneliness-how-to-meet-new-friends.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>. Image: Getty

Retirement Life

Noble pups! Meet the royal dogs of the British monarchy

These furry friends certainly get the royal treatment! Here's everything to know about the four-legged members of the royal family. Royal dogs For many of us, our dogs play a major – if not the most important – role in our families. Royal dogs are no different, minus all the public engagements they get to attend – like charity events and council meetings. For generations, royal dogs have played an iconic role in public and private life for many members across the royal family tree. Whether it be King Charles II who was rumoured to not go anywhere without a minimum of three spaniels or Queen Victoria who owned a whopping 88 smooth-haired Collies in her lifetime, royals certainly have a history of loving their dogs. Today, the British royal family is known for having a plethora of furry four-legged friend – Queen Elizabeth’s corgis and King Charles III’s dogs are a few of our famous favourites. Here are a few of today’s royal dogs that are beloved by many. Muick and Sandy <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/02-prince-andrew-corgi-GettyImages-1243368841-scaled-e1666119038497-770.jpg" alt="" width="1536" height="998" /> Royal owners: originally Queen Elizabeth II, now Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York Queen Elizabeth was known for her devotion to her country, service and, of course, her love of corgis. The Queen received her first corgi from her father on her 18th birthday, and while the exact number of corgis during her 70-year-rule is only known by a select few, experts estimate England’s longest monarch had over 30 in her lifetime. Muick and Sandy also played a special role for the Queen. Prince Andrew gifted the two adorable corgis to Queen Elizabeth to provide her with comfort while Prince Philip was in the hospital in early 2021. Now, due to the Queen’s passing, her pups will fondly be taken care of by Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson. Bluebell and Beth <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/03-charles-dog-GettyImages-843781242-king-charles-and-dogs-770.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /> Royal owners: King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla Meet the new pups of Buckingham Palace! Like his mother, King Charles III has a favourite dog breed and has owned many Jack Russell Terriers. Queen Consort Camilla adopted Beth and Bluebell in 2017 from a rescue centre, and these pups even made history as the first rescue pets to ever live in Buckingham Palace! We can’t wait to see how these two will make history next. Orla <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/05-William-Kate-pet-dog-GettyImages-1407226469-770-1.jpg" alt="" /> Royal owners: Prince William and Princess Kate The Prince and Princess of Wales are the proud owners of a black cocker spaniel named Orla, who the couple’s children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – absolutely adore. Black cocker spaniels have a reputation for getting along well with children due to their calm and kind nature. The newest member of the family was actually gifted from Kate’s brother, James, whose dog gave birth to six puppies. Orla also has a sentimental role in the family, as she was bought to help bring joy and energy to the couple’s elderly dog, Lupo, in his old age before his passing in November of 2020. Guy, Mamma Mia and Pula <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/05-beagle-GettyImages-566943335-770.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /> Royal owners: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla aren’t the only members of the royal family with a love for rescue dogs. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s latest pup, a 7-year-old beagle named Mamma Mia is the couple’s second beagle in addition to Guy, as well as their black Labrador Pula. Prince Harry recently discussed how the couple’s dogs are all emotional support dogs “when they’re behaving,” he joked. Dotty <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/06-princess-Anne-pet-GettyImages-1033476776-e1666118755545.jpg" alt="" width="893" height="893" /> Royal owner: Princess Anne Similar to her brother and mother, Princess Anne is another royal with an affinity for a specific dog breed: bull terriers. During her time as a royal, Princess Anne owned several bull terriers – one of her bull terriers even made history, causing Princess Anne to be the first royal member charged with a criminal offence after her dog, Dotty, attacked two children in Windsor Great Park. Jack, Cici, Teddy and Ginger <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/04-terrier-eugenie-beatrice-GettyImages-844394888-770-scaled-1.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1662" /> Royal owners: Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie The two daughters of Prince Andrew aren’t shy about their affection for Norfolk Terriers – an adorable, tiny and energetic breed. In fact, Princess Beatrice loves Norfolk terriers so much that she offered to gift two to her grandmother, birthed by her very own Norfolk Terrier named Ginger. Unfortunately, the Queen was worried about tripping over the pups and getting hurt, so she declined. The granddaughters of the Queen seem to get their love of dogs from her. A recent Instagram photo Princess Eugenie posted after the Queen’s passing shows Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice sitting with the Queen and petting a dog. The caption fondly wrote: “For now dear Grannie, all we want to say is thank you.” Dog name: Unknown <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/07-Sophie-pet-GettyImages-1238871398-770-scaled-1.jpg" alt="" /> Royal owners: Prince Edward and Sophie The Queen’s youngest child, the Earl of Wessex, and his wife own two pups; a black Labrador and a Cocker Spaniel. The Countess of Wessex is known for her love of dogs – she has been seen walking the dogs on the grounds of Windsor Castle and attended the Guide Dogs National Centre in Britain. Fun fact: dogs aren’t the only pets the Earl’s family owns! In a recent video interview, Prince Edward revealed that the family has “two dogs and we’ve also got a tortoise, who basically runs the house.” Written by Jessica Kaplan. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/noble-pups-meet-the-royal-dogs-of-the-british-monarchy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Images: Getty Images

Family & Pets

King Charles and Camilla make young boy’s dream of meeting them come true

King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla have made a young boy’s dreams come true after he reached out with a letter. Jason Tweedie-Long, 5, from York, wrote a letter to the royals letting them know that he’s worried he won’t be able to see them due to his vision impairment. The letter was sent to York Council and forwarded to Buckingham Palace before the King and the Queen Consort decided on making young Jason’s day. The pair were in the English city to unveil the first statue of the King’s late mother, Queen Elizabeth II since her death in September. Soon after, it was arranged for Jason to meet the Royals who held his hand and posed for a photo the extremely happy fan. “Thank you to @RoyalFamily for their special meeting with young resident Jason who is visually impaired. He was thrilled to meet the King and Queen Consort today whilst they visited York,” the council tweeted. During his speech when unveiling the late monarch’s statue, the King explained that it was intended for the celebration of the Platinum Jubilee, but will remain in her memory. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Thank you to <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RoyalFamily</a> for their special meeting with young resident Jason who is visually impaired. He was thrilled to meet the King and Queen Consort today whilst they visited York. <a href="https://t.co/Vx8nol1mrH">pic.twitter.com/Vx8nol1mrH</a> — City of York Council (@CityofYork) <a href="https://twitter.com/CityofYork/status/1590323338756300800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2022</a></blockquote> “When this statue was first planned five years ago, during a reign of unprecedented duration and achievement, it was intended as a celebration of the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee,” the King said. “Now, as we have witnessed, with great sadness, the passing of that reign, it is unveiled in her memory, as a tribute to a life of extraordinary service and devotion. “The creation of this statue is also, if I may say so, a tribute to the support, affection and prayers that the community of this cathedral, and of this great city, always gave the late Queen, and all for which she stood in the life of the nation and the Commonwealth. “The late Queen was always vigilant for the welfare of her people during her life. Now, her image will watch over what will become Queen Elizabeth Square, for centuries to come - a constant example of the duty and care for others, and for our community, which is the calling and the duty we all share.” Image: Twitter

Caring

Why Queen Elizabeth apologised to Paul Hogan during their 1980 meeting

Paul Hogan has reflected on his 1980 meeting with Queen Elizabeth, and what caused the late monarch to apologise to the actor. The Crocodile Dundee icon spoke with Tracy Grimshaw on A Current Affair, her last interview before leaving the program after 17 years, and recalled the moment he got a lot of "flack" for his choice of outfit to meet the royals. Grimshaw brought up a photo from the book of Hogan meeting the Queen after he performed in the Royal Charity Concert at Sydney Opera House in 1980. When they met, Hogan donned a cut off flannel shirt, stubby shorts and footy socks. "I love that shot," the actor said. "I got a lot of flack over that but the Queen didn't mind." Hogan has said in previous interviews that "everyone was horrified" by what he wore that night when he met the royals, with the exception of Queen Elizabeth. Hogan told Grimshaw that the late Queen had apologised to him during their brief meeting after she "won" a prize to have dinner at his home. "The show we did at the Opera House for entertaining her, part of the thing I did was to pretend to draw the lucky seat prize," he said. "I drew two names out, which obviously was the Queen and Philip, and said the prize that they'd won was dinner at my place, and told them how to get there, what bus to catch and all that kind of stuff - was all funny." "But when I met her, she then leaned over and said, 'I'm sorry dear, I don't think we'll be able to make dinner', which is great, she's got a sense of humour." Hogan also shared an update on his health battle, telling Grimshaw that he'd lost a lot of weight and was being "held together with string". "I had a problem on the aorta and the kidney and the treatment fixed it but it shrunk me," he said. "I'd still take out most 40-year-olds then I turned 80 and there's a saying that turning 80's not for sissies because things start to fall apart but, no, I can't complain." Image credits: A Current Affair

So long, corgis! Meet the new dogs moving into Buckingham Palace

Canine royalty If there’s one thing the royal family loves, it’s dogs. Everybody knows about Queen Elizabeth’s famous corgis, but the identities of King Charles III’s dogs are more of a mystery. The queen’s beloved Welsh Corgis will go down in history as some of the cutest British royal family pets, but the dogs that the new King Charles and his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, prefer will definitely give them a run for their money once they take up residence at the palace. When we think about dogs fit for royalty, it’s tempting to imagine a noble Great Dane or a racing dog with a pedigree that goes back as far as the royals themselves. But it turns out that Charles’s pups didn’t come from a fancy breeder at all. In the timeline of royal dogs throughout history, these pooches will go down as the first humble rescues to reach the pinnacle of luxury. And there’s one thing we know for sure: We’re about to be obsessed with King Charles III’s dogs. What kind of dogs does King Charles III have? The first dog breed that springs to mind when we think about the British royal family is the cute corgi, the longtime favourite of Queen Elizabeth II. Considering the longest-reigning monarch was on the throne for 70 years before her death on September 8, 2022, corgis are pretty much the only pet the public associates with the royals. But when we think about King Charles III in particular, another breed is top of mind: the Cavalier King Charles spaniel, of course. This British dog was named for King Charles II in the 1600s, according to Linda Simon, a veterinary surgeon and consultant for FiveBarks. It’s not the preferred royal pooch, though. As it turns out, King Charles III’s dogs are Jack Russell terriers. He and Camilla brought home two of them – Bluebell and Beth – from a London rescue centre in 2017. If the new king and queen consort are going to popularise a dog breed, the Jack Russell terrier is a great pick, says Dr Simon. “They are generally healthy, thanks to their sensible body shape and the fact they are not snub-nosed,” she says. And although they can be hyperactive and bark a lot, owners can manage their rambunctious tendencies with enough exercise and training. These feisty little guys are wire-haired dogs, small in stature but long in endurance. Erika Barnes, founder and CEO of Pet Smitten, notes that there’s a long-held theory about the royals’ choice of pets: The family might strategically select smaller dog breeds so that they “don’t come across as too domineering and dictatorial to the British public,” she says. She also points out that Jack Russell terriers have been bred in the United Kingdom for hundreds of years and have long been included in hunting packs on royal hunting trips. Despite their little legs, they have no problem keeping up with royals on horseback. After all, they are <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/pets/13-of-the-fastest-dog-breeds-in-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the fastest dog breeds</a>. With enough stamina for a royal workday, that long British heritage and a long-standing connection to the royal family, Charles’s choice of canine companion makes sense. Are they the first rescue dogs in Buckingham Palace? The British royal family tree is usually associated with pedigree, not strays. So as Dr Sabrina Kong, a veterinarian with We Love Doodles, explains, the fact that Beth and Bluebell are the first rescue pets in the palace is a big deal. (They’re not, however, the only rescue pets in the family. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have adopted rescue dogs as well.) Camilla adopted the pups from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London, of which she is the royal patron. In an interview with BBC Radio 5 in 2020, she revealed that the poor pooches were found separately in terrible condition – Bluebell was rescued while wandering the woods, and Beth had been moved around her whole life. “They found [Bluebell] two or three weeks later wandering about in woods, no hair on her, covered in sores, virtually dead,” she said in the interview. “And they nursed her back to life, and her hair grew again. She’s very sweet but a tiny bit neurotic, shall we say.” Fortunately, the two dogs got along well. And considering they’re now King Charles III’s dogs, they’ll certainly never want for anything again. “Adopt, don’t shop” now has the royal seal of approval. And animal lovers are hoping this sparks a trend. The Battersea Dogs and Cats Home has been operating out of Battersea, London, since 1860 and has re-homed thousands of animals. With such high-profile rescue pets now trotting alongside the king, the hope is that many more people will be inspired to adopt their next pet. How many Jack Russell terriers has King Charles owned over the years? As Dr Kong explains, Beth and Bluebell are not the first Jack Russell terriers that Charles has owned. Back in 1994, his beloved Pooh (named after Winnie-the-Pooh) ran away, escaping into the woods of the queen’s Balmoral estate in Scotland. Sadly, it was never found. A few years earlier, Pooh’s companion Tigga (named after Tigger, another resident of the Hundred Acre Wood) became a bit of a celebrity after turning up in the palace’s unofficial Christmas cards in 1990, cuddled up with his human brothers, Prince William and Prince Harry. Charles was so devoted to Tigga that, when the pooch eventually passed at the grand old age of 18, he buried his pet on the grounds of Highgrove House, the longstanding official residence of Charles and Camilla. In fact, Charles’s love of the breed dates back to his childhood, when he had Jack Russell terriers as pets. But like the rest of the British nobility, he loves other breeds as well. The lumbering Labrador has been a favourite of the British upper classes for many years, and Charles found a loyal friend in one decades ago. He owned a yellow Labrador named Harvey in the 1980s, but according to royal expert George Grant, Princess Diana objected to him being “smelly,” and Harvey was re-homed with one of Charles’s advisors. Will the dogs have the run of Buckingham Palace? Although Charles and Camilla will be moving into Buckingham Palace eventually, the heritage building is currently being extensively re-wired, so the royal couple and their canine companions will remain in Clarence House until the renovations are complete. But there is no doubt that these pooches will continue to live in luxury. When Elizabeth was queen, the royal pack of corgis reportedly had a stately room in the palace to call their own, so Beth and Bluebell can go in with high expectations for their royal accommodations. Camilla told the BBC that although the dogs are allowed almost everywhere at home (including on the sofa), they are not allowed to sleep on the bed. We predict that the royal canines will have their very own bedroom, complete with four-poster dog beds and chew toys aplenty. After the life they had prior to being rescued, these pups deserve a bit of pampering. And if you’re worried about the queen’s corgis being evicted, fear not: Dr Kong explains that the queen’s two corgis and one dorgi (the super-cute name for a dachshund-corgi mix) will be under the care of another royal family member, Prince Andrew, from now on. He may be wrapped in scandal, but his household will continue to provide the dogs with a lifestyle to which they have no doubt become accustomed. Written by Chloë Nannestad. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/so-long-corgis-meet-the-new-dogs-moving-into-buckingham-palace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Getty Images

Family & Pets

People who are bad with numbers often find it harder to make ends meet – even if they are not poor

<h2>The big idea</h2> People who are bad with numbers are more likely to experience financial difficulties than people who are good with numbers. That’s according to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our analyses</a> of the <a href="https://wrp.lrfoundation.org.uk/explore-the-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll</a>. In this World Risk Poll, people from 141 countries were asked if 10% was bigger than, smaller than or the same as 1 out of 10. Participants were said to be bad with numbers if they did not provide the correct answer – which is that 10% is the same as 1 out of 10. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our analyses</a> found that people who answered incorrectly are often among the poorest in their country. Prior studies in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2010.02394.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United States</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-5890.2007.00052.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Kingdom</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2016.02.011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Netherlands</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12294" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peru</a> had also found that people who are bad with numbers are financially worse off. But <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our analyses of the World Risk Poll</a> further showed that people who are bad with numbers find it harder to make ends meet, even if they are not poor. When we say that they found it harder to make ends meet, we mean that they reported on the poll that they found it difficult or very difficult to live on their current income, as opposed to living comfortably or getting by on their current income. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our analyses</a> also indicate that staying in school longer is related to better number ability. People with a high school degree tend to be better with numbers than people without a high school degree. And college graduates do even better. But even among college graduates there are people who are bad with numbers – and they struggle more financially. Of course, being good with numbers is not going to help you stretch your budget if you are very poor. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We found</a> that the relationship between number ability and struggling to make ends meet holds across the world, except in low-income countries like Ethiopia, Somalia and Rwanda. <h2>Why it matters</h2> The ability to understand and use numbers is also called <a href="http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190861094.001.0001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">numeracy</a>. Numeracy is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1787/1f029d8f-en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">central to modern adult life</a> because numbers are everywhere. A lot of well-paying jobs involve working with numbers. People who are bad with numbers often perform worse in these jobs, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ecin.12873" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banking</a>. It can therefore be hard for people who are bad with numbers to <a href="http://www.doi.org/10.1108/00400919710164125" target="_blank" rel="noopener">find employment and progress in their jobs</a>. People who are bad with numbers are less likely <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/116/39/19386.short" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to make good financial decisions</a>. Individuals who can’t compute how interest compounds over time <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.2009.01518.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">save the least and borrow the most</a>. People with poor numerical skills are also more likely <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.41.3.586" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to take on high-cost debt</a>. If you’re bad with numbers, it is hard to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474747215000232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recognize</a> that paying the US$30 minimum payment on a credit card with a $3,000 balance and an annual percentage rate of 12% means it will never be paid off. <h2>What still isn’t known</h2> It is clear that people who are bad with numbers also tend to struggle financially. But we still need to explore whether teaching people math will help them to avoid financial problems. <h2>What’s next</h2> In her book “<a href="http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190861094.001.0001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Innumeracy in the Wild</a>,” Ellen Peters, director of the Center for Science Communication Research at the University of Oregon, suggests that it is important for students to take math classes. American high school students who had to <a href="https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.51.3.0113-5410R1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">take more math courses</a> than were previously required had better financial outcomes later in life, such as avoiding bankruptcy and foreclosures. Successfully teaching numeracy also means helping students gain confidence in using numbers. People with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1903126116" target="_blank" rel="noopener">low numerical confidence</a> experience bad financial outcomes, such as a foreclosure notice, independent of their numeric ability. This is because they may not even try to take on complex financial decisions. Numerical confidence can be boosted in different ways. Among American <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.41.3.586" target="_blank" rel="noopener">elementary school children</a> who were bad with numbers, setting achievable goals led to better numerical confidence and performance. Among American <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180674" target="_blank" rel="noopener">undergraduate students</a>, a writing exercise that affirmed their positive values improved their numerical confidence and performance. Other important next steps are to find out whether training in numeracy can also be provided to adults, and whether training in numeracy improves the financial outcomes of people who do not live in high-income countries. <div> This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-who-are-bad-with-numbers-often-find-it-harder-to-make-ends-meet-even-if-they-are-not-poor-172272" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock </div>

Money & Banking

Brands are leaning on ‘recycled’ clothes to meet sustainability goals

Today we make more clothing than ever before. And the driver for this is primarily economic, rather than human need. Over the past decade, the term “circular economy” has entered the fashion industry lexicon, wherein materials are made to be reused and recycled by design. Yet we haven’t seen the same level of recycling in fashion as we have in other spaces – such as with plastic recycling, for instance. And this is mainly because clothing-to-clothing recycling is much more difficult. The use of recycled polyester and cotton by brands such as H&M and Cotton On are key aspects of these companies’ sustainability initiatives – but the source of these recycled fibres usually isn’t clothing. Recycled polyester tends to <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/story/zwUxmcq5wIZqLA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">come from plastic bottles</a>, and recycled cotton is usually made from manufacturing waste. The fact is most clothing is simply not designed to be recycled. Even when it is, the fashion industry lacks the kind of infrastructure needed to really embrace a circular economy model. Why is recycling clothes difficult? Recycling clothing isn’t like recycling paper, glass or metal. Clothes are endlessly variable and unpredictable. So they’re not ideal for recycling technologies, which require a steady and consistent source material. Even a seemingly simple garment may contain multiple materials, with fibre blends such as cotton/polyester and cotton/elastane being common. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469705/original/file-20220620-24-w9gmlu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Despite seeming simple, clothes are complex products containing many components and materials. This means recycling them is very difficult. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> Different fibres have different capacities for recycling. Natural fibres such as wool or cotton can be recycled mechanically. In this process the fabric is shredded and re-spun into yarn, from which new fabric can be woven or knitted. However, the fibres become shorter through the shredding process, resulting in a lower quality yarn and cloth. Recycled cotton is often mixed with virgin cotton to ensure a better quality yarn. Most fabrics are also dyed with chemicals, which can have implications for recycling. If the original fabric is a mixture of many colours, the new yarn or fabric will likely need bleaching to be dyed a new colour. A complex garment such as a lined jacket easily contains more than five different materials, as well as trims including buttons and zippers. If the goal of recycling is to arrive at a material as close to the original as possible, all the garment’s components and fibres would first need to be separated. This requires labour and can be expensive. It’s often easier to shred the garment and turn it into a low-quality product, such as <a href="https://www.cjr.org/language_corner/shoddy.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shoddy</a> which is used for insulation. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469714/original/file-20220620-20-6cxi7m.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Massive amounts of clothing scraps are stacked on top of each other, loosely sorted by colour." /></a><figcaption>Even if a garment is designed to be recyclable, if the infrastructure needed is missing, it will likely still end up in landfill.</figcaption></figure> Industry progress and challenges Companies such as <a href="https://www.blocktexx.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BlockTexx</a> and <a href="https://www.evrnu.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evrnu</a> have developed processes to recycle fibres from blended fabrics, though such recycled fibres aren’t yet widely available. Through a proprietary technology, BlockTexx separates cellulose (present in both cotton and linen) and polyester from textile and clothing waste for new uses, including in new clothing. And Evrnu has developed <a href="https://www.evrnu.com/nucycl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a type of lyocell</a> made entirely from textile and clothing waste. Spain-based company <a href="https://recoverfiber.com/products/rcotton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recover</a> meticulously sorts through different kinds of cotton textile waste to produce high quality, mechanically recycled, cotton fibre. There’s also biological recycling. Fibre waste from the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-04/cotton-compost-turns-trash-to-treasured-fertiliser/12410248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rivcott cotton “gin”</a> (or cotton engine) is composted to become fertiliser for a new cotton crop. The same is possible with natural fibres from worn-out clothing, after potentially toxic dyes and chemicals have been eliminated. Synthetic fibres such as polyester and polyamide (nylon) can also be recycled mechanically and chemically. Chemical recycling through re-polymerisation (where the plastic fibre is melted) is an attractive option, since the quality of the original fibre can be maintained. In theory it’s possible to use polyester clothing as the source for this. But in practice the source is usually bottles. This is because clothing is usually “contaminated” with other materials such as buttons and zippers, and separating these is too labour intensive. The plastic problem Almost all recycled polyester in clothing today comes from recycled plastic bottles, rather than previous polyester clothing. This is significant when you consider polyester accounts for more than 60% of all fibre use. Given the rapid increase in the production of <a href="http://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/FOSSIL-FASHION_Web-compressed.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">synthetic fibres</a>, and the as-yet-unknown impact of microplastics (which were <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322297" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documented in human placentas</a> last year) – the question remains whether clothing should be made from biologically incompatible materials at all. Polyester clothes, regardless of fibre sources, contribute to microplastic pollution by shedding fibres when worn and laundered. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469721/original/file-20220620-26-z0f5f8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Plastic bottles are ready to be used for recycling" /></a><figcaption>Although plastic bottles can be recycled into clothing, that clothing is very difficult to further recycle. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> A new generation of synthetic fibres from renewable sources (recyclable and also biodegradable) offers a path forward. For instance, the <a href="https://www.kintrafibers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kintra</a> fibre is made from corn. Reduce and reuse before you recycle There’s plenty of evidence that reducing the consumption of clothing by wearing items longer and buying second-hand is preferable to purchasing recycled fibre clothes. But even second-hand fashion isn’t without problems when you consider the scale and pace of clothing production today. Liz Ricketts of the US-based OR Foundation, a charity focused on sustainable fashion, <a href="https://atmos.earth/fashion-clothing-waste-letter-ghana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paints a gruesome picture</a> of the Kantamanto market in Ghana, where much of the world’s secondhand clothing ends up (including from Australia). <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "You have to understand that this is recycling, this is not a landfill.” Thousands of tonnes of knock-off clothing from Europe and the U.S. are being piled up in a mass dump in Chile's Atacama desert <a href="https://t.co/ANHu7RiN5q">pic.twitter.com/ANHu7RiN5q</a> — Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) <a href="https://twitter.com/Quicktake/status/1470991517292630022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></blockquote> One path forward is for companies to take responsibility for products at their end of life. US fashion brand Eileen Fisher is a pioneer on this front. The company has purchased garments back from customers since 2009. These are cleaned and sorted, and mostly resold under the <a href="https://www.eileenfisherrenew.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eileen Fisher Renew</a> brand. Garments too damaged for resale are given to a dedicated design team, which redesigns them to be sold under the <a href="https://www.eileenfisherrenew.com/shop/resewn-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eileen Fisher Resewn</a> collection. Off-cuts from this process are captured and turned into textiles for further use.<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/184406/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/timo-rissanen-1339498" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timo Rissanen</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Technology Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/brands-are-leaning-on-recycled-clothes-to-meet-sustainability-goals-how-are-they-made-and-why-is-recycling-them-further-so-hard-184406" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Beauty & Style

Prince Charles' first meeting with granddaughter Lilibet was "very emotional"

During the celebrations of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Prince Charles was often spotted in grandpa mode with Prince William and Kate's three children. According to royal aides, the Duke of Wales also spent quality time with his other grandkids, Archie and Lilibet, as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the UK for the milestone celebrations. One of Prince Charles' closest royal aides said the 73-year-old's first meeting with his one-year-old granddaughter was "very emotional". "It was a fantastic visit and of course the Prince was delighted to see his grandson and meet his granddaughter for the first time," the source told UK reporters. "It was fantastic to see them. It was wonderful to have them back in Britain, the Prince [Charles] and the Duchess [of Cornwall] were absolutely thrilled to see them," they added of seeing the Sussexes. "The Prince of course hasn't seen his grandson Archie for a bit of time and so it was very, very, very special to have some time with him. He hadn't met Lilibet, his granddaughter, and so to meet her for the first time was I think very emotional, a very wonderful thing." Lilibet, who was born in Los Angeles on June 4th 2021, also met the Queen, her namesake, during the Sussexes first trip to the UK in some time. It is believed the Lilibet was introduce to Her Majesty on June 2nd following the Trooping the Colour event to kick off the four-day celebrations. Lili also celebrated her first birthday during her first visit to the UK, with photos from a party at Frogmore Cottage being released by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their return to the US after the short trip. Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram

Family & Pets

Meet the women who helped Afghanistan’s women's soccer team escape

When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, a goalkeeper for the country’s female soccer team had to make the decision whether she and her teammates should stay in their home country or leave it and their loved ones behind. Fati, whose name and age have been withheld to protect her family’s identity, played with her teammates for years, representing an Afghanistan where women had more opportunity and freedom - and was free of the Taliban’s rule. “I accepted that Afghanistan was over,” Fati told the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61744830" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a>. “I thought there’s no chance for living, no chance for me to go outside again and fight for my rights. No school, no media, no athletes, nothing. We were like dead bodies in our homes. “For two weeks I never slept. I was 24 hours with my phone, trying to reach out to someone, anybody for help. All day and all night, awake, texting and searching social media.” Fati and her teammates managed to escape, thanks to an invisible, international network of women. Haley Carter, a 37-year-old goalkeeper, former US marine and Afghanistan’s assistant coach from 2016 to 2018, described it as a “little virtual operation running out of WhatsApp”. “Never underestimate the power of women with smartphones,” she added. Using WhatsApp and other encrypted messaging apps, Carter was sharing intelligence about the situation in Kabul with other marines and National Security staff in an operation dubbed ‘Digital Dunkirk’. She had been enlisted to help Fati and the team flee by Khalida Popal, a former national team captain who left Afghanistan in 2011 because of death threats over her involvement in the sport, and has lived in Denmark since. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/khalida-popal.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Khalida Popal knew time was of the essence for Fati and her teammates, and enlisted the help of Haley Carter to secure their escape. Image: Getty Images With time not on their side, Popal knew Fati and her teammates had to act quickly, with their sporting involvements making them particularly vulnerable to Taliban investigations. She told the team to delete their social media accounts, burn their soccer gear and bury their trophies - a decision Fati said was hard to do. “Who wants to burn their jerseys?” she said. “I thought, if I survive, I will make [the achievements] again.” At the same time, Carter was working to get the team onto a military plane out of Afghanistan at the earliest opportunity. “Khalida texted all of us saying, ‘girls, be ready to leave the airport together, just one backpack each’,” Fati recalled. “She said: ‘We can’t tell you that we are even sure that you will go inside the airport. But if you fight, you will survive’.” When it was time to go, Fati carried as little as possible and wrote Carter’s phone number on her arm in case her phone was stolen or confiscated. Carter also told Fati that they should rotate having their phones on to preserve battery life. At the airport, they were among thousands who had congregated with the hope of leaving - but for many, the struggle would be in vain. “If your name was not on a list, or there wasn’t somebody inside the airport coming out to get you, you weren’t going in,” Carter said. “So we had to work extra hard to make sure that marine counterparts at the gates had their information to make sure that they could get in.” Carter told Fati to meet “a guy” at the airport’s north gate with a password that would get them in. When they were turned back, Carter had to recalibrate the plan all the way from Houston. Meanwhile, Fati decided she and the players would try again at the south gate - though they would have to get past the two Taliban checkpoints in the way. After being separated from her brother - who was badly beaten - at the first checkpoint and being kicked and hit herself by men with rifles at the second, Popal’s text message gave her the push to keep going forward. “It was a thing that lighted up that darkness,” Fati said. “Suddenly, there was something telling me to get back up and I started again in a strong way.” The team regrouped, taking advantage of a moment when the Taliban guards were distracted to make a dash for Australian soldiers at the south entrance. “There were so many people but we managed to get past the last checkpoint,” Fati said. “We saw the Australian soldiers and shouted phrases like, ‘national team players’, ‘Australia’ and ‘football’. “They looked at our documents and let us through.” Along with some Afghan Paralympians, Fati and her teammates boarded a C-130 military transport plane heading to Australia. “The plane just took off and there was just noise and the fear that we had. Looking around, there were just scared faces,” Fati said. “I was thinking, you will never be able to see this beautiful place where you made memories and grew up. It’s your last time.” She sent a photo and message to Carter, reading: “I made it. We made it”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> “I still can’t get my head around what they’ve been through & what they’ve come from but they just turn up to every session, always have a smile on their face” For <a href="https://twitter.com/gomvfc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gomvfc</a> coach Hopkins, working with <a href="https://twitter.com/AfghanWnt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AfghanWnt</a>’s reminded him why he got into coaching.<a href="https://t.co/vf0w0B7y8g">https://t.co/vf0w0B7y8g</a> <a href="https://t.co/mT7rIcRrte">pic.twitter.com/mT7rIcRrte</a> — Sacha Pisani (@Sachk0) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sachk0/status/1530135643128745985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2022</a></blockquote> In February, Fati and her teammates trained together for the first time, after Melbourne Victory provided facilities and coaches. She described the feeling as “amazing” and a source of “new hope” for the team. “I’ve locked those smiles in my memory. And I thought, I’m successful. We will not be lost,” she said. Two months later, they played their first match against a local non-league team, though the backs of their jerseys had no names and just numbers out of concern for the safety of their relatives back home. Though their chances of competing internationally in an official competition requires the backing of the Afghan Football Association and the Taliban, Fati still has hope. “The goals instead will be for us to make the national teams of Australia or the country that we are in. Still we are Afghans and, somehow, we will be the representatives of our nationality,” Fati said. Image: Getty Images

Caring

Lilibet and Queen Elizabeth II to meet for first time

Queen Elizabeth II is expected to meet her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the very first time at her upcoming Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Lilibet, whose name is a nickname of the monarch’s, will be travelling to the UK with her brother Archie, and their parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, per <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/prince-harry-meghan-markle-daughter-lilibet-could-meet-queen-elizabeth-first-birthday-platinum-jubilee/b42887c7-db1c-4188-b874-55e0949c25aa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a>. The visit will be the first time the couple will reunite with the royal family - aside from the Queen and Prince Charles - since they stepped down from their senior roles in 2020, having met the monarch and future king during a secret visit last month. Though it’s still unclear which events the couple will attend, it’s expected they will appear at a few across the Jubilee holiday. Meanwhile, the Queen herself will only confirm her attendance at several events on the day of or a few hours prior, though she is expected to be at Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace. Harry and Meghan will also be joining Prince Andrew in not standing on the balcony at Buckingham Palace since they are no longer working royals. The Sussexes, who will be reuniting with the Queen at Friday’s Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s, are believed to be staying at Frogmore Cottage while in the UK, with Princess Eugenie and her family believed to be living there at the moment. Image: Alexi Lubomirski/Duke and Duchess of Sussex

Family & Pets

Meet the experts working to preserve Ukraine’s cultural history

As the war in Ukraine wages on, officials are growing increasingly concerned about the preservation of the country’s art history and cultural heritage. As historic museums and buildings are being bombed by the Russian offensive, while precious artefacts are being stolen and looted. "We have museum buildings destroyed, with all collections turned into ashes — it's quite a barbaric situation," curator and art historian Konstantin Akinsha tells <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/the-roundtable/13821526">ABC RN's Sunday Extra.</a> "[The] other side of the problem is that in little towns which are occupied by Russians, we have the first cases of random looting of museums." Recently, Scythian gold artefacts dating back to the fourth century BC were stolen from a museum in the southern Ukraine town of Melitopol. Officials in Ukraine said Russian soldiers were accompanied by an unknown expert "in a white coat", who carefully extracted the ancient gold artefacts from cardboard boxes hidden in the museum's cellar. "This is one of the largest and most expensive collections in Ukraine, and today we don't know where they took it," Melitopol mayor Ivan Fedorov said at the time. Mr Akinsha, who is an expert on the cultural destruction of World War II, says he is now “reliving” what he learned during his studies “in real time”. He has been in contact with many curators and artists throughout the conflict, and reports that many museums have been unable to evacuate their collections in time. Moving them outside of Ukraine would be highly political and would require permission from national authorities. This has meant some of those looking after art have been forced to pack up the collections and live in the museums' cellars. According to Ukraine officials, more than 250 cultural institutions have been damaged or destroyed since the conflict began in February. Since the start of the war, members of the ALIPH Foundation, an international alliance that works to protect cultural heritage both during and post conflict, has been helping cultural heritage professionals and museum directors in the Ukraine. They have sent crates, packing material and fireproof blankets to institutions to help protect collections and respond to their needs. "The storage facilities themselves need to be up to standard … [they] need to have proper humidity control, be away from the elements and the packing boxes need to be of a certain calibre in order to protect the artefacts because these artefacts are, of course, precious and fragile," said Sandra Bialystok, the communications and partnerships officer for ALIPH Foundation. Despite the huge challenge of protecting these cultural works, Konstantin Akinsha said their preservation is uniting the people of Ukraine. "In individual towns and villages attacked by Russians and occupied by Russians, people are trying to save objects from the local museums, hiding them in their houses," he says. "Because for them, this heritage is extremely important – it's part of their life.” Image credits: Getty Images

Art

Meet the ute-driving pup bringing joy to the world

The owners of a now-viral pup who was filmed behind the wheel of a work ute have been blown away by the fact that their innocent video has brought so much joy to people around the world. Lexi the Jack Russell was recorded steering the Zschech family ute around a paddock on their farm in south-western Victoria – and the global responses they have received have been overwhelming. "I've had messages from Finland, Canada, America, Great Britain," Cam Zschech, Lexi's owner, told A Current Affair. "It took off a bit more than I thought. I had all these people messaging me. I can't believe it. I still can't believe it really." Ian and Cam have a 1500-acre farm just outside Hamilton, Victoria, and they run grain crops and have about 2000 ewes. "I've been here (for) the long 21 years of my life. It's a place that I'll probably be forever," Cam said. "We got Lexi about 14 months ago. She was really quiet when we got her. We thought we had a good one, but she's turned out to be so much more than that." As it turned out, Lexi has become an internet sensation after her efforts behind the wheel. "I learned to drive with Dad in the passenger seat. We'd put it in low gear and we'd idle along and I would steer. I thought I'd try and teach Lexi," Cam said. The attention that their pooch has received has brought the father and son even closer together. "It's great," Ian said. "And here we are, near Hamilton. It's a beautiful part of the world." For those wondering just how accomplished Lexi is behind the wheel, don't overthink it. To efficiently feed all the sheep, Cam often leaves the ute in low gear and Lexi jumps on the back to distribute hay around the paddock. However, Lexi's latest role, where she sits up in the driver seat, is only to make people smile. She’s only ever left in the ute on their property, in a controlled environment, along a flat paddock. Cam and Ian said they are just out to give everyone a laugh. Image: A Current Affair

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Meet the experts working to preserve Ukraine’s cultural history

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