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How to keep doing good once you’re gone

Most of us like to think that once we are no longer walking the Earth, we can still leave a legacy to mark our time here and contribute positively to those left behind. Doing so is not only possible but, as you’ll see below, fairly straightforward – providing you do some basic preparation beforehand. Seek the help of professional advice to ensure your plans can be enacted in full and deliver the best possible outcomes for everyone involved. Have your affairs in order Make things simpler for your grieving loved ones by having your wishes clearly outlined in writing, with specific instructions that leave no room for misinterpretation. Doing so makes your wishes easier to implement, faster to enact and reduces fights among your beneficiaries. Keep your will and other affairs updated as circumstances change too, so that everyone you want is included (such as kids and grandkids) and those you don’t, aren’t given an unexpected windfall (such as your ex or an adult child’s ex). Provide for everyone Providing for everyone is not necessarily straight forward, especially if you have a blended family. For instance, leaving your share of your home to your children from a previous relationship could lead to disagreements if your partner doesn’t want to leave. Instead, think about how your assets can be divided fairly without disadvantaging anyone. Children could be nominated beneficiaries of your superannuation and/or life insurance, leaving your home for your partner. Keep wealth flowing Certain structures can allow you to keep giving to your descendants long after you’re gone – offsetting their income and providing far greater wealth over time than any lump sum could achieve. A family or testamentary trust allows ongoing wealth creation through shared assets, with regular dividends paid out, creating a family legacy that can last for generations. Or a family company can allow a commercial entity to continue trading and growing as an asset. Manage tax impacts Implement tax-effective strategies that maximise how much your beneficiaries actually receive and minimise what the tax man pockets. While there isn’t an inheritance tax per se, beneficiaries can be hit with Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on asset sales plus transfer costs to put an asset into their own name – not to mention the ongoing maintenance and compliance costs of asset ownership. In some instances, your loved ones may benefit more if you sell assets now and leave them the proceeds, rather than leave them the asset – and its associated tax bill – once you’re gone. Ensure loved ones are home and housed Property is perhaps the biggest of all sources of wealth, yet it is increasingly difficult for younger people and singles to get (and stay) on the property ladder. Ensure everyone can reap the benefits of property ownership over their own lifetime, either by transferring ownership of properties in your name or contributing chunks of cash towards a deposit. However, it’s important to do so sustainably – gifting grandkids a large property they can’t afford to maintain isn’t going to work. Charitable donations Many people like to support charities and social causes once they are gone. Consider the end user here and what they stand to benefit from your donation – whether it be people, planet or both. It could be leaving a lump sum on your death, or regular ongoing donations from your estate. You may wish to do so anonymously, or include a message with your donation outlining your reasons why that particular charity/cause is important to you and what you hope the money will go towards. Donations may not necessarily be financial either – perhaps you have a valuable historic artefact that others could enjoy if donated to a museum? Organ donation The greatest gift of all is not money but life itself. So, consider whether organ donation is something you wish to do. While not suitable for everyone, and dependent on a range of factors including your age, health and religious beliefs, a single organ donor can save up to seven lives, as well as improve the quality of life of numerous others through eye and tissue donation. That is a lot of life you can give to others – and all without costing your own loved ones a cent! Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of On Your Own Two Feet: The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women. Helen is among the 1% of financial planners who hold a master’s degree in the field. Proceeds from book sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women and children. Find out more at <a href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</a> Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal financial or product advice. Any opinions or views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of people, institutions or organisations the owner may be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Helen Baker is an authorised representative of BPW Partners Pty Ltd AFSL 548754. Image credits: Shutterstock

Retirement Income

Is stress turning my hair grey?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> When we start to go grey depends a lot on <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">genetics</a>. Your first grey hairs <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/67437">usually appear</a> anywhere between your twenties and fifties. For men, grey hairs <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22077870/">normally</a> start at the temples and sideburns. Women tend to start greying on the hairline, especially at the front. The most <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">rapid greying</a> usually happens between ages 50 and 60. But does anything we do speed up the process? And is there anything we can do to slow it down? You’ve probably heard that plucking, dyeing and stress can make your hair go grey – and that redheads don’t. Here’s what the science says. <h2>What gives hair its colour?</h2> Each strand of hair is produced by a hair follicle, a tunnel-like opening in your skin. Follicles contain two different kinds of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1534580720301040">stem cells</a>: <ul> <li>keratinocytes, which produce <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23204-keratin">keratin</a>, the protein that makes and regenerates hair strands</li> <li>melanocytes, which produce <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22615-melanin">melanin</a>, the pigment that colours your hair and skin.</li> </ul> There are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459156/">two main types</a> of melanin that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">determine hair colour</a>. Eumelanin is a black-brown pigment and pheomelanin is a red-yellow pigment. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/studying-the-complex-genetics-behind-hair-colour-reveals-how-melanin-affects-us-171088#:%7E:text=Eumelanin%20is%20also%20known%20as%20the%20brown-black%20pigment%2C,is%20due%20to%20low%20amounts%20of%20both%20pigments.">amount of the different pigments</a> determines hair colour. Black and brown hair has mostly eumelanin, red hair has the most pheomelanin, and blonde hair has just a small amount of both. <h2>So what makes our hair turn grey?</h2> As we age, it’s normal for cells to become less active. In the hair follicle, this means stem cells produce less melanin – turning our hair grey – and less keratin, causing hair thinning and loss. As less melanin is produced, there is less pigment to give the hair its colour. Grey hair has very little melanin, while white hair has none left. Unpigmented hair <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290285/">looks grey</a>, white or silver because light reflects off the keratin, which is pale yellow. Grey hair is thicker, coarser and stiffer than hair with pigment. This is because the shape of the hair follicle becomes <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290285/">irregular</a> as the stem cells change with age. Interestingly, grey hair also grows faster than pigmented hair, but it <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/67437">uses more energy</a> in the process. <h2>Can stress turn our hair grey?</h2> Yes, stress can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290285/">cause your hair to turn grey</a>. This happens when <a href="https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1096/fj.05-4039fje">oxidative stress</a> damages hair follicles and stem cells and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.839859/full">stops them producing</a> melanin. Oxidative stress is an imbalance of too many damaging free radical chemicals and not enough protective antioxidant chemicals in the body. It can be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">caused by</a> psychological or emotional stress as well as autoimmune diseases. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22077870/">Environmental factors</a> such as exposure to UV and pollution, as well as smoking and some drugs, can also play a role. Melanocytes are <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/67437">more susceptible to damage</a> than keratinocytes because of the complex steps in melanin production. This explains why ageing and stress usually cause hair greying before hair loss. Scientists have been able to link less pigmented sections of a hair strand to <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/67437">stressful events in a person’s life</a>. In younger people, whose stems cells still produced melanin, colour returned to the hair after the stressful event passed. <h2>4 popular ideas about grey hair – and what science says</h2> 1. Does plucking a grey hair make more grow back in its place? No. When you pluck a hair, you might notice a small bulb at the end that was attached to your scalp. This is the <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23435-hair-follicle">root</a>. It grows from the hair follicle. Plucking a hair pulls the root out of the follicle. But the follicle itself is the opening in your skin and can’t be plucked out. Each hair follicle can only grow a single hair. It’s possible frequent plucking could make your hair <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18713071/">grey earlier</a>, if the cells that produce melanin are damaged or exhausted from too much regrowth. 2. Can my hair can turn grey overnight? Legend says Marie Antoinette’s hair went <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/marie-antoinette-syndrome">completely white</a> the night before the French queen faced the guillotine – but this is a myth. Melanin in hair strands is chemically stable, meaning it can’t transform instantly. Acute psychological stress does rapidly deplete melanocyte stem cells <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-1935-3">in mice</a>. But the effect doesn’t show up immediately. Instead, grey hair becomes visible as the strand grows – at a rate of <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326764">about 1 cm per month</a>. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432488/">Not all hair</a> is in the growing phase at any one time, meaning it can’t all go grey at the same time. 3. Will dyeing make my hair go grey faster? This <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9953601/">depends on the dye</a>. Temporary and semi-permanent dyes should not cause early greying because they just coat the hair strand without changing its structure. But permanent products cause a chemical reaction with the hair, using an oxidising agent such as hydrogen peroxide. Accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10232955/">other hair dye chemicals</a> in the hair follicle <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">can damage</a> melanocytes and keratinocytes, which can cause greying and hair loss. 4. Is it true redheads don’t go grey? People with red hair also lose melanin as they age, but differently to those with black or brown hair. This is because the red-yellow and black-brown pigments are chemically different. Producing the brown-black pigment eumelanin is more complex and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1034/j.1600-0749.2002.02017.x">takes more energy</a>, making it more susceptible to damage. Producing the red-yellow pigment (pheomelanin) causes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016953472030375X">less oxidative stress</a>, and is more simple. This means it is easier for stem cells to continue to produce pheomelanin, even as they reduce their activity with ageing. With ageing, red hair tends to fade into strawberry blonde and silvery-white. Grey colour is due to less eumelanin activity, so is more common in those with black and brown hair. Your genetics determine when you’ll start going grey. But you may be able to avoid premature greying by staying healthy, reducing stress and avoiding smoking, too much alcohol and UV exposure. Eating <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/melanin-in-hair#b-6-and-b-12">a healthy diet</a> may also help because vitamin B12, copper, iron, calcium and zinc all <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290285/">influence melanin production and hair pigmentation</a>.<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/239100/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, Associate Professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</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/is-stress-turning-my-hair-grey-239100">original article</a>.

Beauty & Style

Romance fraud doesn’t only happen online – it can turn into real-world deception

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cassandra-cross-122865">Cassandra Cross</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> We often think of fraudsters as people on the opposite side of the world. They will manipulate and exploit victims through words on a computer screen, or loving messages through the phone. But romance fraud can also happen in person, with the fraudster sleeping in the bed beside you. This was the circumstance Australian writer Stephanie Wood found herself in. It’s also the basis for the new <a href="https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/fake-breaks-subscription-and-streaming-records-on-paramount/">television series Fake</a>, currently screening on Paramount+. A dramatisation of Wood’s powerful memoir by the same name, the series outlines the many lies and betrayals of an intimate relationship. It’s a brutal insight into the world of deception which characterises romance fraud. <h2>When love hurts</h2> Romance fraud (or romance scams) is what it sounds like – offenders use the guise of a relationship to gain a financial reward. In most cases, it’s through the direct transfer of money from the victim, but it can also be through using personal credentials to commit identity crimes. From the outside, it’s hard to understand how romance fraud is so effective. However, <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/233966/">research has documented</a> the range of grooming techniques, social engineering tactics and methods of psychological abuse deployed by offenders. Offenders know exactly what to do and say to gain the compliance of their victim. <hr /> <hr /> Offenders target a person’s vulnerability and work hard to build strong levels of trust. There are endless calls, texts and emails that create a bond. Then follows the inevitable “crisis”, whereby the offender needs money urgently for a health emergency, criminal justice situation, business need or even a <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/romance-baiting-scams-on-the-rise">cryptocurrency investment</a> opportunity. For many, this can result in ongoing payments and substantial losses. Over <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/publications/serial-publications/targeting-scams-reports-on-scams-activity/targeting-scams-report-of-the-accc-on-scams-activity-2023">A$200 million</a> was reported lost by Australians to this fraud type in 2023, but this is likely a gross underestimation of actual figures. It also doesn’t capture the many <a href="https://www.aic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/29-1314-FinalReport.pdf">non-financial harms</a>, including physical and emotional declines in wellbeing. When the relationship finally ends, it’s too late. The money is gone, the extent of the deception is laid bare, and recovery from the heartache and loss is a constant battle. There is a well-documented “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1748895815603773">double hit</a>” of victimisation, with individuals needing to grieve the relationship as well as any financial losses. <h2>Seeing is not believing</h2> There are countless incidents of romance fraud where the offender and victim never meet: the deception takes place entirely online. But it’s important to know fraudsters also operate in person. Wood’s memoir details an extraordinary level of lies and dishonesty presented to her throughout her relationship. Stories that laid the groundwork for later fabrications. Stories that were deliberate and calculated in how they were used to gain her trust, and later used against her. The motivations of these real-world deceivers are not always straightforward. Often it’s about money, but not always. For Wood, not being asked for money allayed potential suspicions, but it didn’t reduce her feelings of loss and emotional devastation upon discovering the extent of the lies. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K_1Akqhjy6M?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Wood is by no means alone in her experience. Marketing executive Tracy Hall endured a similarly sophisticated and all-encompassing level of deceit in her relationship with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jun/20/conman-hamish-mclaren-jailed-for-up-to-16-years-after-swindling-76m-from-victims">convicted conman Hamish McLaren</a> (known to her as Max Tavita). In her book, <a href="https://tracyhall.com.au/the-last-victim">The Last Victim</a>, Hall recounts snippets of their daily lives over a 16-month period, with McLaren portraying himself as a successful professional in finance. His mail was addressed to Max Tavita and his phone conversations were with real people. Yet his whole identity and the world he represented to Hall was a complete fabrication. The experiences of Wood and Hall highlight the sheer depth of elaborate deception that can be perpetrated in an intimate relationship. Critically, it highlights romance fraud isn’t relegated to an online environment. <h2>How can we prevent romance fraud?</h2> There is an overwhelming amount of <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/83702/">shame and stigma</a> associated with romance fraud. The dynamics of these deceptive relationships are misunderstood, and this perpetuates negative stereotypes and a discourse of victim blaming, even from friends and family. In hindsight, the warning signs might seem obvious, but fraudsters tend to effectively disguise these in real time and deploy deliberate tactics to overcome any suspicion. We must all create a culture that empowers victims to come forward to raise awareness. This isn’t intended to create fear or anxiety, but to normalise the threat fraud poses, and to allow for difficult conversations if it happens. Ongoing silence from victims only favours the offender. <h2>How to protect yourself from romance fraud</h2> It’s inevitable we’ll continue to swipe right in our efforts to find love. But keep a healthy level of scepticism and an open dialogue with family and friends in any quest for a new relationship. Don’t be afraid to conduct your own searches of people, places and situations presented to you in a relationship. There is a memorable moment in Fake where the protagonist refutes her friend’s offer of assistance, saying “this is a love story not an investigation”. Sadly, sometimes an investigation is necessary. No matter what the circumstance or the person, think carefully before sending any money. Only give what you are willing to lose. Deception comes in many forms. We must recognise it for what it is, and the impact it has on victims. But we must also not give into those who lie, and let them define who we are or dictate our ability to trust. If you or someone you know has been a victim of romance fraud, you can report it to <a href="https://www.cyber.gov.au/report-and-recover/report">ReportCyber</a>. For support, contact <a href="https://www.idcare.org/">iDcare</a>. For prevention advice, consult <a href="https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/">Scamwatch</a>.<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/237653/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cassandra-cross-122865">Cassandra Cross</a>, Associate Dean (Learning & Teaching) Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</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/romance-fraud-doesnt-only-happen-online-it-can-turn-into-real-world-deception-237653">original article</a>. </div>

Legal

Woman “bullied” on plane over budget seating trick

A young woman has recalled a flight from hell when she was “bullied” by a couple who were trying to utilise a seating hack that went viral on TikTok. The solo traveller took to Reddit to recount the story and ask social media users if she was in the wrong for her action. The woman began by saying she usually pays more to select her plane seat ahead of time, but a medical emergency on another plane had her waiting on standby and left with no option other than to sit in a middle seat. When she was finally able to board, she was greeted by a couple who had purchased both the window and aisle seats in a bid to have more space, utilising a travel “trick” that has been popular on TikTok. The method, which has been dubbed the 'poor man's business class', usually leaves travellers with an empty middle seat and more space, and few travellers opt to pick a middle seat. “When I got to my row the man and woman were chatting and sharing a snack... it was obvious they were together. I mentioned to the man that I'm in the middle, and he got up to let me in,” the unsuspecting traveller wrote on Reddit. “I asked them if they would prefer to sit together, I said I was totally okay with that. The woman reacted rudely to this and said ‘you're not supposed to be sitting here anyway’.” After noticing how the plane was full, she offered to show the pair her new ticket with the correct seat number on it. “She flicked her hand at my ticket and made a disgusted sound. I offered again if they wanted to sit together to which she didn't reply, her partner said it's okay and... made some small talk,” she continued. The man’s girlfriend then interrupted their conversation to ask,”'Did you use one of those third party websites to book your flight? It's so frustrating when people cheap out to inconvenience others.” The American woman explained that she had booked her flight directly and she had been placed on standby like everyone else and didn't choose the middle seat - she was assigned it. She then tried to keep the peace by refusing to engage with the furious woman. “I was so done with her attitude, I put my headphones on and attempted to do my own thing,” she explained. But the “entitled” girlfriend wasn't letting it go, as the woman explained, “This woman kept reaching over me and tapping her partner and trying to talk to him in a way that was super intrusive.” “I could tell even her partner was trying to engage her less so that she would hopefully stop, but she didn't.” “I think they tried to pull that tactic where they don't sit together on purpose...hoping no one will sit between them. But on full flights it doesn't work. And even so - it's not the other person's fault.” The traveller's post was met with hundreds of comments slamming the girlfriend’s behaviour, as one person wrote, “It's like a toddler having a tantrum.” “She was disappointed and a total a**hole. Gross entitled people,” another added. Another person applauded the traveller’s level-headed behaviour, writing, “Wow! You are my hero for keeping it classy - I’m afraid I would not have been as kind as you.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

News reader turned firefighter dies at just 46

BBC presenter turned firefighter Beccy Barr has passed away at the age of 46 after a battle with cancer. Barr's family confirmed the sad news on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Beccy passed away peacefully this morning”. “She spent her last few days at @SJHospice who provided the most dignified and compassionate care to Beccy and her whole family. Donations to the hospice can be made in Beccy’s memory.” After 20 years at the British public broadcaster, Barr shocked her loyal viewers announcing she would be leaving her media career behind to follow in her father's footsteps by becoming a firefighter. In February 2022, she updated her fans on social media, explaining she had received distinction marks in all her training assessments for the Lancashire Fire and Rescue team. Then in December 2023, Barr revealed that she was diagnosed with “incurable cancer”, writing to her followers at the time, “Two lessons I’ve learned from this distinctly sub-optimal experience: 1) Life is wild. 2) People have an utterly astounding and boundless capacity for love, care and friendship.” BBC presenter Roger Johnson was one of many who paid tribute to his former colleague, saying, “Beccy was courageous in so many ways.” “In the way she faced her illness, of course, but she also had the courage to walk away from a successful TV career to retrain as a firefighter." “She wanted to make a difference and she excelled at that, too.” Image credits: BBC / X (Twitter)

Caring

"My little Spice Girl": Victoria Beckham's sweet tribute as daughter turns 13

David and Victoria Beckham's daughter has turned 13. On Wednesday July 10, the couple marked Harper's milestone birthday with a cute throwback video shared on Instagram. The sweet video — set to Bruno Mars’ Just The Way You Are — featured a compilation of footage of Harper through the years, from her taking her first steps to playing soccer with her dad. "Happy 13th Birthday to my beautiful little girl," David began in the caption. "Daddy is so proud of you, you have grown up to be a kind, generous & a beautiful young lady with the most amazing heart & the most amazing smile that we all love so so much," he continued. "Always be the beautiful person that you are. Harper Seven you're my world." <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9Prtgjo_IN/?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/reel/C9Prtgjo_IN/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham)</a> </div> </blockquote> Victoria also shared a special tribute to her daughter, with the caption: “Happy Birthday to my best friend. You are sweet and kind and your smile warms our hearts every day 😊" "You really are our everything Harper Seven and we are so proud of the happy, beautiful, talented young lady you are becoming. We love you so so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ " Victoria's celebrity friends took to the comments to share their birthday wishes. “Happy birthday beautiful Harper! We love you so much! ❤️,” wrote Victoria’s best friend Eva Longoria. “Happy birthday Harper, we love you to bits. Xx,” added Spice Girl bandmate Emma Bunton. Images: Instagram

Family & Pets

Princess Lilibet turns three

Princess Lilibet turned three on Tuesday without much fanfare, but according to <a href="https://people.com/meghan-markle-prince-harry-celebrate-princess-lilibet-3rd-birthday-party-montecito-home-8655331" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People</a>, the family have already celebrated her birthday in an intimate ceremony over the weekend. The magazine reported that Meghan and Harry held a small party for friends and family, at their home in Montecito, California. However, the Sussexes did not mark their daughter's official birthday publicly, and they did the same thing for her older brother Prince Archie's birthday on May 6. The royal family have also not released any official photographs of the young royals, with the last official image of Lilibet shared by her parents on her first birthday in June 2022. "In recent years and certainly since King Charles III's reign began in September 2022, we have only seen public messages from the royal family's social media accounts for working members of the royal family," royal correspondent Danielle Stacey previously told HELLO! "Such as the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal." The Sussexes have stopped sharing images of their children altogether, with fans only catching glimpses of them through grainy photos or snippets from the couple's Netflix docu-series Harry and Meghan. According to The Sun, Prince Harry has been adamant about protecting their children's privacy, and the two will not be feature in their parent's upcoming series with Netflix, with Harry planning to release a show about polo and Meghan planning to release a lifestyle show. "Harry and Meghan have not always agreed on how much they should expose their children to the media, but, in this case, Harry has clearly won," an insider told The Sun. The couple have also mentioned their desires to protect their children's privacy in their docu-series. "We've been really conscious of protecting our kids as best as we can," Harry said. Meghan added: "Protecting our kids as best as we can and also understanding the role that they play in this really historical family." Images: Netflix/ Misan Harriman/The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

Family & Pets

All the head-turning looks from the 2024 Met Gala

Known as "fashion's biggest night out", the Met Gala 2024 has kicked off in spectacular style with A-listers from all over the world gracing the carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The event, which is a fundraising event for the Met, is held every year on the first Monday of May, to celebrate the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”. The dress code this year, The Garden of Time, is said to be inspired by a short story of the same title written by JG Ballard in 1962. The who's who of Hollywood hit the carpet at the Met this year, led by actress Zendaya, who is this year's co-chair of the event after returning to the Gala for the first time in five years. Many Aussie superstars walked the carpet, such as Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Naomi Watts, Troye Sivan, Chris Hemsworth and Kylie Minogue, who attended for the first time since 2014. Hugh Jackman also graced the Met carpet solo for the first time, last attending alongside his now ex-wife Deborra Lee-Furness in 2023. The Aussie actor took to Instagram to share that his dapper Tom Ford tuxedo was the very same outfit that he wore to his first Met Gala in 2004 that had been "refitted and repaired". Other Hollywood legends that graced the carpet included Sarah Jessica Parker, Meg Ryan, Jennifer Lopez, Uma Thurman, Penelope Cruz and many more. Image credits: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

"There's no way": Man receives $52 billion tax bill

An American man has been left confused after receiving a letter from the government claiming he owed $52 billion in unpaid taxes. Barry Tangert got two letters in the mail from the state of Pennsylvania, opening the first to find a refund check from the federal government for over $900. His joy was short-lived though as he opened the second letter to find the income billing notice from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue claiming that he owed a jaw-dropping $52,950,744,735.28 ($34,576,826,561.47 AUD). “I knew it was an obvious blunder. I don’t even make over $100,000 a year, so there’s no way I could owe anywhere near that,” Barry Tangert told local outlet News 8. The total sum was so large it didn’t even fit on a single line on the document. Tangert immediately knew it was a mistake, with the astonishing number being more than triple the $11 billion America’s richest man Elon Musk says he owed the government in 2022. How the error made it all the way to his doorstep is still a mystery to Tangert. “I don’t know if it was a computer glitch in the transmission or if it was an input error from my tax preparer,” Tangert said, noting that his tax preparer filed an amendment after noticing an error on his 2022 return. He reached out to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue’s customer service line, which also provided little help to the baffled man. “The first thing he said was, ‘You had a good year.’ And I said, ‘I wish,’” Tangert said. Fortunately, the state department has since resolved the issue, which it chalked up to wrong numbers simply being put into the system. Image credits: WGAL News 8

Money & Banking

World's oldest woman turns 117

One of the world's oldest living person has turned 117. Maria Branyas Morera born on March 4, 1907 in San Francisco, lived through the 1918 pandemic, the two World Wars, Spain’s civil war and fully recovered after contracting Covid just days before her 113th birthday. She was one of the world's oldest Covid survivor's in 2020 and is now the 12th oldest verified person in history. Maria, who moved to Catalonia, Spain when she was eight, proudly announced her age on X, formerly known as Twitter in a post that read: “Good morning, world. Today I turn 117 years old. I’ve come this far.” Maria, who has lived in a nursing home for the past 23 years, is healthier than ever aside from hearing difficulties and mobility issues, and scientists are studying her to find out the secrets to a long life. “She remembers with impressive clarity events from when she was only four years old, and she does not present any cardiovascular disease, common in elderly people," Scientist Manel Esteller told Spanish outlet ABC. “It is clear that there is a genetic component because there are several members of her family who are over 90 years old.” Scientists and Maria are working together to gain further insights into living longer, and researchers hope that studying Maria’s genes will help with the development of drugs which could combat diseases associated with ageing. Maria had three children with her husband a Catalan doctor named Joan Moret. Her husband passed away 1976, and Maria also outlived her only son, August who tragically passed away in a tractor accident when he was 86. Maria now has two daughters, 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. The oldest person ever established was a Frenchwoman named Jeanne Calment, who lived to the age of 122 years and 164 days. Image: news.com.au/ Guiness Book of Records

Family & Pets

Altitude sickness is typically mild but can sometimes turn very serious − a high-altitude medicine physician explains how to safely prepare

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brian-strickland-1506270">Brian Strickland</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-colorado-anschutz-medical-campus-4838">University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus</a> Equipped with the latest gear and a thirst for adventure, mountaineers embrace the perils that come with conquering the world’s highest peaks. Yet, even those who tread more cautiously at high altitude are not immune from the health hazards waiting in the thin air above. Altitude sickness, which most commonly refers to <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000133.htm">acute mountain sickness</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2010.02.003">presents a significant challenge</a> to those traveling to and adventuring in high-altitude destinations. Its symptoms can range from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2017.0164">mildly annoying to incapacitating</a> and, in some cases, may progress to more <a href="https://doi.org/10.1183/16000617.0096-2016">life-threatening illnesses</a>. While <a href="https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284424023">interest in high-altitude tourism is rapidly growing</a>, general awareness and understanding about the hazards of visiting these locations <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2022.0083">remains low</a>. The more travelers know, the better they can prepare for and enjoy their journey. As an <a href="https://som.cuanschutz.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/36740">emergency physician specializing in high-altitude illnesses</a>, I work to improve health care in remote and mountainous locations around the world. I’m invested in finding ways to allow people from all backgrounds to experience the magic of the mountains in an enjoyable and meaningful way. <h2>The science behind altitude sickness</h2> Altitude sickness is rare in locations lower than 8,200 feet (2,500 meters); however, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430716/">it becomes very common</a> when ascending above this elevation. In fact, it affects about <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2024/environmental-hazards-risks/high-elevation-travel-and-altitude-illness">25% of visitors to the mountains of Colorado</a>, where I conduct most of my research. The risk rapidly increases with higher ascents. Above 9,800 feet (3,000 meters), up to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430716/">75% of travelers</a> may develop symptoms. Symptoms of altitude sickness are usually mild and consist of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2017.0164">headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue and insomnia</a>. They usually <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rceng.2019.12.009">resolve after one to two days</a>, as long as travelers stop their ascent, and the symptoms quickly resolve with descent. When travelers do not properly acclimatize, they can be susceptible to life-threatening altitude illnesses, such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resp.2007.05.002">high-altitude pulmonary edema</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/1527029041352054">high-altitude cerebral edema</a>. These conditions are characterized by fluid accumulation within the tissues of the lungs and brain, respectively, and are the <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2024/environmental-hazards-risks/high-elevation-travel-and-altitude-illness">most severe forms of altitude sickness</a>. Altitude sickness symptoms are thought to be caused by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fbjaceaccp%2Fmks047">increased pressure surrounding the brain</a>, which results from the failure of the body to acclimatize to higher elevations. As people enter into an environment with lower air pressure and, therefore, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.18036">lower oxygen content</a>, their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fbjaceaccp%2Fmks047">breathing rate increases</a> in order to compensate. This causes an increase in the amount of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/s1357-2725(03)00050-5">oxygen in the blood as well as decreased CO₂ levels</a>, which then increases blood pH. As a result, the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fbjaceaccp%2Fmks047">kidneys compensate</a> by removing a chemical called bicarbonate from the blood into the urine. This process makes people urinate more and helps correct the acid and alkaline content of the blood to a more normal level. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iv1vQPIdX_k?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Tips for preventing or reducing the risk of altitude sickness.</figcaption></figure> <h2>The importance of gradual ascent</h2> High-altitude medicine experts and other physicians <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(76)91677-9">have known for decades</a> that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2010.1006">taking time to slowly ascend is the best way</a> to prevent the development of altitude sickness. This strategy gives the body time to complete its natural physiologic responses to the changes in air pressure and oxygen content. In fact, spending just <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2010.1006">one night at a moderate elevation</a>, such as Denver, Colorado, which is at 5,280 feet (1,600 meters), has been shown to <a href="https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-118-8-199304150-00003">significantly reduce the likelihood of developing symptoms</a>. People who skip this step and travel directly to high elevations are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taad011">up to four times more likely</a> to develop altitude sickness symptoms. When going to elevations greater than 11,000 feet, multiple days of acclimatization are necessary. Experts generally recommend ascending <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2010.1006">no more than 1,500 feet per day</a> once the threshold of 8,200 feet of elevation has been crossed. Workers at high altitude, such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2020.0004">porters in the Nepali Himalaya</a>, are at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2018.06.002">particular risk of altitude-related illness</a>. These workers often do not adhere to acclimatization recommendations in order to maximize earnings during tourist seasons; as a result, they are more likely to experience <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2024/environmental-hazards-risks/high-elevation-travel-and-altitude-illness">severe forms of altitude sickness</a>. <h2>Effective medications</h2> For more than 40 years, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm196810172791601">a medicine called acetazolamide</a> has been used to <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682756.html">prevent the development of altitude sickness</a> and to treat its symptoms. Acetazolamide is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557838/">commonly used as a diuretic</a> and for the <a href="https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma">treatment of glaucoma</a>, a condition that causes increased pressure within the eye. If started <a href="https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.09-2445">two days prior</a> to going up to a high elevation, acetazolamide can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.09-2445">prevent symptoms of acute illness</a> by speeding up the acclimatization process. Nonetheless, it does not negate the recommendations to ascend slowly, and it is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2019.04.006">routinely recommended only</a> when people cannot slowly ascend or for people who have a history of severe altitude sickness symptoms even with slow ascent. Other medications, including ibuprofen, have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2012.08.001">shown some effectiveness</a> in treating acute mountain sickness, although <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.10.021">not as well as acetazolamide</a>. A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2028586/">steroid medication called dexamethasone</a> is effective in both treating and preventing symptoms, but it does not improve acclimatization. It is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2019.04.006">recommended only when acetazolamide is not effective</a> or cannot be taken. Additionally, it is important to <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-to-high-altitudes">avoid alcohol during the first few days at higher altitudes</a>, as it impairs the body’s ability to acclimatize. <h2>Unproven therapies and remedies are common</h2> As high-altitude tourism becomes increasingly popular, multiple commercial products and remedies have emerged. Most of them are not effective or provide no evidence to suggest they work as advertised. Other options have mixed evidence, making them difficult to recommend. Medications such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2007.1037">aspirin</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01355-2017">inhaled steroids</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/ham.2011.0007">sildenafil</a> have been proposed as possible preventive agents for altitude sickness, but on the whole they have not been found to be effective. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/qjmed/hcp026">Supplements and antioxidants have no proven benefit</a> in preventing or treating altitude sickness symptoms. Both normal and high-altitude exercise are popular ways to prepare for high elevations, especially among athletes. However, beyond <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/jes.0b013e31825eaa33">certain pre-acclimatization strategies</a>, such as brief sojourns to high altitude, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2013.12.002">physical fitness and training is of little benefit</a>. <a href="https://missouripoisoncenter.org/canned-oxygen-is-it-good-for-you">Canned oxygen</a> has also exploded in popularity with travelers. While <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(90)93240-p">continuously administered medical oxygen</a> in a health care setting can alleviate altitude sickness symptoms, portable oxygen cans <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2019.04.006">contain very little oxygen gas</a>, casting doubt on their effectiveness. Some high-altitude adventure travelers sleep in <a href="https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200131040-00002">specialized tents</a> that simulate increased elevation by lowering the quantity of available oxygen in ambient air. The lower oxygen levels within the tent are thought to accelerate the acclimatization process, but the tents aren’t able to decrease barometric pressure. This is an important part of the high-altitude environment that induces acclimatization. Without modifying ambient air pressure, these <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2014.04.004">tents may take multiple weeks</a> to be effective. Natural medicines, such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1580/08-weme-br-247.1">gingko</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40794-019-0095-7">coca leaves</a>, are touted as natural altitude sickness treatments, but few studies have been done on them. The modest benefits and significant side effects of these options makes their use <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2019.04.006">difficult to recommend</a>. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8469948/">Staying hydrated</a> is very important at high altitudes due to fluid losses from increased urination, dry air and increased physical exertion. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186%2Fs12889-018-6252-5">Dehydration symptoms</a> can also mimic those of altitude sickness. But there is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1580/1080-6032(2006)17%5B215:AMSIOF%5D2.0.CO;2">little evidence that consuming excessive amounts of water</a> can prevent or treat altitude sickness. The mountains have something for visitors of all interests and expertise and can offer truly life-changing experiences. While there are health risks associated with travel at higher elevations, these can be lessened by making basic preparations and taking time to slowly ascend.<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/222057/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brian-strickland-1506270">Brian Strickland</a>, Senior Instructor in Emergency Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-colorado-anschutz-medical-campus-4838">University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus</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/altitude-sickness-is-typically-mild-but-can-sometimes-turn-very-serious-a-high-altitude-medicine-physician-explains-how-to-safely-prepare-222057">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

How to turn your handy skills into material wealth

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As homeowners and businesses continue to place property upkeep front and centre, you’ll find yourself in a lucrative position to meet those needs – while contributing to the overall well-being of your community. And there’s no need to go it alone. Since success in any venture is most often the result of proper guidance and support, you’ll also benefit from Hire A Hubby’s comprehensive training programs, designed to equip you with all the necessary skills and knowledge to run a successful business. Backed by ongoing help from the Franchise Support Team, you’ll be able to stay well ahead of any industry trends and challenges standing in the way of success. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uNvVOK5UgPk?si=rbZkgdrP5fzmZ1m4" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe> But how best to get your name out there? Hire A Hubby understands all too well that visibility is key in any competitive marketplace. That’s why you’ll be able to tap into the collective strength of a national advertising and marketing campaign to not only boosts local visibility, but do wonders for your credibility at the same time, leading to new customers, new experiences and even greater success. The flexibility that comes with owning a Hire A Hubby franchise can’t help but add a serious dose of satisfaction to your lifestyle. You're not just running a business; you're crafting a life that allows you to balance work and play. That freedom to set your schedule means more time for the things you love. Speaking of which – as the proud owner of a Hire A Hubby franchise, you're not just fixing homes; you're also spreading joy one repair at a time. Whether it's a leaky roof or a wonky shelf, your expertise becomes a beacon of happiness for your clients. Imagine the pleasure of seeing a problem solved and the smiles on your customers' faces? These are priceless rewards that we all know come with the handyman territory. In the world of Hire A Hubby, happy customers aren’t just a metric; they are the real currency of success. That’s because satisfied clients are not just repeat clients; they are ambassadors for your brand, sharing their positive experiences and spreading the joy of your services. <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13682" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/01/HireAHubby01_060.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Owning and running a Hire A Hubby franchise means building a community of satisfied customers who appreciate not just your skills but the positive energy you bring to their homes. In the end, Hire A Hubby isn't just a brand; it's a positive force in the world of home maintenance and improvement. Becoming a part of that means contributing to a brand that is known for its reliability, professionalism and, most importantly, its ability to bring smiles to the faces of homeowners across New Zealand. So put on that tool belt, square your shoulders and get ready to join The Everything Experts! For more information on how to transform your handy skills into easy material wealth, head to <a href="https://www.hireahubby.co.nz/franchise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.hireahubby.co.nz/franchise</a> Images: Supplied. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Hire A Hubby.

Home & Garden

Senior changes will to leave fortune to pets instead of family

An elderly woman in China has decided to leave her $A4.3 million fortune to her pets instead of her three children, after she claims they never visited or took care of her when she was sick. The Shanghai woman, known by her last name Liu, drafted the will a few years ago according to the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3248592/elderly-china-woman-leaves-us28-million-assets-beloved-pets-instead-children-who-never-visited-even" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South China Morning Post</a>. However, as her three children rarely contacted her, and left her on her own while she was sick, Liu decided her cats and dogs were more deserving of her multi-million dollar fortune, and changed her will. Chen Kai, an official from the China’s Will Registration Centre headquarters, told her that leaving her entire inheritance to animals is illegal in China, but there is a way for her to ensure her pets get taken care of. “Liu’s current will is one way, and we would have advised her to appoint a person she trusts to supervise the vet clinic to ensure the pets are properly cared for,” he told the South China Morning Post. Another official added that Liu could always change her mind, if her children changed their attitude. “We told Auntie Liu that if her children change their attitude towards her, she could always alter her will again,” the official said. Image: Getty

Family & Pets

Couple misses their own wedding after cruise ship forced to turn back

A couple has missed their own dream destination wedding after their cruise ship was denied entry into New Zealand. Janine Sherriff and Kyle Risk dreamed of exchanging rings at the popular Lord of the Rings filming location, Hobbiton, located on the north island of New Zealand. The couple were meant to meet up with some close friends and family in New Zealand, as they travelled across from Australia on a P&O cruise ship, but were turned back from docking over an unclean hull. The “Kiwi Adventure” cruise, which was meant to be a 13-day journey, turned into more of a Tasmanian adventure after the ship was told to head to Australia’s southernmost state instead. New Zealand’s biosecurity laws were triggered over just three juvenile mussels and one single hydroid (AKA: lace coral), which needed to be removed from the ship's hull. “We took the time off from work, we had our nearest and dearest friends and family all co-ordinate to be in New Zealand at this exact time,” Janine told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-25/cruise-ship-turned-away-from-nz/103151078">ABC</a>. “The plan was to get off the boat, go straight to Hobbiton, have our wedding, then head straight back to the boat for the rest of the honeymoon.” “Now we have to figure out what to do about our wedding, we have all this money down the drain. I am heartbroken this day has been taken away from me." Kyle added, “First off, I was furious.” “I saw Janine’s face when we got the news. I was ready to explode. “I got a selfie from our family and friends at the site in Hobbiton we should have been on about 20 minutes before we had to turn around.” “It would have meant a lot as it was a beautiful setting. As long as we have each other,” he added. The cruise operator in charge of the vessel, P&O, has offered customers $300 in on-board credit and a 50 per cent credit on a future cruise. “We apologise for the change in itinerary and thank our guests for their patience and understanding,” a spokesperson for the company’s Australian division said per the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12791331/Engaged-couple-P-O-cruise-forced-turn-New-Zealand-fume-dream-Lord-Rings-wedding-ruined.html">Daily Mail</a>. Image credits: Facebook / Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

5 reasons why climate change may see more of us turn to alcohol and other drugs

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/helen-louise-berry-8608">Helen Louise Berry</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/francis-vergunst-230743">Francis Vergunst</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-oslo-934">University of Oslo</a> Climate change will affect every aspect of our <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01859-7/fulltext">health and wellbeing</a>. But its potential harms go beyond the body’s ability to handle extreme heat, important as this is. Extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts, storms and wildfires, are becoming more frequent and severe. These affect our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36165756/">mental health</a> in a multitude of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0102-4">ways</a>. Coping with climate change can be overwhelming. Sometimes, the best someone can do is to seek refuge in alcohol, tobacco, over-the-counter and prescription drugs, or other psychoactive substances. This is understandable, but dangerous, and can have serious consequences. We outline <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17456916221132739">five ways</a> climate change could increase the risk of harmful substance use. <h2>1. Mental health is harmed</h2> Perhaps the most obvious way climate change can be linked to harmful substance use is by damaging mental health. This <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.12448">increases the risk</a> of new or worsened substance use. People with a mental disorder are <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/psychiatry/2018/5697103/">at high risk</a> of also having a <a href="https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-244X-11-25#:%7E:text=Prevalence%20of%20comorbidity%20in%20epidemiological%20studies&text=Among%20subjects%20with%20an%20alcohol,a%20comorbid%20SUD%20%5B39%5D.">substance-use disorder</a>. This often precedes their mental health problems. Climate change-related increases in the number and nature of extreme events, in turn, are escalating risks to mental health. For example, extreme heat is linked to increased <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27727320/">distress</a> across the whole population. In extreme heat, more people go to the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2789481">emergency department</a> for psychiatric problems, including for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969720338249">alcohol</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-023-00346-1">substance use</a> generally. This is even true for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720325572">a single very hot day</a>. Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.5694/mja13.10307">other mental health</a> problems are <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00367/full">common</a> at the time of extreme weather events and can persist for months, even years afterwards, especially if people are exposed to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9116266/">multiple events</a>. This can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6101235/">increase</a> the likelihood of using substances as a way to cope. <h2>2. Worry increases</h2> With <a href="https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-beliefs-attitudes-december-2022/">increasing public awareness</a> of how climate change is endangering wellbeing, people are <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/worriesaboutclimatechangegreatbritain/septembertooctober2022#:%7E:text=The%20level%20of%20worry%20about,lives%20right%20now%20(29%25).">increasingly worried</a> about what will happen if it remains unchecked. Worrying isn’t the same as meeting the criteria for a mental disorder. But <a href="https://www.undp.org/publications/peoples-climate-vote">surveys</a> show climate change generates complex emotional responses, <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00278-3/fulltext">especially in children</a>. As well as feelings of worry, there is anxiety, fear, guilt, anger, grief and helplessness. Some <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2904966/">emotional states</a>, such as <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1909888116">sadness</a>, are linked with long-term tobacco use and also make substance use <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16011392/">relapse</a> more likely. <h2>3. Physical injuries hurt us in many ways</h2> Physical injuries caused by extreme weather events – such as smoke inhalation, burns and flood-related cuts and infections – increase the risk of harmful substance use. That’s partly because they <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20033251/">increase</a> the risk of psychological distress. If injuries cause long-term illness or disability, consequent feelings of hopelessness and depression can dispose some people to self-medicate with alcohol or other drugs. Substance use itself can also generate long-term physiological harm, disabilities or other chronic health problems. These are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/00952999609001655">linked with</a> higher rates of harmful substance use. <h2>4. Our day-to-day lives change</h2> A single catastrophic event, such as a storm or flood, can devastate lives overnight and change the way we live. So, too, can the more subtle changes in climate and day-to-day weather. Both can disrupt behaviour and routines in ways that risk new or worsened substance use, for example, using stimulants to cope with fatigue. Take, for example, hotter temperatures, which disrupt <a href="https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(22)00209-3?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2590332222002093%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">sleep</a>, undermine <a href="https://jhr.uwpress.org/content/57/2/400">academic performance</a>, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-017-0097">reduce physical activity</a>, and promote <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(22)00173-5/fulltext">hostile language</a> and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/climate-change-and-human-behavior/F64471FA47B8A6F5524E7DDDDE571D57">violent behaviour</a>. <h2>5. It destabilises communities</h2> Finally, climate change is destabilising the socioeconomic, natural, built and geopolitical <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0102-4">systems</a> on which human wellbeing – <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-and-health-ipcc-reports-emerging-risks-emerging-consensus-24213">indeed survival</a> – depends. Damaged infrastructure, agricultural losses, school closures, homelessness and displacement are significant <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0102-4">sources of psychosocial distress</a> that prompt acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) stress responses. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1441.030">Stress</a>, in turn, can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130100917">increase</a> the risk of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s002130100917">harmful substance use</a> and make people more likely to relapse. <h2>Why are we so concerned?</h2> Substance-use disorders are economically and socially <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(18)30337-7/fulltext">very costly</a>. Risky substance use that doesn’t meet the criteria for a formal diagnosis <a href="https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/srhreports/health/health/32/">can also harm</a>. Aside from its direct physical harm, harmful substance use disrupts <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3843305/">education</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3234116/">employment</a>. It increases the risk of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6676144/">accidents</a> and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09595230600944479">crime</a>, and it undermines social relationships, intimate <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4795906/#:%7E:text=Results%20indicated%20that%20alcohol%20use,drinkers%20with%20low%20relationship%20satisfaction.">partnerships</a> and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/development-and-psychopathology/article/abs/longitudinal-relations-between-parental-drinking-problems-family-functioning-and-child-adjustment/CE508589A9E799FD6DC9E23DF364FB8F">family functioning</a>. <h2>Politicians take note</h2> As we head towards the <a href="https://www.cop28.com">COP28 global climate talks</a> in Dubai, climate change is set to hit the headlines once more. Politicians know climate change is undermining human health and wellbeing. It’s well past time to insist they act. As we have seen for populations as a whole, there are multiple possible ways for climate change to cause a rise in harmful substance use. This means multidimensional <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0102-4">prevention strategies</a> are needed. As well as addressing climate change more broadly, we need strategies including: <ul> <li> supporting vulnerable individuals, especially <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/21677026211040787">young people</a>, and marginalised commmunities, who are <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0102-4">hit hardest</a> by extreme weather-related events </li> <li> focusing health-related policies more on broadscale health promotion, for example, healthier eating, active transport and community-led mental health support </li> <li> investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as heat-proofing buildings and greening cities, to prevent more of the destabilising effects and stress we know contributes to mental health problems and harmful substance use. </li> </ul> There is now <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129912">no credible pathway</a> to avoiding dangerous climate change. However, if <a href="https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/01/12/climate-protests-tracking-growing-unrest-pub-88778#:%7E:text=These%20are%20just%20a%20few,even%20more%20numerous%20and%20influential.">increasing rates</a> of climate protests are anything to go by, the world may finally be ready for radical change – and perhaps for reduced harmful substance 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/217894/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/helen-louise-berry-8608">Helen Louise Berry</a>, Honorary Professor, Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/francis-vergunst-230743">Francis Vergunst</a>, Associate Professor, Psychosocial Difficulties, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-oslo-934">University of Oslo</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/5-reasons-why-climate-change-may-see-more-of-us-turn-to-alcohol-and-other-drugs-217894">original article</a>.

Mind

Cruise ship forced to turn back after 100 passengers injured in storm

The Spirit of Discovery cruise ship was forced to turn back after around 100 passengers were injured during a massive storm. Cruise company Saga have said that most of the injuries were minor, but five people had to be taken to hospital when the ship returned to England on Tuesday local time. One passenger told BBC News that a few passengers "feared for their lives", when the storm hit the ship in the Bay of Biscay, off the French coast. "People were writing texts to their loved ones in case we capsized," they added. "The tone of voice in our captain... he was physically scared. We had crew crying. We had many passengers in awful states of fear." The passenger also claimed that that injuries included broken bones and cuts, with reports of furniture flying around and people being knocked off their feet, as the ship stopped moving and veered dramatically to one side as part of its safety manoeuvre. Another passenger, 75-year-old Jan Bendall, told the BBC that she and her husband were "holding on for dear life", and that it was overall a frightening experience. "It was quite frightening, I'm not somebody who frightens easily," Bendall said. "We were lucky - we're quite able-bodied, but I think some of the older people and people in their own cabins were quite worried," she added. The ship itself holds almost 1000 passengers and holds cruises for people over 50. Saga told the BBC that there had been "very limited" damage and the ship had "remained safe at all times." "While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected who are now safely on their way home in calmer seas," the spokesperson said. Images: Nine News/ Facebook

Travel Trouble

How one homeless man turned $5 into $106k

A New Zealand man's life has turned upside down after his small wager turned into a big win. Robert, who has been living in a garage for the last nine months, was pleasantly surprised when he noticed five extra zeros next to his account balance the day after the Melbourne Cup. It tuned out that he had remarkably won NZ$106,000 ($97,781.29 AUD) from a $5 bet on the $8.4 million Cup, which was won by Without A Fight. “It was quite an emotional process, mate,” Robert told the NZ Herald. “I couldn’t believe it, and I thought to myself, ‘there must be something wrong here’.” Robert, had placed the bet the day before the race at the Petone Working Men’s Club, and to his surprise found a green tick next to his first four Easybets. Now, he intends to use the money to improve his life. “I’ve gone from being homeless, sitting in a garage to finally being able to afford a deposit on a house now,” he said. This is the first time in 22 years that a horse has won both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double. Due to privacy reasons the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) is unable to disclose further information on the wager. Image: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Money & Banking

Why does my hair turn green from the swimming pool?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/magdalena-wajrak-1432339">Magdalena Wajrak</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> If you are a blonde like me and enjoy laps in a swimming pool, you may have noticed your hair acquires a green tint after frequent swims in chlorinated water. This happens to both bleached and natural blondes. In fact, the green tinge happens to everyone, but it’s less visible on dark hair and those whose hair isn’t damaged by chemical treatments such as bleaching. But what exactly causes this green discoloration, and what can we do about it? Most of us blame the chlorine in the pool water. However, although chlorine does play a part, it is not the main culprit. <h2>Which chemicals in the pool turn the hair green?</h2> The element to blame for the green staining of hair is copper. The main source of copper is copper sulfate (CuSO₄), a compound added to swimming pools to prevent the growth of algae. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568988320301803?via%3Dihub">Contact with algae</a> can cause skin irritation and respiratory issues, and ingesting water with algae can lead to serious gastrointestinal problems. Only a small amount (around 0.5mg per litre or 0.5 parts per million) of copper sulfate is needed to prevent algal growth. However, copper can also enter swimming pools through the corrosion of water pipes, so concentrations may be higher in some pools. Copper sulfate crystals are greenish-blue in colour. So, when hair comes into contact with copper ions – a positively charged variant of a copper atom with extra electrons – those ions get absorbed by the hair and cause the greenish hue. Scientists were fascinated by the green “pool hair” phenomenon as far back as the 1970s, so we actually have research data on copper being the cause. One very <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/538197">interesting study in 1978</a> performed experiments by immersing hair samples into water containing different concentrations of copper ions, chlorine and various pH values (neutral and basic). Their results showed hair exposed to free copper ions does turn green. Furthermore, when hair is oxidised (meaning electrons are removed from the hair proteins) by chlorine, it actually damages the hair, enhancing the absorption of copper ions. Hair submerged in water with chlorine but without copper ions did not turn green. Meanwhile, hair exposed to water with only copper ions and no chlorine still formed a green colour. Hence, chlorine by itself does not play a role in causing the green hue we see in “pool hair”, but it does exacerbate it. <h2>So, how does copper get into the hair?</h2> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-0943-7_24">Other research teams</a> have conducted <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/ch9682437">more extensive studies</a>, using sophisticated instruments, such as scanning electron microscopy, to examine how exactly copper ions attach to the hair. Our hair is predominantly composed of protein called keratin. Keratin is classified as a “structural fibrous protein”, meaning it has an elongated, sheet-like structure. The keratin structure is composed of various <a href="https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_Kentucky/UK%3A_CHE_103_-_Chemistry_for_Allied_Health_(Soult)/Chapters/Chapter_4%3A_Structure_and_Function/4.4%3A_Functional_Groups">chemical groups</a> (types of atom groupings with similar properties), such as carboxyl groups, amino groups and disulfide groups. Copper ions have the ability to form bonds with these groups, forming a copper-keratin complex. This complex remains in the hair, causing it to appear green. Interestingly, the most recent study <a href="https://doi.org/10.32657/10356/142466">conducted in 2020</a>, showed copper ions mainly bind to the disulfide groups. This study also found other metal ions such as zinc, lead, chromium and mercury also bind to hair in the same way. This is very useful in <a href="https://theconversation.com/forensic-breakthrough-study-suggests-humans-can-be-identified-by-the-proteins-in-their-hair-65051">forensic analysis</a>, for example, because forensic scientists can analyse hair samples to determine if a person has been exposed to a particular metal. Light-coloured hair already has the most visible green discoloration, but research has shown that damaged hair, caused by bleaching, straightening, or exposure to sun, is the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19586601/">most susceptible</a> to the binding of copper ions. This is because in damaged hair the disulfide groups have “broken bonds” (the link that holds the elements within these groups together is broken), making it easier for the copper ions to bind to the hair. <h2>Can I prevent the green colour or get rid of it?</h2> To prevent your hair from turning green in a swimming pool, you have two basic options. The first is a physical barrier – just wear a swim cap. The second option is chemical – you can pre-treat your hair with an alkaline shampoo. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891584918310050">Studies have shown</a> under alkaline pH conditions, the copper ions won’t attach to the hair. To treat your hair before going to the pool, you can either use a shampoo with a pH higher than 7, or you can even try mixing some baking soda into your regular shampoo. But what can you do if your hair has already turned greenish? Well, you can try washing your hair with a shampoo designed to achieve this, typically marketed as a “chlorine removal” shampoo. These products contain a chemical called EDTA – it can bind to metal ions (such as copper) and thus will remove copper from the hair. You may have heard tomato sauce or ketchup is a good way to get the green out of your pool hair – potentially because the red pigments are supposed to “cancel out” the green ones. However, I’m not aware of any scientific evidence this would work. Correction: This article has been amended to clarify that alkaline shampoos have a pH higher than 7, not lower.<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/211736/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/magdalena-wajrak-1432339">Magdalena Wajrak</a>, Senior lecturer, Chemistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-does-my-hair-turn-green-from-the-swimming-pool-211736">original article</a>.

Beauty & Style

"His worst moment as a person": Sean Penn unleashes on Will Smith's Oscar's slap

Sean Penn has become visibly angry as he recalled the infamous moment at the 2022 Oscars ceremony when Will Smith stormed the stage to slap Chris Rock. Penn recalled the award ceremony moment as he reflected on the Academy's decision to not let Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speak at the ceremony. The actor has been a strong advocate for the people of Ukraine in their ongoing war against Russia, and even traveling to the war-torn region to help in their fight. Speaking to <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/features/sean-penn-slams-will-smith-slap-ai-oscars-1235720417/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety</a>, Penn shared how frustrated he was that Zelenskyy was silenced, while Smith's actions were the real problem. “The Oscars producer thought, ‘Oh, he’s [Zelenskyy] not lighthearted enough.’ Well, guess what you got instead? Will Smith.” Variety noted that the actor was visibly infuriated speaking on the subject, even turning red during the interview. “I don’t know Will Smith. I met him once,” Penn said. “He seemed very nice when I met him. He was so f***ing good in King Richard.” “So why the f**k did you just spit on yourself and everybody else with this stupid f***ing thing? Why did I go to f***ing jail for what you just did? And you’re still sitting there? Why are you guys standing and applauding his worst moment as a person?” the 63-year-old said, referencing his 1987 arrest and jail stint for punching a film extra in the face. “This f***ing bulls**t wouldn’t have happened with Zelenskyy,” Penn added. “Will Smith would never have left that chair to be part of stupid violence. It never would have happened.” Penn was so shocked and infuriated by the moment that he chose to destroy his two Oscars. "I thought, ‘Well, f**k, you know? I’ll give them to Ukraine. They can be melted down to bullets they can shoot at the Russians,’” he said. When visiting Zelenskyy in Ukraine last fall, Penn showed his support by giving the leader one of his Oscars. At the 2022 Oscar's ceremony, Will Smith stormed the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. After returning to his seat, Smith shouted out, “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!” Image credits: Getty Images

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7 tips to help turn your cat into a friendly member of the family

How to make your cat love you Getting a cat to be more affectionate is the yearning of many a pet owner. Some cats are antisocial when it comes to being picked up, cuddled or petted (much less sitting in a person’s lap). Other kitties are born loving this sort of attention. If you’re not lucky enough to have a cat who automatically seeks out your affection, trying to entice that reclusive furball to become your snuggle buddy may take some motivation and determination on your part. Your pet may never convert to a drooly lap cat, even after weeks of effort on your part, but at the very least you’ll probably strengthen your relationship with your cat. Get the basics down The initial stage of coaxing a cat into being more lovable is to let her recognise your positive intentions by dependably offering her good food, clean water, fun toys to play with and a litterbox that is cleaned regularly. When she’s happier, you’ll be happier, and these mutual good feelings will carry over into your relationship together. Spend extra time with your cat, letting her see you not as her owner but as her friend, meal provider and guardian. If she’s not coming up to you to say hi, be proactive: Walk over to her (as long as she’s not super-shy) and lavish affection on her. Once she gets used to all this attention, she might very well start seeking it out from you. Be affectionate while feeding While preparing her food (or making a production of opening that can of food), talk to your kitty. When she begins eating, gently stroke her a few times. This will help her associate being petted with a positive experience. Be playful Instead of trying to force a hug from your reluctant cat, play with her a little, maybe getting her to paw at a piece of string or chase after a laser pointer. Try a little catnip Bringing out a tin of catnip often brings timid felines out of their shells, and aloof cats sometimes become far friendlier under the influence of catnip. Use the "slow blink" Remember that using the “slow blink” as a non-verbal statement saying “I love you” will go a much longer way with your cat, versus a direct stare, which she may take as a threat. Don't chase Don’t try to push affection on your cat – for example, running after her. This might work with a dog, but chasing usually causes a scaredy cat to jolt off in another direction feeling victimised. And I should hope it goes without saying, but don’t punish or yell at your shy cat. Give them a treat Each time you share a session of tenderness with your cat, give her a treat. Let her see that this affectionate behaviour has its rewards. Image credits: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/pets/7-tips-to-make-your-cat-more-friendly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

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"His worst moment as a person": Sean Penn unleashes on Will Smith's Oscar's slap

7 tips to help turn your cat into a friendly member of the family