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Could not getting enough sleep increase your risk of type 2 diabetes?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giuliana-murfet-1517219">Giuliana Murfet</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/shanshan-lin-1005236">ShanShan Lin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> Not getting enough sleep is a common affliction in the modern age. If you don’t always get as many hours of shut-eye as you’d like, perhaps you were concerned by news of a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2815684">recent study</a> that found people who sleep less than six hours a night are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes. So what can we make of these findings? It turns out the relationship between sleep and diabetes is complex. <h2>The study</h2> Researchers analysed data from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a>, a large biomedical database which serves as a global resource for health and medical research. They looked at information from 247,867 adults, following their health outcomes for more than a decade. The researchers wanted to understand the associations between sleep duration and type 2 diabetes, and whether a healthy diet reduced the effects of short sleep on diabetes risk. As part of their involvement in the UK Biobank, participants had been asked roughly how much sleep they get in 24 hours. Seven to eight hours was the average and considered normal sleep. Short sleep duration was broken up into three categories: mild (six hours), moderate (five hours) and extreme (three to four hours). The researchers analysed sleep data alongside information about people’s diets. Some 3.2% of participants were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during the follow-up period. Although healthy eating habits were associated with a lower overall risk of diabetes, when people ate healthily but slept less than six hours a day, their risk of type 2 diabetes increased compared to people in the normal sleep category. The researchers found sleep duration of five hours was linked with a 16% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while the risk for people who slept three to four hours was 41% higher, compared to people who slept seven to eight hours. One limitation is the study defined a healthy diet based on the number of servings of fruit, vegetables, red meat and fish a person consumed over a day or a week. In doing so, it didn’t consider how dietary patterns such as time-restricted eating or the Mediterranean diet may modify the risk of diabetes among those who slept less. Also, information on participants’ sleep quantity and diet was only captured at recruitment and may have changed over the course of the study. The authors acknowledge these limitations. <h2>Why might short sleep increase diabetes risk?</h2> In people with <a href="https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/about-diabetes/type-2-diabetes/">type 2 diabetes</a>, the body becomes resistant to the effects of a hormone called insulin, and slowly loses the capacity to produce enough of it in the pancreas. Insulin is important because it regulates glucose (sugar) in our blood that comes from the food we eat by helping move it to cells throughout the body. We don’t know the precise reasons why people who sleep less may be at higher risk of type 2 diabetes. But <a href="https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.23501">previous research</a> has shown sleep-deprived people often have increased <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-511X-9-125">inflammatory markers</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-015-3500-4">free fatty acids</a> in their blood, which <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-018-1055-8">impair insulin sensitivity</a>, leading to <a href="https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.23501">insulin resistance</a>. This means the body struggles to use insulin properly to regulate blood glucose levels, and therefore increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Further, people who don’t sleep enough, as well as people who sleep in irregular patterns (such as shift workers), experience disruptions to their body’s natural rhythm, known as the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5995632/">circadian rhythm</a>. This can interfere with the release of hormones like <a href="https://doi.org/10.1210/edrv.18.5.0317">cortisol, glucagon and growth hormones</a>. These hormones are released through the day to meet the body’s changing energy needs, and normally keep blood glucose levels nicely balanced. If they’re compromised, this may reduce the body’s ability to handle glucose as the day progresses. These factors, and <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aar8590">others</a>, may contribute to the increased risk of type 2 diabetes seen among people sleeping less than six hours. While this study primarily focused on people who sleep eight hours or less, it’s possible longer sleepers may also face an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Research has previously shown a U-shaped correlation between sleep duration and type 2 diabetes risk. A <a href="https://doi.org/10.2337/dc14-2073">review</a> of multiple studies found getting between seven to eight hours of sleep daily was associated with the lowest risk. When people got less than seven hours sleep, or more than eight hours, the risk began to increase. The reason sleeping longer is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes may be linked to <a href="https://doi.org/10.2337/dc15-0186">weight gain</a>, which is also correlated with longer sleep. Likewise, people who don’t sleep enough are more likely to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2017.07.013">overweight or obese</a>. <h2>Good sleep, healthy diet</h2> Getting enough sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Based on this study and other evidence, it seems that when it comes to diabetes risk, seven to eight hours of sleep may be the sweet spot. However, other factors could influence the relationship between sleep duration and diabetes risk, such as individual differences in sleep quality and lifestyle. While this study’s findings question whether a healthy diet can mitigate the effects of a lack of sleep on diabetes risk, a wide range of evidence points to the benefits of <a href="https://www.who.int/initiatives/behealthy/healthy-diet">healthy eating</a> for overall health. The <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2815684">authors of the study</a> acknowledge it’s not always possible to get enough sleep, and suggest doing <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33137489/">high-intensity interval exercise</a> during the day may offset some of the potential effects of short sleep on diabetes risk. In fact, exercise <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2023.03.001">at any intensity</a> can improve blood glucose levels.<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/225179/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giuliana-murfet-1517219">Giuliana Murfet</a>, Casual Academic, Faculty of Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/shanshan-lin-1005236">ShanShan Lin</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</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/could-not-getting-enough-sleep-increase-your-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-225179">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Mothers’ dieting habits and self-talk have profound impact on daughters − 2 psychologists explain how to cultivate healthy behaviors and body image

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-j-boseovski-451496">Janet J. Boseovski</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-north-carolina-greensboro-2069">University of North Carolina – Greensboro</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ashleigh-gallagher-1505989">Ashleigh Gallagher</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-north-carolina-greensboro-2069">University of North Carolina – Greensboro</a> Weight loss is one of the most common health and appearance-related goals. Women and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db340.htm">teen girls</a> are <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db313.htm">especially likely to pursue dieting</a> to achieve weight loss goals even though a great deal of research shows that <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-thin-people-dont-understand-about-dieting-86604">dieting doesn’t work over the long term</a>. We are a <a href="https://www.duck-lab.com/people">developmental psychologist</a> and a <a href="https://psy.uncg.edu/directory/ashleigh-gallagher/">social psychologist</a> who together wrote a forthcoming book, “Beyond Body Positive: A Mother’s Evidence-Based Guide for Helping Girls Build a Healthy Body Image.” In the book, we address topics such as the effects of maternal dieting behaviors on daughters’ health and well-being. We provide information on how to build a foundation for healthy body image beginning in girlhood. <h2>Culturally defined body ideals</h2> Given the strong influence of social media and other cultural influences on body ideals, it’s understandable that so many people pursue diets aimed at weight loss. <a href="https://communityhealth.mayoclinic.org/featured-stories/tiktok-diets">TikTok</a>, YouTube, Instagram and celebrity websites feature slim influencers and “how-tos” for achieving those same results in no time. For example, women and teens are engaging in rigid and extreme forms of exercise such as 54D, a program to <a href="https://54d.com/">achieve body transformation in 54 days</a>, or the <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/75-hard-challenge-and-rules">75 Hard Challenge</a>, which is to follow five strict rules for 75 days. For teens, these pursuits are likely fueled by trendy body preoccupations such as the desire for “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/06/well/move/tiktok-legging-legs-eating-disorders.html">legging legs</a>.” Women and teens have also been been inundated with recent messaging around <a href="https://theconversation.com/drugs-that-melt-away-pounds-still-present-more-questions-than-answers-but-ozempic-wegovy-and-mounjaro-could-be-key-tools-in-reducing-the-obesity-epidemic-205549">quick-fix weight loss drugs</a>, which come with a lot of caveats. Dieting and weight loss goals are highly individual, and when people are intensely self-focused, it is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2000.19.1.70">possible to lose sight of the bigger picture</a>. Although women might wonder what the harm is in trying the latest diet, science shows that dieting behavior doesn’t just affect the dieter. In particular, for women who are mothers or who have other girls in their lives, these behaviors affect girls’ emerging body image and their health and well-being. <h2>The profound effect of maternal role models</h2> Research shows that mothers and maternal figures <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2017.11.001">have a profound influence on their daughters’ body image</a>. The opportunity to influence girls’ body image comes far earlier than adolescence. In fact, research shows that these influences on body image <a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/how-toxic-diet-culture-is-passed-from-moms-to-daughters">begin very early in life</a> – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acdb.2016.10.006">during the preschool years</a>. Mothers may feel that they are being discreet about their dieting behavior, but little girls are watching and listening, and they are far more observant of us than many might think. For example, one study revealed that compared with daughters of nondieting women, 5-year-old girls whose mothers dieted <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-8223(00)00339-4">were aware of the connection between dieting and thinness</a>. Mothers’ eating behavior does not just affect girls’ ideas about dieting, but also their daughters’ eating behavior. The amount of food that mothers eat <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.04.018">predicts how much their daughters will eat</a>. In addition, daughters whose mothers are dieters are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.04.018">more likely to become dieters themselves</a> and are also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2007.03.001">more likely to have a negative body image</a>. Negative body image is <a href="https://theconversation.com/mounting-research-documents-the-harmful-effects-of-social-media-use-on-mental-health-including-body-image-and-development-of-eating-disorders-206170">not a trivial matter</a>. It affects girls’ and women’s mental and physical well-being in a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105317710815">host of ways</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2011.06.009">can predict the emergence of eating disorders</a>. <h2>Avoiding ‘fat talk’</h2> What can moms do, then, to serve their daughters’ and their own health? They can focus on small steps. And although it is best to begin these efforts early in life – in girlhood – it is never too late to do so. For example, mothers can consider how they think about and talk about themselves around their daughters. Engaging in “fat talk” may inadvertently send their daughters the message that larger bodies are bad, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.07.004">contributing to weight bias</a> and negative self-image. Mothers’ fat talk also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2021.1908294">predicts later body dissatisfaction in daughters</a>. And negative self-talk isn’t good for mothers, either; it is associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105318781943">lower motivation and unhealthful eating</a>. Mothers can instead practice and model self-compassion, which involves treating oneself the way <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.03.003">a loving friend might treat you</a>. In discussions about food and eating behavior, it is important to avoid moralizing certain kinds of food by labeling them as “good” or “bad,” as girls may extend these labels to their personal worth. For example, a young girl may feel that she is being “bad” if she eats dessert, if that is what she has learned from observing the women around her. In contrast, she may feel that she has to eat a salad to be “good.” Moms and other female role models can make sure that the dinner plate sends a healthy message to their daughters by showing instead that all foods can fit into a balanced diet when the time is right. Intuitive eating, which emphasizes paying attention to hunger and satiety and allows flexibility in eating behavior, is associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-00852-4">better physical and mental health in adolescence</a>. Another way that women and especially moms can buffer girls’ body image is by helping their daughters <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.12.009">to develop media literacy</a> and to think critically about the nature and purpose of media. For example, moms can discuss the misrepresentation and distortion of bodies, such as the use of filters to enhance physical appearance, on social media. <h2>Focusing on healthful behaviors</h2> One way to begin to focus on health behaviors rather than dieting behaviors is to develop respect for the body and to <a href="https://theconversation.com/body-neutrality-what-it-is-and-how-it-can-help-lead-to-more-positive-body-image-191799">consider body neutrality</a>. In other words, prize body function rather than appearance and spend less time thinking about your body’s appearance. Accept that there are times when you may not feel great about your body, and that this is OK. To feel and look their best, mothers can aim to stick to a <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-best-diet-for-healthy-sleep-a-nutritional-epidemiologist-explains-what-food-choices-will-help-you-get-more-restful-zs-219955">healthy sleep schedule</a>, manage their stress levels, <a href="https://theconversation.com/fiber-is-your-bodys-natural-guide-to-weight-management-rather-than-cutting-carbs-out-of-your-diet-eat-them-in-their-original-fiber-packaging-instead-205159">eat a varied diet</a> that includes all of the foods that they enjoy, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-runners-high-may-result-from-molecules-called-cannabinoids-the-bodys-own-version-of-thc-and-cbd-170796">move and exercise their bodies regularly</a> as lifelong practices, rather than engaging in quick-fix trends. Although many of these tips sound familiar, and perhaps even simple, they become effective when we recognize their importance and begin acting on them. Mothers can work toward modeling these behaviors and tailor each of them to their daughter’s developmental level. It’s never too early to start. <h2>Promoting healthy body image</h2> Science shows that several personal characteristics are associated with body image concerns among women. For example, research shows that women who are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.02.001">higher in neuroticism</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/2050-2974-1-2">and perfectionism</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.983534">lower in self-compassion</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2013.08.001">lower in self-efficacy</a> are all more likely to struggle with negative body image. Personality is frequently defined as a person’s characteristic pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviors. But if they wish, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/per.1945">mothers can change personality characteristics</a> that they feel aren’t serving them well. For example, perfectionist tendencies – such as setting unrealistic, inflexible goals – can be examined, challenged and replaced with more rational thoughts and behaviors. A woman who believes she must work out every day can practice being more flexible in her thinking. One who thinks of dessert as “cheating” can practice resisting moral judgments about food. Changing habitual ways of thinking, feeling and behaving certainly takes effort and time, but it is far more likely than diet trends to bring about sustainable, long-term change. And taking the first steps to modify even a few of these habits can positively affect daughters. In spite of all the noise from media and other cultural influences, mothers can feel empowered knowing that they have a significant influence on their daughters’ feelings about, and treatment of, their bodies. In this way, mothers’ modeling of healthier attitudes and behaviors is a sound investment – for both their own body image and that of the girls they love.<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/221968/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janet-j-boseovski-451496">Janet J. Boseovski</a>, Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-north-carolina-greensboro-2069">University of North Carolina – Greensboro</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ashleigh-gallagher-1505989">Ashleigh Gallagher</a>, Senior Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-north-carolina-greensboro-2069">University of North Carolina – Greensboro</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/mothers-dieting-habits-and-self-talk-have-profound-impact-on-daughters-2-psychologists-explain-how-to-cultivate-healthy-behaviors-and-body-image-221968">original article</a>.

Mind

Mum slammed for being "stingy" after refusing to buy $2 snack for daughter's playdate

A mum has come under fire for being "selfish" and "stingy" after refusing to buy a $2 snack for her 11-year-old daughter’s best friend. The woman, believed to be from the US, and her daughter Ellie were invited for a playdate at an indoor playground with 12-year-old Sophie and her mum. Sophie's mum offered to put them on her membership card so that Ellie and her mum could go to the indoor playground for free. “Sophie’s mum called me... and Sophie wanted to know if Ellie could come and play," she began in a Reddit thread called Am I the a****** . "She offered to put me on her membership card so it would be free for me so I got Ellie in the car and we met them at the playground.” Trouble started when the girls got hungry after an hour of playing, and Ellie's mum only packed a snack for her daughter. “Sophie’s mum didn’t have any snacks on her,” she said. “I told her they sell snacks in the front but she claimed that she didn’t have any money on her and asked me to buy Sophie some Goldfish." Ellie's mum agreed to grab the crackers on one condition - Sophie's mum had to transfer the money to her. “She says she paid for my kid to get in so I could cover the $2 for the Goldfish. I said no, I took care of my kid and it’s not my job to take care of hers too. “I told her if she wanted me to bring snacks she should’ve told me when she invited me but I won’t be wasting $2 for a 50 cent bag of Goldfish because she was unprepared.” She added that Sophie's mum eventually managed to get snacks for her own daughter, and wondered "if she lied about not having money". She then accused Sophie's mum of being "petty" for asking her to pay back for “all the times” she's used her membership to get a guest pass at the indoor playground, adding that "they regularly pay for us to join them on outings.” Her post was met with over 2500 comments slamming her for being “selfish”, “stingy” and “ungrateful”. “You were invited to a place for free that you would otherwise have had to pay for. You only packed snacks for your child? Why didn’t you also take snacks for the other child?" one wrote. “Yes, you did not have to do so, and that child is not your responsibility, but if I was meeting someone for a playdate for my child, not paying to get in, knowing, at some point both girls were going to be hungry, I would have packed snacks for both, as a thank you for the invitation and just because," the commenter continued. “If someone asked me to transfer them $2, I’m rolling my eyes big time. It’s petty, especially when someone gave you something likely far more valuable," another added. “Seriously. I don’t even think I could tell a stranger no when it comes to feeding their hungry child, much less a person I know and spend time with," a third commented. Others called the mum a "fool", for potentially causing Ellie to lose her best friend. “Don’t be an idiot. Apologise. You might care about 50 cents. But your daughter will lose her best friend. And that is worth a lot more. Your daughter might never get a friend like that... And the fact that universe gift wrapped a friend for your daughter. And you choose to throw it in the trash. Wow, you are truly a fool," they said. Image: Getty

Family & Pets

Liam Neeson filming new movie in tiny Aussie town

The quaint, gorgeous historic Victorian town of Walhalla is gearing up for its moment in the cinematic spotlight as it gets set to become the backdrop for Liam Neeson's upcoming blockbuster sequel, Ice Road 2: Road To The Sky. Yes, apparently, the road to the sky involves a detour through rural Australia. Residents of Walhalla received a letter announcing the impending movie magic, and it's safe to say they're experiencing a mixture of excitement and confusion akin to trying to follow the plot of a Christopher Nolan epic. According to reports, the filmmakers are turning Walhalla into a bona fide Nepalese village. The town's Star Hotel and surrounding areas are getting a makeover to mimic Kodari, Nepal. Now, if you're wondering where Walhalla is on the map, don't worry, you're not alone. Even the residents seem a bit perplexed, with one local commenting online, "Interesting that this is going ahead at the height of our tourist season." Because, naturally, when you think tourist hotspots, you think Walhalla. But fear not, dear residents, for the filmmakers have assured everyone that after their Himalayan escapade, Walhalla will return to its original heritage colours. It's like the town is getting a cinematic spa day, complete with a paint job. Filming is set to take place at two main locations: the intersection of Main Rd and Right Hand Branch Rd and the top of Churchill Rd above the Fire Station Museum. And oh boy, get ready for some action, because the letter states, "During the filming period, there will be stunts involving large vehicles, special effects and prop gun use." Walhalla, known for its scenic beauty and historic charm, is about to witness the fusion of Hollywood glitz and Nepalese grit. Of course, not everyone is on board with this Hollywood invasion. One local expressed concern about the impact on other businesses in town, suggesting, "This would have been much better slotted into the quiet time in August." Clearly, they're not buying into the idea that summer is the best time for a Nepalese makeover. But fear not, skeptics! Another resident pointed out that the influx of up to 200 crew members per day will be a boon for local shops. "What a great thing for the area," they declared. And who can argue with that logic? Imagine the crew swarming the pub, devouring schnitties and downing pints of Carlton lager. This could be the most Aussie-Nepalese fusion experience since Vegemite momos. As the charming town of Walhalla braces itself for the coming storm of movie magic, we can't help but wonder: Will Liam Neeson's next iconic line be, "I will find you, even if I have to navigate the treacherous roads of rural Australia"? Buckle up, Walhalla, because the road to the sky might just be a detour through down under. Images: Visit Victoria / Netflix

Movies

myTax is fast and free – so why do 2 in 3 Australians still pay to lodge a tax return?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jawad-harb-1441668">Jawad Harb</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-morton-1218408">Elizabeth Morton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Ten years ago, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) created the “myTax” portal, an easy way to lodge your tax return online. There was an “e-Tax” filing option before the 2015-16 tax year, but this was quite complicated and barely better than filling out a form online. In comparison, myTax <a href="https://resources.taxinstitute.com.au/tiausttaxforum/acceptance-of-mytax-in-australia">is simpler</a> and more automated. It’s available 24 hours a day, is free to use, and you will typically get your refund within <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Your-tax-return/How-to-lodge-your-tax-return/Lodge-your-tax-return-online-with-myTax/">two weeks</a>. But the chances are you won’t be using it. In fact, slightly less than <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/About-ATO/Research-and-statistics/In-detail/Taxation-statistics/Taxation-statistics-2020-21/?anchor=IndividualsStatistics#IndividualsStatistics">36%</a> of Australia’s 15 million taxpayers used the myTax portal in 2020-21 – the most recent tax year for which the tax office has published data. About <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/About-ATO/Research-and-statistics/In-detail/Taxation-statistics/Taxation-statistics-2020-21/?anchor=IndividualsStatistics#IndividualsStatistics">64% of tax returns</a> were lodged through tax agents. This is one of the highest rates among 38 <a href="https://www.oecd.org/about/">Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development</a> nations. Meanwhile, just 0.6% of Australians still used the paper-based form. <hr /> <iframe id="5Kdz0" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/5Kdz0/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> So why have Australians – who have quickly embraced the internet for everything from shopping to dating – been so slow to embrace myTax? For some, particularly older people, it’s about being intimidated by the technology. Others may be concerned with cybersecurity risk. But for most it’s about the perceived complexity of the tax system and the process, regardless of the technology. They see using a tax agent as easier and the way to maximise their tax refund. While in some cases this may be true, in many instances it’s simply a perception – but one the tax office will need to address if it wants to promote use of myTax. <h2>Reasons for the low uptake of myTax</h2> <a href="https://resources.taxinstitute.com.au/tiausttaxforum/acceptance-of-mytax-in-australia">Our research</a> suggests most people who have used the myTax portal think it is easy to use. We surveyed 193 taxpayers who have used the system. About three-quarters agreed the system was clear and understandable, and said they would keep using it. But of course these are people who have chosen to use the system, so their responses don’t shed much light on the reasons people don’t use myTax. Answers to that come from other published research, in particular from the <a href="https://www.igt.gov.au/">Inspector-General of Taxation</a> (the independent office investigating complaints about the tax system) as well as the House of Representatives’ Standing Committee on Tax and Revenue. Evidence submitted to these bodies indicate that Australians prefer tax agents to avoid errors in claiming deductions. The parliamentary committee’s <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportrep/024169/toc_pdf/TaxpayerEngagementwiththeTaxSystem.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf">2018 inquiry</a> into the tax system was told the use of tax agents ballooned from about 20% in the 1980s, peaking at about 74% of all taxpayers: "The Tax Commissioner considered that the size of the TaxPack had probably contributed to that rise, driving many people with simple tax affairs to a tax agent because it looked daunting." In short, habits are hard to break. Having come to rely on tax agents, most Australians keep using them, despite the system being vastly improved. For example, the myTax system now simplifies the process by <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Your-tax-return/How-to-lodge-your-tax-return/Lodge-your-tax-return-online-with-myTax/Pre-fill-availability/?=redirected_myGov_prefill">pre-filling</a> data from government agencies, health funds, financial institutions and your own employer. About 80% of our survey respondents said this was helpful. <h2>Taking care of the digital divide</h2> This suggests the main barrier to increasing use of the myTax system is mostly habit and the perception the tax system is too complicated to navigate without an expert. There is also a small percentage of people who feel uncomfortable with computers. This is reflected in the minority of respondents in our study who said they were unlikely to use myTax again, as well as the tax office’s data showing some people continue to stick with paper lodgement. Those more likely to find the system daunting are the elderly, those with low English skills, people with disabilities and those with low educational attainment. These people’s needs should not be forgotten as the Australian <a href="https://www.dta.gov.au/digital-government-strategy">Digital Government Strategy</a> aims to making Australia a “world-leading” digital government by 2025, delivering “simple, secure and connected public services”. Even with the greatest online system in the world, it’s unlikely there will ever be a complete transition.<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/207305/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jawad-harb-1441668">Jawad Harb</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-morton-1218408">Elizabeth Morton</a>, Research Fellow of the RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub, Lecturer Taxation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</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/mytax-is-fast-and-free-so-why-do-2-in-3-australians-still-pay-to-lodge-a-tax-return-207305">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

What happens in our body when we encounter and fight off a virus like the flu, SARS-CoV-2 or RSV?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lara-herrero-1166059">Lara Herrero</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wesley-freppel-1408971">Wesley Freppel</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> <a href="https://www.labcorp.com/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/covid-news-education/covid-19-vs-flu-vs-rsv-how-tell-difference">Respiratory viruses</a> like influenza virus (flu), SARS-CoV-2 (which causes COVID) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can make us sick by infecting our respiratory system, including the nose, upper airways and lungs. They spread from person to person through respiratory droplets when someone coughs, sneezes, or talks and can cause death in serious cases. But what happens in our body when we first encounter these viruses? Our immune system uses a number of strategies to fight off viral infections. Let’s look at how it does this. <h2>First line of defence</h2> When we encounter respiratory viruses, the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S193131281600038X?via%3Dihub/">first line of defence</a> is the physical and chemical barriers in our nose, upper airways, and lungs. Barriers like the mucus lining and hair-like structures on the surface of cells, work together to trap and remove viruses before they can reach deeper into our respiratory system. Our defence also includes our behaviours such as coughing or sneezing. When we blow our nose, the mucus, viruses, and any other pathogens that are caught within it are expelled. But sometimes, viruses manage to evade these initial barriers and sneak into our respiratory system. This activates the cells of our innate immune system. <h2>Patrolling for potential invaders</h2> While our acquired immune system develops over time, our innate immune system is present at birth. It generates “non-specific” immunity by identifying what’s foreign. The cells of innate immunity act like a patrol system, searching for any invaders. These innate cells patrol almost every part of our body, from our skin to our nose, lungs and even internal organs. Our respiratory system has different type of innate cells such – as macrophages, neutrophils and natural killer cells – which patrol in our body looking for intruders. If they recognise anything foreign, in this case a virus, they will initiate an attack response. Each cell type plays a slightly different role. Macrophages, for example, will not only engulf and digest viruses (phagocytosis) but also release a cocktail of different molecules (cytokines) that will warn and recruit other cells to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cmi.12580">fight against the danger</a>. In the meantime, natural killer cells, aptly named, attack infected cells, and stop viruses from multiplying and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41577-021-00558-3">invading our body further</a>. Natural killer cells also promote inflammation, a <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2018/1467538/">crucial part of the immune response</a>. It helps to recruit more immune cells to the site of infection, enhances blood flow, and increases the permeability of blood vessels, allowing immune cells to reach the infected tissues. At this stage, our immune system is fighting a war against viruses and the result can cause inflammation, fevers, coughs and congestion. <h2>Launching a specific attack</h2> As the innate immune response begins, another branch of the immune system called the adaptive immune system is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21070/">activated</a>. The adaptive immune system is more specific than the innate immune system, and it decides on the correct tools and strategy to fight off the viral invaders. This system plays a vital role in eliminating the virus and providing long-term protection against future infections. Specialised cells called T cells and B cells are key players in acquired immunity. T cells (specifically, helper T cells and cytotoxic T cells) recognise viral proteins on the surface of infected cells: <ul> <li> helper T cells release molecules that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3764486/">further activate immune cells</a> </li> <li> cytotoxic T cells directly kill infected cells with a very great precision, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.00678/full">avoiding any healthy cells around</a>. </li> </ul> B cells produce antibodies, which are proteins that can bind to viruses, neutralise them, and mark them for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7247032/">destruction by other immune cells</a>. B cells are a critical part of memory in our immune system. They will remember what happened and won’t forget for years. When the same virus attacks again, B cells will be ready to fight it off and will neutralise it faster and better. Thanks to the adaptive immune system, vaccines for respiratory viruses such as the COVID mRNA vaccine keep us protected from <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/our-vaccines/how-they-work">being sick or severely ill</a>. However, if the same virus became mutated, our immune system will act as if it was a new virus and will have to fight in a war again. <h2>Neutralising the threat</h2> As the immune response progresses, the combined efforts of the innate and adaptive immune systems helps control the virus. Infected cells are cleared, and the virus is neutralised and eliminated from the body. As the infection subsides, symptoms gradually improve, and we begin to feel better and to recover. But recovery varies depending on the specific virus and us as individuals. Some respiratory viruses, like rhinoviruses which cause the common cold, may cause relatively mild symptoms and a quick recovery. Others, like the flu, SARS-CoV-2 or severe cases of RSV, may lead to more severe symptoms and a longer recovery time. Some viruses are very strong and too fast sometimes so that our immune system does not have the time to develop a proper immune response to fight them off. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207023/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lara-herrero-1166059">Lara Herrero</a>, Research Leader in Virology and Infectious Disease, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wesley-freppel-1408971">Wesley Freppel</a>, Research Fellow, Institute for Glycomics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith 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/what-happens-in-our-body-when-we-encounter-and-fight-off-a-virus-like-the-flu-sars-cov-2-or-rsv-207023">original article</a>.

Body

Adorable reason behind Chris Hemsworth’s red carpet cheat notes

Chris Hemsworth has been married to Spanish actress Elsa Pataky for almost 13 years, and while she speaks fluent English, Hemsworth is yet to master her native tongue. On June 8, he was at the premiere of his Netflix film Extraction 2 and was caught with some Spanish words scrawled on the palm of his hand. The 39-year-old was then photographed with what appeared to be a cheat sheet, which he personally found hilarious. “After years of coming to Spain and being asked ‘has my Spanish improved’ I can safely say it’s in the palm of my hand,” he wrote on Instagram alongside the photo. <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/p/CtOqVmTJ1sx/?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/CtOqVmTJ1sx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)</a> </div> </blockquote> The actor revealed what was written on his hand during a guest appearance on local TV program El Hormiguero (Spanish for The Anthill). In the interview, Hemsworth also shared that his three children with Pataky - daughter India, 10, and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, 9 - find it funny that he doesn’t speak nor understand the language. “I try, but I can’t. My children laugh at me when I try to have a conversation with them in Spanish,” he admitted. “Sh*t, f**k, what happened? … I know that, that’s what my wife yells at me. The more she gets angry, the more she speaks Spanish.” Speaking to Today in 2017, Pataky said she had pretty much given up on teaching Hemsworth her native language, focusing on teaching their children instead. “He promised me, he said, ‘I’ll be speaking Spanish in two months.’ There we go, we have been together for six years,” Pataky – who speaks five languages: English, Spanish, Italian, French and Romanian - told Today. “That’s important, that’s what my mum did to me, talked in Romanian. I start to speak in English, I’m like, ‘I don’t express myself great.’ I got used to making an effort to speak to [the kids] in Spanish.” Image credit: Instagram

Movies

Brand new mitey $2 coin revealed

A brand new $2 coin has been revealed to celebrate 100 years of Australia’s beloved Vegemite. Woolworths and the Royal Australian Mint have partnered up for the release of the limited edition $2 coins marking 100 years of the infamous Aussie spread. Woolworths shoppers across the country will be able to collect three exclusive versions of the gold coin so long as they pay with cash. Three million limited edition coins will be available for customers, with a new design released to cash tills each week over a three-week period. The coins have been designed by Royal Australian Mint designer Aaron Baggio, with each featuring a unique illustration honouring Vegemite. Each of the three designs has a different coloured circle - yellow, red and black. The first coin shows a jar of Vegemite with the words “100 Mitey Years” at the bottom. Another features a slice of Vegemite toast with the words “Tastes Like Australia”, while the third features a child eating a slice of Vegemite toast with the words “Happy Little Vegemites”. Woolworths brand and marketing director Jane Sales said the supermarket has supported Vegemite for decades and is excited to be part of the centenary celebrations. “It’s been a staple in the shopping baskets of Australians for years; we’re delighted to be a part of the celebrations for this iconic brand’s centenary,” she said. As part of the celebrations, there will also be a $1 coin featuring the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Obverse. The portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by British engraver Jody Clark, the Memorial Obverse also added the Queen’s years of reign – reading “Elizabeth II 1952-2022”. Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, Andrew Leigh, said Vegemite is one of the most loved brands across the country. “It is fitting the Royal Australian Mint has partnered with Vegemite and Woolworths to celebrate 100 Mitey years of an Australian icon,” he said. The Vegemite brand will be celebrating its 100th birthday on October 25, 2023, with Bega’s marketing manager for spreads, Jess Hoare, thanking all Aussies for loving the mitey product. Image credit: Getty/Royal Australian Mint

Money & Banking

“Lunch-box-mum queen”: Woman goes viral over 2 ingredient cake mix

One Coles shopper has taken the internet by storm, revealing a “snack hack” with just two ingredients. Aussie mum-of-three Claudia creates content on TikTok on cheap Kmart buys, a day in the life of her family, and her most popular videos, her “snack hacks”. For her most recent hack, only two ingredients are required. “Snack hack! Again!” she said in the video, which has attracted more than 70,000 views on TikTok. “So, this one, I’m looking forward to. “This is not healthy. This is two ingredients — Nutella and eggs — and it’s supposed to make the gooiest, chocolatiest, yummiest cake ever. “I have not tried this before so let’s get to it.” Claudia didn’t have Nutella in her pantry, but she bought the Coles version, which she claims tastes very similar. “I’m a big believer in using what you have, but a few people said ‘check this out, make this, it’s delicious’ so I just had to,” she continued. “I did go and buy the Coles one, and it was very cheap, and I’m sure a lot of people do have Nutella in their cupboard.” For the snack hack, Claudia used one cup of the chocolate spread and four eggs to create a gooey cake mix. “If ‘trust the process’ had a cover photo, it would be this,” she said, visibly grossed out by the gooey batter. “It is safe to say I won’t be trying any of this cake mix.” Claudia instructed viewers to put the cake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. “Do you know how good this smells?” she said as she took the cake tin out of the oven. She was even more excited by the time she tried it. “That is so good. So, so good. Like no exaggeration. So freaking good,” she said. People flooded the comments, applauding Claudia for another great “snack hack”. “I’m soooo trying this,” one person wrote. “Thank you, lunch-box-mum queen,” another added. “I honestly thought it was going to come out looking like chocolate scrambled eggs,” a third said. Claudia is renowned on TikTok for making snacks that are easy on household budgets, so people were grateful she used the cheaper Coles chocolate spread. “The Coles Nutella is just as good in my opinion,” one wrote. Image credit: TikTok

Food & Wine

Autism and ADHD assessment waits are up to 2 years’ long. What can families do in the meantime?

Reports have emerged from around Australia of waitlists of <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/unacceptable-wait-to-screen-children-for-developmental-delays-autism-20220125-p59r1d.html">up to two years</a> to receive a diagnostic assessment for neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Assessment delays can create additional stress for families who are already worrying their child may be developing differently. These waiting times are a symptom of the significant strain our health systems are under. System reform will take time, and in the meantime, there are many children who require urgent support. But supporting your child doesn’t need to be put on hold while you wait for assessment. Why are waitlists so long? <a href="https://theconversation.com/wondering-about-adhd-autism-and-your-childs-development-what-to-know-about-getting-a-neurodevelopmental-assessment-197528">Diagnostic assessments</a> are an important part of the <a href="https://www.autismcrc.com.au/access/national-guideline">clinical pathway</a> for children developing differently. Diagnoses can provide parents and carers with a deeper understanding of their child. A diagnosis allows the child, their family and the supporting health professionals to benefit from all the information we have about that diagnosis, to understand how best to <a href="https://www.autismcrc.com.au/access/supporting-children">support the child going forward</a>. One reason why our diagnostic systems are currently under so much strain is because of expanding diagnostic boundaries. The criteria for autism and ADHD have <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-deficits-to-a-spectrum-thinking-around-autism-has-changed-now-there-are-calls-for-a-profound-autism-diagnosis-194049">changed over time</a>, meaning more children meet criteria for these conditions than before. Another reason is that our health, disability and education systems often require a formal diagnosis for a child to receive support. This further increases demand for diagnostic assessments. Often, long waitlists result in children and families not getting timely access to crucial early therapy services. Delays can mean that many of the best opportunities to support children’s development early in life are missed, which can further <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1750946719301849">entrench developmental disability and disadvantage</a>. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Parents turn to equine therapy for children with autism, ADHD as disability services wait times blow out <a href="https://t.co/JezFJ2TmuV">https://t.co/JezFJ2TmuV</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/ABCaustralia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABCaustralia</a> — Robert Koenig-Luck (@koenig_luck) <a href="https://twitter.com/koenig_luck/status/1645227611193475077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2023</a></blockquote> However, importantly, there are many beneficial things that families can do in the meantime to pave the way for the future. 3 things families can do While a diagnosis may help a child access support services, they are still able to access services without a diagnosis. If a parent is worried about their child’s development, then it is important they continue to seek out support services while the child is on a diagnostic waitlist. A GP is typically the best person to consult in the first instance. They can then refer the child and family to public or private therapy services. However, private service options may involve out-of-pocket expenses, which can create inequity in access to services. Parents can also take steps to: 1. Build connections with their child A key part of all early supports is nurturing the connection parents have with their child. All children benefit from having frequent, meaningful time set aside to <a href="https://clinikids.telethonkids.org.au/information-hub/blog/serve-and-return-interactions/">connect</a> with their primary caregivers. During this special connection time, parents might focus on slowing down, approaching their child with curiosity, being open to following their child’s special interests, and trying a variety of communication strategies (including words, gestures or using pictures) to <a href="https://clinikids.telethonkids.org.au/information-hub/blog/shared-attention/">support communication</a>. Parents needn’t feel pressure to spend all their time engaging with their child – but any time that can be dedicated to this will be time well spent. 2. Gather information to support diagnosis Diagnoses of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/diagnosis.html">ADHD</a> and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-dsm.html">autism</a> are based on the observation of certain behaviours. A clinician will be able to observe some of these behaviours in their assessment, but they will also rely on information from parents about how their child usually behaves or interacts in different situations. Parents can support this process by noting examples of the patterns of behaviours they’ve observed. These might include special interests, repetitive activities, social interactions, emotional regulation, sensory preferences or how their child communicates. It is important parents don’t only note what a child finds difficult, but also their strengths and interests. Sometimes, the things a child is particularly good at can tell us just as much as their challenges. 3. Prioritise family wellbeing While parents are often proactive in seeking support for their child, they can sometimes neglect their own need for support. Parents are the most important person in a child’s life, and parental capacity and wellbeing can have a significant influence on their child’s outcomes. While waiting for a diagnosis, parents should start to plan how they are also going to get the support they need. This can include staying connected within the community and making time for activities that bring them and their family joy. Looking beyond diagnosis When parents seek out a diagnosis for their child, they want help to support their child’s development. But long waits for assessment and diagnosis can present barriers between Australia’s health, education and disability systems and the help families need. The long waiting lists to receive a diagnostic assessment are at odds with what we know about the importance of early intervention. Recent <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2784066">clinical trials</a> have shown how providing support to babies and parents at the first sign of developmental concern can lead to <a href="https://theconversation.com/therapy-for-babies-showing-early-signs-of-autism-reduces-the-chance-of-clinical-diagnosis-at-age-3-167146">positive developmental outcomes</a> for children. This approach prioritises acting quickly over diagnostic clarity, and makes it more likely children and families receive support during critical times in brain development. As Australia seeks to reform our early childhood development system, the need of families to receive prompt support should be front of mind. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Can we have a twitter thread where we list all of the therapies and supports that parents -can- use to help their autistic kid? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OtherWaysThanABA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OtherWaysThanABA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SayNotoABA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SayNotoABA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AskingAutistics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AskingAutistics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ActaullyAutistic?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ActaullyAutistic</a> My go-to is ear defenders/earplugs/sunglasses/hoodies/fidget toys/punching bag — AutisticSciencePerson, MSc (@AutSciPerson) <a href="https://twitter.com/AutSciPerson/status/1116527158564986880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2019</a></blockquote> Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/autism-and-adhd-assessment-waits-are-up-to-2-years-long-what-can-families-do-in-the-meantime-203232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Family & Pets

New $2 coin skyrockets in value to $1,200

A coin expert has shared how a brand new $2 coin has soared in value just 10 days after its release. The accredited numismatist from Perth, Joel Kandiah, revealed the Royal Australian Mint’s latest Vietnam Silver $2 is now in high demand. Kandiah, known online as @TheHistoryOf_Money has attracted a large following on his Instagram and TikTok with his insights on the value of multiple coin and bank notes. Speaking to 7News.com.au, he said the coveted coin is selling for up to $1,200 online with an increase of 1,400 per cent on the retail value. Kandiah shared that the shocking price hike, “has never been witnessed before on the numismatic market”. He added that the Royal Australian Mint released two brand new Vietnam War commemorative $2 coins on April 6, 2023. The first coin was an uncirculated C mintmark that has a retail value of $15 and a mintage value of 80,000. The second coin was a silver version of that same coin, but was proof finished, meaning it had been struck multiple times and hand polished for a shiny, spot-free finish. That coin had a retail value of $80, and a lowly mintage of just 5,000. Both coins were initially in demand, however the silver $2 commemorative coin has seen a remarkable price increase. Kandiah said there were two reasons behind the massive interest in the silver coin. “The first reason for the hype of this coin is that it is the first silver version of a coloured two coin and will most likely the only version that will feature the Queen’s effigy,” he told 7News.com.au. “It has a lower mintage than the most valuable coloured $2 coin, the Mars $2 coin from the 2018 Planetary Series collection, which is currently valued at around $4000. “The combination of these two factors have led to this price spiral which has never been witnessed before on the numismatic market.” Kandiah also revealed the release of the sought-after coin has stirred up a heated debate among coin collectors in Australia. “Within minutes of release, dealers across the country sold out of their allocations,” he explained. “Meanwhile, people were on the mint’s online store, call centre and in person in Canberra. Silver coins were completely sold out by the afternoon and the uncirculated coins were sold out by midnight. “People were waiting up to 16 hours in the Mint’s online queue system to try and get their hands on the coin. “Many collectors who were purchasing online had to compete with people from the ’sneaker bot’ community, who used sophisticated software to buy up new releases - only to release them on eBay at a significantly higher markup hours later. “By mid-afternoon, prices had gone up to $100 for the uncirculated coin and $300 for the silver coin. “Since then, the price of the uncirculated coin has fallen down to around $60 as ‘fear of missing out’ (FOMO) dies down. “However, the silver coin has continued to spike in price, which has now increased 15-fold to $1200 by April 16.” Kandiah said time will tell whether the silver coin will continue to increase in value. “Whether the value is due to FOMO, is too early to determine,” he told 7News.com.au. “Once we find more people get hands on their orders from the Mint, it is likely that they will sell their coins to cash in on the price rise but the relative rarity of the coin could be a long-lasting factor in its valuation. “The coin collector market has changed considerably over the last few years and it is in a new space where the buying and selling are done with each other through Facebook groups and eBay rather than through dealers. “The democratisation and accessibility of this process has led to improved liquidity within the market and hence we will continue to see rapid fluctuations in the Australian coin collector market in the future.” Image credit: Instagram

Money & Banking

ChatGPT, DALL-E 2 and the collapse of the creative process

In 2022, OpenAI – one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence research laboratories – released the text generator <a href="https://chat.openai.com/chat">ChatGPT</a> and the image generator <a href="https://openai.com/dall-e-2/">DALL-E 2</a>. While both programs represent monumental leaps in natural language processing and image generation, they’ve also been met with apprehension. Some critics have <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/12/chatgpt-ai-writing-college-student-essays/672371/">eulogized the college essay</a>, while others have even <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/technology/ai-artificial-intelligence-artists.html">proclaimed the death of art</a>. But to what extent does this technology really interfere with creativity? After all, for the technology to generate an image or essay, a human still has to describe the task to be completed. The better that description – the more accurate, the more detailed – the better the results. After a result is generated, some further human tweaking and feedback may be needed – touching up the art, editing the text or asking the technology to create a new draft in response to revised specifications. Even the DALL-E 2 art piece that recently won first prize in the Colorado State Fair’s digital arts competition <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artificial-intelligence-art-wins-colorado-state-fair-180980703/">required a great deal of human “help”</a> – approximately 80 hours’ worth of tweaking and refining the descriptive task needed to produce the desired result. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Today's moody <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AIart?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AIart</a> style is... 🖤 deep blacks ↘️ angular light 🧼 clean lines 🌅 long shadows More in thread, full prompts in [ALT] text! <a href="https://t.co/tUV0ZfQyYb">pic.twitter.com/tUV0ZfQyYb</a> — Guy Parsons (@GuyP) <a href="https://twitter.com/GuyP/status/1612539185214234624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2023</a></blockquote> It could be argued that by being freed from the tedious execution of our ideas – by focusing on just having ideas and describing them well to a machine – people can let the technology do the dirty work and can spend more time inventing. But in our work as philosophers at <a href="https://www.umb.edu/ethics">the Applied Ethics Center at University of Massachusetts Boston</a>, we have written about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/mopp-2021-0026">the effects of AI on our everyday decision-making</a>, <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429470325-28/owning-future-work-alec-stubbs">the future of work</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s43681-022-00245-6">worker attitudes toward automation</a>. Leaving aside the very real ramifications of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-12-21/artificial-intelligence-artists-stability-ai-digital-images">robots displacing artists who are already underpaid</a>, we believe that AI art devalues the act of artistic creation for both the artist and the public. <h2>Skill and practice become superfluous</h2> In our view, the desire to close the gap between ideation and execution is a chimera: There’s no separating ideas and execution. It is the work of making something real and working through its details that carries value, not simply that moment of imagining it. Artistic works are lauded not merely for the finished product, but for the struggle, the playful interaction and the skillful engagement with the artistic task, all of which carry the artist from the moment of inception to the end result. The focus on the idea and the framing of the artistic task amounts to <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-paul-mccartneys-the-lyrics-can-teach-us-about-harnessing-our-creativity-170987">the fetishization of the creative moment</a>. Novelists write and rewrite the chapters of their manuscripts. Comedians “write on stage” in response to the laughs and groans of their audience. Musicians tweak their work in response to a discordant melody as they compose a piece. In fact, the process of execution is a gift, allowing artists to become fully immersed in a task and a practice. It allows them to enter <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/flow-mihaly-csikszentmihalyi?variant=32118048686114">what some psychologists call the “flow” state</a>, where they are wholly attuned to something that they are doing, unaware of the passage of time and momentarily freed from the boredom or anxieties of everyday life. This playful state is something that would be a shame to miss out on. <a href="https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p073182">Play tends to be understood as an autotelic activity</a> – a term derived from the Greek words auto, meaning “self,” and telos meaning “goal” or “end.” As an autotelic activity, play is done for itself – it is self-contained and requires no external validation. For the artist, the process of artistic creation is an integral part, maybe even the greatest part, of their vocation. But there is no flow state, no playfulness, without engaging in skill and practice. And the point of ChatGPT and DALL-E is to make this stage superfluous. <h2>A cheapened experience for the viewer</h2> But what about the perspective of those experiencing the art? Does it really matter how the art is produced if the finished product elicits delight? We think that it does matter, particularly because the process of creation adds to the value of art for the people experiencing it as much as it does for the artists themselves. Part of the experience of art is knowing that human effort and labor has gone into the work. Flow states and playfulness notwithstanding, art is the result of skillful and rigorous expression of human capabilities. Recall <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUOlnvGpcbs">the famous scene</a> from the 1997 film “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/">Gattaca</a>,” in which a pianist plays a haunting piece. At the conclusion of his performance, he throws his gloves into the admiring audience, which sees that the pianist has 12 fingers. They now understand that he was genetically engineered to play the transcendent piece they just heard – and that he could not play it with the 10 fingers of a mere mortal. Does that realization retroactively change the experience of listening? Does it take away any of the awe? <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/04/the-case-against-perfection/302927/">As the philosopher Michael Sandel notes</a>: Part of what gives art and athletic achievement its power is the process of witnessing natural gifts playing out. People enjoy and celebrate this talent because, in a fundamental way, it represents the paragon of human achievement – the amalgam of talent and work, human gifts and human sweat. <h2>Is it all doom and gloom?</h2> Might ChatGPT and DALL-E be worth keeping around? Perhaps. These technologies could serve as catalysts for creativity. It’s possible that the link between ideation and execution can be sustained if these AI applications are simply viewed as mechanisms for creative imagining – <a href="https://openai.com/blog/dall-e-2-extending-creativity/">what OpenAI calls</a> “extending creativity.” They can generate stimuli that allow artists to engage in more imaginative thinking about their own process of conceiving an art piece. Put differently, if ChatGPT and DALL-E are the end results of the artistic process, something meaningful will be lost. But if they are merely tools for fomenting creative thinking, this might be less of a concern. For example, a game designer could ask DALL-E to provide some images about what a Renaissance town with a steampunk twist might look like. A writer might ask about descriptors that capture how a restrained, shy person expresses surprise. Both creators could then incorporate these suggestions into their work. But in order for what they are doing to still count as art – in order for it to feel like art to the artists and to those taking in what they have made – the artists would still have to do the bulk of the artistic work themselves. Art requires makers to keep making. <h2>The warped incentives of the internet</h2> Even if AI systems are used as catalysts for creative imaging, we believe that people should be skeptical of what these systems are drawing from. It’s important to pay close attention to the incentives that underpin and reward artistic creation, particularly online. Consider the generation of AI art. These works draw on images and video that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/nov/12/when-ai-can-make-art-what-does-it-mean-for-creativity-dall-e-midjourney">already exist</a> online. But the AI is not sophisticated enough – nor is it incentivized – to consider whether works evoke a sense of wonder, sadness, anxiety and so on. They are not capable of factoring in aesthetic considerations of novelty and cross-cultural influence. Rather, training ChatGPT and DALL-E on preexisting measurements of artistic success online will tend to replicate the dominant incentives of the internet’s largest platforms: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/josp.12489">grabbing and retaining attention</a> for the sake of data collection and user engagement. The catalyst for creative imagining therefore can easily become subject to an addictiveness and attention-seeking imperative rather than more transcendent artistic values. It’s possible that artificial intelligence is at a precipice, one that evokes a sense of “<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/04/the-case-against-perfection/302927/">moral vertigo</a>” – the uneasy dizziness people feel when scientific and technological developments outpace moral understanding. Such vertigo can lead to apathy and detachment from creative expression. If human labor is removed from the process, what value does creative expression hold? Or perhaps, having opened Pandora’s box, this is an indispensable opportunity for humanity to reassert the value of art – and to push back against a technology that may prevent many real human artists from thriving. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/chatgpt-dall-e-2-and-the-collapse-of-the-creative-process-196461" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Art

Sunrise star's $2 million reno project up for grabs

Sunrise star Edwina Bartholomew’s luxury $2 million home is up for sale. The channel 7 TV presenter has owned the remarkable three-bedroom Dulwich Hill home in Sydney’s inner west for six years and has renovated the historic brick property in that time. “A superbly renovated historic home in one of the Inner West’s most desirable locations,” the marketing collateral for the home reads. “Architecturally designed interiors are complemented by beautiful landscaping front and back, including a glasshouse-style terrace for entertaining. A storybook home of finely crafted luxury.” The two-bathroom home sits on 221sqm and has been valued at $2 million. The median house price for properties in Dulwich Hill sits around $1.855 million, down 4.1 per cent over the past year. According to property records, Bartholomew paid $1.59 million for the house in March 2017. Since purchasing the property, she has done some major renovations to spruce up the home, which is one of the oldest properties in the suburb, for a more contemporary lifestyle. “Our dog ran through the back door at one point chasing a possum, so we had cardboard and gaffa tape holding it together for a bit. It’s much nicer now,” Bartholomew told <a href="https://thedesignfiles.net/2023/02/on-the-market-edwina-bartholomew-1-abergeldie-st/?fbclid=IwAR1Iyb5XjhwD3YFzi0Pk8H6ZmxW60oDNDSyENKe_AHBuL8OI21WduOO9wSU&mibextid=Zxz2cZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Design Files</a>. “I’ve loved sitting in the study at the front reading a book with the big bay window, or playing up on the terrace with the kids. “We love that we have not only renovated a house, but resurrected a house to last for another century, and countless other families.” The home is scheduled for auction on March 18. Bartholomew is now planning another renovation project in hopes of turning a rural guesthouse into a boutique hotel. Image credits: Getty/BresicWhitney

Real Estate

Sigrid Thornton's home crowned most popular in the country

Sigrid Thornton’s home was the most viewed property of 2022 after it was listed for sale. The Sea Change star and her husband Tom Burstall moved into the historic home on 2 Carroll Street, in North Melbourne, Victoria in 1977. The stunning four bedroom, two bathroom house was the most-viewed property of the year across the country as well as topping the most-viewed property for 2022 in Victoria. When the pair listed the stunning home for sale earlier this year, people thought they were “crazy”. "It wasn't gentrified, but we didn't worry about that. We found this building, and we loved it," Thornton told <a href="https://www.nine.com.au/property/homes/domains-most-popular-home-of-the-year-has-a-surprise-celebrity-owner/f4b76f08-20b1-4a74-9a04-dbb3eeaf6d44" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain</a>. With a price guide between $3.8 million to $4.1 million, the house went up for auction on October 22. The lucky new homeowner won the bid at $3.9 million before once again being listed for private sale. It is not available anymore. Take a look! Images: Domain/Getty

Real Estate

Puzzles Issue 2 2022 Answers

Spring is in full swing, and while there are few things more satisfying than glimpses of sunshine and watching the flowers bloom, do NOT forget the satisfaction to be gained from a round of solid puzzles done well. To that end, Issue Number Two of the new OverSixty Newspaper is packed with tricky Crosswords, Sudokus, Word Finders and more for your entertainment and to keep that grey matter limbered up. So! Without further ado, here are the solutions to <a href="https://over60newspapers.azurewebsites.net/Over_Sixty_Winter_2022_Digital/30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all of the puzzles from Issue 2</a> of the FREE OverSixty Newspaper. Enjoy! Mixed-Up Crossword Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Spring2022_crossword.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1276" /> Sudoko Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Spring2022_sudoku.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1278" /> Rearrange Answer: We asked you to rearrange these letters to form a single word: glycerine fit SOLUTION: ELECTRIFYING Word Finder Answers: We found all of these words below in this issue's Word Finder. Did you find any more? Let us know via <a href="mailto:newspaper@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newspaper@oversixty.com.au</a> <ol> <li>ACNE</li> <li>ACTS</li> <li>ANEW</li> <li>BANE</li> <li>BANK</li> <li>CANE</li> <li>CITE</li> <li>ENACT</li> <li>ANACTS</li> <li>FACE</li> <li>FACET</li> <li>FACETS</li> <li>FACT</li> <li>FACTS</li> <li>FANE</li> <li>FITS</li> <li>GETS</li> <li>GUST</li> <li>KEGS</li> <li>KNEW</li> <li>NEGUS</li> <li>NETS</li> <li>PICA</li> <li>PICT</li> <li>PICTS</li> <li>PITS</li> <li>RUGS</li> <li>RUST</li> <li>RUSTIC</li> <li>STEW</li> <li>SUET</li> <li>SURGE</li> <li>URGE</li> <li>VICE</li> <li>WEAN</li> <li>WETS</li> </ol> Word Circles Answer: We asked you to unscramble the letters in each circle to produce two words with similar meanings. SOLUTION: BROCHURE, PAMPHLET Word Ladder Answer: For this puzzle we asked you to turn OIL into GAS by altering a single letter at each of four steps, guided by the clues below. SOLUTION: OIL NIL (Nothing) NIP (Pinch) NAP (Doze) GAP (Aperture) GAS

Mind

Is just 4.5 kg of weight loss really going to help stop type 2 diabetes?

A new study has found that losing just 4.5 kg of weight could be the difference between getting type 2 diabetes and not. That’s the headline on some of the publicity surrounding the research, except like all these studies, it’s significantly more complicated than that. So, let’s talk about it. The study looked at around 100,000 nurses and other health professionals from a few different US cohort studies that started in the late 1980s. The team looked at up to 10 years of weight changes and tracked the participants for 24 years to see if they developed type 2 diabetes. They also looked at the way that those who lost more than 4.5 kg, dieted. They split them into seven categories – low-calorie diet; exercise; low-calorie diet plus exercise; fasting; commercial weight loss program; diet pills; and a combination of fasting, commercial and diet pills. When the team looked at the original results, they found something surprising: In the overall population, those who lost more than 4.5 kilograms had a higher risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than those that didn’t diet or try and lose weight. This was particularly striking for those that lost the weight due to limiting calories, diet pills, fasting, or weight loss programs. The researchers then split the data into BMI categories – those who were ‘normal’ weight or underweight, those who were overweight and those who were obese. The findings of a higher risk of type 2 diabetes after trying to lose weight broadly held in both the ‘underweight’ and ‘normal’ as well as the ‘overweight’ categories. “We were a bit surprised when we first saw the positive associations of weight loss attempts with faster weight gain and higher type 2 diabetes risk among lean individuals,” says Qi Sun, a nutrition researcher at the TH Chan Harvard School of Public Health. As you can see in this figure below, the risk of type 2 diabetes only reduced a little – significantly less than the increased risk of type 2 diabetes if you lost over 4.5 kilograms while at a normal BMI. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/figures.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> As noted in the paper, the vast majority of people try and diet at some point or another – in 2013 to 2016 almost half of US adults reported trying to lose weight. But almost everyone either doesn’t succeed or puts all the weight back on, normally within a few months. This study backs that up. After 10 years, those who tried to lose weight (known as the weight loss strategies group) gained more weight than those that hadn’t. “Participants who lost 4.5+ kg were likely to gain more weight and have higher risk of type 2 diabetes than those who did not attempt to lose weight,” the team writes in their paper. “By 10 years of follow-up, all weight loss strategy groups were associated with more weight gain than the reference group (ranging from 1.7% for exercise to 6.6% for fasting, commercial weight loss program and pills).” It’s important to note here that exercise and eating well is not bad for you. Exercise has been shown time and time again to help us live longer, and eating more fruits and vegetables and less processed food is better for us. However, this study is a good reminder that just losing weight – particularly in ways like weight loss pills, calorie restriction and weight loss programs are not a silver bullet for keeping us healthy. In fact, depending on who you are, it seems it might make it worse. The conclusion from the study is worth reading in full: In conclusion, in individuals with obesity, losing 4.5+ kg of body weight intentionally was associated with less weight gain and lower T2D risk, regardless of the methods used to achieve the weight loss. However, for individuals who were lean, losing 4.5+ kg was not associated with these health benefits. Of all WLSs, exercise was optimal for long-term weight control and T2D prevention. Our data support current guidelines for body weight management, such as that issued by the Obesity Society, which recommend a weight loss of 5% to 10% of baseline weight for individuals who are overweight or obese and exercise of 200 to 300 minutes per week to maintain the weight loss. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/diabetes-type-2-weight-loss-4-5-diet-pills-exercise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Jacinta Bowler. Image: Shutterstock

Body

Have we seen the last of $2 petrol for a while?

Average fuel prices in Australian capital cities remain well below the peaks seen in March and June. <a href="https://www.drive.com.au/news/fuel-prices-today/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recent data</a> reveal fuel is around 30-35 cents per litre lower than the highs of two months ago. As of last week, the average price of 95 octane unleaded across eight capitals stood at A$1.90 per litre. The question on the minds of many motorists and businesses relying on road transport to deliver goods and services is: have we seen the last of $2 petrol for a while? Given this year’s trends in international oil prices (<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-russias-war-means-for-australian-petrol-prices-2-10-a-litre-177719" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a key component</a> of Australia’s petrol prices), the answer would be: “It depends on the fuel excise”. <h2>A fuel excise cut after Russia invades Ukraine</h2> A <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/petrol-diesel-lpg/about-fuel-prices#:%7E:text=On%2029%20March%202022%20the,per%20litre%20for%20automotive%20LPG." target="_blank" rel="noopener">fuel excise</a> is a tax on fuel levied by the Australian government. In March this year, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began to drive international oil prices up, the previous federal government <a href="https://budget.gov.au/2022-23/content/factsheets/download/factsheet_excise_offpublicroads.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a 50% cut in fuel excise for six months. In other words, it would charge less tax on fuel until September (in an effort to soften the impact of soaring international oil prices on Australian consumers). After this decision, the cost of petrol reduced by 22 cents per litre. While the general trend is downwards in recent months, crude oil <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/brn00?countrycode=uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prices have ranged</a> between US$92 and US$123 per barrel – much higher than the norm in recent years. With Australia’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/high-petrol-prices-hurt-but-cutting-excise-would-harm-energy-security-178766" target="_blank" rel="noopener">halved fuel excise</a>, this price range translates to average 95 octane unleaded petrol prices across eight capitals of between A$1.90 and A$2.25 per litre. Globally, crude oil is <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/crude-oil" target="_blank" rel="noopener">down about 25%</a> from the June high of US$123 per barrel. That’s in part due to growing fears a global economic slowdown would affect consumption, as central banks around the world raise interest rates to combat spiralling inflation. The potential revival of a <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-prices-plummet-iran-nuclear-200000751.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal</a> between Iran and Western countries that could lead to more Iranian oil exports has also helped <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-prices-plummet-iran-nuclear-200000751.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drive oil prices</a> down. This is generally good news for petrol prices in Australia. <h2>What next for the fuel excise in Australia?</h2> However, a lot will depend on what the Australian government does about the fuel excise. It is uncertain whether the new government will extend the fuel excise cut brought in by their predecessors in March. The excise cut is set to expire in September, right in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis in Australia. In July, amid calls to extend the fuel excise, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-price-of-fuel-is-set-to-rise-heres-why-and-how-much-it-could-cost-you/w2v0xrwpm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an extension is not an option</a>: <blockquote> We’ve tried to be upfront with people and say they shouldn’t expect that petrol price relief to continue forever. </blockquote> According to the federal budget, the six-month excise cut has resulted in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/josh-frydenbergs-budget-is-an-extraordinary-turnaround-but-leaves-a-40-billion-problem-180123" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A$3 billion hit</a> on the economy. Recent news reports indicated the prime minister was “examining” a fuel excise cut <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/08/24/pm-examining-fuel-excise-cut-extension/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extension</a>, but remains adamant the cut is a temporary measure. If the cut is not extended, average petrol prices in Australia will almost certainly return to the above $2 territory by early October. However, the solution to Australians being held hostage to volatile global prices and geopolitical developments will not come from extending the fuel excise cut. The solution will come from reducing demand for oil-based fuels through policies promoting local energy generation and switching to low-emissions vehicles. <h2>The longer-term outlook</h2> Over the longer term, there is hope oil and petrol prices will not affect the pockets of Australian motorists and the Australian economy to the same extent as they have earlier this year. The new Australian government <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/22/australian-bank-to-scrap-loans-for-new-diesel-and-gasoline-cars-.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has acknowledged</a> the country is “significantly behind the pack when it comes to electric vehicles.” Only 2% of cars sold in Australia are electric, <a href="https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-product/global-ev-outlook-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five times lower</a> than the global average. The government recently released some detail on plans to set up a <a href="https://infrastructuremagazine.com.au/2022/08/22/australias-first-national-electric-vehicle-strategy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Electric Vehicle Strategy</a>, with a discussion paper on the matter due to be released soon for consultation. At the heart of the strategy will be a plan to grow the Australian electric vehicle market, in a bid to improve uptake of electric vehicles and improve affordability and choice. Australia is <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-road-to-new-fuel-efficiency-rules-is-filled-with-potholes-heres-how-australia-can-avoid-them-188814" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the only OECD country</a> to not have, or be in the process of developing, mandatory fuel-efficiency standards for road transport vehicles. The new government <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/19/australia-plans-fuel-efficiency-standards-to-boost-electric-car-supply.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will seek to introduce</a> vehicle fuel efficiency standards to help increase the supply of electric cars, improve affordability for motorists and drive down emissions. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/have-we-seen-the-last-of-2-petrol-for-a-while-189330" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

#Jacketgate 2 point whatever

Is it #Jacketgate 2.0? Or have we lost count? Viewers of The Today Show were delighted when co-host Allison Langdon, reporters Lara Vella and Fiona Willan, and Senator Jacqui Lambie all appeared dressed in blue. An image of all four was shared to the show’s Instagram page captioned “Da ba dee da ba di” in reference to Eiffel 65's iconic track. “Oh yeah … go sisters! What colour should we rock tomorrow??” Ally commented with a laughing emoji. Others however joked to hide the photo from Channel Nine newsreader Amber Sherlock who caused a stir in 2017 when she and journalist Julie Snook were both dressed in white, along with the guest. <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/p/CgswbJtPxR2/?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/CgswbJtPxR2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by thetodayshow (@thetodayshow)</a> </div> </blockquote> In the leaked footage, Amber tells her producer: “I need Julie to put a jacket on because we're all in white. I asked her before we came on … Julie you need to put a jacket on.” Julie tried to explain to Amber that she didn’t have enough time to change to which Julie did not accept saying she “asked two hours ago”. When the trio went on air, Julie was seen wearing a black jacket and was receiving a lot of sympathy from the public for the way she was treated. But five years later, it seems that Amber manages to have a laugh about it when people commented about the incident. “Amber Sherlock won’t like you all in the same colour,” someone wrote. Amber responded: “I quite like the blue actually.. I only have ownership over white”. “Amber Sherlock would’ve had a fit,” another commented to which she responded, “Well it wasn’t white..but..”. Images: Channel Nine

This $2 fix will save your feet next time you wear heels

Heels might make us look great and feel confident, but they can come at a cost to our hardworking feet, namely aches, pains, and even blisters. Rachel Clinkard, who works at family-run shoe retailer Charles Clinkard, is all too familiar with this situation - and she’s got an easy fix she swears works wonders. She says that all you need is a $2 roll-on deodorant, as reported by <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/bargain-29p-hack-stop-your-27221303" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mirror</a>. Clinkard claims that by applying some deodorant to the areas of your feet you think will rub while in heels, it will create a barrier between your skin and the shoe and help to prevent chafing. This hack can replace bandaids, plasters and other products like gel inserts. With deodorant going a long way, each application will be significantly cheaper than many of the alternatives too. Plus they smell great too! Image: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

The one movie Sandra Bullock regrets making

There is one movie that Sandra Bullock, to this day, regrets making. The Hollywood actress, who recently <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/sandra-bullock-s-big-career-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> she is taking a break from acting to spend more time with her kids, was quick to respond when asked about the movie. "I have one no one came around to and I'm still embarrassed I was in,” Bullock confessed to <a href="https://toofab.com/2022/03/21/sandra-bullock-daniel-radcliffe-the-lost-city-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TooFab</a>. “It's called 'Speed 2.' I've been very vocal about it. Makes no sense. Slow boat. Slowly going towards an island. “That’s one I wished I hadn’t done, and no fans came around that I know of.” Keanu Reeves, her on-screen lover in Speed, did not star in the sequel, instead Bullock was cast with Jason Patric. Reeves previously said that after reading the script to Speed 2 that he “decided not to be in it”. Bullock’s new movie The Lost City will be released on 14 April 2022. Image: Instagram

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