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"A little bit steep": Jetstar passenger hit with "wild" excess baggage fee

<p>A Jetstar passenger has been slapped with a "wild" excess baggage fee after her luggage was less than just one kilogram overweight. </p> <p>Monique McCreanor was flying from Melbourne to Sydney after competing in a fitness competition when she was hit with the unexpected fees. </p> <p>Travelling with only carry-on luggage, Ms. McCreanor said she made a mad dash to the airport to catch her flight, only to be stopped at the gate due to the weight of her bag.</p> <p>Because of the prizes she won at the competition, her bag was just 900g over the 7kg limit, and she was issued a $75 fine.</p> <p>Ms. McCreanor took to TikTok to share a warning with other travellers to triple check the weight of your bag, as even being over the limit by mere grams will set you back. </p> <p>“This isn’t a complaint, this is merely just warning you guys,” she said in the clip. </p> <p>“If you do fly with Jetstar on a domestic flight, and your bag is even 100g overweight, you’re going to get charged $75 at the gate for that excess luggage."</p> <p>“Now, this kind of sucks, because I’m like damn, I could have had 15kg in this bag to really make it worthwhile."</p> <p>“I got hit with $75, so just make sure are booking the extra checked baggage, it is better to be safe than sorry, because $75 is a little bit steep for just 900g overweight.”</p> <p>While her video quickly garnered thousands of views, many were left divided in the comments about her complaints. </p> <p>One person sided with the airline, saying, “No sorry, it clearly gives a weight allowance. You went over, you pay.”</p> <p>“Seriously it doesn’t matter who you are with, you will have to pay any way, they are the rules,” another added.</p> <p>Others were quick to empathise, sharing their own experience of encountering excess baggage fees.</p> <p>“They did this to me on my honeymoon... I was p****d,” one person said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

6 little known facts about The Sound of Music

<p>The Sound of Music, released in 1965, continues to be one of the most beloved family films of all time. In honour of the iconic film, we look behind the scenes to reveal some little known facts about one of our favourite movies.</p> <p><strong>1. Julie Andrews kept falling over during the famous opening mountain scene</strong></p> <p>While Julie Andrews may look graceful twirling atop the mountain in the opening scenes, in reality she kept being knocked over by the draft of the helicopter trying to capture the iconic aerial scene. Andrews said: “the down draft from those jets was so strong that every time… the helicopter circled around me and the down draft just flattened me into the grass. And I mean flattened. It was fine for a couple of takes, but after that you begin to get just a little bit angry… And I really tried. I mean, I braced myself, I thought, ‘It’s not going to get me this time.’ And every single time, I bit the dust.”</p> <p><strong>2. Christopher Plummer hates the movies</strong></p> <p>Fans of Christopher Plummer’s Captain von Trapp will be disappointed to learn that he hated the film so much he called it “The Sound of Mucus”. “Because it was so awful and sentimental and gooey,” he said. “You had to work terribly hard to try and infuse some minuscule bit of humour into it.” To ease his pain, Plummer drank, even on set. He admitted on the DVD commentary that he was drunk when filming the Austrian music festival scene.</p> <p><strong>3. Charmian Carr injured herself during “Sixteen going on seventeen”</strong></p> <p>Charmian Carr, who played Liesl Von Trapp, slipped while leaping from a bench in the gazebo scene. She fell through the glass and injured her ankle. In the scene, she is wearing a bandage on her leg, which is covered by make up.</p> <p><strong>4. Friedrich grew 15 centimetres during the six months of filming </strong> </p> <p>Nicholas Hammond, who played Friedrich Von Trapp, grew from 1.60 metres to 1.75 metres in the six months of filming. It caused many continuity problems in the movie as Friedrich had to be shorter than Liesl but taller than Louisa. As the beginning of the film, Hammond had lifts in his films but by the end, Carr who played Liesl had to stand on a box.</p> <p><strong>5. Mia Farrow auditioned for the role of Liesl.</strong> </p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://youtu.be/66v7gtwRGdM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch her audition tape here.</a></strong></span></p> <p><strong>6. The film is historically inaccurate</strong></p> <p>The movie is loosely based on the autobiography of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, but the film took many liberties. For instance, there were 10 von Trapp children, not seven. Maria left the convent to tutor one of the children, not to governess all them. Georg was a kind man, not the stern disciplinarian as depicted the film. Maria and him were married 11 years before the Nazis invaded Austria. And the Von Trapp family didn’t escape from the mountains by crossing over the mountains – that would have led straight to Hitler’s Germany.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Movies

Heartless theft from "Garden of Little Angels"

<p>In a despicable act of heartlessness, dozens of bronze plaques dedicated to children have been stolen from a memorial park in Melbourne's southwest. The theft not only deprives grieving families of precious mementos but also desecrates a sacred space meant to honour the memory of lost loved ones.</p> <p>Victoria police were alerted to the crime when it was discovered that 75 plaques had been taken from Altona Memorial Park on Doherty’s Road. These plaques, erected in the "Garden of Little Angels", were loving tributes from families who had lost children, serving as symbols of remembrance and healing for those who visit the park.</p> <p>The theft, which occurred sometime between March 12 and 13, has left the community shocked and appalled. It is a violation not only of property but of the sanctity of a space meant for solace and reflection. The perpetrators have callously disregarded the pain of grieving families and the significance of the memorial to the community.</p> <p>In response to this reprehensible act, detectives have issued a warning to scrap metal dealers in the area to remain vigilant against any attempts to sell the stolen plaques. These plaques, though they may hold some monetary value as scrap metal, are priceless to the families who placed them in the memorial park, with their sentimental worth far outweighing any material gain.</p> <p>The police are actively investigating the theft and are urging anyone with information to come forward. The return of the stolen plaques to their rightful place is paramount in restoring a sense of peace and closure to the families affected by this crime.</p> <p><em>Images: Altona Memorial Park</em></p>

Legal

"Two little miracles": Wiggles star announces pregnancy

<p><em>The Wiggles </em>star Caterina Mete has announced that she is pregnant with twin girls. </p> <p>The journey to pregnancy has been a long one for the Red Wiggle, and she took to Instagram on Tuesday morning to share her experience. </p> <p>“I’m due later in the year, but I wanted to share this news with you now as I’ll be seeing many of you at the upcoming Wiggles shows, and as you can see, my girls are already starting to make an appearance,” the 43-year-old said. </p> <p>“My two little miracles are the result of a long journey through IVF and an anonymous donor from my fertility clinic. I’m so excited for the adventure ahead, and I can’t wait to be a mum.</p> <p>“I look forward to sharing more with you as I continue on this incredible journey.”</p> <p>Fellow Wiggle members flooded her comments with congratulatory messages. </p> <p>“Absolutely delighted by your amazing news! Your Wiggles family is with you on this magical journey," wrote Blue Wiggle Anthony Field. </p> <p>“Big congratulations Caterina! I have no doubt you'll be an incredible mum. Can't wait to share in all the love and joy your little ones will bring to our Wiggles family!” Yellow Wiggle Tsehay Hawkins added. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C30kIMivqCB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C30kIMivqCB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Caterina Wiggle (@caterina.wiggle)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Double happy!!!! Congratulations Caterina on such fantastic news. Love from all of us!!!” wrote Purple Wiggle Lachy Gillespie. </p> <p>“Congratulations Caterina on your beautiful news! Looks like there will be a couple more red Wiggles to join us all! Can’t wait to meet them!” Red Wiggle Simon Pryce said. </p> <p>“You’re going to bring so much love and happiness to your twin girl’s lives. Looking forward to the beautiful songs we'll sing and dance to with the newest Wiggles!” wrote Purple Wiggle John Pearce. </p> <p>Mete has been performing with the band since 2003 but officially became a Red Wiggle in 2021. </p> <p>Tour dates for the Wiggles in Australia are currently scheduled for March, April and July and Mete will continue performing with the group until her maternity leave begins later in the year.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

Miranda Kerr welcomes "little ray of sunshine"

<p>Miranda Kerr has welcomed her fourth child with Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel. </p> <p>The 40-year-old supermodel gave birth to a baby boy named Pierre Kerr Spiegel on Sunday, February 18, but announced the news of her new bub's arrival ten days later.</p> <p>"We are overjoyed by the arrival of our little ray of sunshine, Pierre Kerr Spiegel," she wrote in a statement posted on Snapchat. </p> <p>"We couldn’t be more excited to welcome our fourth son into our family. Feeling so very blessed."</p> <p>Kerr shared a picture of flowers, nestled next to a pair of yellow baby socks and a baby blue blanket that read "Pierre."</p> <p>The heartwarming announcement was made just six months after Kerr revealed that she was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/so-excited-miranda-kerr-s-special-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expecting her fourth child</a> with a series of pictures showing off her baby bump. </p> <p>"So excited to announce baby 4," she captioned the photo at the time. </p> <p>Kerr and Spiegel, who tied the knot in 2017, have three sons together - baby Pierre, five-year-old Hart, and four-year-old Myles. </p> <p>The Aussie supermodel also shares a fourth son, Flynn, 13, with her former husband Orlando Bloom. </p> <p>Kerr first hinted at the possibility of having more children in a 2022 interview with <em>Vogue Australia</em>. </p> <p>"I just love being a mother and I always wanted three boys, so I feel really blessed that I have three healthy boys."</p> <p>"I feel like I'm open, so we'll see what God decides."</p> <p><em>Images: Miranda Kerr Snapchat</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

Little girl's Anzac artwork sells at auction for $100,000

<p>A moving artwork created by nine-year-old Evie Poolman has sold for a staggering six-figure sum at auction. </p> <p>Young Evie created the artwork of the 'Lone Soldier' just six months after receiving a devastating diagnosis of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a deadly type of brain tumour.</p> <p>Evie underwent four brain surgeries and 30 rounds of radiation for her condition but tragically died at the age of nine in June 2021.</p> <p>Now, the artwork - a striking red and orange piece depicting an Anzac standing before a grave at sunset - has been auctioned off by Evie's parents in an attempt to raise money for a cure for the horrible disease. </p> <p>Currently, DIPG has a zero per cent survival rate but despite this, since 2015, less than a million dollars has been dedicated to research in Australia.</p> <p>Evie's parents Chuck and Bridget chose to auction off their late daughter's artwork at the Heels 2 Heal charity lunch in Sydney on Friday, to increase the funding of research into DIPG. </p> <p>The lucky winner, Jo Kinghorn, forked out a staggering $100,000 for the artwork, as she handed over the money "with absolute joy and pleasure".</p> <p>"It was so exciting for me, I've never really experienced anything like that before," Kinghorn, a friend of the Poolman family, told 2GB's Ben Fordham, adding that she hadn't woken up that day expecting to part with so much money.</p> <p>"I'm just so grateful that the painting ended up in my hands."</p> <p>Kinghorn was more than happy to contribute so much money, knowing the funds were going to a good cause. </p> <p>"It's a drop in the ocean as to what is needed, and the government has the ability to properly fund these trials," Kinghorn said of the money spent.</p> <p>"I saw first-hand what this did to a family, and the strength of this family is beyond words. I cannot be more proud. It's just devastating."</p> <p><em>Image credits: 2GB</em></p>

Money & Banking

Julia Morris promises "a little less shameless flirting" with new co-host

<p>In a surprising yet thrilling development, the popular reality show <em>I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!</em> has finally confirmed its new co-host for the upcoming 2024 season.</p> <p>Joining the charismatic Julia Morris is none other than young wildlife expert and television personality Robert Irwin. This "unlikely pairing", as they humorously describe it, has generated a buzz of excitement among fans of the show.</p> <p>The announcement of Irwin as the new co-host has come after months of speculation – and while some may find it an unexpected choice, given the 35-year age gap between the two hosts, it's evident that this decision was carefully considered.</p> <p>Morris playfully quipped about the transition, "I've become so powerful at the network I am now allowed to trade in for a younger model, and of course when you trade in, you always upgrade." Her humour and enthusiasm highlight the anticipation for this fresh partnership.</p> <p>Irwin's ascent to co-host might be surprising to some, but for those familiar with his impressive TV career, it makes perfect sense. Irwin has been a TV veteran since he was just nine years old, earning a Best Newcomer Logie nomination at the tender age of nine. As an animal expert, he continues the legacy of former co-host <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/darryl-somers-jumps-the-gun-with-major-dr-chris-brown-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Chris Brown</a>.</p> <p>The decision to bring Robert on board became clear during their initial screen test as a duo. Julia fondly recalls, "I thought it'd be a very tricky race [to find a new co-host], but the second Robert walked through the door, there was no contest. Everybody in the room was spellbound." Irwin's undeniable charisma and competence won over everyone present.</p> <p>The dynamic between Morris and Irwin promises to be a refreshing change for fans who have followed the show for nine seasons. Julia herself hinted at a "different energy", while also cheekily mentioning there might be "a little less shameless flirting" than viewers were accustomed to with Dr Chris Brown.</p> <p>Despite the age gap, both hosts are excited about this unique collaboration. Julia humorously acknowledges, "Robert is only just a whisper older than my eldest child, so I've really got my mummy protection pants on." She also jokes about needing Robert's assistance with a zimmer frame in the distant future.</p> <p>Irwin is embracing this new role, acknowledging that it's a significant step in his career, considering he is just 19 years old. "I'm the first to say, this is something new for me, but that's what makes it so exciting," Irwin commented. His deep passion for wildlife and conservation, coupled with his love for Africa, promises to bring a fresh perspective to the show.</p> <p>The official announcement of Robert Irwin's inclusion in <em>I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!</em> was made at the Channel 10 Upfronts, alongside a host of other exciting revelations for the network. Some of the highlights include the reboot of <em>Gladiators</em> in early 2024, a new season of <em>Australian Survivor</em> with a Titans vs. Rebels theme, and the return of popular shows like <em>MasterChef</em>, <em>Hunted</em>, and <em>Amazing Race: Celebrity Edition</em>. Additionally, Grant Denyer is set to embark on a new adventure as the host of <em>Deal or No Deal</em>.</p> <p><em>Images: Network Ten</em></p>

“This is life-changing information”: Shopper discovers little-known Bunnings hack

<p>A shopper has revealed the details of a little-known Bunnings store policy that will ensure a blooming garden. </p> <p>Georgia Magill, a young woman from Perth, was shopping for plants in the hardware store when she was urged by the cashier to keep her receipt.</p> <p>The uni student was shocked why she should hold on to the receipt for a small house plant, as the worker went on to explain why. </p> <p>“She was like, ‘Oh because they come with a 12 month warranty’,” Georgia explained in a now-viral TikTok video.</p> <p>“And then she goes: ‘It doesn’t really matter how they die we’ll just replace them for you within a 12 month period.’”</p> <p>The hardware store created the ‘Perfect Plant Promise’ in February 2020 which states all plants, except for seedlings, can be returned within 12 months of purchase if they die. </p> <p>Bunnings won’t just replace the plant, it also offers money back, if you’d prefer to give up on your gardening dreams.</p> <p>"This is life-changing information,” she concluded in the video. </p> <p>While the policy has been around for several years, many Aussies hadn’t heard of it either, commenting in shock on the TikTok video, which has been viewed almost 1.5 million times. </p> <p>“What? I have literally had Bunnings plants die within weeks,” one wrote,</p> <p>“I did know this… but I also refuse to let Bunnings know how many plants I’ve murdered,” another stated. </p> <p>Another person declared, “It’s such a good idea. I can’t believe I didn’t know it!!”</p> <p>Among the comments were more tips for former and current Bunnings workers, offering some extra tips on how to utilise the policy. </p> <p>“Ex Bunnings worker here, keep the original pot so we know what plant it is, not everyone in store is a plant expert,” one remarked.</p> <p>“(From a Bunnings worker) either take a photo of your receipt or ask for it to be sent via SMS as they fade! For any warranty item,” another suggested. </p> <p>However, one worker urged Aussies not to take advantage of the offer, saying, “We will return your plant with a receipt and ‘proof’ but please don’t abuse this system. Plants die.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / TikTok</em></p>

Home & Garden

"My little girl!": Cindy Crawford gushes over lookalike daughter

<p>Cindy Crawford is every bit the doting mum as she posted an adorable video montage to celebrate her daughter's 22nd birthday. </p> <p>The former model took to Instagram to share clips of her daughter Kaia Gerber throughout her childhood. </p> <p>"Such a joy watching you bloom into an inspiring young woman," she captioned the video. </p> <p>"Love spending time with you at this new stage in our lives — woman to woman — but you'll also always be my little girl!"</p> <p>The young model replied: "This made me cry! I feel so lucky to have been raised by my best friend. I love you mama ♥️"</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwvF7iIuwEB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwvF7iIuwEB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Cindy Crawford (@cindycrawford)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Gerber was born in 2001 and is the daughter of Crawford and her businessman husband Rande Gerber.</p> <p>She first started her modelling career at only 10-years-old, in a campaign for Versace, and has since followed in her mum's footsteps. </p> <p>Her most recent photoshoot for Italian fashion magazine, <em>D</em>, showcases just how identical she looks to mum as she posed in a few glamorous dresses made by luxury fashion brand, Celine. </p> <p>Gerber looked stunning in the black-and-white photos and mum Crawford couldn't hide her pride. </p> <p>"Love these! And you!" she commented with a kissing face emoji. </p> <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/CwyaeYPRqye/?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/CwyaeYPRqye/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kaia (@kaiagerber)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Fellow celebrity friends and fans took to the comments to praise the young model's gorgeous looks. </p> <p>"Wow!" wrote fellow model Hailey Bieber. </p> <p>"Omg," commented model and<em> Daisy Jones & The Six </em>actress Camila Morrone. </p> <p>"So so beautiful," wrote one fan. </p> <p>"This is my favourite shoot of you. ❤️" commented another. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Little House on the Prairie star passes away

<p>Hersha Parady, renowned for her role in <em>Little House on the Prairie</em>, has passed away at the age of 78.</p> <p>According to a statement provided to <em>The Hollywood Reporter </em>by her son, Jonathan Peverall, Parady passed away at her residence in Norfolk, Virginia on Wednesday August 23. Her son had been actively seeking financial assistance before her demise, as Parady had been diagnosed with meningioma, a prevalent type of brain tumour.</p> <p>Peverall initiated a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/helping-hersha" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe campaign</a> with the intention of aiding his mother's escalating medical expenses. In a heartfelt plea on the fundraising page, he recounted how the illness had depleted her vitality, memory and vibrant demeanour, rendering her predominantly bedridden and struggling with day-to-day tasks.</p> <p>Relocating his mother to his own home, Peverall worked diligently to ensure she received the necessary medical attention. He emphasised that the associated costs extended beyond medical procedures, encompassing aspects such as moving expenditures, at-home nursing care and medical equipment.</p> <p>"While we contemplate a surgery to potentially ameliorate her condition, the path to recovery is an arduous one," he stated, acknowledging the substantial financial burden posed by these circumstances. Balancing a full-time job and caring for his three children added to the challenge, yet he reassured that they were providing the best care they could, regardless of external contributions.</p> <p>"Rest assured, we are taking care of her to the best of our ability, and we will continue to do so, regardless of any contributions made here," Peverall wrote. "This GoFundMe is about improving my Mom’s quality of life and giving her the support she needs during this difficult time. It's also about showing her that she is not alone in her fight.</p> <p>"Her family and friends have been here supporting her through everything, but there is only so much help she is willing to accept from the people she loves. My Mom has always been a fiercely independent woman, and asking for help isn't in her nature. That's why I'm stepping in to do it on her behalf."</p> <p>Peverall expressed his gratitude and urged supporters to rally around Parady, demonstrating that her on-screen "Little House" family was united in this battle, just as she had been a presence in their lives through the show.</p> <p>In an update dated August 1, Peverall shared that his mother had undergone a "successful" surgery. However, complications arose as Parady developed pneumonia during her recovery, leading to her admission to the intensive care unit. Unfortunately, her condition deteriorated to a point where she couldn't regain full consciousness. The medical team at the hospital launched an investigation into her condition.</p> <p>Peverall maintained ongoing communication with the medical professionals, seeking insights to guide the best decisions for her care. Despite the trying circumstances, he expressed hope and called upon others to remain optimistic.</p> <p>Parady embarked on her career in theater after graduating from Berea High School in 1963. Her journey took her to Los Angeles, where she secured a role opposite Jon Voight in a production of <em>A Streetcar Named Desire</em>. Subsequently, she transitioned to the silver screen, featuring in an episode of <em>Bearcats!</em>.</p> <p>However, it was in 1977 that Parady achieved widespread recognition for her portrayal of school teacher Alice Garvey in the fourth season of <em>Little House on the Prairie</em>. Appearing in 35 more episodes, her character, Alice, met a tragic end in season six, perishing in a fire. The actress also appeared in other shows including <em>Kenan & Kel</em>, <em>The Phoenix</em>, and <em>The Quest</em>, and movies like <em>The Break</em> and <em>The Babysitter's Seduction</em>.</p> <p>Parady is survived by her son Jonathan Peverall and her three grandchildren.</p> <p><em>Images: GoFundMe / Instagram</em></p>

News

“A little bit unfair”: Hard-working tradies blast age pension increase

<p dir="ltr">A group of tired tradies have rallied against the “unfair” decision to increase the age of eligibility for the age pension.</p> <p dir="ltr">The tradesmen, all in their 60s, simply said their bodies “can’t handle” working in manual labour until they’re 70, which may be in their future if the eligibility age continues to rise.</p> <p dir="ltr">The age to qualify for the pension was raised from 66 years and six months to 67 on July 1st with the move impacting any Australian born after December 31st, 1956.</p> <p dir="ltr">Experts predict the age could rise even further to 70 by the year 2050 with the news sparking backlash among hardworking Aussies.</p> <p dir="ltr">One man, a concreter in his mid-60s named Steve, said working the manual labour job was already taking a toll on his body and that the new retirement age was “unfair” on those working physically demanding jobs.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Now I'm starting to feel it more in my knees, I've got arthritis in my hands, I've had two back surgeries,” he told <em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/australian-tradies-outraged-over-decision-to-raise-pension-age-to-67/5b5c6dda-c995-44ad-bb29-98c625e9d276" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It does seem a little bit unfair that you have to work all your life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Peter, who cuts down trees in the Gold Coast for a living, compared the raising of the pension age to the harsh realities of his job.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's just like climbing a tree,” he said. “The injuries are just climbing all the time, it's getting harder, worse, sorer all the time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He described what was happening as “very scary”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Unfortunately I thought 65 would be a nice time to retire and get on a pension but now we are talking 67,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Is it going to go up to 68, 69, 70?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Macquarie University Professor Hanlin Shang believes the pension age will need to rise to 70 or government spending will spiral out of control.</p> <p dir="ltr">He and other researchers estimate that the retirement age will rise to 68 by 2030, 69 in 2036 and 70 by 2050.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As Australians live longer than before, it presents a challenge to the government to fund retirees through a pension scheme,” Professor Shang said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite these challenges, Peter said politicians don't understand the burden that working physical jobs has on older bodies.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It would be nice to be a politician sitting on a nice comfortable chair all day in an air conditioned room or office,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They need to come out and see what it's like to do some physical work. That would make them change their mind in trying to stretch this pension out to 67, 68, 69, 70.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

Retirement Income

"Little bump in the road": Olympian shares joyous news

<p>Australian swimming sensation Emily Seebohm and former reality TV star Ryan Gallagher have made quite the splash with their pregnancy announcement. In a video that had everyone saying, "Aw!" and reaching for their tissues (mostly to wipe away tears of laughter), Seebohm proudly displayed her baby bump while Gallagher mimicked her with his own not-so-impressive belly.</p> <p>With Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" playing in the background, Seebohm, sporting an unbuttoned white shirt and jeans that were unbuttoned for extra effect, radiated joy as she embraced and smooched her soon-to-be baby daddy. She captioned the post, "We've had a little bump in the road 👶🏼." No pun intended, of course.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cubkg2mNKRr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cubkg2mNKRr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ᴇᴍɪʟʏ ᴊᴀɴᴇ ꜱᴇᴇʙᴏʜᴍ 🦋 (@emcbomb)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Now, let's talk about Gallagher's side of the story. On his own Instagram page, he decided to have a little fun with the announcement. Filmed on the same sun-soaked beach, he hilariously held his own belly, gleefully shook his head (probably to mix up all the excitement), and playfully compared his miniature bump to Seebohm's glorious baby bump. Comedy gold, folks!</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CubiRyGNEr1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CubiRyGNEr1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ryan Gallagher (@ryangallaghergram)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Of course, the congratulatory messages came flooding in faster than a mixed medley relay. Australian swimming legend Emma McKeon exclaimed, "Congratulations ❤️❤️ love you guys. Love seeing you so happy." And former swimmer Giaan Rooney couldn't contain her excitement, saying, "Oh my goodness congratulations!!! 💗"</p> <p>Even Olympic gold medalist Libby Trickett chimed in with, "Congratulations! How wonderful ❤️," and Ian Thorpe, an Aussie swimming icon, added a simple, "Congratulations 👏." It seems like everyone in the swimming world wanted to dive in and join the celebration.</p> <p>But the accolades didn't stop there! Former Aussie hurdler Dr. Jana Pittman expressed her excitement, saying, "Amazing news. Lovely way to announce it too ❤️," while Australian swimmer Jenna Strauch gushed, "Very special news! So happy for you ❤️."</p> <p>And let's not forget about comedian Nikki Osborne, who humorously declared herself a future groomsman, reminding Gallagher not to leave her out of the fun. Good call, Nikki. Every celebration needs a touch of comedy!</p> <p>So, mark your calendars, folks, because the due date was revealed in the most adorable way possible. The words "Baby Seebohm due September" were written in the sand, making us all eagerly anticipate the arrival of this little bundle of joy.</p> <p>Congratulations to Emily Seebohm and Ryan Gallagher on their upcoming adventure in parenthood! May their journey be filled with laughter, love, and lots of pool floaties.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Return of the Happiest Little Vegemite

<p>In 1954, Trish Cavanagh became a household icon, known as the adorable Happy Little Vegemite. </p> <p>Now, 60 years on, Trish is reprising her role as the original face of the Aussie brand as Vegemite prepares for its 100th birthday. </p> <p>Trish, now 71, was just seven years old when she marched to the beat of the famous <em>Happy Little Vegemite</em> tune in the company's first advertisement, which became a staple of Australian pop culture.</p> <p>Earlier this year, Trish was called upon to march to the tune once more for the brand's centenary, as they planned to remake the original ad for the occasion. </p> <p>Trish revealed the ad "changed my life forever": something she didn't foresee when she first filmed the commercial.</p> <p>"Vegemite has been and continues to play a huge role in my life, and I am so thrilled to be passing the baton to the next generation of Happy Little Vegemite kids," she said.</p> <p>While the remake heavily features the new generation of Happy Little Vegemites and brand new footage, to uphold the legacy, it also features a few clips from the original.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q8DzjLy1YzE" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Trish's lead role, back when television was still in black and white, made way for hundreds more Vegemite kids to take centre stage in catchy campaigns.</p> <p>"These children today don't realise what a big event this is for them, and I hope in the years to come they look back with pride," she said.</p> <p>"To be in the remake of the original Vegemite ad for the 100th birthday is something very special. Get ready for the ride, kids – I think it will be a long one."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Vegemite</em></p>

Food & Wine

3 little-known reasons why plastic recycling could actually make things worse

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/pascal-scherrer-230971">Pascal Scherrer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em></p> <p>This week in Paris, negotiators from around the world are <a href="https://www.unep.org/events/conference/second-session-intergovernmental-negotiating-committee-develop-international">convening</a> for a United Nations meeting. They will tackle a thorny problem: finding a globally binding solution for plastic pollution.</p> <p>Of the staggering <a href="https://stats.oecd.org/viewhtml.aspx?datasetcode=PLASTIC_USE_6&lang=en">460 million tonnes of plastic used globally in 2019 alone</a>, much is used only once and thrown away. About <a href="https://www.oecd.org/environment/plastic-pollution-is-growing-relentlessly-as-waste-management-and-recycling-fall-short.htm">40% of plastic waste</a> comes from packaging. Almost two-thirds of plastic waste comes from items with lifetimes of less than five years.</p> <p>The plastic waste that escapes into nature persists and breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces, <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1700782">eventually becoming microplastics</a>. Plastics now contaminate virtually every environment, from <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/20/microplastic-pollution-found-near-summit-of-mount-everest">mountain peaks to oceans</a>. Plastic has entered vital systems such as our food chain and even the human <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/24/microplastics-found-in-human-blood-for-first-time">blood stream</a>.</p> <p>Governments and industry <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/nations-agree-end-plastic-pollution">increasingly acknowledge</a> the urgent need to reduce plastic pollution. They are introducing <a href="https://apco.org.au/the-australian-packaging-covenant">rules and incentives</a> to help businesses stop using single-use plastics while also encouraging collection and recycling.</p> <p>As a sustainability researcher, I explore opportunities to <a href="https://www.scu.edu.au/research/zerowaste/">reduce plastic waste </a>in sectors such as tourism, hospitality and meat production. I know how quickly we could make big changes. But I’ve also seen how quick-fix solutions can create complex future problems. So we must proceed with caution.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The best way to tackle plastic pollution is to prevent it in the first place.</p> <p>Governments, businesses, civil society, and academia can all be part of the solution to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeatPlasticPollution?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeatPlasticPollution</a>.</p> <p>Join in this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldEnvironmentDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldEnvironmentDay</a>: <a href="https://t.co/ENu9UG82kz">https://t.co/ENu9UG82kz</a> <a href="https://t.co/1p5G0183uh">pic.twitter.com/1p5G0183uh</a></p> <p>— UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNEP/status/1660873190577680384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <h2>Plastic avoidance is top priority</h2> <p>We must urgently eliminate waste and build a so-called “<a href="https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview">circular economy</a>”. For plastics, that means reuse or recycling back into the same type of plastic, not lower grade plastic. The plastic can be used to make similar products that then can be recycled again and again.</p> <p>This means plastics should only be used where they can be captured at their end of life and recycled into a product of the same or higher value, with as little loss as possible.</p> <p>Probably the only example of this to date is the recycling of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) soft-drink bottles in Norway and Switzerland. They boast recovery rates of <a href="https://phys.org/news/2020-02-norway-bottles-plastic-fantastic.html">97%</a> and <a href="https://houseofswitzerland.org/swissstories/environment/switzerland-leads-way-pet-recycling">95%</a> respectively.</p> <p>The <a href="https://wastewise.be/2014/11/ad-lansink/">waste management pyramid</a> below shows how to prioritise actions to lessen the waste problem. It is particularly relevant to single-use plastics. Our top priority, demanding the biggest investment, is prevention and reduction through redesign of products.</p> <p>Where elimination is not yet achievable, reuse solutions or recycling to the same or higher-level products can be sought to make plastics circular.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527407/original/file-20230522-21-y07zqy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Inverted pyramid diagram showing waste management priorities" /><figcaption><span class="caption">In the inverted pyramid of waste management priorities, downcycling is almost the last resort.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pascal Scherrer</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Unfortunately, a lack of high-quality reprocessing facilities means plastic waste keeps growing. In Australia, plastic is largely “downcycled”, which means it is recycled into lower quality plastics.</p> <p>This can seem like an attractive way to deal with waste-plastic stockpiles, particularly after the recent collapse of soft-plastics recycler <a href="https://theconversation.com/redcycles-collapse-is-more-proof-that-plastic-recycling-is-a-broken-system-194528">RedCycle</a>. But downcycling risks doing more harm than good. Here are three reasons why:</p> <h2>1. Replacing wood with recycled plastics risks contaminating our wildest natural spaces</h2> <p>An increasing number of benches, tables, bollards and boardwalks are being made from recycled plastic. This shift away from timber is touted as a sustainable step - but caution is warranted when introducing these products to pristine areas such as national parks.</p> <p>Wood is naturally present in those areas. It has a proven record of longevity and, when degrading, does not introduce foreign matter into the natural system.</p> <p>Swapping wood for plastic <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749122019510?via%3Dihub">may introduce microplastics</a> into the few remaining places relatively free of them. Replacing wood with downcycled plastics also risks plastic pollution through weathering or fire.</p> <h2>2. Taking circular plastics from their closed loop to meet recycled-content targets creates more waste</h2> <p>Clear PET bottles used for beverages are the most circular plastic stream in Australia, approaching a 70% recovery rate. When these bottles are recycled back into clear PET bottles, they are circular plastics.</p> <p>However, the used PET bottles are increasingly being turned into meat trays, berry punnets and <a href="https://www.praise.com.au/faqs-100-recycled-bottles">mayonnaise jars</a> to help producers meet the <a href="https://apco.org.au/national-packaging-targets">2025 National Packaging Target</a> of 50% recycled content (on average) in packaging.</p> <p>The problem is the current industry <a href="https://anzpacplasticspact.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Recovered-Polymer-Specifications_FINAL_June2021d.pdf">specifications for plastics recovery</a> allow only downcycling of these trays, punnets and jars. This means that circular PET is removed from a closed loop into a lower-grade recovery stream. This leads to non-circular downcycling and more plastic sent to landfill.</p> <h2>3. Using “compostable” plastics in non-compostable conditions creates still more plastic pollution</h2> <p>Increasingly, plastics are labelled as compostable and biodegradable. However, well-intended use of compostable plastics can cause long-term plastic pollution.</p> <p>At the right temperature with the right amount of moisture, compostable plastics breakdown into soil. But if the conditions are not “just right”, they won’t break down at all.</p> <p>For example, when a landscape architect or engineer uses a “compostable” synthetic fabric instead of a natural alternative (such as coir or jute mats) they can inadvertently introduce persistent plastics into the environment. This is because the temperature is not hot enough for the synthetic mat to break down.</p> <p>We must also <a href="https://documents.packagingcovenant.org.au/public-documents/Considerations%20for%20Compostable%20Packaging">differentiate</a> between “home compostable” and “commercially compostable”. Commercial facilities are more effective at composting because they operate under more closely controlled conditions.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Plastic pollution could reduce by 80% by 2040 if governments and companies make policy and market shifts using existing technologies.</p> <p>OUT NOW – UNEP’s new report provides a pathway for nations to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeatPlasticPollution?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeatPlasticPollution</a>: <a href="https://t.co/dcfBkZaOfN">https://t.co/dcfBkZaOfN</a> <a href="https://t.co/iSQ9QSpYC1">pic.twitter.com/iSQ9QSpYC1</a></p> <p>— UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNEP/status/1658419925638152192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <h2>Learning from our mistakes</h2> <p>Clearly, we need to reduce our reliance on plastics and shift away from linear systems – including recycling into lower-grade products.</p> <p>Such downcycling may have a temporary role in dealing with existing plastic in the system while circular recycling capacity is being built. But we must not develop downcycling “solutions” that need a long-term stream of plastic waste to remain viable.</p> <p>What’s more, downcycling requires constantly finding new markets for their lower-grade products. Circular systems are more robust.</p> <p>So, to the negotiators in Paris, yes the shift to a circular plastics economy is urgent. But beware of good intentions that could ultimately make things worse.<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/206060/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/pascal-scherrer-230971">Pascal Scherrer</a>, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Business, Law and Art, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>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/3-little-known-reasons-why-plastic-recycling-could-actually-make-things-worse-206060">original article</a>.</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

"Little Victory": First glimpse of Monaco’s newest royal baby

<p dir="ltr">Marie Ducruet, who is married to Princess Stéphanie’s son, Louis has shared the first glimpse of their newborn daughter Princess Victoire of Monaco in a sweet snap posted on Instagram.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Monegasque royal stunned with the glow of a new mother as she cradled her baby girl.</p> <p dir="ltr">This is the first photo of Princess Victoire since Marie announced her birth on April 7.</p> <p dir="ltr">Earlier this month Marie shared a photo of the newborn's leg with her ankle tag confirming her name and date of birth.</p> <p dir="ltr">The photo was captioned (translated from French): “Our little family has grown with the arrival of our little Victory” .</p> <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/Cqvk9PjoUy8/?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/Cqvk9PjoUy8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Marie Ducruet (@marieducruet)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Fans and family members took to the comments to share their joy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations to my gorgeous Cousins! Welcome to the world Victoire, can’t wait to meet you!,” wrote Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, the first-born daughter of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Tamara Rotolo.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations and many blessings,” wrote one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations and all the best for your family!” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations to you both and welcome to your baby girl with such a sweet name,” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple tied the knot in 2019 in a civil ceremony at Monaco's townhall, followed by a more lavish service at Monaco's Cathedral later on.</p> <p dir="ltr">They announced that they were expecting in a sweet social media post on November 24 2022 with a picture of their dog wearing a T-shirt which read “soon to be big brother”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

“Welcome to reality”: Dad fined for daughter's seatbelt mistake receives little sympathy

<p dir="ltr">A Queensland father has posted a plea for help on social media, after he received two hefty fines adding up to $2,156 for his daughter’s simple seatbelt mistake.</p> <p dir="ltr">The father claimed that he was completely unaware of what his daughter was doing, after cameras caught her wearing her seatbelt incorrectly twice as a passenger.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Just received two x $1078 fines plus total 8 demerit points, only 2 weeks apart for my 13yo daughter not wearing her seatbelt correctly. Had no idea that she was wearing it that way as can’t see from the driver's point of view," he wrote on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">The frustrated dad revealed that his daughter had made the same mistake twice within two weeks and asked whether it was worth taking it to court.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also asked if "any chance of somehow reducing the penalty".</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/road/seatbelt-rules#:~:text=Everyone%207%20years%20or%20older,are%20not%20frayed%20or%20loose." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queensland Government</a> fines and demerit points apply for not wearing a seatbelt or wearing it incorrectly, and that drivers “may be fined for each unrestrained or incorrectly restrained passenger in the vehicle”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dozens of people have responded, but many didn’t sympathise with the dad saying that they both should’ve known better.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You as a driver are responsible for everyone in the car. Perhaps you need to be firm with your daughter. Welcome to reality," commented one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She's old enough to know how to wear a seat belt, just give her the fines to pay and she will wear it properly from then on," wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others have said that they should learn from this mistake and be more aware of the dangers of wearing a seatbelt incorrectly.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Both learn from this and fix the problem for next time before your daughter flies out of the car in a crash," said one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I’d suggest you forget about the law and just think of the damage done to your daughter in an accident with the seatbelt worn like this," wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">A few others did sympathise and acknowledge that kids can make mistakes despite the adults knowing better.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I feel for you, I caught my 13-year-old doing this and yelled at her," commented one user.</p> <p dir="ltr">"These fines are crippling people. I understand to a certain degree but mistakes are made," wrote another.</p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

Little-known road rule could cost you BIG money with fines up to $3200

<p dir="ltr">Drivers could be fined up to $3200 for parking in spots designated for electric vehicles as part of the little-known penalties introduced in four states and territories.</p> <p dir="ltr">The fines apply to drivers with petrol or diesel vehicles who park in these designated spaces in an act known as “ICEing”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The ACT, Queensland and NSW introduced the heftiest fines with a maximum of 20 penalty units.</p> <p dir="ltr">Drivers in New South Wales who block public electric vehicle chargers can be fined up to $2200.</p> <p dir="ltr">The law added to the NSW Road Rule states that the “driver of a vehicle that is not an electric-powered vehicle must not stop in a parking area for electric-powered vehicles”.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the ACT it could cost drivers up to $3200 and in Queensland it could cost up to $2875.</p> <p dir="ltr">In Victoria the fine for misusing a space that’s designated for electric vehicles is two penalty units or $369.</p> <p dir="ltr">But the penalties also apply to electric drivers who use these parking spots without charging their vehicles.</p> <p dir="ltr">NSW Metropolitan Roads Minister Natalie Ward said that the government introduced these penalties to "support the transition to electric vehicles on our roads".</p> <p dir="ltr">"To make sure we keep the community moving forward, we want electric vehicle drivers to have access to charging stations when they are on offer," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the Electric Vehicle council, there are more than 83,000 electric vehicles in Australia with these vehicles contributing to 6.8 per cent of all new car sales in February.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

“From future Captain Seb”: Little boy blows away Jetstar crew with kind gesture

<p>An aviation-obsessed boy’s act of kindness has resulted in him experiencing the “best day of his life.”</p> <p>Little Seb, 11, was travelling from Brisbane to Melbourne with his family for a holiday when he gave the Jetstar crew a homemade thank you card.</p> <p>The card wrote, “From future Captain Seb,” including a drawing of a plane.</p> <p>The message was relayed to the pilot, Captain Hadrian Zerbe, who found it so sweet that he invited Seb into the cockpit for a chat as other passengers left the aircraft.</p> <p>Captain Zerbe was so touched by Seb’s love for aviation that he then invited the 11-year-old to come back and visit the Jetstar hangar.</p> <p>“He said it’s the best day of his life so far,” Seb’s mum, Emma, told <a href="http://news.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>.</p> <p>“Definitely,” Seb confirmed.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NLFu8d1rTQI" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Seb is a big fan of plane spotting and playing flight simulator games but said he had never been so close to a real plane.</p> <p>When asked about the coolest part of the experience, Seb replied, “When I walked around the plane close up, it was just so big. Bigger than I expected. All the engines were massive,”</p> <p>Seb was not the only one left in awe.</p> <p>Captain Zerbe was blown away by how much knowledge the young boy had of the Airbus A320.</p> <p>“I’ve certainly never met an 11-year-old who knows so much about aviation and hopefully he’ll be sitting in the flight deck as a pilot some day soon,” the captain said.</p> <p>Emma said planes consume most of her son’s thoughts; even before he could talk, he was overjoyed whenever he heard a plane fly above.</p> <p>“If I find something I tend to research it for the rest of the night before I go to bed,” Seb said regarding his aviation research, which he takes very seriously.</p> <p>“He stops mid-play if he hears something,” Emma said.</p> <p>“Every story or picture has always been a plane. At school, it’s always planes that come home. He doesn’t deviate much from that.”</p> <p>Seb has plans to get his recreational pilot licence when he turns 16.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Jetstar, Youtube</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Love languages are hugely popular – but there’s very little evidence they exist at all

<p>Love languages – the concept coined by Baptist pastor Gary Chapman some 30 years ago – has taken the relationships world by storm. It’s often the “go-to” topic on first dates, and for those in relationships love languages are said to provide deep, meaningful and reliable insights into how relationships function. Putting love languages into action is believed to increase relationship happiness.</p> <p>The concept clearly has appeal. At last count, 20 million copies have been sold worldwide of Chapman’s 1992 book The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts. The book has been translated into 49 languages.</p> <p>There is only one catch. There is little evidence to support the idea that love languages are “a thing”, or that love languages do much of anything to help improve relationships.</p> <h2>What are the love languages?</h2> <p>According to <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=j6d2EAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT9&dq=chapman+(1992)+the+five+love+languages&ots=nDeGjK61-3&sig=cBkMcFvfus9SdjVo7_XMWwCSQdo#v=onepage&q=chapman%20(1992)%20the%20five%20love%20languages&f=false">Chapman</a>, there are five love languages. Each of these love languages is a way to communicate your love to your romantic partner.</p> <p>In his role as a Baptist pastor, Chapman had been counselling couples for years. It was through his observations of couples that the idea of love languages was born. </p> <p>He believed love languages were an intuitive and simple way to teach couples about how to tune into each other’s ways of expressing love. And so, he began running seminars for husbands and wives, and the popularity of his seminars grew. </p> <p>The five love languages are: </p> <p>(1) acts of service (doing something that helps a partner, such as running an errand)</p> <p>(2) physical touch (demonstrating physical affection, such as giving your partner a hug or kiss)</p> <p>(3) quality time (spending time together and giving each other undivided attention)</p> <p>(4) gifts (giving your partner a present that communicates thoughtfulness, effort, and/or expense)</p> <p>(5) words of affirmation (such as expressing your admiration, or complimenting your partner). </p> <p>Chapman suggests that people typically use all love languages, but that most people tend to rely on one love language most of the time. This is referred to as a person’s primary love language. </p> <p>According to Chapman, people are more satisfied in their relationships when both partners match when it comes to their primary love language. However, people experience less satisfaction in their relationships when both partners do not share the same primary love language. </p> <p>Another important aspect of the love languages concept is that relationships are likely to deliver the greatest satisfaction when a person can understand their partner’s love language, and act in ways that “speaks to” their partner’s language. In essence, this idea is about tuning in to what a partner wants. </p> <p>This is an idea that has existed across many models and theories about how relationships function well. That is, responding to a partner in a way that meets their needs and wants makes a person feel <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X16300884">understood, validated, and cared for</a>.</p> <h2>What does the evidence tell us?</h2> <p>Despite the popularity of the theory of love languages, only a handful of studies have been conducted and reported over the past 30 years. Research is largely inconclusive, although the balance sways more towards refuting rather than endorsing the love languages concept.</p> <p>Let’s start with how love languages are assessed. In popular culture, the <a href="https://5lovelanguages.com/">Love Language QuizTM</a> is an online questionnaire that people can complete to find out about their love languages. Despite millions of individuals having taken the quiz (according to 5lovelanguages.com), there are no published findings as to the reliability and validity of the measure. </p> <p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17464090500535822">Researchers</a> have developed their own version of the love languages survey, but the findings did not meet the statistical thresholds to suggest the survey adequately captured the five love languages. Also, their findings did not support the idea that there are five love languages.</p> <p>Furthermore, a qualitative study in which <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08934215.2022.2113549?src=recsys">researchers</a> coded the written responses of undergraduate students to questions about how they express love, suggested there may be six love languages. However, the researchers reported difficulty agreeing on how some of the students’ responses neatly fitted into Chapman’s love languages, particularly in the categories of “words of affirmation” and “quality time”. </p> <p>Next, let’s turn to research testing a core premise of the love language theory: that couples with matching love languages experience greater satisfaction than those who do not. Evidence for this premise is very mixed.</p> <p>Three <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/pere.12182">studies</a>, including <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-53018-004">one</a> that used Chapman’s Love Language Quiz, have found that couples with matching love languages were no more satisfied than couples who were mismatched. </p> <p>However, a more recent <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0269429#sec006">study</a> found that partners with matching love languages experienced greater relationship and sexual satisfaction than partners with mismatched love languages. This research also found that men who reported greater empathy and perspective-taking had a love language that better matched the language of their partner.</p> <p>Finally, what does the research say about whether having a better understanding of your partner’s love language is linked to higher relationship satisfaction? Only <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/33e5ad9d94f22e2e3ed60d20094eec27/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y">two</a> studies have investigated this question. Both <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/0e7114482de1edf3625039e63b72e678/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y">found</a> that knowing your partner’s primary love language did predict relationship satisfaction in the present or into the future.</p> <p>So, as you can see, not only is there very little research investigating love languages, but the research to date doesn’t strengthen belief in the powerful properties of love languages.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/love-languages-are-hugely-popular-but-theres-very-little-evidence-they-exist-at-all-198065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Relationships

Little girl praised for shielding baby brother for 36 hours in quake

<p>A seven-year-old girl and her younger brother have been rescued after a 7.8 magnitude quake in southeast Turkey and northern Syria destroyed their home and trapped them beneath tonnes of heavy concrete. </p> <p>Mariam and Ilaaf, along with the rest of their family, were asleep at home in Besnaya-Bseineh, a small village in Haram, Syria, when the Monday quake occurred. It is believed the siblings were confined in the debris for 36 gruelling hours before rescuers located them. </p> <p>Footage has emerged of the moment the children were found, and has revealed that despite the horrors of their situation, Mariam had one priority - protecting her little brother. Their father has since informed reporters that Illaf’s name is an Islamic one meaning ‘protection’. </p> <p>With an arm sheltering his head and covering his face from the dust and debris, Mariam can be seen stroking Ilaaf’s hair in what some believe to be the remains of their bed. A concrete slab lies precariously above them, pinning the two to the spot. </p> <p>“Get me out of here,” Mariam pleads to the rescuers in the now viral clip, “I’ll do anything for you.” </p> <p>To the relief of millions, the children were pulled safely from the scene of the disaster, and transferred to hospital to receive medical treatment. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">While under the rubble of her collapsed home this beautiful 7yr old Syrian girl has her hand over her little brothers head to protect him.<br />Brave soul<br />They both made it out ok. <a href="https://t.co/GrffWBGd1C">pic.twitter.com/GrffWBGd1C</a></p> <p>— Vlogging Northwestern Syria (@timtams83) <a href="https://twitter.com/timtams83/status/1623060122695004169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>UN representative Mohamad Safa took to Twitter to urge people to “share positivity” in light of the rescue. With a death toll in the thousands - a number only predicted to rise - and aid a desperate need, the siblings’ story has become a moment of bittersweet brightness in a time of tragedy. </p> <p>Around the world, people who heard their story have taken to social media to praise Mariam for her bravery, hailing her as a hero for her actions and love in a time of disaster. </p> <p>“Oh bless her,” tweeted one, “children's love and resilience makes me weep.”</p> <p>“Miracles happen. What a great big sister. Lovingly protective under such stressful circumstances,” wrote another. “Hope for all those still trapped. Respect for all the rescuers working tirelessly.”</p> <p>Their father, Mustafa Zuhir Al-Sayed, has confirmed that their family - he, his wife, and their three children - were asleep when it all happened. </p> <p>“We felt the ground shaking,” he said, “and rubble began falling over our heads, and we stayed two days under the rubble. We went through, a feeling, a feeling I hope no one has to feel.”</p> <p>“People heard us,” he explained, after recounting how he and his family prayed for someone to find them, “and we were rescued – me, my wife and the children. Thank God, we are all alive and we thank those who rescued us.”</p> <p><em>Images: Twitter</em></p> <p> </p>

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“Welcome to reality”: Dad fined for daughter's seatbelt mistake receives little sympathy

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“From future Captain Seb”: Little boy blows away Jetstar crew with kind gesture

Love languages are hugely popular – but there’s very little evidence they exist at all

Little girl praised for shielding baby brother for 36 hours in quake

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

"A little bit steep": Jetstar passenger hit with "wild" excess baggage fee

6 little known facts about The Sound of Music

Heartless theft from "Garden of Little Angels"

"Two little miracles": Wiggles star announces pregnancy

Miranda Kerr welcomes "little ray of sunshine"

Little girl's Anzac artwork sells at auction for $100,000

Julia Morris promises "a little less shameless flirting" with new co-host

“This is life-changing information”: Shopper discovers little-known Bunnings hack

"My little girl!": Cindy Crawford gushes over lookalike daughter

Little House on the Prairie star passes away

“A little bit unfair”: Hard-working tradies blast age pension increase

"Little bump in the road": Olympian shares joyous news

Return of the Happiest Little Vegemite

3 little-known reasons why plastic recycling could actually make things worse

"Little Victory": First glimpse of Monaco’s newest royal baby

“Welcome to reality”: Dad fined for daughter's seatbelt mistake receives little sympathy

Little-known road rule could cost you BIG money with fines up to $3200

“From future Captain Seb”: Little boy blows away Jetstar crew with kind gesture

Love languages are hugely popular – but there’s very little evidence they exist at all

Little girl praised for shielding baby brother for 36 hours in quake

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