Search

Obese woman sparks debate for not giving up extra seat for toddler

An obese woman has sparked debate online after refusing to give up the second seat she paid for to a fussy toddler. The 34-year-old booked the two seats for her cross-country flight to visit her family for Christmas because she was previously unable to comfortably fit in one seat. All was well until the young woman next to her demanded that she "squeeze into one seat" so her son could sit on the other. "I am obese," she admitted on the Reddit thread. "I'm actively working toward losing weight and I've made progress - but I booked an extra seat because I'm fat." She added that she insisted on keeping her seat because she paid for it, but the mum "made a big fuss over it, and she told the flight attendant I was stealing the seat from her son." "Then I showed her my boarding passes, proving that I paid for the extra seat. The flight attendant asked me if I could try to squeeze in, but I said no, that I wanted the extra seat I paid for." The woman claimed that the toddler was only 18 months old, so he didn't need his own seat and could've sat on his mum's lap for the duration of the flight. "I got dirty looks and passive-aggressive remarks from her for the entire flight and I do feel a little bad because the boy looked hard to control - but am I in the wrong?" she asked other social media users. Many shared their overwhelming support for the woman and slammed the mum and flight attendant for their "horrific" behaviour. "The mum is an a**hole for not buying a seat for her son and assuming someone else would give up a seat they paid for. Odds are she was hoping there'd be extra seats on the flight so she didn't have to pay and used the lap thing as a loophole," one commented. "What's even the point of the extra seat if the flight attendants are going to let entitled people bully others into giving it up?" another added. "People buy entire seats for high-end musical equipment. Not even people. Their lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on your part," a third wrote. However, there were a few others that said the woman was in the wrong for causing an inconvenience. "If you are so fat that you have to have more than one seat on an airplane then you are selfish," one said. "Flights overbook all the time especially during the holidays - how can you justify having two seats to yourself?" "How much room does a kid take up, seriously? Yeah the mum should've bought a seat but that doesn't mean you have to be selfish and cause two people discomfort," another commented. Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

"She saw it and dodged it": Incredible scenes as tree plunges through seat in Schoolies crash

In a harrowing incident on K'Gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, a group of teenage girls narrowly escaped a potentially tragic accident during their Schoolies celebration. The friends were exploring the picturesque island off the Queensland coast when a tree crashed through the windscreen of their car, plunging right through the headrest of the passenger seat. Miraculously, all occupants emerged unscathed from this near-miss, thanks to a combination of quick reflexes and the timely intervention of volunteers from the Fraser Coast Red Frogs. As the teens ventured through the island's terrain, their joyous celebration took a terrifying turn when a massive tree limb plummeted onto their vehicle. The impact shattered the glass directly in front of the passenger seat, creating a scene of devastation that could have resulted in serious injuries – or worse. Astonishingly, one of the girls was seated in the passenger seat at the time, and her quick thinking and agility allowed her to dodge the falling debris, narrowly avoiding a potentially life-threatening situation. Tim Winnington, the Fraser Coast Red Frogs coordinator, described the fortuitous nature of the escape, saying, "There was a girl actually sitting in the passenger seat. She saw it and dodged it. They were so lucky not to get injured." The Red Frogs, a charity organisation that provides support and education at events like Schoolies and music festivals, played a crucial role in the aftermath of the incident, with volunteers from the organisation waiting with the shaken teenagers until help arrived. Madhill Motor Group, the generous donor of the ute used by the Red Frogs team, highlighted the gravity of the situation with photos shared on Facebook to demonstrate just how close the call was. The teenagers, treated for shock by paramedics, were fortunate to walk away physically unharmed, a fact not lost on them or their friends. In the aftermath of the incident, a friend of the girls expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Red Frogs for their swift and effective response. “They were all so lucky to walk away with no one being injured, and very lucky the Red Frogs were on scene so quickly and helped them so much, getting them a room to stay, driving their car for them, cleaning up all the glass and calming them all down in this traumatic experience,” they wrote. “We are all extremely grateful that you were there.” Images: Facebook

Travel Trouble

This bathroom item is dirtier than your toilet seat, according to a microbiologist

Bathrooms and germs Bathrooms are filthy – there’s just no way around it. They’re home to toilets, sinks and showers and tend to be one of the dirtiest places in the home, no matter how often they’re on your cleaning schedule. And because the toilet seat plays host to your derrière, it’s easy to label this as the germiest spot in the bathroom. But research is disproving that notion. Overall, the hard surfaces – such as the toilet seat and floor – are scrubbed down often because they’re the first lines on your bathroom cleaning checklist. And many people focus on cleaning the toilet because nothing screams dirty like a line of biofilm in the toilet bowl. But what about other bathroom-specific items? Dr Charles Gerba, a microbiology professor at the University of Arizona, says that it’s the fabrics in our bathroom that deserve the most attention. Yes, your bathmat is actually dirtier than your toilet seat, followed by towels, including those facecloths (which is why you need to wash your towels often). Here’s what you need to know. Are bathmats really that dirty? “We’ve done a lot of research on the microbiology of homes and, more recently, the bathroom,” says Gerba. The bathmat is problematic for two reasons, he says. First, it gets wet when you’re getting out of the shower, and it stays wet and moist, often in a dark and damp room. The second issue is that many people wear shoes in the bathroom, a huge contributing factor to the dirt, grime and bacteria found on bathmats. “Almost 90% of all shoes have faecal bacteria on them,” Gerba says. “You’re walking in dog poop all the time, and you don’t know it.” Beyond tracking shoes throughout the house and across bathmats, Gerba also pointed out the potential of spray from the toilet to land on bathmats. The Ecological Fluid Dynamics Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder experimented to see how far water droplets were ejected into the air when flushing public restroom toilets. The airborne particles shoot out quickly, reaching as much as 1.5 metres above the toilet within 8 seconds. The droplets were unpredictable and landed on the walls around the toilet, including behind it, and also on the ceiling. Which means that depending on the proximity, spray from a toilet can easily touch down on a plush bathmat. But while some research might suggest closing the toilet seat cover at home before flushing, not everyone agrees with that solution. “When you close the lid, the spray then goes over the top of the toilet seat and hits the walls on the side because you’ve narrowed the opening, which makes the water shoot out at a higher speed,” Gerba says, adding that closing the lid also leads to the toilet seat and underside of the lid getting more contaminated. How to prevent dirty bathmats Whether or not you close the toilet seat, one thing is certain: Keeping your bathmat as dry as possible is important. One of the factors that make bathmats the dirtiest spot in the bathroom is that they sometimes stay damp for hours, depending on how humid your environment is, how many people are showering and how much water splashes on them. Drying off in the shower will keep your bathmat from getting soggy. You can also hang it to dry instead of leaving it on the floor, where it will stay wet longer. Another tip: If you don’t remove your shoes when entering your house, at least take them off before going into the bathroom (and clean your floors often). That way, you’re not tracking outside germs onto a bathmat where they can quickly and easily multiply. “When you get out of the shower, it’s moist,” Gerba says. “Any time we have a fabric, it absorbs water, and things like faecal bacteria will survive longer there than on hard surfaces.” How to wash your bathmat The hard surfaces in bathrooms are satisfying to spray and wipe down, which Gerba recommends doing every few days. But what about bathmats? You should wash your bathmat at least once a week, and not just to keep it fresh and fluffy, but importantly, to remove bacteria. The first step to washing bathmats is to check the care label and follow the instructions on the tag, including which temperature is best for the fabric. Most bathmats can be machine-washed, but be careful with rubber-backed bathmats, which shouldn’t be dried on high heat. In general, quick-drying fabrics, such as microfibre and chenille, can be good options because they dry fast and are easy to launder. Something you can easily wash twice per week is the healthiest option. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/this-bathroom-item-is-dirtier-than-your-toilet-seat-according-to-a-microbiologist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

Heated argument between economy passengers reignites plane etiquette debate

A 12-second clip of two passengers arguing on a plane has reignited the age-old debate of whether it is acceptable to recline your seat on a plane. The viral video which was originally posted on TikTok and then re-shared on X, has racked up over 8 million views since Thursday. In the video, a frustrated woman was calling out another female passenger for pushing her seat the entire flight, right after they landed. “The whole trip she pushed my seat,” the woman said to a male passenger seated next to the female passenger accused of kicking her seat. “You seen it. You know she did.” “I’m allowed to put my seat back," she yelled repeatedly. Ian Miles Cheong, the user who posted the video on X, defended the woman saying: “She’s allowed to put her seat back. You don’t get to kick it repeatedly just because you want more space.” A few were on the woman's side and praised her for standing up for herself. “You are allowed! Period! You want space in front of you instead of pushing the seat, buy a seat with extra space or get your a** to business class. Reclining was put there for a reason,” one person wrote. “She was patient enough to wait till flight landed," they added. “If the seat is reclinable, recline it,” another commented. "What she’s saying is right. The woman has a right to put her seat back without someone kicking it," a third agreed. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> She’s allowed to put her seat back. You don’t get to kick it repeatedly just because you want more space. <a href="https://t.co/WELD7Qh4Re">pic.twitter.com/WELD7Qh4Re</a> — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1719881310351863952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2023</a></blockquote> However, others claimed that there was an unwritten rule that you shouldn't recline your seat, especially on a short-haul flight, adding that the recline feature should be scrapped from airplanes. “Putting your seat back in coach is an unspoken thing most people don’t do. It’s really the airline’s fault because they’ve made coach so cramped and tight that putting the seat back shouldn’t even be an option,” one commented. “Airline seats simply shouldn’t be able to recline. It intrudes on the already very little space a person has on the plane for the person behind them,” another added. “Really it’s the airline’s fault for cramming so many people in such a small space. They don’t call it cattle class for nothing,” a third wrote. One user understood both sides of the argument, and blamed the airlines for making the seats so cramped. "It can be annoying sometimes to be behind someone with their seat all the way, but if the airlines didn't want to allow that, it wouldn't happen," they wrote. "You don't kick the seat like a baby. Blame the airline, not the person doing what the airline says is fine." Images: Twitter

Travel Trouble

"You've restored my faith": Community shows up for lonely birthday boy

One dad's desperate plea has "restored" his faith after his local community showed up for his son's third birthday party. Pre-schooler William Buck and his dad Steven sat patiently on a beach in Wellington, waiting for his friends to arrive and begin the celebrations for his third birthday party. As time passed, William and his dad grew more hopeless, and they worried about the fate of the celebrations. "He kept asking where everyone was, and we were like 'they’re coming soon'," Steven Buck told <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/wellbeing/parenting/133203054/familys-plea-after-nobody-shows-at-3yearolds-birthday-brings-community-to-beach" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:Stuff;cpos:2;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0" data-rapid_p="9" data-v9y="1">Stuff</a>. Steven felt "guilty" that none of his son's mates had come to the party, especially given how excited his son had been for this birthday, as he had been talking about the celebration for weeks. In a last ditch effort to make William's day special, Steven turned to social media for help. Steven posted an image of the pair online and invited any locals wanting "some sun and sand" to join them. "William would love some friends to play with. He has Hot Wheels, sand toys, dinos, and we have some snacks and drinks. Any and all welcome," he wrote. Amazingly, locals responded in their thousands, wishing William a 'Happy Birthday' while many others joined the three-year-old and his parents. "Going there. See you soon," one local wrote, before arriving with her family. The partygoers arrived with bubbles and inflatables, parking themselves down on beach chairs ready to celebrate the sunny day with William. "Thank you so much everyone for the birthday wishes and support," Steven wrote online after the day. "Wellington you always restore my faith in humanity!" Image credits: Facebook

Family & Pets

Traveller shares hilarious hack to ensure the middle seat on a plane stays empty

There is nothing more joyous than boarding a plane and being seated next to an empty seat, ensuring you have a comfy flight by not being squished in with other travellers. But with this joy can also come sheer disappointment, when you get comfy in your extra space before a last-minute traveller comes to claim the empty seat. To combat the chance of someone robbing you of your space on a cramped plane, one traveller has shared the hilarious lengths he goes to in order to make sure the middle seat on a plane stays empty. The traveller posted the video of his hilarious hack to TikTok, sharing his trick with others to guarantee some extra space every time you fly. He put his arm upright inside a spare hoodie, placing a hat on top of his hand, to make it look like the seat was already occupied – preventing anyone else from taking that spot. The video has since been taken down, but has been reshared by other accounts. Of course, this hack only works on flights that have open seating policies, where passengers choose their own seats once on board, rather than having them assigned. The trick seems to work, with passengers avoiding his row and taking up empty seats elsewhere. Some viewers called the hack "genius" and said they would try it out for themselves next time they travel. However, others were skeptical, wondering how the trick would work if passengers eager to be seated are walking towards the two front on, rather than from behind. Image credits: TikTok

Travel Tips

Feeling lonely? Too many of us are. Here’s what our supermarkets can do to help

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> Even <a href="https://endingloneliness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ending-Loneliness-Together-in-Australia_Nov20.pdf">before COVID-19</a>, <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/resources/resource-sheets/understanding-and-defining-loneliness-and-social-isolation">social isolation and loneliness</a> were all too common across the community. Living among millions of other people is no comfort for people in cities, where the pace of life is often hectic, and technology and digitisation often limit, rather than help with, social interaction. The pandemic <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-amp0001005.pdf">amplified these problems</a>. In its wake, more of us report we’re lonely. For some, a weekly shopping trip may be the only chance to interact with others. A supermarket chain in the Netherlands is helping to combat loneliness with so-called “slow” checkouts where chatting is encouraged. Could a similar approach work here? <h2>We’re getting lonelier</h2> Around a third of Australians report feeling lonely. <a href="https://lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au/download/512/">One in six</a> experience severe loneliness. According to the annual Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (<a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda/publications/hilda-statistical-reports">HILDA</a>) Survey, people <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/social-media-work-hours-cost-of-living-rising-loneliness/102563666">aged 15 to 24</a> report the greatest increase in social isolation over the past 20 years and the highest rates of loneliness. Another <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-14/middle-aged-men-experiencing-high-level-loneliness/102563492">Australian survey</a> found men aged 35 to 49 had the highest levels of loneliness. Loneliness and social isolation are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/social-media-work-hours-cost-of-living-rising-loneliness/102563666">not the same</a>. Social isolation is a matter of how often we have contact with friends, family and others, which can be measured. Loneliness is more subjective. It describes how we feel about the “quality” of our interactions with others. Technology is <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/live-long-and-prosper/202210/technology-use-loneliness-and-isolation#:%7E:text=Technology%20compulsion%20might%20lead%20to,disconnection%20and%20reduce%20well%2Dbeing.">contributing</a> to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/social-media-work-hours-cost-of-living-rising-loneliness/102563666">high rates of loneliness</a>. Instead of meaningful face-to-face interactions, many of us now rely on social media, phone apps and video calls to socialise. We’re also working longer hours, often at home. And due to the cost of living, many of us are choosing to stay home and save money, rather than eat out or go to “the local”. It isn’t only in Australia where this is happening. In the UK, around <a href="https://www.lonelinessawarenessweek.org/statistics">3.9 million older people</a> say television is their main company. Half a million may go five or six days a week without seeing anyone. The World Health Organisation <a href="https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/demographic-change-and-healthy-ageing/social-isolation-and-loneliness">recognises</a> loneliness and social isolation as public health issues and priorities for policymakers. These issues seriously affect people’s mental and physical health as well as longevity. The impacts are comparable with other <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-15967-3">risk factors</a> such as smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity and not being physically active. <h2>Could slow, ‘chatty’ checkouts be part of the solution?</h2> For many, a visit to the supermarket may be the only time they interact with others. Sadly, increased use of technology, including self-serve checkouts, and cashiers tasked with speedily processing customers can make it challenging to have a conversation. <iframe title="The FASTEST checkout cashier ever😮 TikTok: rogerlopez7511" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TpALSOvw4LU" width="100%" height="750" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Four years ago, the Netherlands’ second-largest supermarket chain, <a href="https://jumbo.com">Jumbo</a>, introduced Kletskassa or “chat checkout”. It’s for shoppers who want to chat and aren’t in a hurry. Recognising loneliness was an issue for many, the idea was to increase social interaction between customers and staff by slowing things down and encouraging conversation. Jumbo’s chief commercial officer, Colette Cloosterman-van Eerd, <a href="https://www.dutchnews.nl/2021/09/jumbo-opens-chat-checkouts-to-combat-loneliness-among-the-elderly/">explained</a>: <blockquote> Many people, especially the elderly, sometimes feel lonely. As a family business and supermarket chain, we are at the heart of society. Our shops are an important meeting place for many people, and we want to play a role in identifying and reducing loneliness. </blockquote> The first Kletskassa, in Vlijmen in Brabant, was so successful the family-owned company started rolling out slow checkouts in <a href="https://www.dutchnews.nl/2021/09/jumbo-opens-chat-checkouts-to-combat-loneliness-among-the-elderly/">200 of its stores</a>. Not only were customers responding positively, the concept also appealed to Jumbo’s employees. They are trained to recognise signs of loneliness and come up with local initiatives to combat social isolation. Cloosterman-Van Eerd said: <blockquote> We are proud our staff want to work the chat checkout. They really want to help people and make contact with them. It’s a small gesture but it’s a valuable one, particularly in a world that is becoming more digital and faster. </blockquote> The original focus of Jumbo’s initiative was older shoppers. However, the trial showed people of all ages were keen to use the Kletskassa. The desire for human interaction didn’t change across age groups. So, these “chatty” checkouts are open to anyone who will benefit from social connection. Some Jumbo stores also have an <a href="https://www.brightvibes.com/dutch-supermarket-introduces-a-unique-chat-checkout-to-help-fight-loneliness/">All Together Coffee Corner</a>, where locals can enjoy a coffee and chat with neighbours and volunteers who also <a href="https://scoop.upworthy.com/dutch-supermarket-introduces-a-unique-slow-checkout-lane-to-help-fight-loneliness-595693-595693">help out</a> with shopping and gardening. The Netherlands’ government is partnering a range of organisations, local government and companies to come up with solutions to combat loneliness across the country. Some 50% of the 1.3 million people over 75 report they regularly feel lonely. Jumbo’s initiatives are part of the Health Ministry’s <a href="https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/blog/governments-ramp-up-the-war-on-loneliness/">One Against Loneliness</a> campaign. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/11SY0wG6Zc8?wmode=transparent&start=10" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Jumbo supermarket’s innovation of slow chat checkouts has been extended to 200 of its stores.</figcaption></figure> <h2>Supermarkets as ‘third places’ to combat loneliness</h2> In the 1980s, sociologist Ray Oldenberg coined the term <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00986754">“third place”</a> – a place that’s not home (the “first place”) and not work (the “second place”). Third places are familiar public spaces where people can connect over a shared interest or activity. Libraries, coffee shops, book stores, community gardens, churches, gyms and clubs are examples of third places. They all provide the opportunity for close proximity, interaction and often serendipitous conversations with other people we might not usually meet. Kletkassa have helped thousands of people, of all ages and backgrounds, by providing a few minutes of kindness and conversation. Imagine what could be achieved if our supermarkets offered their own version of the “slow checkout” for anyone who’s in need of a chat to brighten their day. The first chain to introduce this sort of initiative in Australia would have a solid advantage over competitors through differentiation and prioritising customers. At the same time, it would make a small but meaningful contribution to improving social wellbeing. Challenge extended!<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/211126/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</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/feeling-lonely-too-many-of-us-are-heres-what-our-supermarkets-can-do-to-help-211126">original article</a>.

Caring

"I’m sorry, but no": Passenger on 12-hour flight stops woman from reclining

A passenger on a 12-hour flight from Paris to Los Angeles went to great lengths to stop the woman in front of her from reclining her seat. The footage captured on August 13 shows a woman in a black jumper stretching her arms out in attempt to prevent the passenger in front of her from reclining, reported The Sun. The chair jolts as the passenger in front kept trying to move back the seat, but the woman behind her was persistent, and used all of her strength to push the seat forward and keep it in an upright position. The traveller seemed to give up trying to recline her seat, but the woman behind her continued to place her hands on the seat. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but no,” she says as she continued her attempts. As tension rose between the two passengers, the woman in front gets fed up and asked if she could talk to someone, before confronting the traveller behind her. “Just let me know, what’s going on?,” she asked. “I said respectfully, can you please stop moving it back?" the woman behind her responded. “Respect the person behind you,” as the person in front explained that she is trying to recline her seat so she can sleep. The woman behind continued to tell her to “respect the person behind you” as she tried to watch a movie on her laptop. The confrontation seemed to work as the seat in front came to a standstill. Images: The Sun

Travel Trouble

"It's been a great privilege": Eddie McGuire delivers sad Millionaire Hot Seat news

Veteran host Eddie McGuire has announced that Millionaire Hot Seat will be taking a break at the end of January 2024. During a broadcast on 3AW, McGuire expressed both pride and sadness as he conveyed his gratitude to fans for their unwavering support over the years. McGuire revealed that a new show would be introduced in place of Millionaire Hot Seat at 5 o'clock on the Nine network after the 25th-anniversary milestone is reached in 2024. "It's with great pride and joy and also sadness that I announce this morning that Millionaire Hot Seat will go into hiatus at the end of January next year," McGuire announced. "We will finish off this year and there'll be a replacement show at five 'clock on the Nine network after we hit our 25th anniversary when we go into 2024. "I've had the privilege of being in everybody's lounge room for a long time every night at 5 o'clock and I love the fact that so many people come and say, 'I sit there with my grandparents and we did these things together'. It's been a great privilege." Reflecting on the show's impact, McGuire highlighted its multicultural appeal and the moments of personal significance shared by contestants. He recounted the touching story of a contestant who won $250,000 during the global financial crisis, and how the prize money was life-saving for him, preventing him from having to sell his house. Since its debut on April 20, 2009, Millionaire Hot Seat has become Australia's longest-running quiz show and the sole program in the country where contestants have the chance to win $1 million. Throughout its impressive 11-year run, the show has given away over $40 million and aired a remarkable 2500 episodes. Eddie McGuire's association with the show dates back to 1999 when he began hosting Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, which later evolved into the daily version known as Millionaire Hot Seat in 2009. The show has been a life-changing experience for many, with individuals like Edwin Daly and Antony McManus winning the top prize of $1 million. McManus, a retail worker from Melbourne, expressed how winning the show transformed his life, allowing him to purchase a beautiful apartment outright and secure a brighter future for himself and his husband. As the era of Millionaire Hot Seat comes to a temporary close, fans can look back on the show's incredible legacy and the profound impact it has had on countless lives. Eddie McGuire thanked everyone for their support, marking the end of an era while also anticipating the exciting new show that will take its place. Image: Nine Network

‘We lose ourselves’: carers talk about the lonely, stressful work of looking after loved ones

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fleur-sharafizad-1138251">Fleur Sharafizad</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/esme-franken-947855">Esme Franken</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/uma-jogulu-1278812">Uma Jogulu</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> An informal personal carer is someone who looks after a family member, neighbour or friend in need of care due to disability, illness or age. In Australia, there are approximately 2.8 million informal personal carers, including 906,000 who are primary carers. Projections suggest the national demand for carers will <a href="https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/FINAL-Value-of-Informal-Care-22-May-2020_No-CIC.pdf">rise 23% by 2030</a>. Around one in ten Australians are informal carers: <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/informal-carers">most of these unpaid</a>. This group of people support one of society’s most foundational needs and our economy would struggle without them. Yet, little is understood about their experiences. <a href="https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/ijcc/aop/article-10.1332-239788223X16789866214981/article-10.1332-239788223X16789866214981.xml">Our recent research</a> reveals how this group of carers lack necessary support for their own wellbeing. <h2>Our research</h2> We interviewed 36 informal personal primary carers living across Western Australia and Queensland. Respondents were aged between 34 and 69 years, and had all been the primary carer for a child, parent, partner, or in-law, for between two and 21 years. Data was collected in two waves: one in 2020 and the other in 2021. Respondents were recruited with the help of an Australian carers’ organisation. <h2>‘I’d rather it be someone else’s problem’</h2> Many of the carers we spoke to said they were not caring by choice, but by necessity. They said they feel both unseen and undervalued. A husband who had been caring for his wife who suffers from Alzheimer’s said: "I would rather work. I really don’t like being a carer. I’d rather it be someone else’s problem. Being a carer, you just get forgotten." Carers generally provide care around-the-clock, yet their compensations (such as <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/carer-payment">carer payments</a>) are far from equivalent to full-time pay. The carer payment, for example, equates to only <a href="https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/programs-projects/caring-costs-us/">28% of weekly ordinary time earnings</a> in Australia, and carers can expect to lose <a href="https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/carers-are-17700-worse-off-every-year-in-superannuation-payments/#:%7E:text=Caring%20Costs%20Us%3A%20The%20economic%20impact%20on%20lifetime,every%20year%20they%20are%20in%20that%20caring%20role.">approximately $17,700 in superannuation</a> every year they provide care. Few of <a href="https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/FINAL-Carers-Australia-2023-24-Jan-2023-Budget-Submission.pdf">Carers Australia’s pre-budget submission items</a> to benefit carers were adopted in the most recent federal budget. Instead, the budget contained items which may indirectly benefit carers through <a href="https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-24-Budget-What-it-means-for-carers.pdf">increased support for the cared-for</a>. But these measures do not explicitly recognise and support carers’ wellbeing. Similarly, the recent draft of the <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/resources/draft-national-strategy-care-and-support-economy">National Strategy for the Care and Support Economy</a> recognises the contribution informal carers make to Australia’s economy but focuses on paid care and support. Our interviewees spoke about the personal costs of their work, and the stress and loneliness they experience. They shared feelings of being taken for granted as if their role was not work, let alone difficult work. One mum caring for her disabled son shared: "I just want people to see that, [a] carer doesn’t have any leave, paid leave, or recognition. People just think that’s your loved one, that’s your job. But I do want people to understand that I did not choose to be a carer as my career, but I will do it because it is important." This played into a feeling of people losing their sense of self, because caring work was so demanding and time consuming. A mother who had been caring for her daughter for 17 years after she had been involved in an accident said, "People don’t realise how much we put our life on hold to support the people that need that emotional and mental and physical and spiritual support. We put ourselves in the back shed while we’re supporting them, so we lose ourselves." <h2>A mental toll</h2> Many spoke of how they once had individual goals and ambitions, which they now considered unachievable. All of our interviewees had quit jobs and halted careers to take on personal care full-time. One mother caring for her ill child said: "I think if I had a crystal ball, I don’t know that I would perhaps have become a parent, I think I would have just stuck to my corporate life and had a cat and be done with it." The mental health toll experienced by carers in our study was clear throughout all interviews. A mother looking after her child with mental health challenges expressed: "Every carer has mental health impacts from being a carer. They won’t say it’s depression or anxiety, but it’s mental health because when the hierarchy of needs is not being met for you, you can’t provide them for somebody else." As one interviewee explained, the demanding nature of the work had left them exhausted and as though they “can’t do it”. Our interviewees spoke of “falling apart” under the strain of constantly caring for high-needs people in their households. One mother who cared for her children who were both on the autism spectrum recalled: "How many times, if I don’t go to the bathroom and have a shower to cool down myself, I could kill the kids and myself easily. That’s how bad. We are not ever in the category to get help." <h2>Feeling abandoned</h2> Because so much of their work happens in pre-existing relationships and behind closed doors, carers talked about not just feeling unseen but abandoned. A common theme across all interviews was how carers felt abandoned by institutions, health professionals and, in many cases, friends and family members. One husband who had cared for his wife for close to 20 years said: "The government doesn’t even care about the carers […] we’re not really getting anything and then they’re trying to take the crumbs off us." Carers do not have psychological, institutional or social support for themselves as individuals, separate from their role. But these support pillars are necessary so the entire responsibility of care does not fall solely on informal carers. <a href="https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/FINAL-Carers-Australia-2023-24-Jan-2023-Budget-Submission.pdf">Carer-inclusive activities</a> could be a good start. But policy should also be responsive to the unique and unmet needs of carers. These relate to the lack of personal and professional development, feelings of abandonment and social isolation. With an ageing population, a pandemic, and an emerging crisis over the quality of care for older Australians and people with disabilities, the role of informal carers has become increasingly important. The truth is that most of us will likely, at some point, undertake care work or be the person being cared for. Better formalised support for carers will ultimately improve the care for the most vulnerable among us and society as a whole. If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call <a href="http://lifeline.org.au/">Lifeline</a> on 13 11 14. <a href="https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/about-us/what-we-do/">Carers Australia</a> also offers advice and support.<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/206409/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fleur-sharafizad-1138251">Fleur Sharafizad</a>, Lecturer in Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/esme-franken-947855">Esme Franken</a>, Lecturer in Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/uma-jogulu-1278812">Uma Jogulu</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Business and Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-lose-ourselves-carers-talk-about-the-lonely-stressful-work-of-looking-after-loved-ones-206409">original article</a>.

Caring

“Sam has plans afoot”: Ratings smash puts Sam Armytage in the driver’s seat

Farmer Wants a Wife's Samantha Armytage has enjoyed early success with her new hosting gig, with the reality series seeing a wave of success in the ratings department for its first few episodes. The 2023 season premiere alone drew in approximately 1.08 million viewers, leading many to believe that Armytage has made leaps and bounds towards reasserting herself as a valued member of the team over at Seven. “She’s now in a place to get just about anything she wants from hereon in,” a source told New Idea, before noting that Armytage was driven by ambition, and was already looking ahead to her next steps with the network. “Sam has plans afoot,” they explained. “She's cleverly stayed on the network's radar, knowing if she landed and nailed a lead role like in FWAW [Farmer Wants a Wife] then doors would open.” Sam, who had parted ways with Seven’s breakfast show Sunrise in 2020, had a tough battle ahead when she took over from beloved former FWAW host Natalie Gruzlewski. Even though Armytage had previously appeared on the show in a guest capacity, fans were shocked by the news, and struggled to come to terms with the upcoming shift. According to New Idea’s insider, this applied in part to Gruzlewski too, with them explaining that “no one saw this coming, least of all Nat. She didn't know the full extent of the role changes until recently - it was a bolt out of the blue! “Sam has sold herself as the better choice because she maintains she is married to a farmer, grew up on a farm, and therefore is more relatable. Although that remains to be seen.” And it was an obvious change from the first 15 minutes of the new season, with Gruzlewski only seen in a handful of frames, while Armytage took centre stage interviewing the latest batch of hopeful contestants. The same source reported that Armytage is a “management favourite”, suggesting that the lineup shakeup was all part of an effort from the network to elevate Armytage’s professional profile again. They also explained that Gruzlewski was “taking the demotion in her stride”, all while demonstrating the good quality that fans had come to know from her. “Nat is no diva and was always a crowd favourite, the farmers and the women almost always warmed to her,” they said, before noting that there was a very real sense “this might end up being Nat’s final season” in light of the changes. Images: Instagram

Which seat on a plane is the safest? We asked an aviation expert

When booking a flight, do you ever think about which seat will protect you the most in an emergency? Probably not. Most people book seats for comfort, such as leg room, or convenience, such as easy access to toilets. Frequent flyers (this author included) might book their seat as close as possible to the front so they can disembark more quickly. We rarely book a flight with hopes of getting one of the middle seats in the last row. Well, guess what? These seats are statistically <a href="https://time.com/3934663/safest-seat-airplane/">the safest ones on an airplane</a>. <h2>Air travel is safe</h2> Before we get into it, I should reiterate that air travel is the <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/how-safe-is-flying-heres-what-the-statistics-say/knzczab06">safest mode of transport</a>. In 2019, there were just under <a href="https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/flightradar24s-2019-by-the-numbers/">70 million</a>flights globally, with only <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2020/01/02/aviation-safety-in-2019-fewer-deaths-but-more-fatal-accidents/?sh=58d372f74ceb">287 fatalities</a>. According to the US National Safety Council’s analysis of census data, the odds of <a href="https://time.com/3934663/safest-seat-airplane/">dying in a plane</a> are about 1 in 205,552, compared with 1 in 102 in a car. Even so, we pay little attention to fatal road accidents, but when we hear about an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/15/nepal-plane-crash-with-72-onboard-leaves-at-least-16-dead">ATR72 crashing in Nepal</a> it’s the lead story on every news page. Our interest in plane crashes might lie in wanting to understand why they happen, or what the odds are of them happening again. And perhaps it’s not a bad thing; our concern ensures these tragic incidents are <a href="https://apnews.com/article/plane-crashes-nepal-singapore-kathmandu-accidents-3b26342109872610d922f515fe94455b">thoroughly investigated</a>, which helps keep air travel safe. Frankly speaking, there is no real need to worry about safety when you board a commercial flight. But if you’ve still got that nagging question in your head, driven by sheer curiosity, read on. <h2>In the middle, at the back</h2> It’s worth remembering accidents by their very nature do not conform to standards. In the 1989 <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/United-Airlines-Flight-232">United Flight 232</a> crash in Sioux City, Iowa, 184 of the 269 people onboard survived the accident. Most of the survivors were sitting behind first class, towards the front of the plane. Nonetheless, a <a href="https://time.com/3934663/safest-seat-airplane/">TIME investigation</a> that looked at 35 years of aircraft accident data found the middle rear seats of an aircraft had the lowest fatality rate: 28%, compared with 44% for the middle aisle seats. This logically makes sense too. Sitting next to an exit row will always provide you with the fastest exit in the case of an emergency, granted there’s no fire on that side. But the wings of a plane store fuel, so this disqualifies the middle exit rows <a href="https://www.rd.com/list/flight-safety/">as the safest row option</a>. At the same time, being closer to the front means you’ll be impacted before those in the back, which leaves us with the last exit row. As for why the middle seats are safer than the window or aisle seats, that is, as you might expect, because of the buffer provided by having people on either side. <h2>Some emergencies are worse than others</h2> The type of emergency will also dictate survivability. Running into a mountain will decrease chances of survival exponentially, as was the case in a tragic 1979 disaster in New Zealand. Air New Zealand Flight TE901 crashed into the slopes of Mt Erebus <a href="https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/erebus-disaster">in Antarctica</a>, killing 257 passengers and crew. Landing in the ocean nose-first also decreases chances of survival, as witnessed with the 2009 <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/10/air-france-flight-af477-2009-crash-trial-airbus">Air France Flight 447</a>, in which 228 passengers and crew perished. Pilots are trained to minimise potential risk in an emergency event as best as they can. They will try to avoid hitting mountains and look for a level place, such as an open field, to land as normally as possible. The technique for <a href="https://www.aviationsafetymagazine.com/features/the-myths-of-ditching/">landing in water</a> requires assessing the surface conditions and attempting to land between waves at a normal landing angle. Aircraft are designed to be very robust in emergency situations. In fact, the main reason the cabin crew remind us to keep our seat belts fastened is not because of crash risk, but because of “<a href="https://www.skybrary.aero/articles/clear-air-turbulence-cat">clear air turbulence</a>” that can be experienced at any time at high altitudes. It is this weather phenomenon that can cause the most damage to <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-12-20/turbulence-persists-as-a-major-cause-of-injuries-on-flights">passengers and aircraft</a>. Manufacturers are designing new planes with more composite materials capable of handing in-flight stress. In these designs, the wings are not rigid and can flex to absorb <a href="https://www.wired.com/2010/03/boeing-787-passes-incredible-wing-flex-test/">extreme loading</a> to prevent structural failure. <h2>Does the type of plane make a difference?</h2> Granted, there are certain variables, such as impact from airspeed, that can vary slightly between different airplane types. However, the <a href="https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/UEET/StudentSite/dynamicsofflight.html">physics of flight</a> is more or less the same in all planes. Generally, larger planes will have more structural material and therefore more strength to withstand pressurisation at altitude. This means they may provide some additional protection in an emergency – but this, again, is highly dependent on the severity of the emergency. That’s not to say you should book your next flight on the largest plane you can find. As I’ve mentioned, air travel remains very safe. So I’d suggest thinking about what movie you’ll watch instead, and hoping they don’t run out of chicken and only have the <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/19/6-airplane-foods-you-should-avoid-according-to-food-safety-experts.html">shrimp</a> left! Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/which-seat-on-a-plane-is-the-safest-we-asked-an-aviation-expert-198672" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Debate rages over "most reclined seat in the history of aviation"

Frustrated travellers have called out a passenger for reclining his seat all the way on a short flight. The Pointer Brothers shared a video to TikTok saying it’s the “easiest red card of all time” when someone reclines their seat when there’s not enough room to begin with. “5 hour flight home…is this the most reclined seat in the history of aviation,” their caption read. The video shows one of the brothers annoyed at being squished in his seat because of the person in front of him being reclined. At one point he moves really close to the passenger's head to show his frustration. <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7156382025732132142&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40thepointerbrothers_%2Fvideo%2F7156382025732132142%3Fis_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1%26lang%3Den&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F0f73e1499904406bb843f4d28028f3d4_1666225042%3Fx-expires%3D1667966400%26x-signature%3DK1evkklXcSTqSnlVDK5VeUqWwl4%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> Viewers said the brothers have a point in calling the issue out as planes are already cramped enough. “Those seats should just not recline, it’s cramped enough and I already don’t have leg room,” someone wrote. “That's when passive-aggressive tray adjustments commence,” another commented. “I’m 6’3” and I have never reclined my seat. I can’t bring myself to push into others' space, the dang planes are small the way it is,” someone else pointed out. Others however said the brothers were in the wrong and everyone is entitled to recline their seat. “So many people in this comments section don't understand how legroom works... reclining your seat doesn't keep your knees from being smashed,” someone said. “Wah people are using the seats for what they're for. Want more room, get first class,” another wrote. Images: TikTok

Travel Trouble

“I am not a villain”: Woman refuses to switch plane seats for a family

A woman from the US has defended her decision to not move from her first class plane seat so a family could sit together. In a series of now-viral videos, Maresa Friedman detailed her awkward experience on a recent Delta airlines flight, in which she was asked to move to a different seat. Maresa said a family of three wanted her to move from her allocated seat so they could all sit closer together. After specifically booking her chosen seat in first class, Maresa politely declined their request. "I am not a villain for not moving from the seat in first class I paid full fare for," Friedman, a mother-of-two, captured her clip on TikTok. "I am also a mum so it's called PLANNING AHEAD." In a series of follow up videos, the frequent traveller said it wasn’t fair to be expected to move just so the family could sit together, especially when they hadn’t planned their seats ahead of time. She also suggested the family should’ve moved to economy class if they all wanted to sit in the same row. "If the airline bumps you or moves you or whatever, totally fair, so the suggestion I gave was basically like, ‘Oh if all of you want to sit in together, in a row, since first class is two seats and two seats, I'm sure you could ask the people behind you, I think they would be super pumped to sit [in first class] so that the three of you could be together'," Friedman said. "To which, of course, I just got 'the look'. The flight attendant just looked at me like… 'That was a good suggestion'." Friedman said the family shot her "side eyes" and "death stares" for the duration of the flight because of her refusal to move. "It didn't stop this mom from [giving me] side eye, I was getting looked at, she was talking about me," she added. "If you book with the airline, because this has happened to us as a family of four who travels together, they will group your reservation together. So, the only time that you might be separated is if you miss a flight or a connection." She then offered a piece of advice to fellow travellers who insist on asking people to switch seats: purchase travel insurance. "Things like travel insurance will not only prevent problems like this, you can actually use travel insurance to file claims to get many back or rebook on another carrier," she added. "So again, all preventable." After sharing her series of videos, Maresa was flooded with comments from people who claimed she was being unfair, to which she doubled down on her position by claiming it’s not her responsibility to “accommodate '' other travellers. "Before you come for me, I have two kids, so I have been there, even in the early stages and I would buy my baby a seat next to me, but when you book with the airlines, you have to tell them to book your reservations together and that you're travelling with a minor," she continued. Friedman added, "And by the way, the few times that I did switch seats in my lifetime, it was horrific, never again." Image credits: TikTok

Travel Tips

Sydney train passengers ask important question

Sydney’s rail system is in a bit of a shamble with strikes and free rides which are then cancelled within days. But now, Sydneysiders are debating something that quite probably requires some attention. A newcomer to the city took to Reddit and shared a photo of the lonely seat on the trains and questioned whether it is okay to ask someone to sit right across from them. “Recently moved to Sydney and find this a lot where people are standing in the metro, and then there are people who keep bags on the empty seats and show no eagerness to move the bags so someone can sit! I find it disrespectful and frustrating. Is this normal?” the person asked. Many people responded saying there is no problem in asking the person to remove their items from the seat. “Normal to do it, but also normal to ask for them to move it and normal for them to have no problem moving it,” one person said. “People sometimes need a little push to be polite. Like a child that forgets to say thank you. ‘Hey mate, is it cool if I sit here?’ Very rarely will you get a no,” wrote another. “People here are not disrespectful; they are just a bit careless,” someone else pointed out. However, others questioned why anyone would sit “knee-to-knee” with a stranger and it is best to ride out the trip either standing or sitting elsewhere. “To be fair, that specific seat on the city rail trains is an honest no-go. No one sits there if someone is sitting across,” someone commented. “Nah, there is no way you expect to sit in that seat. You want to play footsies with a stranger?” another wrote. “It’s gotten worse because of Covid; people think taking more space is more acceptable now,” another pointed out. “The rules kind of changed with Covid too. Most won’t go for this seat or the middle of three anymore, so the bag thing became a bit more normal,” said another. Image: Reddit/Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Flight attendant reveals the surprising dirtiest place on a plane

It’s no secret that planes are often rife with germs, but it turns out some unexpected parts of the aircraft are much dirtier than others. One flight attendant has shared the part of the plane that often gets overlooked when cleaning, and it's not where you would think. The cabin crew member from the US, who regularly posts travel tips on her FlightBae TikTok account, shared that it's actually the seat pockets you should steer clear of. "They're dirtier than the lavatories, they're dirtier than the seat cushion, and they're dirtier than the tray tables," she said in a clip that's had over 3,000 likes. "Let me tell you why." She goes on to say the seat pockets are "never cleaned". "Unless somebody vomits or there is something ooey or gooey in there, it doesn't get cleaned. All cleaners do is go in and take out the trash," she explained. "So all of those germs have accumulated and there is no regular cleaning of those surfaces, whereas the lavatories are regularly wiped down and sanitised." Her followers were understandably disgusted, with one person even sharing: "This is very true! I once saw a parent place a used diaper in the seat back pocket." "Never touching it again," another said, while a third wrote: "I don't use them. I'll always see people their feet in them." Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

View from the hot seat: Mike Tindall's insight into Prince Louis' antics

Going down as one of the most memorable moments from The Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Mike Tindall has revealed the reason behind young Prince Louis' cheeky behaviour. Tindall says the four-year-old prince had "complete sugar highs" during the Jubilee Pageant on Sunday after consuming handfuls of sweets behind the scenes. In full view of the world's media, Prince Louis was seen putting his hand across his mum's mouth, trying to shush her as she attempted to tell him to sit still, making a funny face and blowing a raspberry in her direction. Kate swiftly put Louis' hand down, before he did it again with his left hand. The little prince was excited throughout the parade, running up and down the seats, pulling his cousin's hair and eventually jumping onto his grandfather Prince Charles' lap, for a quick break. Tindall was photographed jokingly warning Louis that he was watching him from the seats above. Two days earlier Prince Louis stole the show during Trooping the Colour, pulling a series of funny faces as the rest of the royals watched a flypast of aircraft from the palace balcony. Tindall, also revealed the Queen's grandchildren and their families enjoyed a private lunch after Trooping, describing it was one of his highlights from the four-day celebrations. He spoke about the Jubilee and Louis' mischievous antics on his podcast, The Good, The Bad and The Rugby. "Louis, he was just wanting to have fun, and my two [daughters] are always mischievous, so it was trying to keep a lid on," Tindall said. "There was a lot of sweets out back, though, so they had complete sugar highs. It's tough for them. They're all young, so asking them to sit, because it was two 'til five or whatever, it's a long time. As any parent knows, you just do whatever needs to be done." Tindall was seated directly behind the Cambridges at the Pageant with his wife Zara and their children Mia, eight, Lena, three and Lucas, one. Prince William and Kate later joked about their youngest child's actions, writing on social media, "We all had an incredible time, especially Louis". Image: Getty

Family & Pets

Labor forms majority government after securing 76 seats

The Labor party has secured a majority government in the federal election after gaining the 76 seats they needed in order to govern in their own right. The formation of the Labor majority government means the party will not have to negotiate with an expanded crossbench in order to get legislation through the lower house. The majority government was formed as Labor MP Josh Burns was reelected in the Melbourne seat of Macnamara, bringing the seat count to the target number of 76. Given the Coalition was so far behind on the seat count, having lost legacy seats to teal independents, it was practically impossible the Liberal and National parties could use the crossbench to form a minority government. The crossbench will have 16 members, with an ideological spectrum that ranges from Queenslander Bob Katter on the right to the Greens on the left. Sources have suggested that it is likely that the new government will strike deals with the teals, independents and Greens to strengthen the passage of its legislation. Labor still needs to find a new deputy leader in the Senate to replace Kristina Keneally, who lost the seat of Fowler to independent candidate Dai Le in an embarrassing loss. The Labor caucus will determine who will serve in the cabinet when it meets later on Tuesday. The proportion of Left and Right members on the frontbench will be determined based on how many seats each faction wins. Image credits: Getty Images

News

How to score a whole row of seats to yourself on a plane

A seasoned traveller has shared her simple tricks for ensuring you get a whole row of seats to yourself on your next flight. Chelsea Dickenson, from London, shared a video to TikTok to tell her followers of the hack she uses when travelling in a pair. “Row to yourself travel hack. This actually works,” she said. According to Chelsea, when selecting your seats online, she suggests booking the aisle and the window, leaving the middle seat free in between you. “The theory here is that someone is much less likely to book a seat in between two strangers and they’ll opt for another row,” Chelsea said. “And even if they do book that middle seat, you can always ask them if they want the aisle or the window and it works out for everyone.” Chelsea suggested the best rows to book are “towards the back of the plane” because it “tends to work a bit better”. Testing out her own theory, Chelsea and her friend James booked the seats in row 13 on a flight. “I’ve gone for row 13 as lots of people think it’s unlucky,” she said. The video shows Chelsea and James waiting patiently in their seats before the cabin crew completed boarding. “Here we go, here’s the moment of truth,” she said. “Yes, the row is clear. We bloody smashed it.” Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

Unusual car seat mistake that leaves your child in danger

With winter just around the corner, parents have been warned to not strap their child into a baby seat if they’re wearing a puffy jacket. Tiny Hearts Education founder, former paramedic and mum Nikki Jurcutz explained that the puffy jacket leaves space between the child and the seat belt which makes it dangerous. “As the temperature outside drops, we start to rug up. One of the best things I've found to keep my little ones warm is puff jackets, and I see so many kids wearing the same thing,” she wrote in an informative post on Facebook. “But if you're going to use a thick jacket like that, there's something that it doesn't go well with: A car seat.” She went on to explain how despite thinking you have strapped your child in safely, the space is dangerous when in an accident. “When your bub is wearing a thick jacket and put in the car seat, you'll tighten the strap to remove the slack,” she continued. “Thick jackets often trap air amongst the layers and feathers inside the jacket, so in an accident, the jacket compresses, creating excessive space between bub and their car seat straps. “This excessive space means they may not be held securely in the car seat, which increases their risk of injury in a crash.” Nikki went on to offer suggestions on how to ensure children are safely seated and strapped in the seat while wearing a jacket. “To test if a jacket is too thick to wear in a car seat, put bub in while wearing the jacket and tighten the slack like you normally would [remember: to check your harness is tight enough, you shouldn't be able to pinch any of the strap between your thumb and pointer finger]. “Then take bub out of their car seat without loosening the harness, then put bub back in the car seat. If you need to tighten it, the jacket shouldn't be worn in the car seat.” Otherwise, some alternatives to a puffy jacket can be: pre-warming the car before putting bub in, dressing bub in long-sleeve, using socks and singlets for extra layers, add blankets on the outside of the car seat. For older kids, try putting them in the car seat first, then put the jacket on backwards over their arms on the outside of the car seat straps. Image: Shutterstock

Caring

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Obese woman sparks debate for not giving up extra seat for toddler

"She saw it and dodged it": Incredible scenes as tree plunges through seat in Schoolies crash

This bathroom item is dirtier than your toilet seat, according to a microbiologist

Heated argument between economy passengers reignites plane etiquette debate

"You've restored my faith": Community shows up for lonely birthday boy

Traveller shares hilarious hack to ensure the middle seat on a plane stays empty

Feeling lonely? Too many of us are. Here’s what our supermarkets can do to help

"I’m sorry, but no": Passenger on 12-hour flight stops woman from reclining

"It's been a great privilege": Eddie McGuire delivers sad Millionaire Hot Seat news

‘We lose ourselves’: carers talk about the lonely, stressful work of looking after loved ones

“Sam has plans afoot”: Ratings smash puts Sam Armytage in the driver’s seat

Which seat on a plane is the safest? We asked an aviation expert

Debate rages over "most reclined seat in the history of aviation"

“I am not a villain”: Woman refuses to switch plane seats for a family

Sydney train passengers ask important question

Flight attendant reveals the surprising dirtiest place on a plane

View from the hot seat: Mike Tindall's insight into Prince Louis' antics

Labor forms majority government after securing 76 seats

How to score a whole row of seats to yourself on a plane

Unusual car seat mistake that leaves your child in danger

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Obese woman sparks debate for not giving up extra seat for toddler

"She saw it and dodged it": Incredible scenes as tree plunges through seat in Schoolies crash

This bathroom item is dirtier than your toilet seat, according to a microbiologist

Heated argument between economy passengers reignites plane etiquette debate

"You've restored my faith": Community shows up for lonely birthday boy

Traveller shares hilarious hack to ensure the middle seat on a plane stays empty

Feeling lonely? Too many of us are. Here’s what our supermarkets can do to help

"I’m sorry, but no": Passenger on 12-hour flight stops woman from reclining

"It's been a great privilege": Eddie McGuire delivers sad Millionaire Hot Seat news

‘We lose ourselves’: carers talk about the lonely, stressful work of looking after loved ones

“Sam has plans afoot”: Ratings smash puts Sam Armytage in the driver’s seat

Which seat on a plane is the safest? We asked an aviation expert

Debate rages over "most reclined seat in the history of aviation"

“I am not a villain”: Woman refuses to switch plane seats for a family

Sydney train passengers ask important question

Flight attendant reveals the surprising dirtiest place on a plane

View from the hot seat: Mike Tindall's insight into Prince Louis' antics

Labor forms majority government after securing 76 seats

How to score a whole row of seats to yourself on a plane

Unusual car seat mistake that leaves your child in danger

Our Partners

Join Over60