Search

Shocking amount Australia's richest people earn per hour

Three of Australia's richest people — Gina Rinehart, Andrew Forrest and Harry Triguboff — have more than doubled their wealth since 2020, according to the charity Oxfam. A report from the charity published on Monday, found that the fortune of Australia's richest people doubled at a staggering rate of $1.5 million per hour. The report also found that the total wealth of the country’s billionaires increased by $120 billion in that same period, which is over 70 per cent. Tech tycoons Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, are among the top five richest men worldwide, with the report finding that it would take them 476 years to spend all of their wealth if they spent $1.5 million daily. The global wealth of billionaires grew three times faster than the inflation rate, and they are $4.9 trillion richer today than they were in 2020, despite nearly five billion people worldwide growing poorer. According to the Australian Council of Social Services, one in eight adults are living in poverty, earning half of the median household income which ranges from $489 a week for a single adult to $1,027 for a couple with two kids. The report was released to raise concern over the growing global inequality, as they urge the federal government to reduce the wealth gap by scrapping the stage three tax cuts coming into effect on July 1. The tax cuts will lower marginal tax rates for high-earning Australians. Oxfam Australia chief executive Lyn Morgain has urged governments to step up. “We cannot accept a society that promotes the gross accumulation of wealth alongside widespread global poverty,” she said. “One of the best mechanisms we have to address this is progressive taxation. “The shame of our woeful global response to catastrophic disasters, displacement, famine and the climate crisis cannot be attributed to a scarcity of resources, it is distribution — and that’s a problem all governments, including the Australian government, need to tackle urgently.” Oxfam have also called for a wealth tax on the world's millionaires and billionaires that it claims could bring in $2.7 trillion each year. The report also called to cap CEO pay and break up private monopolies, which have gained significant power thanks to surging stock prices. Images: Getty

Money & Banking

King Charles' final message to Barry Humphries hours before he died

In a touching tribute to the late comedian Barry Humphries, the King has sent a personal message to be read out at the state memorial. The King, who shared a close friendship with the legendary comedian, expressed his deep sadness following Humphries' passing at the age of 89. The King, at 75, was not just a monarch but a friend who spoke to Humphries mere hours before his passing on April 22. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson at the time conveyed the King's profound sadness and mentioned that he was privately reaching out to Mr Humphries' family. Charles' connection with Humphries extended beyond formalities. The duo's friendship was a source of joy and laughter, exemplified by Humphries' memorable performance as Dame Edna at the 2013 Royal Variety Performance. Lord Archer, a close friend of Humphries, has also revealed that the King attended many of the comedian's shows, even bringing his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, backstage when they were young boys. The Australian newspaper also revealed recently that Charles sent Humphries an email just hours before his passing, with film director Bruce Beresford sharing the story: "Barry said, 'Well, I always admired him. We always got on well and I really liked his company and enjoyed being with him'," Mr Beresdord told the newspaper. "Barry was one of those people, he had a great capacity for friendship. He was so interested in people." Now, years later, the state memorial service at the Sydney Opera House promises to be a fitting tribute to Humphries as family, friends and fans gather to celebrate the comedian's illustrious career. The Australian Chamber Orchestra, a favourite of Humphries, will perform, adding a touch of elegance to the proceedings. The presence of Humphries' widow, Lizzie Spender, and his children at the memorial underscores the profound impact he had on those closest to him. Humphries' association with royalty was not limited to the King; he was a mainstay at royal performances, meeting Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana at various events. The comedian's contributions were acknowledged with a CBE by the late Queen in 2007, and he continued to be a familiar face at royal gatherings, including a delightful encounter with Queen Camilla at The Oldie of the Year Awards in 2021. The state memorial, with its mix of laughter, music and shared memories, will undoubtedly be a fitting tribute to a man who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world. Images: Getty

Caring

Aussie shopper sparks outrage over "boomer hour" pitch at supermarkets

A frustrated Aussie shopper has called for major supermarkets to implement a dedicated "boomer hour" for seniors to do their groceries. The shopper, from Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, caused an uproar after posting on Facebook saying that elderly customers should be "more mindful of time-poor workers and busy parents". The person went on to write that senior shoppers often take up too much space in the aisles to stop and socialise, making it "inconvenient" for other shoppers in a rush. The divisive post attracted a lot of attention, with many younger shoppers flocking to the comments to back the controversial idea. One person said older shoppers should save their socialising for the cafe or park like “every other normal person”. “This means not using the entire width of supermarket aisles as a catch-up spot to discuss what cruise Bazza’s on, or how the tenants in Jenny’s 13th investment property are really grinding her gears because they want the aircon fixed before summer. Not at 5pm on a weekday.” Despite some support for the idea, consumer behaviour analyst Barry Urquhart branded the idea as "ageism personified". "It won't work because they are a primary driver of the marketplace at the moment," he told Seven News. "At a time where the cost of living and the cost of doing business is acute, you can't turn and marginalise any consumer group." "This is ageism personified. People are wanting to say 'let's marginalise the older people, let's make them invisible'' and they're saying 'no we're asserting ourselves in tourism, hospitality, flight purchases at large'," he said. "Follow the money and the money in Australia at the moment is for people aged 50 years of age and older because they've got less mortgage, more discretionary purchases and are spending it." Urquhart went on to tell <a href="https://www.3aw.com.au/frustrated-shoppers-call-for-boomer-hours-in-supermarkets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3AW</a> radio that the measures would be impractical for businesses and senior shoppers. He said, “Trying to group boomers into one group … it’s not possible.” Image credits: Getty Images

Retirement Life

"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

Surprising facts about Barbie (she’s kept quiet all this time)

1. Her fame is global, but she’s a small town girl. According to brand lore, Barbara “Barbie” Millicent Roberts was officially born on March 9, 1959, in the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin. 2. She’s just one of seven kids. Over the years, her siblings for sale have included: Skipper, Stacie, Chelsea, Krissy, Tutti and Todd. 3. Barbie digs younger men. Her longtime BF Ken is two years younger than Barbie, debuting in toy stores in 1961. 4. She has had more than 150 careers, including paleontologist, Canadian Mountie, McDonald’s cashier, Desert Storm medic, business executive, secretary, Catwoman, and, regrettably, rapper. 5. She’s been to space three times. Astronaut Barbie debuted in space in 1965 (four years before the moon landing), then returned in 1986 and 1994. 6. Her house is a zoo. Barbie has owned more than 40 pets, including 21 dogs, 14 horses, three ponies, six cats, a parrot, a chimpanzee, a panda, a lion cub, a giraffe, and a zebra. 7. She’s got friends in the fashion industry. Gucci, Versace, Vera Wang, Dolce & Gabbana, and Givenchy have all contributed designs to Barbie’s wardrobe. 8. Her wardrobe is house-sized. Barbie has had more than one billion outfits (with shoes to match) designed for her. Image credits: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/entertainment/8-Things-You-Probably-Didnt-Know-About-Barbie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Beauty & Style

Tina Turner's husband's loving act during her darkest hours

When Tina Turner met Erwin Bach in 1985, it was love at first sight. The lasting kind, too, with the pair going on to enjoy nearly 40 years together - and 9 years of marriage after tying the knot in July 2013 - before <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/tributes-flow-for-tina-turner">the legendary singer passed away at 83</a>, in the home the couple shared. Tina had been battling various health issues in the years leading up to her passing, and had faced a particularly dark spot back in 2017 - but Erwin had been determined to help. The story of their relationship - and Erwin’s heartfelt gift - was covered in Tina’s 2018 memoir, with the star sharing that she had first met her future husband after landing at Cologne’s airport ahead of her Private Dancer tour. Bach, who at the time was the executive for EMI, had been there to collect her, along with a gift - a Mercedes Jeep. But as Tina noted, it wasn’t the car that caught her eye, but instead Bach. “My heart suddenly started to beat ‘BOOM, BOOM, BOOM’,” she recalled. “My hands were ice cold. “‘So this is what they call love at first sight’, I thought. ‘Oh my God, I am not ready for this’.” It was a far cry from Tina’s first marriage to her abusive first husband, Ike Turner, and the couple happily settled into their quiet life in Zurich. However, things took a challenging turn when - after 9 years of marriage - Tina’s health declined. As she shared in her autobiography, “I couldn’t eat. I was surviving but not living,” she shared in her autobiography. I began to think about death. “If my kidneys were going, and it was time for me to die, I could accept that. It was okay. When it’s time, it’s really time.” Things became so difficult that she even looked into assisted suicide, before Bach stepped in to do what he could for his wife, telling Tina that he “didn’t want another woman, or another life”. “Then he shocked me,” she said. “He said he wanted to give me one of his kidneys.” The next step was to find out if they were a match - with tests confirming that they could go ahead with the donation - and the pair underwent surgery in 2017. It was, thankfully, a success, though Tina’s favourite part of it all was seeing “when Erwin came rolling into my room in his wheelchair. “He somehow managed to look good, even handsome, as he greeted me with an energetic ‘hi, darling!’ “I was so emotional - happy, overwhelmed, and relieved that we’d come through this alive.” Images: Getty

Caring

Tips to filter out the noise in your life

The modern world can make you feel like you are in a constant state of busyness. Here’s how to filter out the noise and take back some time for yourself. 1. Begin your day with some quiet They way you start your morning can determine your whole day. When you wake up, take a few minutes to centre yourself in silence. This could be meditation or even just some quiet reflection in bed. You will be amazed at how it can change your outlook. 2. Declutter your digital Technology is a wonderful thing, but it also means we are constantly tied to our smartphones, email accounts or the latest news updates. It can be hard to switch off when you are constantly connected. You don’t have to switch off completely, but set yourself limits – only check social media once a day, don’t check emails on the weekend or leave your phone at home if it’s not essential. 3. Limit TV time It’s amazing how quickly an hour (or two or three) can go by when you are sat mindlessly in front of the TV. Don’t automatically turn it on as soon as you walk in the house. Set a time for TV (say after 7pm) and then use your new free time to read a book, do some gardening or take a walk. You’ll be amazed at how much free time you suddenly have. 4. Get out into nature Never underestimate the power of connecting with the physical world. Head out for a walk through the park or along the beach. Leave your phone and iPod at home so you can listen to the sounds around you. You can clear your mind in a sort of moving meditation, plus the physical exercise will give you an extra boost. 5. Find meaningful activities In our busy life we rarely take time for the activities we love, like drawing, reading, singing or yoga. These activities can bring meaning to our lives, and encourage us to slow down and find stillness. It is worth setting aside some time each day or week to do something you really love. 6. Practice inner stillness Too often we are our own worst enemy. So, even if we can quiet the external noise, we persist with the internal noise. We constantly run over to do lists, fret over mistakes we’ve made, berate ourselves for not loosing weight. When you feel yourself falling into these patterns, stop. Relax, reset and feel grateful for what you have. Image credits: Getty Images

Mind

Lawyer sued for ‘quiet quitting’

A legal firm in New York have sued one of its own lawyers, accusing her of using remote work as a way to “quiet quit” while she started a new venture. Quiet quitting is a relatively new term that refers to employees who do nothing above the bare minimum in their role, often leading them to end up on the chopping board. Defendant Heather Palmore then filed a countersuit against Napoli Solnik accusing the firm of mistreating minority employees, “brazen bullying” and seeking to “intimate people who stand up to them”. The lawsuit, which was filed in late February 2023 in a state court, accused Palmore of “breach of fiduciary duty of loyalty, aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty of loyalty, injurious falsehood, unjust enrichment, declaratory judgement and constructive trust”. According to the firm’s lawsuit, Palmore “misrepresented her skill set, experience, and book of business to obtain a position with Napoli Shkolnik, where she took advantage of the new remote work environment to ‘quiet quit’ her job, and simultaneously worked for two law firms at once,” The firm also accused her of “performing little to no work for Napoli Shkolnik while directly competing with the firm by simultaneously running Defendant Palmore Law Group”. Palmore said in her counterclaim that partner Paul Napoli recruited her to be the firm’s chief trial counsel in October 2021. “Ms Palmore has been subjected to and witnessed egregious race and disability discrimination by senior management as part of their standard operating procedures,” she said in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court. Palmore said she agreed to engage in mediation to settle her claims but claimed the firm used the time to “fabricate its own bogus lawsuit to file before Palmore could file her lawsuit — and gain some ill-conceived strategic advantage by filing first”. The firm claims Palmore was never committed to her job and that she established her own company almost as soon as she was hired. “Further, not even one month after defendant Palmore was hired by the plaintiff, defendant Palmore established her own separate law firm, The Palmore Group, PC, which she was operating and marketing while claiming to work on a full-time, attention, and energy basis for the plaintiff,” it said. Image credit: Instagram

Legal

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

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. 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. 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’. 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. “Get me out of here,” Mariam pleads to the rescuers in the now viral clip, “I’ll do anything for you.” To the relief of millions, the children were pulled safely from the scene of the disaster, and transferred to hospital to receive medical treatment. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 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. Brave soul They both made it out ok. <a href="https://t.co/GrffWBGd1C">pic.twitter.com/GrffWBGd1C</a> — Vlogging Northwestern Syria (@timtams83) <a href="https://twitter.com/timtams83/status/1623060122695004169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2023</a></blockquote> 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. 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. “Oh bless her,” tweeted one, “children's love and resilience makes me weep.” “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.” Their father, Mustafa Zuhir Al-Sayed, has confirmed that their family - he, his wife, and their three children - were asleep when it all happened. “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.” “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.” Images: Twitter

Caring

Mother dies in her sleep just hours after testing positive to Covid

A family in Sydney have bene left devastated after a mother-of-two died in her sleep just hours after testing positive to Covid. Melaine Leffler was only experiencing minor symptoms of the virus, such as a stuffy nose and are throat, when she tested positive after taking a rapid antigen test. The healthcare worker had received four vaccinations, and was "feeling fine" when she said goodnight to her family on November 19th. Her husband Mick Hogan and their daughters Clemmie, 4, and Lottie, 9 months, had no idea it would be last time they would speak to her, as the 39-year-old mum died in her sleep that night. Her sudden death left her family reeling, as her husband shared the news of her passing on Facebook. “It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have to announce to you this way though social media,” Mick wrote. “My loving wife and the mother of 2 beautiful children, Mel Leffler, sadly passed away in her sleep this morning." “She tested positive for Covid last night with a rat test, but only had a runny nose and slightly sore throat. Other than that she was feeling fine.” Melanie’s father Wayne described his daughter as “beautiful, intelligent and loving” person, adding that he and her mother Roz were “deeply shocked and saddened” by her death. “Roz and I lost our beautiful, intelligent and loving 39 y.o. daughter, Mel, overnight,” he wrote in a poignant Facebook post. “To say we’re shocked and deeply saddened would be an understatement. Suddenly, nothing else matters in life other than ensuring the support and wellbeing of Mick and our 2 beautiful granddaughters." “No child should ever pre-decease their parents. It’s just not right." “I awoke hoping Mel’s passing was just a bad dream. I’ve never felt so low. We’re devastated – things will never be the same.” Melanie’s cause of death is yet to be confirmed by a coroner’s report, but her brother Kris Leffler firmly believes it was heart-related. He also revealed that Melanie was inspired to study medical science after a bout of Wilms’ tumour – a rare kidney cancer that primarily affects children – left her with just one kidney. A <a title="www.gofundme.com" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/Support-Mick-and-his-beautiful-girls?qid=9ed7dd72fb7bcc06a9e07907ace02451" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> has been set up to financially support widower Mick and his two daughters, with the page stating “Mel’s beautiful soul will forever live on in her two darling girls”. Image credits: GoFundMe / Facebook

Caring

"I don't understand": Heartbroken bride mourns husband's passing mere hours after wedding

A bride has been left heartbroken as she mourns the death of her new husband just hours after they tied the knot. Oklahoma singer-songwriter Jake Flint and his fiancée Brenda Wilson said their vows in a beautiful ceremony on November 26. The pair then went home and Flint just never woke up again after dying in his sleep. However the cause of death has still not been confirmed. “We should be going through wedding photos but instead I have to pick out clothes to bury my husband in. People aren't meant to feel this much pain,” a devastated Brenda wrote. “My heart is gone and I just really need him to come back. I can't take much more. I need him here.” <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbrenda.wilson.14224094%2Fvideos%2F4989810367788613%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="476" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Flint’s longtime publicist Clif Doyal confirmed the horrific news and said that he was “loved by everybody”. “He was not only a client, he was a dear friend and just a super nice guy,” he wrote. “As you can see from the outpouring on social media, he was loved by everybody. I think a lot of it was just that he was a people person, and he had an amazing sense of humor. “He made everybody laugh, and he made everybody feel welcome.” Flint's manager, Brenda Cline, also confirmed his death in a sad social media post. “With a broken heart and in deep grief I must announce that Jake Flint has tragically passed away,” she wrote. “I've tried several times today to make a post, but you can't comment on what you can't process.” Images: Facebook

Family & Pets

Missing cruise passenger rescued after over 15 hours in ocean

A passenger on a Carnival Valor cruise ship has been rescued by the US Coast Guard after spending more than 15 hours in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The 28-year-old was with his sister at the ship’s bar on the night of Wednesday, November 23, but didn’t return after he left to use the toilet. According to a statement from Carnival, the sister reported her brother missing the following day. Another passenger on the cruise, Mike Anderson, told CNN that announcements were made on the ship and people “noticed security starting to search the boat with a photo of the missing (passenger) in their phones”. Mr Anderson said passengers were later told their arrival to their port of call in Cozumel, Mexico, was delayed, while his wife said one of the pools was drained. After a lengthy search, the man was finally spotted about 30 kilometres off the coast of Louisiana on Thursday night by rescue crews that had been scouring a 320-kilometre area along the gulf. Lieutenant Seth Gross of the US Coast Guard said the man may have been in the water for over 15 hours, the “absolute longest that I’ve heard about”. He said that “all available resources” were launched to locate the man, including a small boat from Florida, a New Orleans-based helicopter, and planes from Florida and Alabama. The man was hoisted onto the helicopter and was responsive. "He was able to identify his name, confirmed that he was the individual that fell overboard," Lieutenant Gross told CNN on Friday, adding that the man had signs of “hypothermia, shock and dehydration” but could walk and talk. "The fact that he was able to keep himself afloat and above the surface of the water for such an extended period of time, it's just something you can't take for granted and certainly something that'll stick with me forever," Lieutenant Gross added, describing it as “just one of those Thanksgiving miracles”. He said that the case was unlike anything he had seen in his 17-year career with the Coast Guard and “could have had a much more difficult ending”. "It took a total team effort from Coast Guard watchstanders, response crews, and our professional maritime partners operating in the Gulf of Mexico to locate the missing individual and get him to safety,” he said. While the man has been reported to be in a stable condition, it is still unclear how or when he fell into the water. Image: Getty Images

Cruising

"A kind of meditative peace": Quiet hour shopping makes us wonder why our cities have to be so noisy

The idea behind “quiet hour” shopping is to set aside a time each week for a retail experience that minimises noise and other sources of sensory overload. It is aimed at people who are <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/10/explainer-neurodivergence-mental-health/">neurodivergent</a> – an umbrella term for people with autism, ADHD and other sensory-processing conditions. What began as a boutique or specialist retail strategy has become more mainstream. Major <a href="https://www.coles.com.au/about-coles/community/accessibility/quiet-hour">supermarket</a> <a href="https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/au/en/media/news-archive/2019/woolworths-rolls-out-quiet-hour-to-select-stores-across-australia.html">chains</a> and <a href="https://insideretail.com.au/news/westfield-tuggerah-introduces-quiet-hour-for-people-with-dementia-autism-201907">shopping centres</a> in Australia and overseas have introduced it in recent years. In newly published <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/07255136221133188">research</a> we explored quiet hour as an aspect of the impacts of sound on how people experience city life. As expected, we found it did benefit people who are neurodivergent. But other people also welcomed the relief from sensory overload once they’d overcome the feeling of having wandered into an eerily quiet “post-apocalyptic scene”. Our work has made us question the acceptance of urban noise and light as being part and parcel of a vibrant city. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> As families around Australia prepare for Santa’s arrival Coles and Woolworths supermarkets become a centre of activity. Both stores offer ‘Quiet Hour’ on Tuesday for a low sensory shopping experience. Coles hours: <a href="https://t.co/jZV0f5bGwm">https://t.co/jZV0f5bGwm</a> Woolworths hours: <a href="https://t.co/X5iMm05cOr">https://t.co/X5iMm05cOr</a> <a href="https://t.co/R5CyXcB9R3">pic.twitter.com/R5CyXcB9R3</a> — NDIS (@NDIS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDIS/status/1458706093492817923?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <h2>What does quiet hour involve?</h2> Quiet hour is intended to make retail spaces more inclusive or sensory-friendly. Its features include retailers or mall managers agreeing to: <ul> <li> switch automatic doors to open </li> <li> pause collection of trolleys </li> <li> turn off the PA and music </li> <li> fix flickering lights and turn off as much lighting as practicable </li> <li> remove scented reeds and pause automatic scent dispensers </li> <li> switch off hand dryers </li> <li> turn down the volume on checkout scanners. </li> </ul> One of the tools we used for mapping quiet hour was a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/07255136221133188">thematic analysis</a> of reports about it in Australian print media from 2017 to 2019. We found the following themes: <ul> <li> an emphasis on the kinds of discomforts associated with retail environments </li> <li> the importance of providing a “low-sensory environment” as a form of inclusion </li> <li> while lighting was often mentioned, the main recurring theme was the reduction of sound. </li> </ul> <h2>Why does reducing sound matter?</h2> Sound and sensory hypersensitivity are important themes in neurodivergent people’s accounts of how they struggle with everyday experiences others take for granted. Leading autism researcher and advocate Sandra Thom-Jones <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/growing-in-to-autism-paperback-softback">writes</a> that neurodivergents’ sensitivity to sound is complex. It’s affected by “what the sound actually is, how loud it is, whether I am expecting it, and whether I can control it”. People might assume everyone has the ability to <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203033142-4/radio-texture-self-others1-jo-tacchi">frame which sounds are important</a> and which are “irrelevant to what we are listening to or doing”. However, the ability to single out sound sources and block out background noise is a major point of differentiation between neurotypicals and neurodivergents. Thom-Jones, who received her autism diagnosis at age 52, <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/growing-in-to-autism-paperback-softback">reports</a> that when she is “in an environment with multiple sounds” she tends to “hear all of them”. Thus, when she is catching up with a friend in a café, she may be “listening intently” to what her friend is saying but she will also be “hearing the piped music, the people talking at the next table, cars driving past, the coffee machine”. <h2>Others welcome quiet hour too</h2> Given how neurodivergents process sound, quiet hour is likely to increase their sense of comfort in retail spaces. However, quiet hour also suspends or – to use a term coined by <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Frame_Analysis/XBpmAAAAIAAJ?hl=en">Erving Goffman</a> – “rekeys” the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/symb.506">sensory frames</a> of all shoppers. A quiet hour could benefit lots of people who may not have a specific condition but simply prefer a quieter retail environment. We found this is an under-researched area, but did find anecdotal accounts to suggest this. Take the <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/12-07-2020/the-quiet-hours-in-praise-of-supermarket-serenity">case</a> of New Zealand actress and author Michelle Langstone. She reports visiting stores across Auckland and Rotorua that offer quiet-hour shopping. She stumbled upon it by “sheer luck”. At first, she admits, it felt “a bit like a post-apocalyptic scene”. Once she adjusted to the unfamiliar sensory environment, she felt herself succumbing to changed supermarket routines, “I cruised every single [aisle], taking in the quiet for nearly 45 minutes, at the end of which I felt a kind of meditative peace come over me.” Langstone also <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/12-07-2020/the-quiet-hours-in-praise-of-supermarket-serenity">reports</a> avoiding impulse buying. That first time she left with “only [the] bread and eggs” she had gone to the shop for. She was able to focus on shopping rather than “multi-tasking”, and quiet hour left her with a “feeling of goodwill towards all shoppers”. In other words, even if the strategy is about levelling the sensory playing field for neurodivergents, it seems to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/soin.12232">change the shopping experience</a> for other people too. <h2>Why the bias towards the noisy city?</h2> As researchers interested in sound and space, quiet hour made us reflect on how we think about these issues and our attitudes to noise. It made us question, for example, why one of the most cited texts in our field is entitled <a href="https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/noise">Noise: The Political Economy of Music</a>? Studies of silence or quietude are rare in urban or spatial studies. One has to turn to fields such as the study of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1466138109339041">meditation practices</a> or the silence associated with <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-au/A+History+of+Silence:+From+the+Renaissance+to+the+Present+Day-p-9781509517350">nature or sacred spaces</a> to find positive accounts of reduced noise. This needs correcting. Sound intensity matters if cities, buildings or public spaces are to foster hospitality and “<a href="https://www.metrolab.brussels/publications/the-qualities-of-hospitality-and-the-concept-of-inclusive-city">support people in their activities by facilitating their stay</a>”. What quiet hour teaches us is that an inclusive or welcoming city is a city that “<a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Resonance%3A+A+Sociology+of+Our+Relationship+to+the+World-p-9781509519927">resonates</a>” with different kinds of minds, bodies and styles of sensory processing. Quiet hour might therefore be both an inclusion strategy and an experiment that forces us to think more deeply about our cities and how they sound. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-kind-of-meditative-peace-quiet-hour-shopping-makes-us-wonder-why-our-cities-have-to-be-so-noisy-193461" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Family told to make way for highway project hours after moving in to new home

Hours after picking up the keys to his newly-built family home, Anil Konda was informed that his whole property would be used in upgrades to Queensland’s Bruce Highway. After putting down an initial deposit on the land in Griffin, in Brisbane’s north, Mr Konda relocated his young family of four to Queensland, and they found a rental to stay in, a new school for the kids, and endured 11 months of building delays before stepping into their new home. But their good news was short-lived, with the state government’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) sending an email requesting Mr Konda to call them for more information on the “future land requirement” before calling him that afternoon. "When I asked specific details like, 'How is it impacted? Am I going to lose a certain amount of land?', they told me like it's going to be the entire thing," he told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-19/qld-home-owners-angry-bruce-highway-update-land-resumption/101549992" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. "The entire house has to be taken out." Mr Konda said the family wanted to see the construction of their new home in person since it was their first house, and that even if they can live in their home for the next few years, they know it will be taken away. “They just took away the joy of our new home,” he said. "We don't have the belongingness (sic)." But Mr Konda’s family isn’t alone. Their home is part of the relatively new Aspire development, where there are still vacant lots, houses in the midst of construction, and residents who have mostly moved in within the past few months. A TMR spokesperson confirmed that the owners of 24 residential lots have been contacted about the plans. Charmaine and James Jackson are owners of another of the affected blocks of land, which they purchased and built their dream home on in 2021, the same year they had their second child. "It was eight days after he was born we went to the office to pick out our tile colours, our paint and everything like that," Mrs Jackson said. With their youngest just turning one, they had hopes of staying in the home until both boys had left school. "I just need an explanation," Mr Jackson said. "How could this have happened where you've allowed people so freshly to have built new houses only to tell them that they're going to be torn down in the middle of a housing crisis." After receiving the email, Mr Jackson contacted TMR to ask why the title was allowed to be registered. "They said when Aspire put in the planning application we didn't have planning up-to-date at that time to confirm any impacts," he said. Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the highway project was still in its very early planning stages, and that more specific numbers of residents who will be impacted will be determined as planning progresses. "If we do require someone's property, we get independent evaluations and market rates, so that we make sure that people who are impacted in the end, that they are looked after and that they get fair value and compensation,” he said. "It's never a good process and of course these are relatively recent approvals by the local governments involved, so I can appreciate why they would feel aggrieved by the process." Image: ABC News (Facebook)

Real Estate

"Hour 14": Ally Langdon fast asleep on TV

Allison Langdon has fallen fast asleep on TV after a marathon 14-hour broadcast from Buckingham Palace. The Today Show host was streaming live from London alongside Karl Stefanovic for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. The pair have been hosting the breakfast show from the UK for a few days with Ally clearly needing a break. A photo snapped by Today’s senior producer Will Hutchinson shows an exhausted Ally using a rolled-up jacket as a pillow as she took a well-deserved break. Ally shared the photo on her Instagram stories with the caption: “Hour 14. Everything is fine”. The longest reigning UK monarch was laid to rest on September 19, with more than 2000 people in attendance inside Westminster Abbey for the funeral, and hundreds of thousands more lining the streets of London. Around 2000 dignitaries from around the world were invited to the historic event to bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II. Almost one million people were expected in London for the state funeral as they mourned the loss of Her Royal Highness. The Queen’s coffin was carried on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy, drawn by 142 sailors. King Charles III and his siblings Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walked behind, followed closely by the King's sons Prince William and Prince Harry, and Princess Anne’s son Peter Philips. Images: Instagram/Nine

Princess Anne gives touching insight into Queen's final hours

Princess Anne has opened up about her mother’s final 24 hours before she passed away. Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 on September 8 while under medical supervision due to her deteriorating health. Her daughter Princess Anne was “grateful” to spend the final 24 hours with the late monarch before her tragic death. “I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest Mother’s life,” Princess Anne’s statement read. “It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys. Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting.” She went on to thank everyone who sent their well wishes to her late mother before acknowledging the understanding given to her brother, King Charles III. “We will all share unique memories. I offer my thanks to each and every one who share our sense of loss,” she wrote. “We may have been reminded how much of her presence and contribution to our national identity we took for granted. “I am also so grateful for the support and understanding offered to my dear brother Charles as he accepts the added responsibilities of The Monarch. “To my mother, The Queen, thank you.” The Queen will be laid to rest on September 19. Image: Twitter

Family & Pets

Incredible teenage boy cracks coded coin in hours, but he isn’t the first

Within hours of its release to the general public, a 14-year-old boy had cracked the codes hidden on <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/coins-covered-in-coded-clues-will-test-your-spy-skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a coin released by an Australian intelligence agency</a> - but some had solved them days earlier, due to an unusual legal rule. A 50-cent coin celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) was released last Thursday containing four levels of codes with hidden messages. But, the puzzles were already being discussed online ten days earlier, with some codes already being solved by August 20. This was due to requirements on the Australian Government to include the characters featured on the coin in legislation, available online, before the coin was made available to purchase on September 1. As well as a celebration of the agency’s history, it’s hoped the coin will act as a kind of recruitment drive and attempt to raise the profile of the ASD among the general public, with the agency planning to recruit another 1,900 people over the next decade as part of a $9.9 billion expansion. Dr Richard Bean, a research fellow at the University of Queensland who solved the coin’s puzzles within two hours of getting his hands on it, said the move was about attracting those interested in a career with the ASD. "The kind of people who would sit down and solve this kind of code on the coin, they're the kind of people the ASD wants to attract — innovative thinkers to solve difficult problems in cryptography in both an offensive and defensive sense," Dr Bean said. "So solving other nation's codes and protecting Australian government communications security. "It's about attracting the right candidates and putting the ASD in their mind, instead of having to go out in traditional recruitment channels." But let’s go back to our teenage whiz kid. Though the Tasmanian boy’s identity hasn’t been revealed, it’s clear he has talent and instinct according to Distinguished Professor Willy Susilo, who also directs the Institute of Cybersecurity and Cryptology at the University of Wollongong. “[What] is very important is actually not about whether you can crack the code or not, [what] is important is the thinking behind it, how to solve this kind of puzzle,” he told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/how-to-solve-spy-australian-signals-directorate-50-cent-coin/101405266" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. “To me, I think to get a person who, especially in this case, is 14 years old, can crack the code within just one or two hours is actually incredible in my opinion. "That really is the kind of skill needed in the Australian Signals Directorate." Image: ASD

Money & Banking

Hasbulla is coming to Australia!

Adorable social media heartthrob Hasbulla Magomedov is rumoured to be making his way to Australia. You’re probably wondering who he is? But honestly, have you been living under a rock? Not to worry, we are here to fill you in. Hasbulla Magomedov is an international sensation from Dagestan, Russia. After posting funny and silly pranks online on Instagram and TikTok in November 2020, the world fell in love with him. He has since amassed more than 2.6 million followers on Instagram and continues to share videos of his daily life. And now event management company The Hour Group has announced that Hasbulla is making his way Downunder. It is unclear the dates, location or ticket pricing for when Hasbulla arrives but it is highly possible the event is a speaking one. Watch this space for all the deets as they emerge. But in the meantime, here are a few more facts about Hasbulla. The 19-year-old was born with a condition called Growth Hormone Deficiency, also known as Pituitary Dwarfism or Dwarfism. This means Hasbulla has quite a high-pitched voice and only stands at 100cm tall. Despite his condition, Hasbulla lives his life the way he wants and loves to. He constantly shares videos of him driving, riding jet-skis, cooking, fighting and more. Due to his rising prominence, Hasbulla also has a strong connection with fellow fighters, including Russian MMA fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov. This saw Hasbulla dubbed “Mini Khabib”, with the pair frequently sharing posts together as they struck up a friendship. Images: Instagram

Family & Pets

John Farnham health update after 11-hour surgery

After learning that <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/john-farnham-hospitalised-after-cancer-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Farnham has developed a cancerous growth</a>, the "You're the Voice" singer has undergone a long and intensive surgical procedure in efforts to remove it. The operation took place in a hospital in Melbourne on the morning of August 23 and finished at 7:30pm, according to a family spokesperson. Farnham, 73, is in a stable condition and was transferred to an intensive care unit, with a further statement issued on behalf of the family stating that he is grateful to have the best specialist care in the world,. “Cancer diagnosis is something that so many people face every single day, and countless others have walked this path before me,” he said. “The one thing I know for sure is that we have the best specialist healthcare professionals in Victoria, and we can all be grateful for that. I know I am.” Richard Wilkins shares the 73-year-old is in good spirits and had been “cracking jokes with the doctors” before the surgery. “Surgeons are confident they can get it all and that the operation will be successful,” Wilkins said. Having previous health scares in the past, the singer was hospitalised with a severe kidney infection in 2019, this episode prompted him to quit smoking and cut back on alcohol, focusing on a healthy lifestyle. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was difficult to hear the news that Farnham had been diagnosed with cancer. “All Australians love John Farnham,” Albanese said. “John Farnham has been and continues to be a great Australian. He has not only provided entertainment for Australians over many decades, he also has been a contributor to the nation.” Former Labor leader Bill Shorten has wished Farnham “all the best [with his] surgery and recovery”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Thinking of <a href="https://twitter.com/johnfarnham?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@johnfarnham</a> and his family and friends. John, wishing you all the best for your surgery today and for your recovery. — Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/billshortenmp/status/1561856707776872448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2022</a></blockquote> US singer Richard Marx, who has performed with Farnham on various occasions and collaborated with the musician on his 1994 album Then Again, said he was “sending much love, strength and healing to my friend the great John Farnham and to his lovely family”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Sending much love, strength and healing to my friend the great <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JohnFarnham?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JohnFarnham</a> and to his lovely family. — Richard Marx (@richardmarx) <a href="https://twitter.com/richardmarx/status/1561860205192695809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2022</a></blockquote> Image: Getty

News

A robot dog with a virtual spinal cord can learn to walk in just one hour

We’ve all seen those adorable clips of newborn giraffes or foals first learning to walk on their shaky legs, stumbling around until they finally master the movements. Researchers wanted to know how animals learn to walk and learn from their stumbling, so they built a four-legged, dog-sized robot to simulate it, according to a new study <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42256-022-00505-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a> in Nature Machine Intelligence. They found that it took their robot and its virtual spinal cord just an hour to get its walking under control. Getting up and going quickly is essential in the animal kingdom to avoid predators, but learning how to co-ordinate leg muscles and tendons takes time. Initially, baby animals rely heavily on hard-wired spinal cord reflexes to co-ordinate muscle and tendon control, while motor control reflexes help them to avoid falling and hurting themselves during their first attempts. More precise muscle control must be practised until the nervous system adapts to the muscles and tendons, and the young are then able to keep up with the adults. “As engineers and roboticists, we sought the answer by building a robot that features reflexes just like an animal and learns from mistakes,” says first author Dr Felix Ruppert, a former doctoral student in the Dynamic Locomotion research group at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS), Germany. “If an animal stumbles, is that a mistake? Not if it happens once. But if it stumbles frequently, it gives us a measure of how well the robot walks.” <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <div class="entry-content-asset"> <div class="embed-wrapper"> <div class="inner"><iframe title="Learning Plastic Matching of Robot Dynamics in Closed-loop Central Pattern Generators" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LPL6nvs_GEc?feature=oembed" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div> </figure> Building a virtual spinal cord to learn how to walk The researchers designed a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/machine-learning-tool-brain-injury/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">learning algorithm</a> to function as the robot’s spinal cord and work as what’s known as a Central Pattern Generator (CPG). In humans and animals, the CPGs are networks of neurons in the spinal cord that, without any input from the brain, produce periodic muscle contractions. These are important for rhythmic tasks like breathing, blinking, digestion and walking. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p198628-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/technology/robot-machine-learning-to-walk/#wpcf7-f6-p198628-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page spai-bg-prepared" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> The CPG was simulated on a small and lightweight computer that controlled the motion of the robot’s legs and it was positioned on the robot where the head would be on a dog. The robot – which the researchers named Morti – was designed with sensors on its feet to measure information about its movement. Morti learnt to walk while having no prior explicit “knowledge” of its leg design, motors, or springs by continuously comparing the expected data (modelled from the virtual spinal cord) against the sensor data as it attempted to walk. “Our robot is practically ‘born’ knowing nothing about its leg anatomy or how they work,” Ruppert explains. “The CPG resembles a built-in automatic walking intelligence that nature provides and that we have transferred to the robot. The computer produces signals that control the legs’ motors and the robot initially walks and stumbles. “Data flows back from the sensors to the virtual spinal cord where sensor and CPG data are compared. If the sensor data does not match the expected data, the learning algorithm changes the walking behaviour until the robot walks well and without stumbling.” Sensor data from the robot’s feet are continuously compared with the expected touch-down data predicted by the robot’s CPG. If the robot stumbles, the learning algorithm changes how far the legs swing back and forth, how fast the legs swing, and how long a leg is on the ground. “Changing the CPG output while keeping reflexes active and monitoring the robot stumbling is a core part of the learning process,” Ruppert says. Within one hour, Morti can go from stumbling around like a newborn animal to walking, optimising its movement patterns faster than an animal and increasing its energy efficiency by 40%. “We can’t easily research the spinal cord of a living animal. But we can model one in the robot,” says co-author Dr Alexander Badri-Spröwitz, head of the Dynamic Locomotion research group. “We know that these CPGs exist in many animals. We know that reflexes are embedded; but how can we combine both so that animals learn movements with reflexes and CPGs? “This is fundamental research at the intersection between robotics and biology. The robotic model gives us answers to questions that biology alone can’t answer.”  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=198628&title=A+robot+dog+with+a+virtual+spinal+cord+can+learn+to+walk+in+just+one+hour" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/robot-machine-learning-to-walk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/imma-perfetto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Imma Perfetto</a>. Imma Perfetto is a science writer at Cosmos. She has a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Science Communication from the University of Adelaide. Dynamic Locomotion Group (YouTube) </div>

Technology

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Shocking amount Australia's richest people earn per hour

King Charles' final message to Barry Humphries hours before he died

Aussie shopper sparks outrage over "boomer hour" pitch at supermarkets

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

Surprising facts about Barbie (she’s kept quiet all this time)

Tina Turner's husband's loving act during her darkest hours