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Why are adults without kids hooked on Bluey? And should we still be calling it a ‘kids’ show’?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-balanzategui-814024">Jessica Balanzategui</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/djoymi-baker-1269345">Djoymi Baker</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p>“Bluey mania” shows no sign of abating. Bluey’s season finale, The Sign, was the <a href="https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/04/the-sign-breaks-abc-iview-records.html">most viewed ABC program</a> of all time on iView.</p> <p>A “hidden” follow-up episode, aptly named The Surprise, created a storm of <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13338251/Bluey-fans-wild-mystery-ending-surprise-episode-meaning.html">headlines</a> around the world, many of which <a href="https://mashable.com/article/bluey-surprise-baby-who-is-the-father">have a decidedly adult tone</a>.</p> <p>As highlighted in social media fan communities <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/02/08/bluey-adult-fandom-tiktok/">and</a> <a href="https://gizmodo.com/bluey-disney-plus-bbc-australian-animation-adult-fans-1850426890">articles</a>, the show has struck a chord with adults, many of whom aren’t parents. What do they get from a show that is ostensibly “for kids”?</p> <h2>Parents love Bluey (sometimes more than kids)</h2> <p>Our <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/pfpp--australian-children%27s-television-cultures-actc.pdf">research</a> with <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiDjeXNluuFAxW2bmwGHf2aDvoQFnoECA8QAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aph.gov.au%2FDocumentStore.ashx%3Fid%3Dec6900b5-42b0-4c3d-b200-5c05ae895fec%26subId%3D751969&amp;usg=AOvVaw2BpyYjP_6i62kXdJqyrplx&amp;cshid=1714522763110954&amp;opi=89978449">children aged 7-9</a> and their parents provides evidence of how enraptured adults are by Bluey. Our findings also suggest it’s the parents who often drive household Bluey obsessions.</p> <p>As one mum told us: "If we could tell the Australian TV gods something that we’d like to have on Australian TV, it would be more Bluey, don’t get rid of Bluey. […] Bluey is loved by mums a lot."</p> <p>Another explained how the show provided learning for parents: "It’s the gentle parenting, kindness, empathy for the children, the humour […] And helping kids [and] families work through real life situations with kindness and compassion."</p> <p>When one eight-year-old and his mum told us about their favourite shows, the following exchange took place:</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Mum:</strong>: What about Bluey? <br /><strong>Son</strong>: I sometimes [watch it]… <br /><strong>Mum</strong>: You don’t want to say. He doesn’t want to say he watches Bluey. Bluey’s fantastic. <br /><strong>Son</strong>: I sometimes- <br /><strong>Mum</strong>: He wants to be a big boy. […] Everyone in this room probably loves Bluey. It’s not just for kids. <br /><strong>Son</strong>: Enough about that.</p> </blockquote> <p>Beyond families, Bluey has also attracted teen and adult fans without kids – in part thanks to a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/02/08/bluey-adult-fandom-tiktok/">vibrant TikTok community</a> (aka <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/search?lang=en&amp;q=blueytok&amp;t=1714526488575">#blueytok</a>). While some commentary suggests this adult fandom <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2024/04/bluey-the-sign-episode-ending-parents-adults-kids-disney-plus.html">is “weird”</a>, Bluey is only the latest in a long line of “children’s” shows with a passionate adult fanbase.</p> <h2>Shifting barriers in television</h2> <p>The distinction between “children’s” and “adult” television has long been crucial to our cultural understandings of what separates a child from an adult.</p> <p>In the 1950s, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1749602020911359">academics were concerned</a> children were watching TV content that was too mature for them, turning them into “adultised children”, and that adults watching kids’ shows were becoming “infantile adults”.</p> <p>The industry took note. In 1957, a reduction in children’s TV production in the United States made space for so-called “kidult” shows designed for both age groups.</p> <p>Since then, the boundaries between children’s and adult television have continually shifted. In television’s early days, science fiction was associated with child audiences (which is why many initially assumed Star Trek was <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/to-boldly-go-9781838609733/">a kids’ show</a>).</p> <p>These boundaries were also influenced by television scheduling. Warner Bros’ early animation shorts were initially all-ages theatrical releases, but in 1960 were packaged into the Bugs Bunny Show – pitched for kids and aired on Saturday mornings. As a result, by 1967 animation was considered <a href="https://web.mit.edu/sp.778/www/Documents/From_Saturday_morning_to_---elevision_cartoons.pdf">kids’ fare</a>.</p> <p>The boundaries shifted again in the 1980s as adult Japanese anime such as Akira (1988) became popular in the West.</p> <p>In 1989, The Simpsons debuted on TV. Our research reveals even today there is confusion regarding the show’s suitability for young children. Some of our seven-to-nine-year-old participants described secretly watching it without their parents’ knowledge.</p> <h2>Childhood healing</h2> <p>Bluey’s adult appeal is credited to the show’s playful <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/04/14/disneys-giant-new-bluey-episode-the-sign-is-making-parents-cry/?sh=3c4a664f6234">yet emotionally complex</a> content. One reason adults tune into today’s kids’ TV is because it’s far more diverse than the shows they could access growing up.</p> <p>Take 19-year-old Bluey fan <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/bluey-internet-fandom/">Darby Rose</a>, who points to an episode in which a Jack Russell terrier has ADHD. “As a neurodivergent person myself, this representation makes me ecstatic,” Rose says. This is also true of many teen programs, with the queer-friendly high-school romance Heartstopper attracting a large <a href="https://time.com/6301556/heartstopper-netflix-season-2-fans/">adult following</a>.</p> <p>It’s not just <a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-bluey-why-adults-love-re-watching-australian-kids-tv-from-their-childhoods-169727">childhood nostalgia</a> that drives adults to kids’ shows (although <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/bluey/comments/x1xgf9/what_trips_down_memory_lane_and_nostalgia_does/">this is one aspect</a>). Watching kids’ shows can be self-affirming for adults who missed out on seeing their identity onscreen growing up. Some adult fans <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bluey-adults_n_65e774c1e4b0f9d26cac99a7">even say</a> Bluey has helped them heal childhood wounds.</p> <h2>Children’s television meets adult fan cultures</h2> <p>Watching “adult” television enables kids to feel more grown-up. Conversely, adults can watch children’s television to embrace aspects of their personality they feel social pressure to repress.</p> <p>The latter is often the case for “Bronies” (a portmanteau for “bro” and “pony”): adult male fans of the animated kids’ show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (2010-20). The community has attracted much <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-previews/military-men-obsessed-little-pony-6498303">controversy</a>. But <a href="https://researchportal.tuni.fi/en/publications/its-ok-to-be-joyful-my-little-pony-and-brony-masculinity">research</a> has found the reasons behind being a Brony aren’t suspicious or bizarre, but are empowering in unexpected ways.</p> <p>As Bronies themselves have explained, the fandom allows them to rethink what masculinity means to them, with the support of other fans online and at events such as <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/08/14/750595032/the-friends-we-made-along-the-way-after-9-years-bronycon-calls-it-quits">BronyCon</a>.</p> <p>Why can’t “manliness” include watching a cute show about ponies with friendship at its heart?</p> <h2>The changing nature of children’s television</h2> <p>The rise of streaming has led to yet another shift. On-demand viewing means freedom from the constraints of TV scheduling, which historically set the terms for “child” and “adult” viewing.</p> <p>As <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Netflix-Dark-Fantastic-Genres-and-Intergenerational-Viewing-Family-Watch-Together-TV/Baker-Balanzategui-Sandars/p/book/9781032121895">our book details</a>, Netflix has invested in the expansion of cultural expectations around what makes “child-appropriate” television.</p> <p>Netflix’s mega hit Stranger Things deliberately pushes at these boundaries to attract a wide audience, from children and teens, to families, to adults without kids. As co-creator <a href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/stranger-things-duffer-brothers-share-secrets-hit-show/">Matt Duffer explains</a>, the aim was to get children hooked on the show, and then later in the season “scare the shit out of them. Then the parents can get mad.”</p> <p>Parents certainly aren’t mad about their children getting hooked on Bluey. They may even be the secret to its global success: to keep the children watching, get the <em>adults</em> hooked.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/228610/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-balanzategui-814024"><em>Jessica Balanzategui</em></a><em>, Senior Lecturer in Media, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/djoymi-baker-1269345">Djoymi Baker</a>, Lecturer in Media and Cinema Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: ABC</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-adults-without-kids-hooked-on-bluey-and-should-we-still-be-calling-it-a-kids-show-228610">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

TV

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Iconic footy commentator reveals tragic diagnosis

<p dir="ltr">Broadcasting legend Sandy Roberts has shared the details of his ongoing health battle, after being diagnosed with a rare, incurable cancer.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 73-year-old has returned to the MCG as he is fronting a new campaign to help save the lives of others, and himself, by trying to find a cure.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have so many great, fond memories of this mighty ground,” says the former Channel 7 AFL commentator in the campaign launch.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is my greatest call ... help me find a cure for myeloma.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Roberts’ cancer was found last year after he had a fall and had to undergo a series of x-rays.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite always staying active during his retirement, he has broken his ribs in the fall, while the scans also showed the much more sinister diagnosis.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If I hadn’t fallen down the stairs, I wouldn’t have known I had multiple myeloma,” Roberts exclusively told <a href="https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/broadcasting-legend-sandy-roberts-facing-frightening-health-battle-with-incurable-cancer-c-10658323" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7NEWS</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The doctor finished up saying, ‘Of course, you’ve also got cancer’. Well, you could have blown us down with a feather. I mean, we had absolutely no idea … I mean, what’s he talking about?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Myeloma is a rare type of blood cancer, with experts saying that it is one of the few cancers in the 21st century that remains incurable.</p> <p dir="ltr">”Almost 30 per cent (of sufferers) die within 18 months of being diagnosed,” Roberts said during the campaign.</p> <p dir="ltr">For 40 years, Roberts was the face of Channel Seven sport, with his unique commentary being known for his cheeky and witty takes on sporting games.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since being diagnosed, Roberts has undergone chemotherapy and radiation, which has left him desperately sick and having to remain in hospital for extended stays.</p> <p dir="ltr">”I lost weight and I was weak and lethargic ... yeah, it wasn’t pleasant,” Roberts said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Roberts’ wife, Carolyn, said the illness had taken an emotional toll on him and his entire family.</p> <p dir="ltr">”Sometimes you want to fall into a hole, you definitely do,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And there were times when I’d go into the bedroom and cry, and I’m sure Sandy did the same, but you’ve got to keep going.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With new treatments helping him feel much stronger, he is thrilled to be the face of the long overdue awareness campaign.</p> <p dir="ltr">The campaign is aimed to raise awareness for the overlooked type of cancer, while experts are also asking for donations to help fund their research into a cure.</p> <p dir="ltr">”Experts within Myeloma Australia and around the world are saying that a cure is very close,” Roberts said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So fingers crossed it’s REALLY close.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Seven</em></p>

Caring

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Sarah Ferguson celebrates her birthday with the Queen’s corgis

<p dir="ltr">Sarah Ferguson has celebrated her birthday by sharing adorable photos with Queen Elizabeth’s corgis. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess of York celebrated her 63rd birthday on October 15 and took to Instagram to share photos of her playing with the late Monarch’s dogs, Sandy and Muick.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The presents that keep giving,” her caption read along with a series of photos smiling and playing with the pets. </p> <p dir="ltr">Queen Elizabeth II was gifted the two corgis in 2021 by Prince Andrew during lockdown to keep her entertained while Prince Philip was in hospital.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since her death on September 8, the dogs returned to Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjubFlPIhWu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjubFlPIhWu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sarah Ferguson (@sarahferguson15)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjuZ2O8oE1K/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjuZ2O8oE1K/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sarah Ferguson (@sarahferguson15)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess of York described Sandy and Muick as “national treasures” as they adjusted to living with her five Norfolk Terriers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's a big honour. Sandy and Muick are national treasures and they have been taught well,” she previously said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"They all balance out, the carpet moves as I move but I've got used to it now."</p> <p dir="ltr">Princess Eugenie also wished her mother a happy birthday along with family photos. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Half an hour left to go of October 15th 2022 but better late than never.. Happy Birthday my dear mumsy! @sarahferguson15,” she wrote. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjwF1NTIjSl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjwF1NTIjSl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Princess Eugenie (@princesseugenie)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Princess Eugenie shared adorable selfies of the pair, along with her husband Jack Brooksbank, and sister Princess Beatrice. </p> <p dir="ltr">Other photos showed the Duchess of York smiling during a country walk and sitting on a rock near a stream of water. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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740,000km of fishing line and 14 billion hooks: we reveal just how much fishing gear is lost at sea each year

<p>Two per cent of all fishing gear used worldwide ends up polluting the oceans, our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abq0135" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new research</a> finds. To put that into perspective, the amount of longline fishing gear littering the ocean each year can circle the Earth more than 18 times.</p> <p>We interviewed 450 fishers from seven of the world’s biggest fishing countries including Peru, Indonesia, Morocco and the United States, to find out just how much gear enters the global ocean. We found at current loss rates, in 65 years there would be enough fishing nets littering the sea to cover the entire planet.</p> <p>This lost fishing equipment, known as ghost gear, can cause heavy social, economic and environmental damage. Hundreds of thousands of animals <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11160-018-9520-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are estimated to die</a> each year from unintentional capture in fishing nets. Derelict nets can continue to fish indiscriminately for decades.</p> <p>Our research findings help highlight where to focus efforts to stem the tide of fishing pollution. It can also help inform fisheries management and policy interventions from local to global scales.</p> <h2>14 billion longline hooks litter the sea each year</h2> <p>The data we collected came directly from fishers themselves. They experience this issue firsthand and are best poised to inform our understanding of fishing gear losses.</p> <p>We surveyed fishers using five major gear types: gillnets, longlines, purse seine nets, trawl nets, and pots and traps.</p> <p>We asked how much fishing gear they used and lost annually, and what gear and vessel characteristics could be making the problem worse. This included vessel and gear size, whether the gear contacts the seafloor, and the total amount of gear used by the vessel.</p> <p>We coupled these surveys with information on global fishing effort data from commercial fisheries.</p> <p>Fishers use different types of nets to catch different types of fish. Our research found the amount of nets littering the ocean each year include:</p> <ul> <li>740,000 kilometres of longline mainlines</li> <li>nearly 3,000 square kilometres of gill nets</li> <li>218 square kilometres of trawl nets</li> <li>75,000 square kilometres of purse seine nets</li> </ul> <p>In addition, fishers lose over 25 million pots and traps and nearly 14 billion longline hooks each year.</p> <p>These estimates cover only commercial fisheries, and don’t include <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-97758-4_15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the amount</a> of fishing line and other gear lost by recreational fishers.</p> <p>We also estimate that between 1.7% and 4.6% of all land-based plastic waste travels into the sea. This amount likely exceeds lost fishing gear.</p> <p>However, fishing gear is designed to catch animals and so is generally understood as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X15002985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the most environmentally damaging</a> type of plastic pollution in research to date.</p> <h2>Harming fishers and marine life</h2> <p>Nearly 700 species of marine life <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X14008571?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are known to</a> interact with marine debris, many of which are near threatened. Australian and US <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X15002985#bib6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research in 2016</a> found fishing gear poses the biggest entanglement threats to marine fauna such as sea turtles, marine mammals, seabirds and whales.</p> <p>Other marine wildlife including sawfish, dugong, hammerhead sharks and crocodiles are also known to get <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1442-8903.2010.00525.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entangled in fishing gear</a>. Other <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12781" target="_blank" rel="noopener">key problematic items</a> include balloons and plastic bags.</p> <p>Lost fishing gear is not only an environmental risk, but it also has an economic impact for the fishers themselves. Every metre of lost net or line is a cost to the fisher – not only to replace the gear but also in its potential catch.</p> <p> </p> <p>Additionally, many fisheries have already gone through significant reforms to reduce their environmental impact and improve the sustainability of their operations.</p> <p>Some losses are attributable to how gear is operated. For instance, bottom trawl nets – which can get caught on reefs – are lost more often that nets that don’t make contact with the sea floor.</p> <p>The conditions of the ocean can also make a significant difference. For example, fishers commonly reported that bad weather and overcrowding contributes to gear losses. Conflicts between gears coming into contact can also result in gear losses, such as when towed nets cross drifting longlines or gillnets.</p> <p>Where fish are depleted, fishers must expend more effort, operate in worse conditions or locations, and are more likely to come in contact with others’ gear. All these features increase losses.</p> <h2>What do we do about it?</h2> <p>We actually found lower levels of fishing gear losses in our current study than in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12407" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a previous review</a> of the historical literature on the topic. Technological improvements, such as better weather forecasts and improved marking and tracking of fishing gear may be reducing loss rates.</p> <p>Incentives can further reduce losses resulting in ghost gear. This could include buyback programs for end-of-life fishing gear, reduced cost loans for net replacement, and waste receptacles in ports to encourage fishers to return used fishing gear.</p> <p>Technological improvements and management interventions could also make a difference, such as requirements to mark and track gear, as well as regular gear maintenance and repairs.</p> <p>Developing effective fishing management systems can improve food security, leave us with a healthier environment, and create more profitable businesses for the fishers who operate in it.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/740-000km-of-fishing-line-and-14-billion-hooks-we-reveal-just-how-much-fishing-gear-is-lost-at-sea-each-year-192024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </strong></p> <p><em>Image: CSIRO</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Alex Jones to pay eye-watering sum in damages

<p dir="ltr">Alex Jones, the host of far-right radio show InfoWars, has been ordered to pay a total of $US 49.3 million ($AUD 70.51 million) in damages for falsely claiming the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax.</p> <p dir="ltr">A Texas jury ruled that Jones pay $45.2 million in punitive damages, after awarding $4.1 million in compensatory damages the previous day, per <em><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62444302" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jones has repeatedly claimed that the shooting at Sandy Hook primary school, Connecticut, where 20 children and adults were killed was a “hoax” carried out by actors who opposed the Second Amendment right to bear firearms.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nail Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, the plaintiffs in the case and whose son died in the shooting, asked the court for $150 million, claiming they endured harassment and emotional distress as a result of his misinformation.</p> <p dir="ltr">Heslin told the court that Jones’ falsehoods had made his life “hell” and led to harassment and death threats from people who believed he had lied about his son’s death.</p> <p dir="ltr">The $4.1 million in compensatory damages were issued on Thursday to cover the actual costs incurred by the plaintiffs as a result of Jones’ defamation, including the private security they hired out of fear a Jones supporter may attack them during the trial.</p> <p dir="ltr">The following day’s $45.2 million are meant to deter Jones from repeating his offence.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We ask that you send a very, very simple message and that is: Stop Alex Jones,” a lawyer for the parents said in court on Friday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Stop the monetisation of misinformation and lies. Please.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Lawyers representing Heslin and Lewis accused Jones of trying to hide evidence, arguing that he committed perjury by denying having sent any messages about the shooting - with one attorney revealing that Jones’ legal representative accidentally sent them two years of Jones’ text messages.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Did you know 12 days ago your attorneys messed up and sent me an entire digital copy of your entire cell phone with every text message you’ve sent for the past two years?” said attorney Mark Bankston, according to HuffPost.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And when informed did not take any steps to identify it as privilege?”</p> <p dir="ltr">"If I was mistaken, I was mistaken, you've got the text messages right there," Jones said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite his long-held position that the shooting was fake, Jones acknowledged that it was “100 percent real” in court.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I unintentionally took part in things that did hurt these people’s feelings, and I’m sorry for that,” Jones said.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, the radio host has continued to use his media platform to claim the case was rigged against him, with his InfoWars depicting a judge being consumed by flames.</p> <p dir="ltr">During his brief appearance in court, Jones was rebuked several times by the judge for lying under oath, including one moment where he was told: “This is not your show.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The trial is one of three brought against Jones by family members of the Sandy Hook victims, and comes after he has lost a series of defamation cases filed by parents by default after he failed to produce documents or testimony.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, this is the first trial where a jury agreed to award financial damages.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-71a17443-7fff-4a6b-001a-e0fe0b49116b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Resurfaced video shows Gabby Petito right after Sandy Hook tragedy

<p>At just 14 years of age, Gabby Petito starred in a music video titled “Irreplaceable” in an effort to raise awareness about violence against children after the tragic Sandy Hook massacre in the US.</p> <p>She and her younger brothers appeared in the 2013 music video for a song that was produced and sung by fellow Long Island native Deb Henson, who told<span> </span><em>The Sun<span> </span></em>that the inspiration for the song was the school shooting that left 26 people dead, including 20 kids, in Newtown, Connecticut.</p> <p>In the video, Ms Petito – whose death has been ruled a homicide after her body was found near a Wyoming campsite – is seen holding a sign that reads: “I’m irreplaceable”.</p> <p>“The lyrics are almost eerie now. It’s ironic and tragic that she’s in the video and that this has happened to her,” Ms Henson told the news outlet.</p> <p>“This song isn’t just about violence against kids. It’s about domestic violence and violence in general. It’s just God awful really, what happened to Gabby,” added Ms Henson who recalled the “magical weekend” when they shot the video.</p> <p>“It was two days of filming on a Saturday and Sunday, and I just remember it was really hard for everybody because of the subject matter – and Gabby was such a bright light, even at 14,” she told News Long Island.</p> <p>The leading actress, Maija Polsley, a close friend of the slain women’s stepmother, Tara Petito, arranged for the three siblings to take part in the production according to<span> </span><em>The Sun</em>.</p> <p>“Gabby was just the sweetest kid, she was just so full of love, she just wanted to help and be involved in any way she could,” Ms Henson said.<br />“It breaks my heart. It gets me. It’s just so sad.”</p> <p>She said she hopes that, eventually, “something great will come out of this tragedy,” adding that all proceeds from the video on iTunes and Spotify will go toward a fund helping the grieving family.</p>

Music

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The world may lose half its sandy beaches by 2100: It’s not too late to save most of them

<p>For many coastal regions, sea-level rise is a looming crisis threatening our coastal society, livelihoods and coastal ecosystems. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0697-0">A new study</a>, published in Nature Climate Change, has reported the world will lose almost half of its valuable sandy beaches by 2100 as the ocean moves landward with rising sea levels.</p> <p>Sandy beaches comprise about a third of the world’s coastline. And Australia, with nearly 12,000 kilometres at risk, could be hit hard.</p> <p>This is the first truly global study to attempt to quantify beach erosion. The results for the highest greenhouse gas emission scenario are alarming, but reducing emissions lead to lower rates of coastal erosion.</p> <p>Our best hope for the future of the world’s coastlines and for Australia’s iconic beaches is to keep global warming as low as possible by urgently reducing greenhouse gas emissions.</p> <p><strong>Losing sand in coastal erosion</strong></p> <p>Two of the largest problems resulting from <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/">rising sea levels</a> are coastal erosion and an already-observed increase in the frequency of coastal flooding events.</p> <p>Erosion during storms can have dramatic consequences, particularly for coastal infrastructure. We saw this in 2016, when <a href="https://theconversation.com/sydneys-wild-weather-shows-home-owners-are-increasingly-at-risk-60621">wild storms</a> removed sand from beaches and damaged houses in Sydney.</p> <p>After storms like this, beaches often gradually recover, because sand from deeper waters washes back to the shore over months to years and in some cases decades. These dramatic storms and the long-term <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002532271630010X">sand supply</a> make it difficult to identify any beach movement in the recent past from sea-level rise.</p> <p>What we do know is that the rate of sea-level rise has <a href="https://theconversation.com/contributions-to-sea-level-rise-have-increased-by-half-since-1993-largely-because-of-greenlands-ice-79175">accelerated</a>. It has increased by half since 1993, and is continuing to accelerate from ongoing greenhouse gas emissions.</p> <p>If we continue to emit high levels of greenhouse gases, this acceleration will continue through the 21st century and <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-does-the-science-really-say-about-sea-level-rise-56807">beyond</a>. As a result, the supply of sand may not be able to keep pace with rapidly rising sea levels.</p> <p><strong>Projections for the worst-case scenario</strong></p> <p>In the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/">report</a>, released last year, the highest greenhouse gas emissions scenario resulted in global warming of more than 4°C (relative to pre-industrial temperatures) and a likely range of sea-level rise between 0.6 and 1.1 metres by 2100.</p> <p>For this scenario, this new study projects a global average landward movement of the coastline in the range of 40 to 250 metres if there were no physical limits to shoreline movement, such as those imposed by sea walls or other coastal infrastructure.</p> <p>Sea-level rise is responsible for the vast majority of this beach loss, with faster loss during the latter decades of the 21st century when the rate of rise is larger. And sea levels will continue to rise for centuries, so beach erosion would continue well after 2100.</p> <p>For southern Australia, the landward movement of the shoreline is projected to be more than 100 metres. This would damage many of Australia’s iconic tourist beaches such as Bondi, Manly and the Gold Coast. The movement in northern Australia is projected to be even larger, but more uncertain because of ongoing historical shoreline trends.</p> <p><strong>What happens if we mitigate our emissions</strong></p> <p>The above results are from a worst-case scenario. If greenhouse gas emissions were reduced such that the 2100 global temperature rose by about 2.5°C, instead of more than 4°C, then we’d reduce beach erosion by about a third of what’s projected in this worst-case scenario.</p> <p>Current global policies would result in about <a href="https://climateactiontracker.org/global/cat-thermometer/">3°C of global warming</a>. That’s between the 4°C and the 2.5°C scenarios considered in this beach erosion study, implying our current policies will lead to significant beach erosion, including in Australia.</p> <p>Mitigating our emissions even further to achieving the Paris goal of keeping temperature rise to well below 2°C would be a major step in reducing beach loss.</p> <p><strong>Why coastal erosion is hard to predict</strong></p> <p>Projecting sea-level rise and resulting beach erosion are particularly difficult as both depend on many factors.</p> <p>For sea level, the major problems are estimating the contribution of melting Antarctic ice flowing into the ocean, how sea level will change on a regional scale, and the amount of global warming.</p> <p>The beach erosion calculated in this new study depends on several new databases. The databases of recent shoreline movement used to project ongoing natural factors might already be influenced by rising sea levels, possibly leading to an overestimate in the final calculations.</p> <p><strong>The implications</strong></p> <p>Regardless of the exact numbers reported in this study, it’s clear we will have to adapt to the beach erosion that we can no longer prevent, if we are to continue enjoying our beaches.</p> <p>This means we need appropriate planning, such as beach nourishment (adding sand to beaches to combat erosion) and other soft and hard engineering solutions. In some cases, we’ll even need to retreat from the coast to allow the beach to migrate landward.</p> <p>And if we are to continue to enjoy our sandy beaches into the future, we cannot allow ongoing and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The world needs urgent, significant and sustained global mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.</p> <p><em>Written by John Church. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-world-may-lose-half-its-sandy-beaches-by-2100-its-not-too-late-to-save-most-of-them-132586">The Conversation.</a> </em></p> <p> </p>

Cruising

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Cruise workers reveal "hook-up culture" on ships

<p><span>Working within the enclosed environment of cruise ships has encouraged a hook-up culture that matches or even exceeds that of a college dorm, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/cruise-ship-workers-describe-intense-hookup-culture-2019-2"><em>Business Insider</em></a> reported.</span></p> <p><span>Current and former cruise ship crews revealed to the website that living with their co-workers has brought about a permissive sexual culture in their workplace, with an unusual amount of intimate activity.</span></p> <p><span>"There's a lot of sex on cruise ships," said a former casino manager for a cruise line.</span></p> <p><span>According to former cruise line waiter Brian David Bruns, the hook-up culture is so strong that a co-worker was surprised when he had not hooked up with any colleagues during his first night onboard. "What the hell, man?" Bruns recalled the co-worker saying.</span></p> <p><span>The permissive culture has also led to inappropriate behaviour at times. A former staffer said one of her managers often made comments on her sexual orientation and criticised her hairstyle, while a current employee said male co-workers made advances on her as her boyfriend’s contract was close to ending.</span></p> <p><span>While living on a cruise ship might put sexual activities on fast track, many employees found it as a hindrance in building serious relationships. Taylor Sokol, a former cruise director, said working and living in such a proximity might make it difficult to maintain a healthy distance from romantic partners. "It's kind of hard to give someone their space when you live maybe 10 feet away from them."</span></p> <p><span>Working on the seas also makes settling down a lot more difficult, as a lot of contracts require crews to stay onboard for months. Nina Beader, who used to work for one of the major cruise companies, said she decided to stop working on cruise ships because she wanted to build a family and have time to spend with her children. "I did not want to end up being 40 and not having a family," she said.</span></p> <p><span>Some even resorted to leading double lives. "You get a lot of married people that have their own separate lives on the cruise ship," a former worker told <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/70240/14-behind-scenes-secrets-cruise-ship-workers"><em>MentalFloss</em></a>. "I've worked with couples that have wives at home and a whole different relationship while they’re on the cruise ship. It’s kind of like a don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy."</span></p> <p><span>Former cruise singer Ruthie Darling experienced the other end of the story. "After dating an officer for about three months and practically living in his cabin with him, I discovered he had a fiancee on land," she wrote on <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/working-on-a-cruise-ship-tips"><em>Thrillist</em></a>. </span></p> <p><span>"A more experienced friend told me that this sort of behaviour wasn't unusual. You had your relationship at sea and your relationship on land. The more I looked around at career cruisers, the more I noticed it was standard practice."</span></p>

International Travel

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How Facebook keeps users hooked

<p>Cocaine, heroin, slot machines - talk to an expert about the workings of Facebook and it's not long before the addiction analogies begin to crop up.</p> <p>Most Facebook users have at some point logged into Facebook for a specific reason, and 10 minutes later found themselves lost in the abyss of their feed.</p> <p>You do it by accident, but it's no accident at Facebook's end, says Seth Zorn, creative director at digital marketing agency Tailgunner Web &amp; Communications, who has also worked in public relations for a number of addiction and health services.</p> <p>"Facebook does nothing on a whim, everything is calculated with the aim to keep you interacting, to keep you addicted," Zorn says.</p> <p>After all, without our posting, sharing, 'liking' and commenting, the website would die.</p> <p>While we may not realise it, from the moment we log in, Facebook has utilised aspects of behavioral psychology and neuroscience to make sure we ​check our notifications, scroll through our newsfeeds, or post that great new photo.</p> <p><strong>What’s not to like?</strong></p> <p>Arguably, the lifeline of social media is our tendency to become hooked on things that make us feel good.</p> <p>When we receive a like, a tag or a mention, dopamine, the chemical associated with pleasurable feelings, is released into the brain.</p> <p>It is similar to the brain pathways that are stimulated from delicious food, making money, sex, or taking a shot of heroin, Zorn says.</p> <p>It is also one of the reasons you might find that little red number on your notifications icon so difficult to ignore.</p> <p>Facebook also plays on our inherent need for social acceptance. Allowing us to easily "like" and comment on "friends'" activity, Facebook has made maintaining friendships easier than ever before.</p> <p>Even if they are, as Zorn says, "like friendships on life support, being topped-up".</p> <p>When you "like" that photo of an old school friend's puppy, it sufficiently maintains your association with that person, even if you are not close enough to want to comment, or visit.</p> <p>But that interaction also provides Facebook with a valuable exchange of information, and in the world of social media, information means money.</p> <p><strong>You’re working for Facebook</strong></p> <p>Victoria University media studies lecturer Kathleen Kuehn includes Facebook in the realm of "sticky technology", sites which find ways of becoming ingrained into everyday life, and make it hard for you to quit. She herself would love to quit Facebook, but like many academics or company owners, it's become too ingrained in her professional life.</p> <p>"They craft user experience to make you deeply invested in it," Kuehn says. "They're really good at being a convergent platform.</p> <p>"You can use Facebook to log into other things, your contact list on your phone can be integrated, events and birthdays go into your calendar, and if you deleted Facebook, that would all go away."</p> <p>Kuehn is currently researching the new ways in which Facebook ropes in users to do its work, saying, "They just offer the template, we do everything else".</p> <p>"When you check into a place or restaurant, if it hasn't been checked into very much or reviewed, they'll ask you a series of questions about it like if it's good for dancing, how the wi-fi is, or if you want to add hours of operation. So you actually do the work for Facebook.</p> <p>"You can see how the functions evolve over time too. It seems like every time interest starts to slip they roll out some new feature like the 'memories', or the way they've employed facial recognition technology that suggests tagging your friends, all sorts of things to kind of trap you in and keep you productive and engaging on the site."</p> <p><strong>It’s social glue but don’t sniff it</strong></p> <p>One of the things that keeps us coming back is Facebook's seamlessness, fellow Victoria University School of design lecturer Walter Langelaar says. "Facebook is very good at presenting its users with interface functionality that is very seamless and well designed."</p> <p>Is that a bad thing? "I don't necessarily see it all as very sinister, or a game Facebook is playing to try and get revenue, I definitely see the benefits, and the social glue that Facebook provides.</p> <p>"I do believe that now people are very connected to each other in different, quick, and efficient ways, and there are a lot of benefits to it. I just think it's a bit crappy that it's run by companies," he says.</p> <p>"While they are supposedly providing you with a service, it's actually you who is working for them, not the other way around. That's why it's important for them to employ these tactics."</p> <p>One thing to remember, says Langelaar, is that if you can use a product for free, then most likely, you are the product.</p> <p>He's never had an account himself. "They still call it 'social networking', but in various other ways you could also call it 'anti-social networking'," he says.</p> <p>What are your thoughts?</p> <p><em>Written by Hannah McKee. Republished with permission of</em> <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></em></a>. </p>

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14 clever ways to use adhesive hooks in the home

<p>You knew they were handy but did you know just how handy adhesive hooks (and strips) are? These 14 clever ideas will help you organise and tidy almost everything in your home.</p> <p><strong>1. Conceal cords</strong></p> <p>With many of us having a few technological gadgets at home, those power cords can become a bit of an eyesore, not to mention the potential tangles. Tiny adhesive hooks can help keep your cords tidy and camouflaged.</p> <p><img width="353" height="500" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10740/1.jpg" alt="1 (106)"/></p> <p><strong>2. Keep chair cushions from moving</strong></p> <p>If your chairs don’t have ties on them, stop them from shifting around with adhesive strips. Plus, it means you can still remove them to clean the chairs and cushions.</p> <p><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10741/2_500x375.jpg" alt="2 (111)"/></p> <p><strong>3. Hang shower supplies</strong></p> <p>If your shower caddy keeps slipping off the showerhead’s neck, hang it on an adhesive hook. Make sure it’s a sturdy one that can stand the wet conditions.</p> <p><img width="480" height="493" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10743/3.jpg" alt="3 (107)"/></p> <p><strong>4. Store pot lids</strong></p> <p>Pot lids are notoriously difficult to store so this just may be the solution you need. Make a lid holder out of two hooks on the back of cupboard doors.</p> <p><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10744/4_500x375.jpg" alt="4 (100)"/></p> <p><strong>5. Hang plastic bags</strong></p> <p>If you like to keep on to your plastic bags after a trip to the supermarket, hang them at the back of a door to keep them neat, tidy and easily accessible.</p> <p><img width="375" height="500" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10745/5.jpg" alt="5 (93)"/></p> <p><strong>6. Decorate with ease</strong></p> <p>With Christmas coming up soon, this is a nifty trick to know: place a hook upside down on the back of the door to stylishly hang a wreath.</p> <p><img width="320" height="428" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10746/6.jpg" alt="6 (91)"/></p> <p><strong>7. Hang bulky utensils</strong></p> <p>Those big kitchen utensils can be hung neatly on the back of cupboard doors with some well place adhesive hooks.</p> <p><img width="374" height="398" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10747/7.jpg" alt="7 (83)"/></p> <p><strong>8. Tidy TV cords</strong></p> <p>The back of the TV is known for its disarray of criss-crossing cables but with a command hook, it will be untidy no more. </p> <p><img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10748/8_500x333.jpg" alt="8 (77)"/></p> <p><strong>9. Display pictures without nails</strong></p> <p>For those who are renting or just don’t want nails in their walls, adhesive hooks or strips are a great option to hang your frames nail-free.</p> <p><img width="498" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10749/9_498x280.jpg" alt="9 (63)"/></p> <p><strong>10. Make a bin in your car</strong></p> <p>Hang a bag inside your car for an easily accessible bin to stash rubbish without cluttering up the car.</p> <p><img width="480" height="808" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10750/10.jpeg" alt="10 (47)"/></p> <p><strong>11. Keep a garbage bag in place</strong></p> <p>Attach a hook on either side of your garbage bin and loop the handles for a garbage bag that never slips out of place.</p> <p><img width="498" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10751/11_498x280.jpg" alt="11 (21)"/></p> <p><strong>12. Hang hook-unfriendly items</strong></p> <p>A command hook and a binder clip means you can now hang hook-unfriendly items.</p> <p><img width="498" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10752/12_498x280.jpg" alt="12 (16)"/></p> <p><strong>13. Mount toothbrushes</strong></p> <p>Use small hooks turned sideways to store toothbrushes.</p> <p><img width="498" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10753/13_498x280.jpg" alt="13 (6)"/></p> <p><strong>14. Create a tablet holder</strong></p> <p>With a few hooks you can create a tablet holder in any room in your house.</p> <p><img width="498" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10754/14_498x280.jpg" alt="14 (3)"/></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="/lifestyle/at-home/2015/10/things-you-shouldnt-put-in-the-dishwasher/">8 things you shouldn’t put in the dishwasher</a></span></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="/lifestyle/at-home/2015/10/tips-to-iron-quicker/">Clever tips to cut ironing time in half</a></span></strong></em></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/at-home/2015/10/uses-for-mason-jars/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Great ways to reuse mason jars</span></strong></em></a></p>

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