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Anger, sadness, boredom, anxiety – emotions that feel bad can be useful

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heather-lench-1349234">Heather Lench</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/texas-aandm-university-1672">Texas A&M University</a> Remember the sadness that came with the last time you failed miserably at something? Or the last time you were so anxious about an upcoming event that you couldn’t concentrate for days? These types of emotions are unpleasant to experience and can even feel overwhelming. People often try to avoid them, suppress them or ignore them. In fact, in psychology experiments, people will <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9394-7">pay money to not feel many negative emotions</a>. But recent research is revealing that emotions can be useful, and even negative emotions can bring benefits. <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=fzHtrJIAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">In my</a> <a href="https://emotionsciencelab.com">emotion science lab</a> at Texas A&M University, we study how emotions like anger and boredom affect people, and we explore ways that these feelings can be beneficial. We share the results so people can learn how to use their emotions to build the lives they want. Our studies and many others have shown that emotions aren’t uniformly good or bad for people. Instead, different emotions can result in better outcomes in particular types of situations. Emotions seem to function like a Swiss army knife – different emotional tools are helpful in specific situations. <h2>Sadness can help you recover from a failure</h2> Sadness occurs when people perceive that they’ve lost a goal or a desired outcome, and there’s nothing they can do to improve the situation. It could be getting creamed in a game or failing a class or work project, or it can be losing a relationship with a family member. Once evoked, sadness is associated with what psychologists call a deactivation state of doing little, without much behavior or <a href="https://dictionary.apa.org/arousal">physical arousal</a>. Sadness also brings <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12232">thinking that is more detailed and analytical</a>. It makes you stop <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721412474458">and think</a>. The benefit of the stopping and thinking that comes with sadness is that it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77619-4_4">helps people recover from failure</a>. When you fail, that typically means the situation you’re in is not conducive to success. Instead of just charging ahead in this type of scenario, sadness prompts people to step back and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016242">evaluate what is happening</a>. When people are sad, they process information in a deliberative, analytical way and want to avoid risk. This mode comes with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.2.318">more accurate memory</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02699939108411048">judgment that is less influenced</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2004.11.005">by irrelevant assumptions or information</a>, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2008.04.010">better detection of other people lying</a>. These cognitive changes can encourage people to understand past failures and possibly prevent future ones. Sadness can function differently when there’s the possibility that the failure could be avoided if other people help. In these situations, people tend to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.1994.tb01049.x">cry and can experience</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-018-0526-y">increased physiological arousal</a>, such as quicker heart and breathing rates. Expressing sadness, through tears or verbally, has the benefit of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491301100114">potentially recruiting other people to help you</a> achieve your goals. This behavior appears to start in infants, with <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/1127506">tears and cries signaling caregivers to help</a>. <h2>Anger prepares you to overcome an obstacle</h2> Anger occurs when people perceive they’re losing a goal or desired outcome, but that they could improve the situation by removing something that’s in their way. The obstacle could be an injustice committed by another person, or it could be a computer that repeatedly crashes while you’re trying to get work done. Once evoked, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024244">anger is associated with a “readiness for action,”</a> and your <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00313-6">thinking focuses on the obstacle</a>. The benefit of being prepared for action and focused on what’s in your way is that it motivates you to overcome what’s standing between you and your goal. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073913512003">When people are angry</a>, they <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2420240104">process information and make judgments rapidly</a>, want to take action, and are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.03.010">physiologically aroused</a>. In experiments, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.04.017">anger actually increases the force of people’s kicks</a>, which can be helpful in physical encounters. Anger results in better outcomes in situations that involve challenges to goals, including confrontational games, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000350">tricky puzzles</a>, video games with obstacles, and responding quickly on tasks. Expressing anger, facially or verbally, has the benefit of <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000292">prompting other people to clear the way</a>. People are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.86.1.57">more likely to concede in negotiations</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.12.015">give in on issues</a> when their adversary looks or says they are angry. <h2>Anxiety helps you prepare for danger</h2> Anxiety occurs when people <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371105601202">perceive a potential threat</a>. This could be giving a speech to a large audience where failure would put your self-esteem on the line, or it could be a physical threat to yourself or loved ones. Once evoked, anxiety is associated with being prepared to respond to danger, including increased physical arousal and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01701.x">attention to threats and risk</a>. Being prepared for danger means that if trouble brews, you can respond quickly to prevent or avoid it. When anxious, people detect threats rapidly, have fast reaction times and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01701.x">are on heightened alert</a>. The eye-widening that often comes with fear and anxiety even <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2138">gives people a wider field of vision</a> and improves threat detection. Anxiety prepares the body for action, which improves performance on a number of tasks that involve motivation and attention. It motivates people to prepare for upcoming events, such as devoting time to study for an exam. Anxiety also prompts protective behavior, which can help prevent the potential threat from becoming a reality. <h2>Boredom can jolt you out of a rut</h2> There is less research on boredom than many other emotions, so it is not as well understood. Researchers debate <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2023.02.002">what it is</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/bs3030459">what it does</a>. Boredom appears to occur when someone’s current situation is <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/bs3030459">not causing any other emotional response</a>. There are three situations <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-011-9234-9">where this lack can occur</a>: when emotions fade, such as the happiness of a new car fading to neutral; when people don’t care about anything in their current situation, such as being at a large party where nothing interesting is happening; or when people have no goals. Boredom does not necessarily set in just because nothing is happening – someone with a goal of relaxation might feel quite content sitting quietly with no stimulation. Psychology researchers think that the benefit of boredom in situations where people are not responding emotionally is that it <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/emo0000433">prompts making a change</a>. If nothing in your current situation is worth responding to, the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.154">aversive experience of boredom can motivate you</a> to seek new situations or change the way you’re thinking. Boredom has been related to more risk seeking, a desire for novelty, and creative thinking. It seems to function like an emotional stick, nudging people out of their current situation to explore and create. <h2>Using the toolkit of emotion</h2> People want to be happy. But research is finding that a satisfying and productive life includes a <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000292">mix of positive and negative emotions</a>. Negative emotions, even though they feel bad to experience, can motivate and prepare people for failure, challenges, threats and exploration. Pleasant or not, your emotions can help guide you toward better outcomes. Maybe understanding how they prepare you to handle various situations will help you feel better about feeling bad.<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/217654/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heather-lench-1349234">Heather Lench</a>, Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/texas-aandm-university-1672">Texas A&M University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/anger-sadness-boredom-anxiety-emotions-that-feel-bad-can-be-useful-217654">original article</a>.

Mind

Queen Elizabeth’s secret “anger” at Lilibet’s name

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to name their daughter Lilibet allegedly greatly “angered” the late Queen Elizabeth, according to an explosive new book. In the new biography Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, by veteran royal journalist Robert Hardman, a source close to the royal family shared the secret anger about the Sussexes using Her Majesty’s childhood nickname for their child. The affectionate moniker was used frequently during the late Queen’s childhood, after it emerged from her own mispronunciation of her name as a child. The nickname was used only by her late parents, her sister Princess Margaret, husband Prince Philip, and closest inner circle. Meghan Markle gave birth to her daughter in June 2021, naming her Lilibet Diana, in tribute to both the Queen and to Prince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana. According to the explosive new book, a senior palace source described the late monarch as being “as angry as I’d ever seen her” when the couple said in a statement she’d approved the use of the name for their second child. In the wake of the new claims, the Daily Mail’s royal editor Rebecca English added that aides told her at the time that the Queen had felt her name had been “taken”. “‘I don’t own the palaces, I don’t own the paintings, the only thing I own is my name. And now they’ve taken that,” they reportedly told her. English added that she’d been told the Queen was “taken aback” when Harry informed her of his intention with the name, but “didn’t feel, given the circumstances, she could say no”, describing it as “being pushed into an impossible corner.” The claims of the Queen’s disappointment first began to swirl shortly after Lilibet’s birth, but a law firm representing Harry and Meghan quickly fired off a statement to news organisations, suggesting the claim was false and defamatory. “The duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement – in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called,” the message read. “During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.” In the days after Lilibet’s birth, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying that the Queen and other senior royals were “delighted with the news.” Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram

Family & Pets

"Anger resonates through me": AFL rocked by accusations of historical racial abuse

Warning: This article contains distressing content which some readers may find confronting. A damning report has exposed alleged racism, bullying and abuse within the Hawthorn AFL club, with several players coming forward and sharing their devastating stories of trauma during their time as part of the team. In the report conducted by <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-21/alastair-clarkson-and-chris-fagan-named-in-hawks-review/101452320" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC Sport</a>, coaches Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan were named among a group of AFL leaders for allegedly encouraging an Indigenous player to convince his partner to terminate their pregnancy and then split from her, for the sake of the player's career. The report initially began as an investigation into the club's treatment of Indigenous players, and quickly unearthed a much greater issue within the club. An unidentified player, who was allegedly told to encourage his partner to terminate a pregnancy, claimed it was Clarkson who “leaned over me and demanded that I needed to get rid of my unborn child and my partner”. “I was then manipulated and convinced to remove my SIM card from my phone, so there was no further contact between my family and me,” the footballer told the ABC. “He told me to kill my unborn kid.” The player was then allegedly moved from his home, which he shared with his partner and child, prompting a series of suicide attempts from the player. “They broke me as a man, a footballer and as a family man,” he told the ABC. In a similar instance, another player was allegedly forced to live away from his partner and newborn child for months at a time, which triggered a "mental health crisis" for the recent draftee, who also attempted suicide five times. A third player also came forward against the club, saying Clarkson and Fagan allegedly came to his house at night to relocate him from his pregnant partner, whom he was then unable to contact. When his partner unfortunately miscarried weeks later, he was informed by the coaches at a training session “in a ‘by the way’ kind of comment”. Following the publishing of the damning report, Hawthorn responded to the allegations in a lengthy statement. “The club places the best interests and welfare of our players and staff as our number one priority," the statement read. It went on to say further investigation is required into the historical allegations, and further First Nations training and development programs "should be strengthened". “Given the matters raised are confidential, the club will not provide any further comment at this time,” the statement concludes. The AFL also released a statement, declaring the re-investigation of the claims. “The AFL is committed to providing a safe, welcoming and culturally appropriate environment for all players and staff throughout the industry, ensuring that physical, mental and emotional welfare is a key priority for all in our sport,” it said. “The experiences outlined in the document are extremely serious and require further and full examination." “We are committed to the welfare of all involved. Once we have spoken to those who have shared their experiences, we will be able to provide an update on the next steps in the investigation.” After hearing the findings of the report, sports commentators around Australia chimed in, with Indigenous football media personality Shelley Ware writing “anger resonates through me”. “I will be watching for what happens next for Clarkson, Fagan and Burt closely as I have my wishes,” she posted in a comment online. Australian journalist Alan Sunderland wrote, “The ramifications of this story can and should go far beyond just Hawthorn", while The ABC’s Penny Timms wrote, “This is beyond horrific. Action must be taken against those responsible”. Image credits: Getty Images

News

(H)anger is real: your bad mood and empty stomach are linked

<div class="copy"> Grumpy? Long time between meals? Well now you can cheer up, thanks to a new study validating the link between your cranky mood and grumbly belly – your ‘hanger’ is real. Psychologists studying a group of primarily Austrian, German and Swiss adults have found an association between self-reported hunger, and heightened levels of anger and irritability. Helping people understand their own emotional responses to feelings of hunger could help them better regulate their behaviour, says Anglia Ruskin University professor in social psychology Viren Swami. “Research suggests that being able to label an emotion can help people to regulate it,” says Swami, who was the lead author of the study <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269629" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in Plos One. “Therefore, greater awareness of being ‘hangry’ could reduce the likelihood that hunger results in negative emotions and behaviours in individuals.” The three-week study monitored 64 participants who submitted five daily reports to researchers via a smartphone app. In each report, participants used a 0–100 scale to evaluate how hungry, irritable and angry they felt. Even when accounting for demographic differences between participants, there was an association between hunger and heightened levels of irritability, anger and reduced feelings of pleasure. It’s the first time the phenomenon has been investigated outside of a laboratory environment and adds to an existing body of research showing that declines in blood glucose levels influences negative emotions. “This ‘hangry’ effect hasn’t been analysed in detail, so we chose a field-based approach where participants were invited to respond to prompts,” explains study co-author Stefan Stieger, professor of psychology at Karl Landsteiner University. “[It gives] a much more complete picture of how people experience the emotional outcomes of hunger in their everyday lives.” The researchers didn’t offer conclusions as to how to mitigate hunger-induced feelings. Reaching for a banana next time you feel cross is probably a safe bet. Image credits: Getty Images  <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=197455&title=%28H%29anger+is+real%3A+your+bad+mood+and+empty+stomach+are+linked" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/hanger-is-real/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Matthew Agius. </div>

Mind

Anger after "fan" enters van carrying Shane Warne's body

Thailand police have revealed they will not be charging a mysterious woman who was spotted entered an ambulance carrying the body of Shane Warne, because she did not break the law. There has been widespread outrage after it was discovered that the mystery blonde woman was allowed into the white van as it transported the body of the late cricket great on a ferry from Koh Samui to the Thai mainland on Sunday. Local police in Thailand launched an investigation into why the woman was allowed to spend time with Shane Warne's body ahead of his autopsy, and brought her in for questioning. At a press conference on Monday, they said they have dropped the investigation as they believed she had not broken any rules. The woman, a German ex-pat who lives in Koh Samui, was seen carrying flowers near the van as it sat on the ferry, before speaking with a local immigration officer. The woman then approached the driver's side of the van and spoke to the driver, who left the vehicle, allowing her to get in and then shut the doors behind her. It’s understood she spent more than 30 seconds inside the vehicle. The woman later told <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-07/shane-warne-body-incident-thailand/100887050" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a> that she just wanted to pay her respects to the cricketer and didn't mean to cause any offence. “I am a big fan of him. It’s very sad that we lost him,” she said. “I just took the flowers to pay condolences." “I am sorry about yesterday but I [did] not mean [any] negative act by that. I am a big fan, he is a great player.” Image credits: ABC News footage

Legal

Trolls really are just angry souls

Words don’t come easy. But anger does. Research suggests it’s not the anonymity of the internet that excites hostility. Instead, being obnoxious is usually already well and truly entrenched in an online troll. <div class="copy"> A <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/abs/psychology-of-online-political-hostility-a-comprehensive-crossnational-test-of-the-mismatch-hypothesis/C721597EEB77CC8F494710ED631916E4" target="_blank">study</a> published last weekend by the journal American Political Science Review aimed to pin down differences in online and offline behaviour, based on surveys of more than 8000 US and Danish subjects. Common excuses for social-media and chat-room angst include a loss of empathy through the lack of body-language feedback, the minimal context conveyed by raw text, and reduced inhibitions through responding from a safe, familiar place. “There are many psychological reasons why we might have a harder time controlling our temper online,” says lead author Alexander Bor. “In the end, personality differences turn out to be a much stronger driver of online hostility.” Put simply, the study’s statistics suggest online trolls are already trolls long before they get behind a keyboard. They turn out to be just as hostile in face-to-face debates. And that has implications for troll slayers. “We cannot remove online hate through education because it is not born out of ignorance,” says the Danish postdoc student. “Hostile people know that their words hurt, and that is why they use them.” But Macquarie University Department of Indigenous Studies professor Bronwyn Carlson says online trolls aren’t that two dimensional, though personality does play a key role. “It is not as simple as some people are more aggressive or assertive and others are not,” she says. For example, racists can express their views through aggressive online trolling, but they also can “remain friendly while they continue making racist comments or ‘help’ us see the ‘great things’ Western civilisation has done for us”. “It is not always the case that they remain anonymous, either – some, and indeed many, are happy to have it known who they are, and they stand by their views.” Flinders University digital technology security and governance researcher Dr Zac Rogers says the study reinforces the danger posed by amplified trollish voices, and how such “useful idiots” can be exploited. “Anger drives responses,” he says. “That means more clicks. That means more revenue. Social media and search algorithms have long since discovered this and actively promote it.” Feeding trolls is big business. And angry trolls make useful political and marketing tools. Anger draws the attention of profit-seeking algorithms, Dr Rogers says. So the more intense a gathering of trolls, the further their voice – and message – gets propelled. “But we need to be wary of any suggestions social media is only holding a mirror up to society,” he says. “The internet serves as an automated filter and funnel. It is an amplification mechanism that is highly distorting of the thing it reflects.” Bor agrees. “To end online hate, we need to decrease the visibility and reach of those who are hateful. The alternative is that many people will be deterred from participating in online discussions. This is a democratic problem, given that social media play a larger and larger role in political processes.”  <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=163543&title=Trolls+really+are+just+angry+souls" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/trolls-really-are-just-angry-souls/" target="_blank">This article</a> was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/jamie-seidel" target="_blank">Jamie Seidel</a>. Jamie Seidel is a freelance journalist based in Adelaide. Image: Getty Images </div>

Mind

Tobacco giant angers medical community

Philip Morris International has made a £1 billion bid to take over a company that makes inhalers used to treat lung disease, sparking outrage in the medical community. The tobacco company behind the Marlboro man has made an offer to buy Vectura, a UK company that develops inhaler technology for lung illnesses. Medical experts are concerned that the takeover could see Philip Morris profiting from the treatment of smoking-related lung diseases it has helped create. “If they buy Vectura, Philip Morris will then be making money not only from selling cigarettes that cause lung disease, but they’ll also be making money from the technologies that treat patients who have lung disease caused by smoking,” respiratory pathologist and chief executive of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand Graham Hall said. Changes to research and treatment As a result, many are concerned that research and the treatments doctors prescribe to patients with lung disease could change to avoid directing funds to the tobacco giant. For some of the 464,000 Australians with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) who use Vectura inhalers, this could result in the prescription of different medications by their doctors. <img style="width: 500px; height:414.0625px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844087/copd-diagram_160331_100539.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e0a76635bd59443fbe1c71d6f4dcc0f9" /> Image: healthflexhhs.com COPD describes a group of diseases that affect the lungs, including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic asthma, which cause a progressive decline in lung health. Up to 50 percent of smokers develop COPD to some level. “How can we in good conscience give a treatment to a patient where the funding from that treatment will be going to the company that caused the disease to begin with?” asked Professor Hall. “No doctor is going to want to prescribe a treatment to a patient, that they know may be funding a tobacco company.” Research into these diseases could also be at risk, as many doctors, health bodies, and journals have policies banning professionals from dealing with tobacco companies. “Cutting-edge research would be able to be published in these journals if there was known links to Vectura if it’s acquired by Philip Morris,” Professor Hall said. ‘Indirectly’ funding tobacco companies Currently, Australians are prescribed any of 10 different dry powder inhalers that use technology made by Vectura. In 2020, 2 million scripts for different brands of these inhalers were dispensed and cost about $121 million to taxpayers, according to figures from the federal government’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Though most of the profits go directly to the pharmaceutical company, Vectura has licensing and royalty deals with companies that use its technology, meaning it gets some of the funds as well. “It could be the situation where the Australian government is paying taxpayers’ funding indirectly to a tobacco company to treat patients who have lung disease caused by tobacco,” Professor Hall said. But, the result could put Australia in a breach of a global treaty it signed and ratified on tobacco control. Since the inhalers are subsidised under the PBS, the government would indirectly funding Philip Morris, violating the treaty. “It’s a UN tobacco control treaty and it’s been signed and ratified by more than 180 countries, including the UK, including Australia,” Melbourne-based GP Dr Bronwyn King said. “One of the provisions of the treaty is that it explicitly prohibits engagement between governments and the tobacco industry.” A spokesperson for the federal Health Department said the government was closely monitoring tobacco activities, but the ABC reports they were unaware of the 10 products on the PBS which used Vectura technology. The takeover bid has already been approved by Vectura’s board, and will go before the company’s shareholders in London. Image: Getty Images

Body

ALDI customers “unbelievable” act angers shoppers

An ALDI shopper has furiously called out another customer after she caught them doing something others said they never thought “someone could do”. While it is not unusual for shoppers to open a carton of eggs to check if they are all intact before buying, one woman was caught acting strangely while standing at the display. Taking to the ALDI Mum’s Facebook group, the poster said: “I noticed her swapping eggs from one box to another but I wasn't sure what she was doing until she put the cage free box back. The woman soon realised what the sneaky shopper was doing: “She swapped caged ones with cage free”. Cage free eggs are typically marked at a much higher price point than caged eggs and are considered a better choice by shoppers who are conscious of their purchases. The woman says she alerted the manager, but the culprit had already fled. “It’s not fair to the person who is going pay for them not knowing what’s inside,” the annoyed customer wrote. A number of horrified ALDI shoppers responded to the post, with one saying: “That’s so bad and frustrating that people would do that, I always try to buy free range eggs which aren’t cheap so I wouldn’t be happy!” Another added: “It would never occur to me that someone could do this!” “Unbelievable. I’ve heard everything now. The things people do,” a third person wrote.

Food & Wine

"Vile anger": Cafe owner cops abuse over Dan Andrews coffee tariff

A café owner from Melbourne’s South-east announced he would be removing his “tongue in cheek” sign that said Daniel Andrews’ supporters would be charged extra for coffees after he received a wave of abuse and threats. Acrobar co-owner Franz Madlener told Today that police visited the business on Wednesday night and “strongly suggested” he remove his sign as it was inciting anger. Mr Madlener added he felt forced to hire security guards after people threatened to throw rocks at the business because of the sign. The café owner had the sign on the counter for three weeks before it received criticism after going viral on social media on Wednesday. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838371/coffee-melbs-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/25c176b8226c47d2a143a19cc70cdc6a" /> “Initially it was fine, we had about 30 people see the humour in it and put $1 into the tip jar,” the café owner told hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon. “But in the last 24 hours, I guess since this sign’s gone viral, the level of abuse and vile anger and personal attacks on the business, me and the staff yesterday, was completely over the top.” Mr Madlener said they received a call that threatened to have their windows smashed with rocks and spray paint, just as it had been done to Premier’s office. He said the police’s grave warning encouraged him to remove the “light-hearted” sign. “If you’ve had the police ask you to take the sign away, of course,” Mr Madlener said. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838372/coffee-melbs-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/671ba6c54dcc47e994e04cc344720d98" /> “My main concern is for our staff, to keep the staff safe. We don’t want people coming in and using that to create more anger against the staff. “Up until now we’ve been fighting lockdown and now we’re fighting these absolute extremists out there full of absolute hate towards the business.” The café owner says the sign was not meant to be political but instead was supposed to be a “light-hearted” protest to counter comments about how they should feel grateful and lucky about the government lifting strict COVID-19 restrictions.

Food & Wine

Woolworths angers shoppers with controversial new policy

Supermarket giant Woolworths has faced heavy criticism after one of it’s long-standing policies was met with change. Last week, the retailer put in place a new rule which bans customers from asking for a refund if the items they purchased were taken home. Previously, customers could receive full refunds on products if they had changed their mind - but that was up until September 1. Woolworths went on to say that until further notice it would “not provide a refund where you have simply changed your mind about products purchased from Woolworths”. “If you have purchased additional items, we encourage you to share those in need, in particular the elderly and most vulnerable,” an update to its policy read. The decision was met with hostility from customers, with one woman, who accidentally bought a 30-pack of Coke cans instead of a 24-pack, taking to Facebook to voice her concerns. After realising her error, she claims to have “went straight back in to be told ‘sorry’ they won’t do anything about it due to the ‘new policy’”. “So I have ended up paying extra $21.10 for six cans. I wasn’t impressed at all, when times are as tough as they are to be told about a change in policy,” she wrote. She later on revealed that she was offered a $20 voucher by the store manager. Some shoppers weren’t phased by the change, as the told people to “get over it”. “Bigger problems in the world! Good on you Woolies, stick to your guns! About time you had this in place,” one person wrote in a comment. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, a spokesperson for Woolworths said customers are entitled for an exchange. “We have recently changed our refund policy and will no longer offer them for a change of mind,” they said in a statement. “We still offer our customers the option to exchange products when they’ve had a change of mind or made a mistake, and we know this flexibility is important to them. “This change brings us in line with broader supermarket industry practice on change of mind refunds. Of course, we’ll always refund or replace any products that are faulty.”

Money & Banking

The tiny detail in Woolworths' new paper bags that has angered shoppers

Shoppers have slammed Woolworths over their new paper bags being made in China. The supermarket giant announced the release of the bags, which are made from 70 per cent recycled paper, on June 3 after a trial earlier this year was “very well received” by customers. But now, some shoppers have taken to Facebook to share their disappointment after noticing the “Made in China” label on the bottom of the bags. Speaking to 7News, a spokesperson for Woolworths said that they are now exploring options to have the bags made locally. The announcement came shortly after shoppers voiced their frustration over the bags. “Just found out that the new paper bags that were announced this week, come from China,” said one shopper on social media. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwoolworths%2Fposts%2F4022736007798500&width=500" width="500" height="587" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> “It would have been nice to have them made in Australia. How can we support Australians if large corporations don’t give us the option? Very disappointed.” Added another: “Shame on you Woolworths. Promoting the use of the paper bags that are made in China. Surely they should have been manufactured here in Australia.” “So they’re not made in Australia … When they are then perhaps people might buy them,” said a third. Others sided with Woolworths on the decision. “So you’ll be asking people to throw out and stop using their iPhones when exactly?” asked one. Said another: “Yeah we should produce them in Australia for 5x the cost and then whinge about how the paper bag costs so much more than the plastic.” A Woolworths spokesperson said they were brainstorming ideas on how to make the bags locally. “We’ve been exploring options to source paper bags locally,” the spokesperson said. “We’ll continue working closely with Australian manufacturers to see if we can find a viable solution as soon as possible.”

Money & Banking

Samantha Armytage’s anger after embarrassing mistake on Sunrise script

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Sunrise’s Samantha Armytage was left shocked after a spelling mistake in the script for Wednesday’s episode of the popular breakfast show. The veteran journalist exposed the accident on her Instagram story by uploading a photo of her script with her own name spelt incorrectly. “I've only worked for 17 years...”, the blonde joked in her caption. “My scripts this morning. It's ArmYtage,” she wrote, adding an eye-roll emoji and a crying/laughing emoji. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7835975/sunrise-body.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/05ebb37e2e4e40358e00a0ef43a3eb42" /> The joke comes after her surprise return to Sunrise on the 20th of April after a six-week break. Armytage was recovering from a “respiratory infection” at her estate in Bowral. Her last appearance on the show was March 13th. </div> </div> </div>

"Driven too far": Anger over detective's comments on murder of Hannah Clarke and children

Queensland Police have confirmed they were aware of domestic violence issues between Hannah Clarke and Rowan Baxter. In comments that have sparked outrage among the public and domestic violence advocates, Detective Inspector Mark Thompson said the force is keeping an “open mind” and would consider if Baxter had been “driven too far” into deliberately setting his wife and three young children on fire at a Brisbane street on Wednesday morning during a school run. Clarke, 31-year-old fitness instructor, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/disgusting-human-being-relative-says-family-had-been-trying-to-escape-monster-father">died less than 24 hours</a> after being pulled out of the burning vehicle. Her three children – Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3 – died in the car. On Thursday, Thompson said the police had dealt with Clarke and Baxter in relation to domestic violence issues in the past. The Vulnerable Persons Unit had been offering the pair and their three children counselling and support through a number of community services, including the Brisbane Domestic Violence Centre. A domestic violence order was also placed against Baxter in January to protect Clarke and the children, <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/qld/rowan-baxter-subject-to-domestic-violence-order-before-allegedly-killing-hannah-clarke-and-three-children-c-708040">7News</a> reported. In a series of text messages obtained by <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts/text-messages-reveal-hannah-baxter-was-living-in-fear-of-estranged-husband/news-story/011f8efa6b2230addfd7d94b729cbbf8">The Courier-Mail</a>, a family member of Baxter told Clarke she had done the right thing in leaving. “I’m so glad I got out when I did,” Clarke wrote to the woman earlier this month. “I’m OK, struggling, but I know I’ve made the right decision.” Friends and family members of Clarke said Baxter’s actions were not a surprise, with allegations that Baxter had previously <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-21/brisbane-car-fire-hannah-clarke-rowan-baxter-family-violence/11985024">hacked her phone</a> and <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/news/killer-who-torched-his-family-was-a-master-manipulator-victims-parents-say/news-story/72ca9e797b3a340faf9123fd5b2351bf">isolated her from her loved ones</a>. Thompson said police would keep an “open mind” about Baxter’s motives in their investigation. “We need to look at every piece of information and to put it bluntly there are probably people out there in the community that are deciding which side, so to speak, to take in this investigation,” he said. “Is this an issue of a woman suffering significant domestic violence and her and her children perishing at the hands of the husband, or is it an instance of a husband being driven too far by issues he’s suffered by certain circumstances into committing acts of this form? “The dynamics of a family that are broken and estranged are particularly poignant to this investigation … and very hard to decipher without us being able to put some sort of clarification around what’s happened.” Thompson’s statement has drawn widespread backlash. Victims’ advocate Renee Eaves said the comment suggests the police had not been taking her safety seriously. “This ... is nothing short of a flashing billboard about the mindset by some police around domestic violence,” she told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/20/queensland-police-spark-anger-with-open-mind-comment-on-of-hannah-clarke-and-children">The Guardian</a>. “If police are now implying that a murdered woman might be at fault, then that to me raises critical questions about whether they took the threat to her safety seriously enough. “A calculated monster has killed a woman and her children in the most abhorrent way anyone could imagine. Even when the worst has occurred, they’re still questioning the woman, and still looking for reasons to justify this man’s behaviour.” Politicians have also condemned Thompson. “Sorry, there’s no such thing as being driven too far. There is never an excuse for family violence. These kinds of attitudes are a serious part of the problem,” Sydney MP Tanya Plibersek said. “We don’t fumble about like this when terrorists kill – why does family violence bring out the hand-wringers for killers of women and kids?” Brian Mitchell, MP for Lyons said. On average, one woman in Australia is killed by their current or former partner every week. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, you can contact the 24-hour support line 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 for more information on support and services that can help your situation.

News

Furious locals in fire-ravaged town tell ScoMo he “should be ashamed of himself”

<div class="body_text "> Prime Minister Scott Morrison was met with angry residents as he visited the fire-ravaged town of Cobargo in southern New South Wales. The town was one of the most impacted towns from the infernos that tore across NSW’s east on New Year’s Eve. Morrison has been criticised for his lack of meaningful action to help those impacted by the bushfires, and this was made clear when he visited locals. One local asked “why we only had four trucks to defend our town”. Another pointed out that despite the town not being rich, the people who lived there had “hearts of gold”. “What about the money for our forgotten corner of NSW Mr Prime Minister,” the woman said. “How come we only had four trucks to defend our town, cause our town doesn’t have a lot of money but we have hearts of gold Mr Prime Minister.” Later the same woman said: “What about the people who are dead now, Mr Prime Minister? What about the people who have nowhere to live?” Another man said: “Nah you’re an idiot mate. You really are.” Another said: “What about people around here. Nobody. No Liberal votes. You’re out son. You are out. Goodnight Vienna. Bye. Go on p*** off.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> . <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottMorrisonMP</a> has now faced abuse from residents while visiting fire ravaged Cobargo on the NSW south coast. The PM left amid the growing verbal attacks. <a href="https://t.co/mmFXlyG1Zw">https://t.co/mmFXlyG1Zw</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7NEWS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7NEWS</a> <a href="https://t.co/CysIxtjX3D">pic.twitter.com/CysIxtjX3D</a> — 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) <a href="https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney/status/1212826478137634816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">2 January 2020</a></blockquote> Morrison said that the “strong feelings that people have” are expected in a “raw” event like this. He told the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-02/scott-morrison-responds-to-unwelcome-reception-in-cobargo/11838218" target="_blank">ABC</a>: “I’m not surprised people are feeling very raw at the moment. “And, that’s why I came today, to be here, to see it for myself; offer what comfort I could. “But you can’t always in every circumstance, I think everyone understands that. “I appreciate the welcome we’ve received, Jenny and I, but at the same time, I understand the very strong feelings that people have,” he explained. “They’ve lost everything and there are still some very dangerous days ahead. We’re going to do everything we can to ensure they have every support they need.” Morrison has come under sustained criticism of his handling of the bushfire crisis, as he had to return home early from a trip to Hawaii while NSW had a range of bushfires uncontained. He’s also downplayed the need for urgent climate action after the fires that have impacted NSW and Victoria have turned deadly. "My simple request is to be patient, to have confidence in the state agencies," Mr Morrison told media in Sydney on Thursday. "I understand the anxiety and I understand the fear that is there for many and I understand the frustration. "But this is a natural disaster. "Natural disasters are best dealt with through the methodical, well-coordinated response that we are seeing today." </div> <div class="post_download_all_wrapper"></div>

News

Anger management: Why we feel rage and how to control it

You’re at the park with the kids. Everyone’s having fun, and then a strange dog appears. There’s no owner around. It’s eyeballing the kids. Immediately your <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26062169">threat system</a> becomes activated. You stand alert, fully focused on the dog; heart racing, fists clenched. The dog bolts in, baring its teeth, and you pounce. You’re in survival mode, full of rage and violence. You yell fiercely, and you kick and hit, or grab the dog by the scruff of the neck, not caring if you snap its jaw. The dog yelps its surrender and flees, while you stand guard in front of your children. <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjc.12043/pdf">This type</a> of anger and aggression is the “fight” side of the “fight or flight response”. This <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8318932">physiological response</a>, according to <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627312001298">evolutionary psychology</a>, prepares our bodies to fight off a threat or to flee. It’s such an important part of human survival, and yet it can come at a cost for modern humans. Anger, and aggression in particular, can have serious consequences when it manifests in violence <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18855319">on the streets</a>, in <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7806730">the home</a> and elsewhere in the community. We all get angry Anger is one of the seven universal emotions that are common across gender, ages and cultures, according to leading emotion researcher <a href="http://emr.sagepub.com/content/3/4/364.short?rss=1&ssource=mfc">Paul Ekman</a>. Anger, he says, can be the result of something interfering with us achieving a goal we care about, or when we experience or perceive something threatening to us, either physically or psychologically. Anger is quick (think of the term “short-tempered”), it focuses all of our attention on the threat, and it manifests in our bodies, usually starting in the pit of our stomach, rising up to our face and causing us to grimace and clench our fists. When anger builds, it’s expressed physically with a yell, punch or kick. In the short term, anger <a href="https://www.newharbinger.com/compassionate-mind-guide-managing-your-anger">can be</a> powerful and rewarding; the person who is angry typically gets what they want. But do you like being in the company of an angry person? Most people say no, and that is one of the chief consequences of anger: it is often damaging to relationships and isolating for the angry person. So anger itself is not the problem, it’s how we manage it and express it. Anger disorder There is no clear diagnosis of an anger disorder, but the <a href="http://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/book/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596">psychiatric diagnostic manual</a> does include “intermittent explosive disorder”, which is characterised by recurrent behavioural outbursts representing a failure to control aggressive impulses. This <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16754840">affects</a> 7.3% of the population at some point in their life and 3.9% in the past 12 months. Anger, however, is a <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1093/clipsy.10.1.70/epdf">common clinical presentation</a> that features across an array of different mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders and many more. If you begin to notice that you are on edge quite a lot, do things that you later regret, are quick to react instead of respond, and that you have people in your life who have told you that you tend to get angry, it might be helpful to do something about it. You can begin by speaking to your general practitioner and, if needed, ask for a referral to see a psychologist. Or you can go straight to a psychologist if you’re happy to forgo the Medicare rebate. Anger management In therapy for anger, clients are asked: <blockquote> What would be your greatest fear in giving up or significantly reducing your anger? </blockquote> Many respond with a fear of being hurt, fear of not being able to stand up for oneself, or fear of unjust or unfair things happening. These are all reasonable responses. But anger is not aggressiveness. Anger may lead to aggressiveness, but when we feel angry, we can try to relate to it in a way that invokes feelings of wisdom, strength, courage and assertiveness. Group and individual anger-management programs, run by psychologists, have <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1976-28412-001">good success rates</a>. A <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1093/clipsy.10.1.70/epdf">meta-analysis</a> examining anger-management programs across 92 studies found that cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) strategies helped to significantly reduce anger and aggressiveness, and also to increase positive behaviours. Some clinicians are also using a newer technique called <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjc.12043/pdf">compassion-focused therapy</a> (CFT). CFT differs to past therapies, as it focuses on understanding how our brains are “tricky things” that can get us caught up in all sorts of difficult patterns and loops. So, from a CFT perspective, we need to first understand the brain and how it functions so we can better help ourselves when anger shows. Anger expert <a href="http://www.compassionatemind.co.uk/resources/video15.htm">Russell Kolts</a> has developed a new CFT-based anger-management program called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG4Z185MBJE">True Strength</a>, which he is evaluating with prisoners. The aim is to start directing compassion toward ourselves to help us self-soothe, feel more comfortable and work with the distress and negative feelings that fuel our anger. Tips to manage your anger <a href="http://www.psychology.org.au/publications/tip_sheets/anger/">The Australian Psychological Society</a> has some tips to help manage anger for when it shows in everyday life: <ul> <li>Identify the triggers for your anger, such as environments and people.</li> <li>Notice the bodily warning signs of anger: tightness in shoulders, increased heart rate, hot face.</li> <li>Draw on a strategy that works for you. This could include slowing down your breathing, imagery, evaluating your thoughts, taking time out and changing your environment, or using relaxation skills.</li> <li>Rehearse your anger strategies. Imagine being in a situation that makes you angry and draw upon one of your skills.</li> </ul> Remember, anger in itself is not the problem. The problem lies in how we manage and express it. The Dalai Lama may have said it best: “The true hero is one who conquers his own anger.”<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/50209/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by James Kirby, Research Fellow in Clinical Psychology, The University of Queensland and Stan Steindl, Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology, The University of Queensland. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/anger-management-why-we-feel-rage-and-how-to-control-it-50209" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Mind

Airline's response to breastfeeding mum on flight causes anger online

A breastfeeding mum has taken to social media after airline staff told her to “cover up” while on board a flight. Shelby Angel was travelling on a KLM Airlines flight from San Francisco to Amsterdam with her one-year-old daughter when the incident took place. Writing on the airline's Facebook page on Sunday, Angel recounted the moment a flight attendant gave her a blanket as she was breastfeeding her daughter. After refusing to cover up, saying it would upset her child, she was told it would be her “issue” if a fellow passenger lodged a complaint. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKLM%2Fposts%2F10156473618075773&width=500" width="500" height="268" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> “Instead of standing up for and protecting breastfeeding mothers and our children, already under the duress faced by flying with our young children, KLM would rather hold up antiquated values that shame women’s bodies,” she wrote on Facebook. After Angel issued her complaint, the company responded saying the flight attendant’s behaviour was “in line with company policy”. And the airline refuses to back down on their statement, with a representative replying back to the post saying: “We would like to emphasise that breastfeeding is permitted on KLM flights. “However, we strive to ensure that all of our passengers of all backgrounds feel comfortable onboard. “Therefore, we may request a mother to cover herself while breastfeeding, should other passengers be offended by this.” <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKLM%2Fposts%2F10156479372935773&width=500" width="500" height="632" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> The post spread like wildfire and came to the attention of other parents who are now claiming to avoid the airline. “Omg and I thought KLM was more modern thinking. Sorry you have felt this way,” one person commented. “I am astonished. I’ve been a flight attendant at KLM for up to 21 years now and I’ve seen so many mothers breastfeeding their child. Never has this been an issue, not for me, nor for any of my colleagues.” A third person then wrote to KLM on their Facebook page asking for them to clarify their policy on breastfeeding, and they were told, “as an international airline company, we transport passengers with a variety of backgrounds”. “Not all passengers feel comfortable with breastfeeding in their vicinity … to keep the peace on board, in such cases we will try to find a solution that is acceptable to everyone and that shows respect for everyone’s comfort and personal space.”

International Travel

"Slap in the face" for pensioners: Anger over $800 cash bonus

About one million Australians are set to receive a cash boost of up to $1,053 a year, as the federal government announced changes to the pensioner income test. On Sunday, the government said it will cut deeming rates, used to assess income from retirees’ financial investments, for more than 630,000 pensioners and nearly 350,000 people earning other income-tested payments. Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said the deeming rate on the first $51,800 of a single pensioner’s investments — and the first $86,200 of a couple’s — will be lowered from 1.75 per cent to 1 per cent. The deeming rate for balances above those amounts will drop from 3.25 to 3 per cent. Single pensioners whose income is estimated using deeming could receive an increase of up to $804 a year or $31 per fortnight, whereas affected couples will receive up to $1,053 a year or $40.50 per fortnight. “We’re strengthening the arm of around one million welfare recipients, including 630,000 pensioners,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-14/federal-government-announces-600-million-pension-boost/11307454" target="_blank">ABC's Insiders</a> on Sunday. The payments will commence starting September, with the amounts being backdated to July 1. The changes came following pressure from seniors groups and Labor to cut the official deeming rate to match the decline in interest rates. “The decision shows the Morrison Government has listened to and acted on the concerns expressed by older Australians who receive a part pension,” said Ruston. However, the Opposition’s Social Services spokeswoman Linda Burney said the rate cuts should have gone further to match the Reserve Bank’s current cash rate of 1 per cent. “This lowering of the deeming rates today is far too little and far too late,” said Burney. “It has been four-and-a-half-years that they have been dudding pensioners by charging inflated deeming rate.” Deputy Opposition leader Richard Marles also described the move as a “slap in the face” to pensioners “Pensioners today will feel short-changed. We’ve seen five reductions in the cash rates since the deeming rates last changed,” Marles told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/planned-easing-of-deeming-rates-to-deliver-cash-boost-to-one-million-aussie-pensioners/news-story/d331db29d2e500f605ad575e0c73ad8f?utm_source=The%20Australian&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_content=TodaySHeadlines" target="_blank" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-metric="ev" data-tgev-order="d331db29d2e500f605ad575e0c73ad8f" data-tgev-label="nation" data-tgev-container="bodylink">Sky News</a>. “I think pensioners today can feel like this decision is a slap in their face. This is a government which is trying to balance the books on the back of pensioners.” Since 2015, the deeming rates have remained at 3.25 per cent while the cash rate has dipped to 1.25 per cent. The changes to the deeming rates also affect people on the disability support pension, carer payment, the parenting payment and Newstart. Around 75 per cent of aged pensioners will not be affected by the cuts.

Retirement Income

Anger linked to illness in old age

Not all negative emotions are necessarily bad. In fact, they can direct your behaviour in useful ways. If you’re stuck in traffic and running late, anger with the situation might motivate you to find an alternative route, which will then relieve your stress. But anger is less useful if you’re in the same situation, but stuck on a motorway with no option to divert. Emotions have physiological effects, such as raising the level of cortisol in your bloodstream, that can affect your health. Indeed, a new study, <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/pag-pag0000348.pdf">published in Psychology and Aging</a>, shows that high levels of anger are associated with poor health in older people. The Canadian study recruited 226 adults aged 59-93 years. They took blood samples to assess levels of chronic low-grade inflammation and asked the participants to report any age-related chronic illnesses they might have, such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis and diabetes. The participants also completed a short questionnaire about the level of anger or sadness they experienced in three typical days over a one-week period. For the analysis, the researchers considered whether age could affect the results. They found that higher levels of anger were associated with inflammation and ill health in the oldest participants (aged 80 and above), but not the youngest ones (59-79 years). Sadness was not associated with inflammation or ill health in either age group. The study is cross-sectional, meaning that it assessed a group of people at a single point in time. To get a fuller understanding of the relationship between negative emotions and health, we need studies that follow participants for a period of time – so-called prospective observation studies. Future studies should also take into account other factors that might be involved, such as other emotions (both positive and negative), clinical depression, stress and personality. Although this new research shows a link between emotion and health in older age, we do not know whether anger causes inflammation and illness or whether health problems make people angrier. Emotion and health across the lifespan Negative emotions can help people overcome life’s challenges, but this latest research suggests that specific negative emotions work differently, particularly across different stages of life, and should be <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00380">assessed separately</a>. Older age is a period associated with decline, loss and reduced opportunities. If a challenge is difficult or impossible to overcome, anger may no longer be useful and may, indeed, lead to health problems. In contrast, sadness may be psychologically adaptive in older age, helping people accept loss and adjust to it. These findings may paint a rather negative picture of emotional experience and its effects in older age. Yet a long line of research has shown that <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0021285">older people are happier</a>. When following people over a ten-year period, positive emotional experiences are shown to increase with age, peaking at 64 and never returning to the levels observed in the average young adult. Perhaps central to these findings is the idea that, with increasing age, comes <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0021232">both strength and vulnerability</a>. The finding that older people are happier can be explained by age-related strengths in emotional regulation. As we age, we are better at avoiding or reducing exposure to negative situations and stress. But not all negativity can be avoided. In the case of high levels of sustained negative emotion, older adults may be more vulnerable, taking longer to overcome the physiological response. Letting go of negative emotions and stereotypes Negative emotions and health in older age is a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073917692863">relatively new field of research</a>, but substantial research has investigated the relationships between attitudes to ageing and health outcomes. Holding negative age-related stereotypes earlier in life can predict <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02298.x">cardiovascular problems in later life</a> and brain-ageing processes <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pag0000062">associated with Alzheimer’s disease</a>. For example, believing that decline is inevitable may reduce the chance of a person doing what’s good for their health, such as exercising or taking their prescribed medication. So letting go of anger and other negative emotions and attitudes throughout life may be beneficial for health in later life. It is important that older people have opportunities to be involved in mutually beneficial <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/prw013">intergenerational communities</a>. For example, a <a href="https://www.aarp.org/experience-corps/">programme in the US</a> brings older people into local schools to help young children learn to read. Intergenerational communities offer better social support and understanding of ageing for everyone and opportunities for older people to keep active for as long as possible.<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/116550/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Louise A Brown Nicholls, Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/anger-linked-to-illness-in-old-age-116550">The Conversation</a>.

Mind

"Absolute garbage": Barnaby Joyce snaps at voter after being grilled at pub

Barnaby Joyce was thrown off in the final seconds of a Sky News Pub Test in Tamworth on Tuesday night, angrily snapping at a voter for asking the surprise question. The pub test had five of the candidates running in the seat of New England asked unknown questions by voters in the pub. The forum went for an hour, with the Nationals MP sailing through the questions until the voter had a question specifically for Joyce. “Gardesil vaccine prevents cancer of the cervix. On the 27th of January 2006, Barnaby Joyce opposed the free provision of Gardesil vaccine. He was quoted as saying, ‘Don’t put something out that gives a 12-year-old daughter of mine the license to be promiscuous’. Does Mr Joyce still hold this view?” came the question. Joyce perked up, as he had appeared bored throughout the night, to fire back a reply. “That article was one of the most atrocious, misquotings of me,” he quickly retorted. “My father’s a vet, my mother’s a physio. I had to deal for years after that reporter put that out. (It’s) absolute garbage. Of course I support something that’s going to save people’s lives. “You don’t understand. Just because you read it, doesn’t mean I said it.” This was one of many replies from Joyce that brought cheers to the room. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> Should farmers be charged for rainwater?<a href="https://twitter.com/Barnaby_Joyce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Barnaby_Joyce</a>: The big thing farmers worry about is this socialist move that private assets they've paid for become owned by the govt and Labor is the most socialist govt we will ever have. MORE: <a href="https://t.co/ykweMevBOK">https://t.co/ykweMevBOK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMlive?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMlive</a> <a href="https://t.co/pYvvcQEDMI">pic.twitter.com/pYvvcQEDMI</a> — Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/1125735657345654791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">7 May 2019</a></blockquote> The comments mentioned by the voter from Joyce were made during a 2006 debate about the breakthrough cervical cancer vaccine. Joyce expressed fears that it would encourage young women to be promiscuous. “There might be an overwhelming backlash from people saying ‘don’t you dare put something out there that gives my 12-year-old daughter a license to be promiscuous’,” he said. The question at the pub test came as a surprise, as many of the questions during the hour-long forum focused on water supply, small businesses and the live export trade. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> How will you protect small businesses?<a href="https://twitter.com/adamblakester?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@adamblakester</a>: Small and medium business is the engine room of our economy. There's this spaghetti junction of regulation. We think we have three layers of govt, but there are more with regulatory bodies. MORE: <a href="https://t.co/ykweMevBOK">https://t.co/ykweMevBOK</a> <a href="https://t.co/KGC8k6ntYM">pic.twitter.com/KGC8k6ntYM</a> — Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/1125733993784066049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">7 May 2019</a></blockquote> Other candidates on the panel included independent Adam Blakester, Labor’s Yvonne Langenberg, Clive-Palmer backed Cindy Ann Duncan and the Greens Tony Lonergan. Joyce was the only person to repeatedly get cheers and rounds of applause for his answers as he promised to build more dams and truck in water for the drought-ravaged region of Tamworth. Host Paul Murray invited voters to ask questions to the candidates as a part of his “Our Town” series. “What is it about politics in New England that seems to be so passionate ... so particularly aggressive?” Murray asked. “It’s particularly special to this part of Australia.”

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Roger Federer's shock admission: “I was an angry person"

Roger Federer has dominated the tennis world since 2003, but he recently reflected on his bad behaviour in an interview with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/Roger_Federer/68395/roger-federer-i-was-an-angry-person-on-the-court-as-a-teenager-/" target="_blank">Tennis World USA.</a> When the Swiss tennis legend was a teenager, the champion admitted he didn’t have a lot of control over his emotions. Federer explained: "I also had my bad times, I struggled with my temper, I was an angry person on the court and very sad once I lost.” Federer also mentioned that he would ruminate on the mistakes he made whilst he was playing. “I was more always very sad commentating every point I lost and I was like, 'Okay, play today is terrible.' “It took me a long time to get really serious and maybe that's the small regret I have, maybe that I did not realise or react earlier but with all the success I have had, I had a very normal and clear path.” This clear path to tennis success has helped him keep a clear head when it comes to his goals, although the 37-year-old did reflect on how long it took him to break through into the world of tennis. “It took me more time than other players maybe to breakthrough but once I broke through, everything was in place ... I did not become a superstar overnight so I think that helps me today." Federer has just recently won his 101st career title as he won the Miami Open over John Isner on April 1. <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvr3WTMg15t/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvr3WTMg15t/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">1️⃣0️⃣1️⃣‼️😁💥</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/rogerfederer/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Roger Federer</a> (@rogerfederer) on Mar 31, 2019 at 1:02pm PDT </div> </blockquote> Without his tennis idols, Federer might not have had the drive to be where he is today. His two idols were Stefan Edberg when he was growing up and Bjorn Borg later on. This is due to Federer’s coach Peter Lundgren telling stories about Berg. “I heard so many stories from my coach Peter Lundgren and all these great records and what an influential and great person he was for the game of tennis and this is obviously when I started to admire Bjorn as well and everybody who did such amazing things for tennis.” Federer maintains that without these two idols, the world of tennis would be very different today. “I am thankful too because they created the great platform we play in today and I hope I can do something similar for the next generation." With 101 career titles under his belt, Federer is well on the way to inspiring a new generation of tennis stars.

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