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How long does back pain last? And how can learning about pain increase the chance of recovery?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-wallwork-1361569">Sarah Wallwork</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lorimer-moseley-1552">Lorimer Moseley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Back pain is common. One in thirteen people have it right now and worldwide a staggering 619 million people will <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7186678/">have it this year</a>. Chronic pain, of which back pain is the most common, is the world’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7186678/">most disabling</a> health problem. Its economic impact <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92510/">dwarfs other health conditions</a>. If you get back pain, how long will it take to go away? We scoured the scientific literature to <a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj/196/2/E29.full.pdf">find out</a>. We found data on almost 20,000 people, from 95 different studies and split them into three groups: <ul> <li>acute – those with back pain that started less than six weeks ago</li> <li>subacute – where it started between six and 12 weeks ago</li> <li>chronic – where it started between three months and one year ago.</li> </ul> We found 70%–95% of people with acute back pain were likely to recover within six months. This dropped to 40%–70% for subacute back pain and to 12%–16% for chronic back pain. Clinical guidelines point to graded return to activity and pain education under the guidance of a health professional as the best ways to promote recovery. Yet these effective interventions are underfunded and hard to access. <h2>More pain doesn’t mean a more serious injury</h2> Most acute back pain episodes are <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/getattachment/75af0cfd-6182-4328-ad23-04ad8618920f/attachment.aspx">not caused</a> by serious injury or disease. There are rare exceptions, which is why it’s wise to see your doctor or physio, who can check for signs and symptoms that warrant further investigation. But unless you have been in a significant accident or sustained a large blow, you are unlikely to have caused much damage to your spine. Even very minor back injuries can be brutally painful. This is, in part, because of how we are made. If you think of your spinal cord as a very precious asset (which it is), worthy of great protection (which it is), a bit like the crown jewels, then what would be the best way to keep it safe? Lots of protection and a highly sensitive alarm system. The spinal cord is protected by strong bones, thick ligaments, powerful muscles and a highly effective alarm system (your nervous system). This alarm system can trigger pain that is so unpleasant that you cannot possibly think of, let alone do, anything other than seek care or avoid movement. The messy truth is that when pain persists, the pain system becomes more sensitive, so a widening array of things contribute to pain. This pain system hypersensitivity is a result of neuroplasticity – your nervous system is becoming better at making pain. <h2>Reduce your chance of lasting pain</h2> Whether or not your pain resolves is not determined by the extent of injury to your back. We don’t know all the factors involved, but we do know there are things that you can do to reduce chronic back pain: <ul> <li> understand how pain really works. This will involve intentionally learning about modern pain science and care. It will be difficult but rewarding. It will help you work out what you can do to change your pain </li> <li> reduce your pain system sensitivity. With guidance, patience and persistence, you can learn how to gradually retrain your pain system back towards normal. </li> </ul> <h2>How to reduce your pain sensitivity and learn about pain</h2> Learning about “how pain works” provides the most sustainable <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj-2021-067718">improvements in chronic back pain</a>. Programs that combine pain education with graded brain and body exercises (gradual increases in movement) can reduce pain system sensitivity and help you return to the life you want. These programs have been in development for years, but high-quality clinical trials <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2794765">are now emerging</a> and it’s good news: they show most people with chronic back pain improve and many completely recover. But most clinicians aren’t equipped to deliver these effective programs – <a href="https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(23)00618-1/fulltext">good pain education</a> is not taught in most medical and health training degrees. Many patients still receive ineffective and often risky and expensive treatments, or keep seeking temporary pain relief, hoping for a cure. When health professionals don’t have adequate pain education training, they can deliver bad pain education, which leaves patients feeling like they’ve just <a href="https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(23)00618-1/fulltext">been told it’s all in their head</a>. Community-driven not-for-profit organisations such as <a href="https://www.painrevolution.org/">Pain Revolution</a> are training health professionals to be good pain educators and raising awareness among the general public about the modern science of pain and the best treatments. Pain Revolution has partnered with dozens of health services and community agencies to train more than <a href="https://www.painrevolution.org/find-a-lpe">80 local pain educators</a> and supported them to bring greater understanding and improved care to their colleagues and community. But a broader system-wide approach, with government, industry and philanthropic support, is needed to expand these programs and fund good pain education. To solve the massive problem of chronic back pain, effective interventions need to be part of standard care, not as a last resort after years of increasing pain, suffering and disability.<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/222513/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-wallwork-1361569">Sarah Wallwork</a>, Post-doctoral Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lorimer-moseley-1552">Lorimer Moseley</a>, Professor of Clinical Neurosciences and Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/how-long-does-back-pain-last-and-how-can-learning-about-pain-increase-the-chance-of-recovery-222513">original article</a>. </div>

Body

"Last chance, Mr Banducci": Woolies CEO threatened with jail time

Outgoing Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci has been threatened with jail time for refusing to answer questions about price gouging at a fiery Senate enquiry. The parliamentary probe into supermarket prices has seen Banducci be grilled by senators about how the supermarket raked in record-breaking profits during the ongoing cost of living crisis. During the enquiry on Tuesday, Banducci was repeatedly warned by committee chair and Greens senator Nick McKim about giving evasive answers when asked about his company's return on equity. Banducci repeatedly told the committee that return on equity was not his focus, and Woolworths is instead more interested in return on investment, refusing the question and prompting a 15-minute adjournment. When the enquiry resumed, a similar exchange occurred, leading to another warning for the Woolworths chief executive. "Last chance, Mr Banducci," McKim said. "Do you accept that return on equity is an accepted measure of the financial profitability of a company?" When Banducci replied that "we measure return on investment", the committee was suspended. Its return immediately saw another round of the same questions and answers, with McKim warning Banducci about the consequences of not answering questions clearly. "It is open to the Senate to hold you in contempt, and that carries potential sanctions including up to six months imprisonment for you," he said after saying the Woolworths boss could simply say he didn't know the answer and take the question on notice. "That's why this is a critical matter so I'd just ask you to address your mind with absolute clarity, please, to the question I am asking." "I put it to you the reason you don't want to focus on return on equity is because you don't like the story that it's telling, which is that you are basically profiteering and making off with massive profits at the expense of farmers at the expense of your workers and at the expense of Australian shoppers who you are price gouging," Greens senator McKim said. The enquiry is still ongoing, with Coles counterpart Leah Weckert set to address the same Senate committee later on Tuesday as the government continues to probe allegations of price gouging. Image Credits: ABC - Four Corners

Legal

How long does back pain last? And how can learning about pain increase the chance of recovery?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-wallwork-1361569">Sarah Wallwork</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lorimer-moseley-1552">Lorimer Moseley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Back pain is common. One in thirteen people have it right now and worldwide a staggering 619 million people will <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7186678/">have it this year</a>. Chronic pain, of which back pain is the most common, is the world’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7186678/">most disabling</a> health problem. Its economic impact <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92510/">dwarfs other health conditions</a>. If you get back pain, how long will it take to go away? We scoured the scientific literature to <a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj/196/2/E29.full.pdf">find out</a>. We found data on almost 20,000 people, from 95 different studies and split them into three groups: <ul> <li>acute – those with back pain that started less than six weeks ago</li> <li>subacute – where it started between six and 12 weeks ago</li> <li>chronic – where it started between three months and one year ago.</li> </ul> We found 70%–95% of people with acute back pain were likely to recover within six months. This dropped to 40%–70% for subacute back pain and to 12%–16% for chronic back pain. Clinical guidelines point to graded return to activity and pain education under the guidance of a health professional as the best ways to promote recovery. Yet these effective interventions are underfunded and hard to access. <h2>More pain doesn’t mean a more serious injury</h2> Most acute back pain episodes are <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/getattachment/75af0cfd-6182-4328-ad23-04ad8618920f/attachment.aspx">not caused</a> by serious injury or disease. There are rare exceptions, which is why it’s wise to see your doctor or physio, who can check for signs and symptoms that warrant further investigation. But unless you have been in a significant accident or sustained a large blow, you are unlikely to have caused much damage to your spine. Even very minor back injuries can be brutally painful. This is, in part, because of how we are made. If you think of your spinal cord as a very precious asset (which it is), worthy of great protection (which it is), a bit like the crown jewels, then what would be the best way to keep it safe? Lots of protection and a highly sensitive alarm system. The spinal cord is protected by strong bones, thick ligaments, powerful muscles and a highly effective alarm system (your nervous system). This alarm system can trigger pain that is so unpleasant that you cannot possibly think of, let alone do, anything other than seek care or avoid movement. The messy truth is that when pain persists, the pain system becomes more sensitive, so a widening array of things contribute to pain. This pain system hypersensitivity is a result of neuroplasticity – your nervous system is becoming better at making pain. <h2>Reduce your chance of lasting pain</h2> Whether or not your pain resolves is not determined by the extent of injury to your back. We don’t know all the factors involved, but we do know there are things that you can do to reduce chronic back pain: <ul> <li> understand how pain really works. This will involve intentionally learning about modern pain science and care. It will be difficult but rewarding. It will help you work out what you can do to change your pain </li> <li> reduce your pain system sensitivity. With guidance, patience and persistence, you can learn how to gradually retrain your pain system back towards normal. </li> </ul> <h2>How to reduce your pain sensitivity and learn about pain</h2> Learning about “how pain works” provides the most sustainable <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj-2021-067718">improvements in chronic back pain</a>. Programs that combine pain education with graded brain and body exercises (gradual increases in movement) can reduce pain system sensitivity and help you return to the life you want. These programs have been in development for years, but high-quality clinical trials <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2794765">are now emerging</a> and it’s good news: they show most people with chronic back pain improve and many completely recover. But most clinicians aren’t equipped to deliver these effective programs – <a href="https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(23)00618-1/fulltext">good pain education</a> is not taught in most medical and health training degrees. Many patients still receive ineffective and often risky and expensive treatments, or keep seeking temporary pain relief, hoping for a cure. When health professionals don’t have adequate pain education training, they can deliver bad pain education, which leaves patients feeling like they’ve just <a href="https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(23)00618-1/fulltext">been told it’s all in their head</a>. Community-driven not-for-profit organisations such as <a href="https://www.painrevolution.org/">Pain Revolution</a> are training health professionals to be good pain educators and raising awareness among the general public about the modern science of pain and the best treatments. Pain Revolution has partnered with dozens of health services and community agencies to train more than <a href="https://www.painrevolution.org/find-a-lpe">80 local pain educators</a> and supported them to bring greater understanding and improved care to their colleagues and community. But a broader system-wide approach, with government, industry and philanthropic support, is needed to expand these programs and fund good pain education. To solve the massive problem of chronic back pain, effective interventions need to be part of standard care, not as a last resort after years of increasing pain, suffering and disability.<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/222513/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-wallwork-1361569">Sarah Wallwork</a>, Post-doctoral Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lorimer-moseley-1552">Lorimer Moseley</a>, Professor of Clinical Neurosciences and Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/how-long-does-back-pain-last-and-how-can-learning-about-pain-increase-the-chance-of-recovery-222513">original article</a>.

Body

One last chance for grandma on the brink of deportation

Mary Ellis, 74, who has lived in Australia for the last 40 years and is facing deportation, has made a last-ditch bid to stay Down Under. The grandmother recently appeared on <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/grandma-faces-deportation-after-40-years-in-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a> and begged the Department of Home Affairs to let her stay in the country. At the time, she refuted the Home Affairs' claim that she had misrepresented her continuous residence in the country, after they alleged that she left Australia three times under an alias between 1983 and 1986, and that her late husband Martin Ellis was actually called Trevor Warren. The crucial qualification for an absorbed citizenship is that she would only be eligible if she was in Australia from April 2, 1984, and had not left the country since. The grandmother claimed that she arrived in Australia in December 1981, and hasn't left since, saying that she had also paid taxes in Australia, held a Medicare card, pension card and an Australian driver's licence. She was also nominated for the NSW Volunteer of the Year award last year, for her charitable acts. The DailyMail reports that there are no "compassionate grounds" on which the Immigration Minister could intervene in her bid to attain an absorbed citizenship. However, under the Migration Act, the minister could decide to intervene in Ellis' case if he thinks "it is in the public interest." Now, Ellis and her migration agent Schneider have requested in writing for the minister to intervene. Requests for Federal Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to intervene must address specific grounds in doing so, and state why her staying would be in the public interest. Images: Instagram/ Nine

Legal

How risky is it to give card details over the phone and how do I reduce the chance of fraud?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-haskell-dowland-382903">Paul Haskell-Dowland</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ismini-vasileiou-1031778">Ismini Vasileiou</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/de-montfort-university-1254">De Montfort University</a> Paying for things digitally is so common, most of us think nothing of swiping or tapping our card, or using mobile payments. While doing so is second nature, we may be more reluctant to provide card details over the phone. Merchants are allowed to ask us for credit card details over the phone – this is perfectly legal. But there are minimum standards they must comply with and safeguards to protect consumer data. So is giving your card details over the phone any more risky than other transactions and how can you minimise the risks? <h2>How is my card data protected?</h2> For a merchant to process card transactions, they are expected to comply with the <a href="https://docs-prv.pcisecuritystandards.org/PCI%20DSS/Standard/PCI-DSS-v4_0.pdf">Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard</a>. This is a set of security requirements designed to protect cardholder data and the trillions of dollars of transactions each year. Compliance involves various security measures (such as encryption and access controls) together with strong governance and regular security assessments. If the information stored by the merchant is accessed by an unauthorised party, encryption ensures it is not readable. That means stealing the data would not let the criminals use the card details. Meanwhile, access controls ensure only authorised individuals have access to cardholder data. Though all companies processing cards are expected to meet the compliance standards, only those processing large volumes are subject to mandatory regular audits. Should a subsequent data leak or misuse occur that can be attributed to a compliance failure, a <a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/569591/pci-dss-explained-requirements-fines-and-steps-to-compliance.html">company can be penalised</a> at levels that can escalate into millions of dollars. These requirements apply to all card transactions, whether in person, online or over the phone. Phone transactions are likely to involve a human collecting the card details and either entering them into computer systems, or processing the payment through paper forms. The payment card Security Standards Council has <a href="https://docs-prv.pcisecuritystandards.org/Guidance%20Document/Telephone-Based%20Payments/Protecting_Telephone_Based_Payment_Card_Data_v3-0_nov_2018.pdf">detailed guides for best practice</a>: <blockquote> A policy should be in place to ensure that payment card data is protected against unauthorised viewing, copying, or scanning, in particular on desks. </blockquote> Although these measures can help to protect your card data, there are still risks in case the details are misplaced or the person on the phone aren’t who they say they are. <h2>Basic tips for safe credit card use over the phone</h2> If you provide card details over the phone, there are steps you can take to minimise the chance you’ll become the victim of fraud, or get your details leaked. 1. Verify the caller If you didn’t initiate the call, hang up and call the company directly using details you’ve verified yourself. Scammers will often masquerade as a well-known company (for example, an online retailer or a courier) and convince you a payment failed or payment is needed to release a delivery. Before you provide any information, confirm the caller is legitimate and the purpose of the call is genuine. 2. Be sceptical If you are being offered a deal that’s too good to be true, have concerns about the person you’re dealing with, or just feel something is not quite right, hang up. You can always call them back later if the caller turns out to be legitimate. 3. Use secure payment methods If you’ve previously paid the company with other (more secure) methods, ask to use that same method. 4. Keep records Make sure you record details of the company, the representative you are speaking to and the amount being charged. You should also ask for an order or transaction reference. Don’t forget to ask for the receipt to be sent to you. Check the transaction against your card matches the receipt – use your banking app, don’t wait for the statement to come through. <h2>Virtual credit cards</h2> In addition to the safeguards mentioned above, a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/virtual-credit-card-numbers-guide/">virtual credit card</a> can help reduce the risk of card fraud. You probably already have a form of virtual card if you’ve added a credit card to your phone for mobile payments. Depending on the financial institution, you can create a new credit card number linked to your physical card. Some banks extend this functionality to allow you to generate unique card numbers and/or CVV numbers (the three digits at the back of your card). With this approach you can easily separate transactions and cancel a virtual card/number if you have any concerns. <h2>What to do if you think your card details have been compromised or stolen?</h2> It’s important not to panic, but quick action is essential: <ul> <li> call your bank and get the card blocked so you won’t lose any more money. Depending on your situation, you can also block/cancel the card through your banking app or website </li> <li> report the issue to the police or other relevant body </li> <li> monitor your account(s) for any unusual transactions </li> <li> explore card settings in your banking app or website – many providers allow you to limit transactions based on value, restrict transaction types or enable alerts </li> <li> you may want to consider registering for <a href="https://theconversation.com/your-credit-report-is-a-key-part-of-your-privacy-heres-how-to-find-and-check-it-116999">credit monitoring services</a> and to enable fraud alerts. </li> </ul> <h2>So, should I give my card details over the phone?</h2> If you want to minimise risk, it’s best to avoid giving card details over the phone if you can. Providing your card details via a website still has risks, but at least it removes the human element. The best solution currently available is to use virtual cards – if anything goes wrong you can cancel just that unique card identity, rather than your entire card.<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/216833/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-haskell-dowland-382903">Paul Haskell-Dowland</a>, Professor of Cyber Security Practice, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ismini-vasileiou-1031778">Ismini Vasileiou</a>, Associate Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/de-montfort-university-1254">De Montfort University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a style="font-style: italic;" href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a style="font-style: italic;" href="https://theconversation.com/how-risky-is-it-to-give-card-details-over-the-phone-and-how-do-i-reduce-the-chance-of-fraud-216833">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Infamous Coffin Confessor offers guests the chance to sleep like the dead

Some of the best ideas in life come from a quiet night at home with our thoughts, as well as some of the most unique. Or, as the case may be with the Coffin Confessor, some worth ‘dying’ for. Bill Edgar, who rose to the public eye when he began offering his services as a ‘coffin confessor’ sharing the secrets of the terminally ill at their funerals, was lounging around and enjoying a few ports when inspiration struck him, and his new venture was set into motion. As Bill told Sunrise, “I thought ‘I’ve got a great property for camping’. A lot of people have been intrigued about the Coffin Confessor, [and] I thought, ‘well, why not coffin camping.’ “Lo and behold, here we are.” And so, Bill’s unique take on an Airbnb stay - and trying before you buy - took off, with the enthusiastic entrepreneur offering guests the opportunity to embrace their inner vampire and catch some sleep inside of a coffin. A real coffin, no less. Situated in the Gold Coast hinterland’s Tamborine Mountains, Bill’s experience is a far cry from your average bloodsuckers. No tombstones linger around every corner, guests won’t be walking face first into any cobwebs every second step, and the coffins are - as Bill explained - “nice and warm”. The most common question Bill - who already has six bookings for his experience - gets is over whether or not they are actually real coffins. The simple answer? Absolutely. He was quick to assure potential customers that they can’t become trapped in there, and they shouldn’t be dreadfully uncomfortable, as “you can’t suffocate and you can’t lock yourselves in because I’ve taken the locks out. They’ve all been modified for protection, obviously.” As well as the coffin cabin - which looks to be a modified shipping container - comes ‘the main room’, which Bill described as somewhere guests could “enjoy”. He went on to explain that they could make themselves a coffee there, or breakfast, all while enjoying the “quirky” experience and stunning views the location has to offer. “It’s a lot of fun, it’s different,” Bill declared. “And, you know what, at the end of the day thousands of people - even millions of people - will swag. They lay in swags … just a glorified body bag.” And to wrap it all up, he noted that “we’re all going to die. I suppose it’s now getting to the point where people can now talk about it without it getting creepy, or anything like that. “I think people will always be intrigued about death and the afterlife. “Try before you die.” Images: Sunrise / Seven

Domestic Travel

From floods to fire? A climate scientist on the chances El Niño will hit Australia this year

After three soggy years of La Niña in a row, Australia has endured record-breaking floods, the latest of which has inundated <a href="https://theconversation.com/disastrous-floods-in-wa-why-were-we-not-prepared-197407">the Kimberley</a> in Western Australia and across <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-17/qld-weather-system-brings-rainfall-floodwaters-chance-of-cyclone/101859094">north and central Queensland</a>. While the rains may have initially been a relief after the heat, drought and fires that came before, they have long outstayed their welcome. Thankfully, the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/index.shtml#tabs=Overview">latest update</a> from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) points to a continuing weakening of La Niña – but it also points to the possibility of El Niño emerging by the autumn. You can think of El Niño as being like the opposite of La Niña. While La Niña is known for bringing cooler, rainy weather, El Niño brings hot, dry conditions. This means it’s often associated with drought, heatwaves and bushfires. The world’s hottest year on record in 2016 was an El Niño year. Let’s take a closer look at BOM’s forecast and what Australians can expect in the coming months. <h2>The difference between El Niño, La Niña and climate change</h2> La Niña and El Niño events are “climate drivers”, which means they are part of the natural oscillations of the Earth’s climate. Human-caused climate change, on the other hand, acts over a longer term, steadily bringing up the planet’s average temperature and exacerbating some of the impacts of La Niña and El Niño events. La Niña is characterised by cooler waters than normal in the tropical eastern Pacific near Peru and Ecuador and warmer waters in the west Pacific including around northern Australia. When we have La Niña we have an increased chance of wet conditions over northern and eastern Australia, especially in spring. The past three years with consecutive La Niña events have followed this pattern. In contrast, El Niño is associated with warmer waters over the central and eastern Pacific Ocean and cooler waters in the west. El Niño conditions bring an increased chance of warmer and drier conditions in Australia. For now we have a dissipating La Niña, and there is strong confidence it will continue to weaken over the coming weeks. We expect it to be properly finished by the end of summer. <h2>The likelihood of El Niño forming</h2> As we look further ahead, our confidence in what will happen next reduces. BOM’s outlook suggests El Niño conditions could arrive by late autumn, but other <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/index.shtml#tabs=Pacific-Ocean">forecast models</a> point to a lower chance of El Niño emerging at all. Forecasts of El Niño are challenging several months in advance, but particularly at this time of year when they have to overcome the “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-03/autumn-climate-reset-clouding-forecasters-crystal-balls/100043614">autumn predictability barrier</a>”. In autumn, there is less variation in the Pacific Ocean’s temperature and it’s harder to forecast if an El Niño or La Niña will emerge by winter. We are by no means guaranteed a switch to El Niño, but there is a higher probability of an El Niño forming in the next few months than we’ve seen for several years. Australia is also affected by other natural climate drivers, such as the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/history/ln-2010-12/IOD-what.shtml">Indian Ocean Dipole</a>, which has a strong effect on winter weather. This climate driver is brought about by interactions between ocean currents and the atmosphere, and influences rainfall patterns around the Indian Ocean, including Australia. It’s currently forecast to move into a “positive phase” by early winter, which would favour a drier winter over most of Australia as well <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/index.shtml#tabs=Indian-Ocean">but this is also still uncertain</a>. <h2>From floods to drought?</h2> With indications of a shift to El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole, should we expect to swing from floods to drought? <a href="https://theconversation.com/flash-droughts-can-dry-out-soil-in-weeks-new-research-shows-what-they-look-like-in-australia-161286">Drought occurs on different timescales</a>, but Australia’s most devastating droughts, which result in major agricultural losses and water restrictions, require several years of dry conditions. With our dams full, it’s unlikely we’ll see a major drought form for a while. If we have an extended period without La Niña or negative Indian Ocean Dipole conditions, then drought may <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-drought-busting-rain-depends-on-the-tropical-oceans-132188">start to appear again</a>. However, the drier weather would also raise the risks of other hazards such as heatwaves and bushfires. The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-020-00065-8">horror 2019-2020 fire season</a> came off the back of a weak El Niño and a strongly positive Indian Ocean Dipole. Indeed, Australia’s <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/updates/articles/a032.shtml">hottest summer on record</a> was during the El Niño of 2018-2019. This time, our three consecutive La Niña events have resulted in more vegetation growth. This means next summer, there will be more fuel for fires to burn. <h2>New heights for global temperatures</h2> El Niño doesn’t just affect Australia. For example, during El Niño events we typically see a weaker Indian monsoon and drier conditions over southern Africa. East Africa, which has suffered greatly <a href="https://theconversation.com/famine-should-not-exist-in-2022-yet-somalia-faces-its-worst-yet-wealthy-countries-pay-your-dues-191952">from drought</a> in recent times, is usually wetter during El Niño. As El Niño events involve the warming of a large area of the Pacific Ocean they tend to raise the global average surface temperature by about one-tenth of a degree. While that might not sound like very much, it could push the global average surface temperature to record-breaking highs, particularly in the year after an El Niño forms. Given the planet is rapidly warming due to our continuing high greenhouse gas emissions, and the fact we haven’t had a big El Niño for a while, even a moderate El Niño could mean the world experiences a new record hot year. There is even the possibility the global average temperature <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354672-strong-el-nino-could-make-2024-the-first-year-we-pass-1-5c-of-warming/">could surpass 1.5℃</a> above pre-industrial levels for the first time. While we’re aiming to keep global warming under 1.5℃ to meet the Paris Agreement, an individual year above this mark does not mean we have failed. Still, it’s not a good sign if we start to hit that mark. <h2>Is climate change altering El Niño?</h2> It’s not yet clear exactly how climate change may be altering El Niño. However, there are indications climate change may be moving El Niño events <a href="https://theconversation.com/el-nino-has-rapidly-become-stronger-and-stranger-according-to-coral-records-115560">towards the central Pacific</a> nearer the international dateline. Climate change could also possibly strengthen rainfall responses to El Niño and La Niña over the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12580">Pacific</a> and <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2021GL097511">elsewhere</a>. This may worsen both our floods and droughts in Australia, but more research is needed. Unfortunately, in terms of global temperatures and Australian heatwaves, it’s clear the combination of human-caused climate change and a major El Niño event increases the likelihood of record-breaking events. An El Niño may not be a welcome a reprieve from the past few soggy years. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-floods-to-fire-a-climate-scientist-on-the-chances-el-nino-will-hit-australia-this-year-197408" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Trouble

Do you use predictive text? Chances are it’s not saving you time – and could even be slowing you down

Typing is one of the most common things we do on our mobile phones. A recent survey suggests that millenials spend <a href="https://www.provisionliving.com/blog/smartphone-screen-time-baby-boomers-and-millennials/">48 minutes</a> each day texting, while boomers spend 30 minutes. Since the advent of mobile phones, the way we text has changed. We’ve seen the introduction of autocorrect, which corrects errors as we type, and word prediction (often called predictive text), which predicts the next word we want to type and allows us to select it above the keyboard. Functions such as autocorrect and predictive text are designed to make typing faster and more efficient. But research shows this isn’t necessarily true of predictive text. A <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2858036.2858305">study</a> published in 2016 found predictive text wasn’t associated with any overall improvement in typing speed. But this study only had 17 participants – and all used the same type of mobile device. In 2019, my colleagues and I published <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3338286.3340120">a study</a> in which we looked at mobile typing data from more than 37,000 volunteers, all using their own mobile phones. Participants were asked to copy sentences as quickly and accurately as possible. Participants who used predictive text typed an average of 33 words per minute. This was slower than those who didn’t use an intelligent text entry method (35 words per minute) and significantly slower than participants who used autocorrect (43 words per minute). <h2>Breaking it down</h2> It’s interesting to consider the poor correlation between predictive text and typing performance. The idea seems to make sense: if the system can predict your intended word before you type it, this should save you time. In my most <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445566">recent study</a> on this topic, a colleague and I explored the conditions that determine whether predictive text is effective. We combined some of these conditions, or parameters, to simulate a large number of different scenarios and therefore determine when predictive text is effective – and when it’s not. We built a couple of fundamental parameters associated with predictive text performance into our simulation. The first is the average time it takes a user to hit a key on the keyboard (essentially a measure of their typing speed). We estimated this at 0.26 seconds, based on <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2470654.2466180">earlier research</a>. The second fundamental parameter is the average time it takes a user to look at a predictive text suggestion and select it. We fixed this at 0.45 seconds, again based on <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1240624.1240723">existing data</a>. Beyond these, there’s a set of parameters which are less clear. These reflect the way the user engages with predictive text – or their strategies, if you like. In our research, we looked at how different approaches to two of these strategies influence the usefulness of predictive text. The first is minimum word length. This means the user will tend to only look at predictions for words beyond a certain length. You might only look at predictions if you’re typing longer words, beyond, say, six letters – because these words require more effort to spell and type out. The horizontal axis in the visualisation below shows the effect of varying the minimum length of a word before the user seeks a word prediction, from two letters to ten. The second strategy, “type-then-look”, governs how many letters the user will type before looking at word predictions. You might only look at the suggestions after typing the first three letters of a word, for example. The intuition here is that the more letters you type, the more likely the prediction will be correct. The vertical axis shows the effect of the user varying the type-then-look strategy from looking at word predictions even before typing (zero) to looking at predictions after one letter, two letters, and so on. A final latent strategy, perseverance, captures how long the user will type and check word predictions for before giving up and just typing out the word in full. While it would have been insightful to see how variation in perseverance affects the speed of typing with predictive text, even with a computer model, there were limitations to the amount of changeable data points we could include. So we fixed perseverance at five, meaning if there are no suitable suggestions after the user has typed five letters, they will complete the word without consulting predictive text further. Although we don’t have data on the average perseverance, this seems like a reasonable estimate. <h2>What did we find?</h2> <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/graph-text.jpg" alt="" />Above the dashed line there’s an increase in net entry rate while below it, predictive text slows the user down. The deep red shows when predictive text is most effective; an improvement of two words per minute compared to not using predictive text. The blue is when it’s least effective. Under certain conditions in our simulation, predictive text could slow a user down by as much as eight words per minute. The blue circle shows the optimal operating point, where you get the best results from predictive text. This occurs when word predictions are only sought for words with at least six letters and the user looks at a word prediction after typing three letters. So, for the average user, predictive text is unlikely to improve performance. And even when it does, it doesn’t seem to save much time. The potential gain of a couple of words per minute is much smaller than the potential time lost. It would be interesting to study long-term predictive text use and look at users’ strategies to verify that our assumptions from the model hold in practice. But our simulation reinforces the findings of previous human research: predictive text probably isn’t saving you time – and could be slowing you down. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-you-use-predictive-text-chances-are-its-not-saving-you-time-and-could-even-be-slowing-you-down-170163" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Technology

Being stressed out before you get COVID increases your chances of long COVID. Here’s why

Stress is part and parcel of modern life. When we’re on the verge of a new challenge or a significant event, we can experience stress mixed with excitement and a sense of challenge. This form of “good” stress, or <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-eustress-3145109" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eustress</a>, is important for growth, development, and achievement. However, prolonged stress and overwhelming or traumatic events can negatively impact our health. These forms of “bad” stress – or distress – can make us sick, depressed, anxious and over the long term, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3341916/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increase our risk</a> of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia and even <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6877941" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cancer</a>. Distress can also affect our ability to <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/postcovidconditionslongcovid.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fully recover</a> from COVID. Ongoing symptoms for a month or more is referred to as long COVID. Those affected can experience fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, loss of taste and smell, difficulty sleeping, anxiety and/or depression. For some, these symptoms can last for many months or even years, making it impossible to return to pre-COVID life. In a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2796097" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harvard University study</a> published last month, people suffering psychological distress in the lead up to their COVID infection had a greater chance of experiencing long COVID. The researchers found those with two types of distress (depression, probable anxiety, perceived stress, worry about COVID, and loneliness) had an almost 50% greater risk of long COVID than other participants. So how might distress impact the body’s ability to fight infection? First, we need to look at inflammation <a href="https://stories.uq.edu.au/imb/the-edge/inflammation/what-is-inflammation/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inflammation</a> is the body’s way of responding to an infection or injury. When the <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000821.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">immune system</a> encounters a virus, for example, it launches an attack to neutralise infected cells and store a memory of that virus so it can respond faster and more effectively the next time. Many things can cause inflammation, including bacteria and viruses, injuries, toxins and chronic stress. The body has many different responses to inflammation, including redness, heat, swelling and pain. Some inflammatory responses can occur silently within the body, without any of these typical symptoms. At other times, inflammation can mobilise energy resources to cause exhaustion and fever. During inflammation, immune cells release substances known as inflammatory mediators. These chemical messengers cause small blood vessels to become wider (dilate), allowing more blood to reach injured or infected tissue to help with the healing process. This process can also irritate nerves and cause pain signals to be sent to the brain. What does distress have to do with inflammation? In the short term, stress <a href="https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/01/feeling-stressed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">causes</a> the release of hormones that suppress inflammation, ensuring the body has enough energy resources available to respond an immediate threat. However, when experienced over an extended period of time, stress itself can cause low grade “silent” inflammation. Chronic distress and related mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, are all associated with elevated levels of inflammatory mediators. In fact, the repeated exposure to mild, unpredictable stress is enough to elicit an inflammatory response. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490261/original/file-20221018-15212-eoxhg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490261/original/file-20221018-15212-eoxhg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490261/original/file-20221018-15212-eoxhg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490261/original/file-20221018-15212-eoxhg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490261/original/file-20221018-15212-eoxhg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490261/original/file-20221018-15212-eoxhg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490261/original/file-20221018-15212-eoxhg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Fatigued woman rests her head against a wall" /><figcaption>Repeated exposure to stress can produce an inflammatory response. <a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/pV_ixbLn4QU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stacey Garrielle Koenitz Rozells/Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure> Pre-clinical (lab-based) <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/mp2013155" target="_blank" rel="noopener">studies</a> have shown chronic mild stress can cause depression-like behaviour by promoting inflammation, including activating immune cells in the brain (microglia). When anti-inflammatories were given during the mild stress exposure they prevented depression-like behaviour. However if given after the event, the anti-inflammatories were ineffective. When inflammation is ongoing, such as with extended periods of distress, the immune system changes the way it responds by reprogramming the immune cells. Effectively, it switches to “low surveillance mode”. In this way, it remains active throughout the body, but downgrades its responsiveness to new threats. Because of this, the response may be slower and less effective. Consequently, the process of recovery can take longer. For a virus like COVID, it’s possible that prior exposure to distress may similarly impair the body’s ability to fight the infection and increase the risk of long COVID. How might distress affect recovery from COVID? There is still much to learn about how COVID infection affects the body and how psychological factors can impact clinical outcomes in the short and long term. COVID has far-reaching effects across multiple body systems, affecting the lungs and heart to the greatest degree, and increasing the risk of blood clotting and stroke. Because the virus resides within human cells, an immune system switched to “low surveillance mode” as a result of psychological distress may miss early opportunities to destroy infected tissues. The virus can then gain an advantage over the defence (immune) system. Conversely, distress can suppress the early response, tipping the balance in favour of the invader. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490269/original/file-20221018-23-yyoxhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490269/original/file-20221018-23-yyoxhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490269/original/file-20221018-23-yyoxhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490269/original/file-20221018-23-yyoxhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490269/original/file-20221018-23-yyoxhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490269/original/file-20221018-23-yyoxhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490269/original/file-20221018-23-yyoxhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Man sits on a ledge over a busy street" /><figcaption>An immune system already switched to low surveillance mode might miss early opportunities to destroy the virus. <a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/kFVmYjK6hZ8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whoislimos/Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure> So what can we do about it? Vaccines work by helping to train the immune system to find the target sooner, giving the immune system the advantage. Behavioural interventions that improve the ability to cope with stress <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9075982/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decrease inflammation</a> and may help to enhance the immune response to COVID. It’s also important to be aware that exposure to COVID <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159120316068" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increases the risk</a> of depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions. Knowledge of this two-directional link is the first critical step to improving clinical outcomes. A lifestyle medicine approach that helps to reduce levels of distress and address mental health symptoms has important downstream benefits for physical health. This is likely to not only be the result of direct effects on the immune system itself, but also through related <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15598276221084250" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improvements in health behaviours</a> such as diet, exercise and/or sleep. Further research is needed to better understand the impact of distress on the immune system, mental health and COVID outcomes, and to highlight ways to intervene to prevent long COVID and support recovery. Written by Susannah Tye. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/being-stressed-out-before-you-get-covid-increases-your-chances-of-long-covid-heres-why-190649" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. <img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/190649/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Image: Getty Images

Mind

Last chance for Aussies to claim the $1500 tax break

This might be your last chance to get $1500 back on your tax. Over 10 million Aussies will have to act quickly if they haven’t already done so. The $1500 tax offset will be available for the last time for low to middle income earners - this includes those who earn between $48,000 to $90,000. If you fall into this category simply submit your tax return before October 31 to receive the refund. “You only receive the low and middle income tax offset when you lodge this year’s return,” H&R Block’s Mark Chapman said. “Quite an incentive to get your tax return done and lodged!” The offset scheme, which has been extended twice during the pandemic, has been increased by $420 to the maximum of $1500 for those in the magic $48,000 to $90,000 bracket for the 2021-22 financial year. “For those who earn less than $37,000, the offset is $675,” Chapman said. “If you earn between $37,000 and $48,000 the offset will increase up to a maximum of $1500.” But for those who earn over $90,000, the offset is gradually phased out. If your earnings go over $126,000 you won’t get any offset on your tax at all. However, the Australian Taxation Office has emphasised that the offset - also known as the LMITO - is not a cash refund. “The offset can only reduce the amount of tax you need to pay to $0, and if there is any offset remaining you will not receive that amount as a cash refund.” If you want to read more about it, head to the<a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Your-tax-return/Before-you-prepare-your-tax-return/What-s-new-for-individuals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> ATO website</a>. Image: Getty

Money & Banking

Ever wanted to work at Australia Post? Now's your chance

Australia post are gearing up for another busy holiday season as thousands of casual and permanent jobs go up for grabs. Aus Post have revealed they are “actively recruiting” up to 6000 new team members across the country. With no experience necessary, anyone from school-leavers to seniors are being encouraged to apply. “The recruitment drive for permanent and casual team members comes ahead of what’s expected to be another huge cyber sales and Christmas period,” Australia Post said. Top of the recruitment wish list is people who have a forklift, truck or motorcycle licence, but Australia Post said it also urgently needs people in parcel sorting and customer service. “Currently there are vacancies in every state and territory, with morning, afternoon and evening shifts all available – and for many roles, no previous experience is necessary,” it said. Australia Post executive general manager people and culture Susan Davies said the company offers competitive salaries across a wide range of roles. Australia Post has more than 2500 casual positions in parcel and mail processing, as well as more than 780 roles for truck drivers. There are also over 300 positions in customer service and about 200 for forklift drivers. So! If you've ever felt the urge to slam an Australia Post employee in the past, now is the time to put your money where your mouth is and get apply for a position there yourself. All the details are on the Aus Post <a href="https://auspost.com.au/jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>. Image: Getty

Money & Banking

"Last chance to see": Touching reason for kids' world travels

A couple has gone above and beyond for their children to see the world before they lose their vision. Canadian couple Edith Lemay and Sebastien Pelletier have four children, Mia, Colin, Laurent and Leo, of which three were diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. Retinitis pigmentosa is a group of rare eye diseases that affect the retina, and which makes cells in the retina break down slowly over time, causing vision loss. The devastating news shocked the parents, and they tragically now expect their children Mia, Colin and Laurent to be “completely blind by mid-life”. As a result, the young couple first focused on helping their children with basic life skills – before they were told to help with their imaginative memories as well. “I thought, ‘I’m not going to show her an elephant in a book, I’m going to take her to see a real elephant’,” Mrs Lemay said. “And I’m going to fill her visual memory with the best, most beautiful images I can.” Plans were soon put in place to take the entire family out for trips and help them experience their best life before losing their vision. “With the diagnosis, we have an urgency. There’s great things to do at home, but there’s nothing better than travelling,” Mr Pelletier said. “Not only the scenery, but also the different cultures and people.” Unfortunately, due to Covid the family had to delay their trip but as soon as travel restrictions eased they headed off to Namibia, where they got up close to elephants, zebras, giraffes and more. They then flew to Zambia, Tanzania and Mongolia before heading off to Indonesia and Turkey. “So we’re really trying to make them see things that they wouldn’t have seen at home and have the most incredible experiences,” Mr Pelletier explained. The parents said they hope these adventures would help them realise how fortunate they are, despite the challenges they face. “No matter how hard their life is going to be, I wanted to show them that they are lucky just to have running water in their home and to be able to go to school every day with nice colourful books,” Mrs Lemay said. “And we never know what’s going to impress them. We will tell ourselves [they will think] something is wonderful and then they see puppies in the street and it’s the best thing in their life.” Images: Instagram

International Travel

Your chance to finally live in a tree house!

A lot of homes are described as “once in a lifetime opportunity” but this one certainly takes the cake. An actual tree house just three hours from Los Angeles is up for grabs after hitting the market for a solid USD $3.8 million (AUD $5.4 million). Sitting on 6.69 acres in Pismo Beach, the house has parts of the tree it's built on enveloping the main living area, twisting from beneath and through the ceiling like the fictional Kraken. Despite being built in the 1960s, the different home has been perfectly maintained to ensure its intricate features remain. The land contains five different dwelling units that include one bedroom, one bath tree house, a large museum with a studio and one bedroom apartment. There is also a carriage house with a two bedroom apartment, and a studio apartment-with two car garage. And a main house with two bedrooms, one and a quarter baths with rock fireplace and wrap around decking, a shed/studio with full bath-each one with private views. Each of the homes contains wooded settings and private yards and decks thanks to the glorious oak tree. If that’s not enough to entice you, the properties include two sea train containers that are perfect as workshop areas as well as a Zen yoga platform to reclaim your inner peace. Images: Zillow

Real Estate

Here’s your chance to live like a gangster in the Godfather mansion

Fans of The Godfather have the chance to live like a Corleone for a month, with the house featured in the iconic gangster movies opening its doors to one lucky person and up to four of their friends. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Francis Coppola’s The Godfather, AirBnb is offering up the Staten Island mansion featured in the films to rent for one month but there’s a catch: there’s only one reservation available. Between August 1-31, the lucky guest can enjoy the 1930s home and its luxe amenities, including a large saltwater pool, a basement pub, a game room, and a gym. As with AirBnb’s previous unique stays, the chosen guests will need to organise getting to and from the mansion, since travel isn’t included in the price. Since the five-bedroom, seven-bathroom abode is usually a family home, stays are strictly limited to five people or fewer with no outside guests allowed. The stay comes after another home featured in the trilogy <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/a-castle-from-the-godfather-is-up-for-grabs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit the market</a> earlier this year, and is still available to purchase for a whopping €6 million ($AUD 8.78 or $NZD 9.77 million). To be in the running for a stay you can’t refuse, apply to book by 3am AEST (or 5am NZST) on Thursday, July 28 via <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/654402388376149877?irgwc=1&irclid=3SIwdd0duxyNUNxXd%3AQSRQA0UkD3DW0Zty2mSQ0&ircid=4273&sharedid=the-godfather-mansion-airbnb&af=&iratid=9627&c=.pi73.pk4273_1957199&irparam1=&source_impression_id=p3_1658895629_%2Bdy%2FFjhhdAmPq55R" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Airbnb website</a>. Images: Getty Images / AirBnb

Real Estate

If you want to indulge in Avocado toast now is your chance

Australia’s avocado glut is “just the beginning” with domestic production tipped to jump by 40% in the next five years. A supply boom means households have been enjoying more avocados at cheaper prices. However, agribusiness bank Rabobank suggests Aussies will need to eat and export even more, as growers grapple with soaring production growth over the next five years. This year alone, the per capita supply of avocados is estimated to be up 26% on the previous year, equating to 22 avocados for every Australian, according to the bank’s analysis. A bumper crop, mainly in Western Australia and Queensland in 2021-22, caused a national oversupply which led retail prices to plunge to a record low $1 each in June last year, and again in early July. Retail prices this year are 47% below the five-year average for the fruit, putting pressure on farmers already dealing with rising production costs and labour shortages as reported. The volume of avocados eaten by Aussie households jumped 31% in 2021-22 compared to the previous year, while they spent 29% less on them due to the lower prices. At the same time, export volumes rose by more than 350% in the past year, the Rabobank report said. Domestic production will expand by 40%, or 50,000 tonnes in the next five years, industry forecasts suggest, with all of Australia’s avocado regions expecting growth. It means Aussies and overseas markets will need to love locally grown avocados even more to use up the extra production in coming years. So what are you waiting for? Indulge in this delicious fruit which is rich in healthy, good fats. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

If you’re renting, chances are your home is cold. With power prices soaring, here’s what you can do to keep warm

If you’re feeling the cold this winter, you’re not alone. About a quarter of all Australians have trouble keeping their homes warm enough in winter. That figure is likely to soar this year, due to poor quality housing and the rapidly escalating energy crisis. Renters are particularly at risk, but our research has shown many home owners are in the same boat as well. We’ve collected data over the last few years on how many Australians have cold homes, find it <a href="https://theconversation.com/forget-heatwaves-our-cold-houses-are-much-more-likely-to-kill-us-83030">difficult to stay warm</a>, and can’t afford their heating bills. What counts as cold? The World Health Organization recommends a <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-CED-PHE-18.10">minimum home temperature</a> of 18℃ for health and wellbeing. About a fifth of Australian renters, for example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01136-5">have cold homes</a>. Our <a href="https://able.adelaide.edu.au/housing-research/research/healthy-housing-cre/cold-in-australian-homes#0">current research</a> has shown this applies to home owners as well, with 26% of people across all housing types unable to stay warm at least half of the time during winter. Australia’s energy crisis is likely to see soaring rates of energy poverty, meaning being unable to keep your home warm or cool enough. Here’s why this is such a problem – and what you can do about it. <h2>Cold homes affect our health</h2> If you’re cold at home, you have a higher risk of developing <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00484-017-1379-0">respiratory problems</a>and <a href="https://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/fulltext/2014/08000/Stronger_association_of_indoor_temperature_than.8.aspx?casa_token=TFv1eApy3hQAAAAA:9tc6eHiZCAk72mWgrmcgSxQT7kLczUDd7XNpXvNvoIFcMF6pJPSGpORK3SI-Veu4oc994saGXCWuJFBCs3pYN4g">high blood pressure</a>. People in the coldest homes face a higher risk of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935114003661?casa_token=vWpvR-oc8iMAAAAA:q72pW312N2oWIm1Gf9jpTTGUr3sH8uM_DankOAVzziVRT8_OPPnPjxJzDIC_x5j4Pr7O_Uuq">dying in winter</a>. Cold can have a flow-on impact on our health system, which is already struggling. Australia’s south-east has had the coldest start to winter <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2022/06/09/cold-winter-weather-australia/">in decades</a>. Melbourne hasn’t been this cold this early since 1949, while Sydney hasn’t seen these temperatures in early June since 1989. <h2>Double trouble: cold weather and the energy crisis</h2> If you’ve been hit by the recent cold snap, chances are you’ll have been reminded how cold your home can get. This is not a surprise given how badly <a href="https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/research-data-and-insights/research/energy-efficiency-and-reducing-emissions/household-retrofit-trials">existing homes</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-still-building-4-in-every-5-new-houses-to-no-more-than-the-minimum-energy-standard-118820">new housing</a> perform in keeping an even temperature. The cold has made many people doubly worried, because the energy required to heat our leaky, poorly insulated homes is about to get <a href="https://theconversation.com/expect-more-power-price-hikes-a-1970s-style-energy-shock-is-on-the-cards-183911">very expensive</a>. Early results from <a href="https://able.adelaide.edu.au/housing-research/research/healthy-housing-cre/cold-in-australian-homes#0">our survey</a> of over 350 Australians found 25% of people were experiencing shortages of money to the point they will be unable to adequately heat their homes. One third of our respondents said energy was unaffordable. Some reported making trade-offs, such as skimping on food or healthcare to pay energy bills. These people are experiencing energy poverty, where a household is unable to properly heat or cool their home or face significant financial difficulty doing so. While data about energy poverty in Australia is patchy, we know around 180,000 households <a href="https://vcoss.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Persistent-Energy-Hardship-FINAL-Web-Single-Page.pdf">in Victoria</a> had persistent bill payment issues as of 2018, and 45,000 households were consistently unable to heat their homes. <h2>Energy price increases hit lower income households hardest</h2> Lower income households are more at risk from the cold. That’s because they’re more likely to live in homes that are in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10852352.2016.1197714?casa_token=D_2YbBQ9wRkAAAAA%3A5Z_XqM42cmGunbSwhVJ-EaaHrtV4w3nORhDq9ZoaqAMBx700PldV7_9VVPdAWy7mm2hi3KYLOij3">poor condition</a> and hard to heat. One quarter of low income households told us they struggle to stay warm. Insulation may be a key factor, with 25% of our respondents reporting their rental properties did not have insulation. Insulation matters, because heat escapes homes through <a href="https://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-design/glazing">single-pane windows</a>, or poorly insulated walls and ceilings. As a result, poorly insulated homes <a href="https://environmentvictoria.org.au/resource/10-tips-warm-house/">cost more to heat</a>. This makes life harder for low income renters, given they have little control over insulation or other home modifications. Worse still, heaters that are cheap to buy are often the most <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/top-tips-improve-home-energy-efficiency/#:%7E:text=Shoot%20for%20the%20stars%3A%20Top%20tips%20to%20improve%20your%20home's%20energy%20efficiency,-26.11.21%20By&text=Compared%20to%20a%206%2Dstar,amount%20of%20electricity%20we%20use.">expensive to run</a>. While an efficient reverse cycle air conditioner would save money and heat the space better over the longer term, it is often difficult for renters to negotiate installation with property managers or landlords – especially given the intense competition for rentals at present in many cities. That can mean renters will suffer in silence, unwilling to ask for something that will make their lives better. <h2>What can renters do?</h2> Low income renters face real threats from energy poverty this year. While we need systemic change to improve the outlook for Australia’s renters, there are low-cost DIY ways to improve how <a href="https://www.yourhome.gov.au/">your house retains heat</a> this winter. The first step: check your current heating appliances are working efficiently. Many people don’t clean the filters on their reverse cycle air conditioners. This makes them less efficient, and can drive up energy bills. Poorly sealed windows and doors make it hard to stay warm. Using <a href="https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/heating-and-cooling/insulated-curtains.htm">thermal curtains</a>, and keeping them closed makes a big difference. Putting a piece of plywood or even a scarf between the curtain rail and the wall to make a <a href="https://environmentvictoria.org.au/2011/07/05/take-the-chill-out-of-winter-with-diy-pelmets/">DIY pelmet</a> also helps keep the heat in. If you have single glazed windows, consider <a href="https://renew.org.au/renew-magazine/buyers-guides/window-buyers-guide/">window films</a> as a way to improve performance for a fraction of the cost of double glazed windows. <a href="https://blog.csiro.au/draught-proof-house/">Sealing the cracks</a> around windows, under doors and around the wider home is also important. Silicon or expanding foam can be used for gaps and cracks. Draughts under doors can be stopped with door seals or door snakes. Close the doors to your bathroom, laundry and other rooms not in use to keep the heat where you need it most. Hanging a blanket over a doorway can also be a cheap way to seal off a room and concentrate heat. It’s also worth checking what rebates and concessions your state government or council is offering. These might include energy efficiency improvements or extra help with heating costs. If you’re renting, your home must meet <a href="https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/energy-efficiency/minimum-rental-standards">minimum standards</a>, so make sure you check what you are entitled to as these vary by state. Everyone deserves a warm home. Our health and well-being depend on it. Building new, energy efficient homes is only part of the answer. We also have to make our 10.8 million <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/total-value-dwellings/latest-release#:%7E:text=Total%20value%20of%20dwelling%20stock,-Download&text=Range%3A%206400000%20to%2010400000.&text=End%20of%20interactive%20chart.&text=The%20preliminary%20estimate%20of%20the,in%20the%20December%20quarter%202021.">existing dwellings</a> warmer. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-youre-renting-chances-are-your-home-is-cold-with-power-prices-soaring-heres-what-you-can-do-to-keep-warm-184472" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Home & Garden

Rare albino echidna given a second chance at life

An extremely rare albino echidna – affectionally named Mr Spike by his rescuers – has been found, saved and re-released back into the wild after being hit by a car. After sustaining minor injuries to his spikes, the unique monotreme was placed into WIRES Wildlife Rescue care before being whisked to Albion Park Veterinary Hospital in NSW for treatment. It was here that Dr Cindy Jarrett named the special white guy Mr Spike before clearing him to be placed back into bushland after several days of gentle rehab. A lack of melanin makes this adorable little creature albino and particularly rare, with only a handful of the mammals ever sighted in the country. Echidnas have been around for about 50 million years but are considered quite mysterious by researchers and scientists, often burrowing into the ground or moving at a hasty speed of 2.3 kilometres per hour. Local and overseas travellers alike know just how special it is to spot an echidna in the wild – so imagine how amazing it must have been to stumble across Mr White, and then be able to help him safely return to his home. Image: WIRES

Family & Pets

Want to cut your chance of catching COVID on a plane? Wear a mask and avoid business class

A Florida court recently <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-19/florida-judge-voids-us-mask-mandate-for-planes-other-travel/100998116">overturned mask mandates</a> on planes in the United States, saying the directive was unlawful. That decision is now <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/covid19-masks-on-us-flights-justice-department-appeals-easing-of-rules/a960d39c-dff4-4198-935c-c5b5c5b40551">under appeal</a>. Before that, Australian comedian Celeste Barber <a href="https://twitter.com/djokaymegamixer/status/1514836909620572162">told her social media followers</a> a passenger sitting next to her on a recent flight took off her mask to sneeze. So wearing masks on planes to limit the spread of COVID is clearly a hot-button issue. As we return to the skies more than two years into the pandemic, what is the risk of catching COVID on a plane? And does it really matter where on the plane you are? <h2>So many variables</h2> It’s impossible to give a precise answer about your risk of catching COVID on a plane as there are so many variables. For instance, not all countries and <a href="https://twitter.com/British_Airways/status/1503729049050353665">airlines</a> require passengers to wear masks or <a href="https://www.nationalworld.com/lifestyle/travel/where-can-i-travel-without-a-vaccine-countries-that-allow-unvaccinated-passengers-and-entry-requirements-3528913">be vaccinated</a>. Some countries and airlines require a negative COVID test within a certain timeframe before flying, others have <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/covid19/vaccinated-travellers/temporary-visa-holders/leaving-australia">scrapped that requirement</a> entirely. Then there are different rules that may apply if you’re flying domestically or internationally, or <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/international-travel/proof-of-vaccination">leaving or entering</a> a country. That’s before we start talking about the virus itself. We know more recent variants have emerged (Omicron and the sub-variant BA.2, for example), that are <a href="https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/critical-intelligence-unit/sars-cov-2-variants">much more easily transmitted</a> than the original virus or the Delta variant. We don’t know how transmissible future variants or sub-variants will be. So we can only talk in general terms about the risk of catching COVID on a plane. All up, your risk <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893921001745">is very low</a>, but the measures airlines put in place help achieve that. You can also reduce your personal risk further in a number of ways. <h2>Air flow and HEPA filters</h2> Air flow is designed to largely <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893920304117">travel vertically</a>, from the ceiling to the floor, to reduce the potential spread of contaminated air through the plane. The height of the seats acts as a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8013760/">partial barrier</a> to air movement from rows in front and behind you. Cabin air is also replaced <a href="https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2443/2020/10/HSPH-APHI-Phase-One-Report.pdf">every two to three minutes</a> with a half-half mix of recycled and fresh air. To see <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7588538/">how this works in real life</a>, researchers looked at how the virus spread on a long-haul flight when an infected person (the index case) sat in business class. Twelve of 16 people who were infected on the plane sat within a few rows of this person; another was a flight attendant. This suggests limited spread of contaminated air through the rest of the plane. Recycled air is also filtered through high-efficiency particulate air (or HEPA) filters. These remove <a href="https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2443/2020/10/HSPH-APHI-Phase-One-Report.pdf">more than 99%</a> of viral particles, further reducing the risk of droplet or airborne transmission. <h2>Masks</h2> Well fitted masks or respirators (worn properly) can reduce your risk of contracting COVID on a flight. That’s why many airlines say wearing a mask is a condition of flying. For example, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ina.12979">modelling</a> of several known transmission events on planes demonstrates an advantage if both the infected person and others around them wear masks. <h2>Vaccination</h2> Some countries, such as Australia, require entering travellers to be <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/international-travel/proof-of-vaccination">fully vaccinated</a>. This <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(21)00648-4/fulltext">lowers the risk</a> of someone becoming sick with COVID. <h2>Pre-flight COVID testing</h2> Not all flights require a negative COVID test before boarding. For those that do, the time frame before a flight varies, as does the type of test required. However, we know tests do not detect every single COVID case. A range of factors can influence test sensitivity (ability to detect COVID). These include the type and <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia">brand</a> of test you take, whether you have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8761676/">symptoms</a>, your <a href="https://ebm.bmj.com/content/early/2022/01/04/bmjebm-2021-111828">age</a>, and the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8761676/">viral variant</a>. You can also still test negative two days before a flight and catch COVID in the meantime. <h2>Sanitisation</h2> Airlines may do additional cleaning of high-touch areas, and overnight disinfection, to reduce the spread of COVID through touching contaminated surfaces. However, the risk of transmission by this route is <a href="https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2443/2020/10/HSPH-APHI-Phase-One-Report.pdf">low</a> compared to the risk of catching COVID through breathing in infectious droplets and aerosols. <h2>When and where are you most at risk?</h2> The closer you are to the infected person Most transmission occurs within <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893920304117">two to three rows</a> of an infected person. If you sit next to someone who is coughing or has other symptoms you might ask to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7665738/">move seats</a> if spare seats are available. <a href="https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2443/2020/10/HSPH-APHI-Phase-One-Report.pdf">Distance</a> yourself from others if you can, particularly when getting on and off the plane. You might also avoid sitting close to the toilets as passengers will hang about in the aisles waiting to use them, particularly on long flights. The longer the flight The risk increases with long- versus <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33650201/">short- or medium-haul</a>flights. During long-haul flights passengers are also more likely to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ina.12979">recline their seats</a>. This somewhat reduces the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8013760/">protection upright seats</a> provide in reducing air movement between rows. If you or others are not wearing a mask or wearing it properly You can breathe infectious particles in and out via your nose as well as your mouth, so don’t wear your mask under your chin or nose. The risk also increases when everyone takes off their masks during food service. You might choose not to eat or drink on short flights to avoid this. Alternatively you might bring a snack to eat before food service begins, or <a href="https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2443/2020/10/HSPH-APHI-Phase-One-Report.pdf">eat after</a> those around you. If you contaminate your food or your face You can catch COVID through touching your food or face with contaminated fingers. Sanitise your hands regularly and <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9176589">train yourself</a> to not touch your face. If you are in business class Based on limited reports, the transmission risk appears higher in business class. This is possibly because of <a href="https://globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12992-021-00749-6">more interruptions to mask wearing</a> due to greater service of food and drinks. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/want-to-cut-your-chance-of-catching-covid-on-a-plane-wear-a-mask-and-avoid-business-class-180333" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. <div style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(51,168,204,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1514836909620572162"}"> <div style="--tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(51,168,204,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"> <div style="--tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(51,168,204,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> </div> </div> <p style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(51,168,204,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">

International Travel

Rare chance to buy Whitney Houston’s former home

The former home of Whitney Houston is available to buy for the first time in over a decade - and you’ll only need $US 1.6 million ($AU 2.1 or $NZ 2.3 million) to snap it up. Along with its claim to fame, the home includes something made with Houston in mind: a personalised built-in recording studio which she often used. The singer and Bodyguard star bought the ranch in Mendham, New Jersey, in 1993 for $US 537,000 (or $US 1.06 million today) and reportedly used it as her guest house for 17 years. It was then sold to the current owners for $US 940,000 in 2010, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/04/06/whitney-houstons-nj-home-and-studio-lists-for-1-6m/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NY Post</a>, two years before her death aged 48. With just one storey, the sprawling three-bedroom, four-bathroom home sits on a five-acre property which also includes a hot tub, tennis court, and backyard with enough room for a pool or “playing your favourite team sport”, according to the <a href="https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-84435-zxe5rr/1-cross-way-mendham-nj-07945" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listing</a>. There have been some renovations inside since Houston’s time, including converting the indoor pool into a three-season great room which opens out to the backyard. But, the owners say the recording studio has remained mostly untouched, having been used as a “sound-proof home office” with tributes to the iconic singer on the walls. The primary suite, last renovated in 2016, comes with its own dressing room and ensuite and is located in a private side hallway in its own ‘wing’. In the east wing, there is a den, two bedrooms, and a full bath. Images: Getty Images, Sotheby’s International Realty

Real Estate

Giddy up! Now’s your chance to own an ENTIRE frontier town

Aspiring cowboys - and cowgirls! - with dreams of kicking back in a saloon could make them a reality, with an entire frontier town <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/buy-an-entire-old-west-town-near-denver-for-66-million/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hitting the market</a> for just $4.7 million.The Colorado property, which comes with its very own saloon, general store, chapel, shooting range and operational hotel, is spread over 130 hectares and located less than 3.5 hours away from Denver, according to the <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/36710-County-Road-CC-36_Saguache_CO_81149_M24368-94926" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listing</a>.Having been painstakingly developed by two brothers who purchased the property in 2005, who <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://nypost.com/2022/01/24/own-this-entire-old-west-town-outside-denver-for-4-7m/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> sunk $10.8 million into the property, the modern recreation of the old west has been seeking a buyer since October 2021.It was previously auctioned off by the brothers in 2011 for just under $2 million, before being sold twice more in 2016 and 2018, according to Fox31 Denver KDVR.“They left no detail unconsidered,” listing agent Adrienne Haydu told KDVR, noting that the ceiling tiles of the saloon and hotel were imported from Italy.“It’s old-town charm with all the conveniences of modern amenities. All the buildings are actual buildings and not just a fake facade. It’s a great horse property.”The property also comes with an outdoor stage, dance hall, two original Hoaglund Stagecoach cabins, a barn and stable able to house 18 horses, a bunkhouse, and a mini golf course.There are even campervan connection hookups and the “luxury” Ponderosa Lodge, which includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, Amish hickory flooring and an indoor stream fed by a waterfall in the living room.Outside, there are two ponds, two creeks, and three wells.As well as offering a chance to reenact the wildest of Wild West dreams, the property also has the potential to be used for more lucrative ventures, including “boutique retreats, a wedding venue or a festival” according to the listing.Images: Realtor.com

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Giddy up! Now’s your chance to own an ENTIRE frontier town

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