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Jacinda Ardern distances herself from Harry and Meghan's new documentary

Jacinda Ardern has released a statement distancing herself from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new documentary, saying there was "no communication" with the royal couple. The New Zealand Prime Minister is one of several influential figures appearing in the new series, titled Live to Lead, which features seven world leaders and advocates discussing their work. In a trailer released for the series, which airs on December 31st, Ardern is seen smiling for a press pack and an excerpt of a speech, in which she says, "As leaders we have the keys to create a sense of security and a sense of hope." Harry and Meghan have served as executive producers and the series has been co-produced with the Nelson Mandela foundation. Ardern's office has since released a statement regarding the series, claiming the leader had "no communication" with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for the series, and the footage used is from an interview three years ago. The statement read, "In early March 2019 the prime minister was approached by the Mandela Foundation to participate in a project to develop accessible resources on key attributes of leadership targeted at aspiring young leaders around the world, based off a one-hour interview." "Originally we were advised the outputs would be printed and digital books, short films and audiobooks." "The interview was conducted on November 8, 2019. In March 2020, a short book entitled Jacinda Ardern (I Know This to be True) was published based on the interview." The statement continued, "In March 2021 the Nelson Mandela Foundation advised the prime minister's office they had secured an agreement with Netflix to broadcast the series of interviews, including the 2019 interview with the prime minister." "In May this year the prime minister's office was notified that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would introduce the series; noting this was nearly two and a half years after the interview had been recorded and permission for its use by the Mandela Foundation had already been provided." "All communication throughout has been with the foundation (there has been no communications with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex regarding the project)." News of a new Netflix series by Harry and Meghan came as a surprise, with their divisive docuseries Harry & Meghan having just recently aired to a mixed reception. Also featured in the upcoming series are Ruth Bader Ginsburg who died on September 18, 2020, Gloria Steinem and Greta Thunberg. Image credits: Getty Images

How to make your retirement money go the distance

Retirement should hopefully be a long and rewarding experience and you’re obviously going to need to fund it. Here are a few tips to assist you and your nest egg in supporting your plans. Planning Planning for an unknown timeframe is a challenge, but the bottom line is the more effort you put into preparing and regularly reviewing your options, the better. A key starter is determining your needs. It might be worth sitting down with a financial planner to review your circumstances. Try to visualize the lifestyle you want during retirement – travel, moving house, new car, new hobbies, interests. Then look at the cost implications of this lifestyle and whether you’re going to be able to afford it based on your current income and spending. Understand your retirement accounts Take the time to review all your investments, accounts and other services to ensure they are the best fit for your retirement lifestyle. Rebalance your portfolio to align your finances with the most effective investments for this stage of life. Income An obvious choice for extending your income is deferring retirement. This doesn’t necessarily have to mean continuing with full time work – it could just be part time or casual work in order to create additional income. You might be surprised at the variety of work opportunities available as our workforce becomes increasingly focused on part time, casual and consulting roles. It may also be possible to make money from your hobbies or crafts. Downsizing While you might be comfortable with the lifestyle you have enjoyed for a while, downsizing on some aspects of life can assist greatly in getting more mileage from your retirement savings. Housing is the most obvious and usually the most beneficial in terms of boosting savings. This might be in the form of a smaller home but it may also involve looking at where you live. You might consider a more cost-effective suburb, shaving those mortgage repayments or bolstering your savings even further. The same downsizing might apply to cars, boats and memberships, just to name a few. Health As you may be requiring health services more often in retirement, remember that the most cost-effective way to approach this is through prevention by ensuring your ongoing health and fitness is as good as it can be. Keeping active with a healthy diet and regular exercise is the best way to stave off illness and health issues, often without spending anything extra. Entitlements Become aware of the broad range of concessions, discounts and entitlements that are available to you in retirement. Always keep your senior status in mind with future purchases and payments – it never hurts to ask! Sell stuff Now’s the perfect time to clean out the garage, attic and storage of all that accumulated stuff. While you probably want to save your biggest treasures for the family, sites like eBay, Gumtree and Craigslist are an easy way to make a bit of money out of items you no longer want. Image credits: Getty Images

Retirement Income

Veteran horsewoman honoured for exceptional achievement

Jane Dotchin, from Hexham in Northumberland, England, has been recognised for her efforts by the British Horse Society (BHS) and received an Exceptional Achievement Award. The 80-year-old became an online sensation during her 600-mile journey from Hexham to Augustus in Scotland’s north and back - which she takes each year - with her pony Diamond and disabled dog Dinky who travels in a saddlebag. For most of her life, Jane has operated a small riding school in Hexham where she has shared her love and knowledge of horses with thousands of local young people and adults. Jane lives off the grid, cares for her horses by hand, and uses her own intuition rather than high-tech riding gear. This also meant the news she had won came as quite a surprise. “I didn’t know what I’d won it for,” Jane said to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-tyne-57527584" target="_blank">the BBC</a>. “And of course I don’t have internet, no modern technology at all. So I had to get a friend to use hers to find out what it was about.” Having made the journey over so many years, Jane has become well-known along the route. “I’ve done the route so many times now and I know people all along the way and it’s nice to see everybody again, everybody’s very kind and generous,” she said. Jane was stopped and filmed by stunned resident Rab Black, who shared the clip on Facebook in September last year. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=316&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ftyndrumlodges%2Fvideos%2F767297650720296%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="431" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> “Well they always seem so surprised I’ve travelled so far, but I say well at one time when we didn’t have cars, everybody travelled by horse.” Images: Hexham Courant, Hyndshaw Stables

Retirement Income

Son's fury after being told to social distance from grieving mother at funeral

Two grieving brothers have been told to move away from their heartbroken mother during a funeral for their father who passed away. The video shows the moment the men, in Milton Keynes, London, move their chairs to comfort their mother at Crownhill Crematorium. However, as they're comforting their mother, a funeral home employees walks in from the back of the room. “Sorry, you’ll have to put your chairs back I’m afraid,” he says, interrupting a eulogy. “You can’t move your chairs. You were told.” <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMKCommunityHub%2Fposts%2F1733831850107183&show_text=true&width=552&height=749&appId" width="552" height="749" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> The trio then separate and space their chairs out to the two-metre requirement. One of the man told Milton Keynes Community Hub’s Facebook page he is “absolutely heartbroken” by what happened. “Me and my brother haven’t been able to leave my mum’s side for two weeks as it is, being there for my mum, within her bubble,” he said. “I can sit in a restaurant, I can sit in a pub, I can live at her house, I can travel in a limousine to the crematorium with six. But when I want to give my mum a cuddle at dad's funeral, a man flies out mid service shouting stop the service and makes us split.” He said that the man scared his daughter and shocked everyone else. “This is not how funerals should be and with the guidelines in place for pubs, bars, public transport etc, how this can carry on at funeral is beyond belief,” he said. “A devastating day made even worse.” On Facebook, people called the incident “disgraceful” and “disgusting”. “It’s just awful,” one woman wrote. Another woman called it “absolutely vile and shameful”. “Horrific,” another woman wrote. “Words fail me.” Hero image credits: Facebook

Caring

Fury as Big Brother finale chucks social distancing out the window

Big Brother fans took to social media to display their fury as they watched contestants fail to follow social distancing measures on Wednesday night’s live episode. While the housemates managed to maintain a safe distance from one another for a large portion of the episode, they rushed in to warmly embrace Chad Hurst when he was announced the winner of this year’s Big Brother. “Seriously, social distancing is still a thing and should be represented on our screens,” one disgruntled viewer wrote on Twitter. “I care less about the result than the fact they're all hugging and not social distancing,” another said. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.35313531353137px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837038/big-brother-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7dc37d3941664a7087e667d2a69b708e" /> A further comment said: “'How's that social distancing going at the end there?!?' and 'Social distancing just went out the window.” One viewer also took to social media to pose the question as to what New South Wales Health would think of the antics as the finale was filmed in Sydney. “Curious if NSW Health or NSW Police think Big Brother is exempt from social distancing on live TV. Everyone hugged and kissed at the end,” they said. Chad won by public vote and was announced as victor during the finale over Sophie Budack, 25, and Daniel Gorringe, 28. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.1965811965812px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837041/big-brother-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5b5bac761b3d4d56b1e3c78686da9033" /> Host Sonia Kruger asked what was going through his mind to which Chad responded: “You know, I went on [Big Brother], I honestly think it's fate. The old boy (his late father), it's his show. “I had me Ma next to me, that's all that mattered. So thank you, everyone.” Chad previously told Daily Mail Australia that he applied for Big Brother to honour his late father.

The surprising reasons people cheat at social distancing

As the world fights the novel coronavirus pandemic, our strongest weapon right now is <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic-social-distancing-1.5507379">physical distancing</a>. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30073-6">Proven by studies</a> and <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/03/23/820066211/an-unfinished-lesson-what-the-1918-flu-tells-us-about-human-nature">supported by history</a>, staying home save lives. In fact, bending this rule to meet even a few other people may <a href="https://www.washington.edu/news/2020/04/13/just-one-friend-covid-19/">undo our efforts</a>. While many have accepted the safety directions, some are <a href="https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/04/14/mayor-island-traveller-covid/">still travelling</a>. More people have died of COVID-19 in the United States than any other country, yet the President Trump has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/17/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-governors.html">encouraged people to gather</a> and Georgia’s governor supported the <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/493748-georgia-to-reopen-some-businesses-including-gyms-and-salons">reopening of bowling alleys and nail salons</a>. So why is it so hard for us to do what is right? Subconscious biases affect our behaviour As a doctor and a father, I get that we are all trying to keep a sense of normalcy for ourselves and our families. But the reasons we resist distancing are often <a href="http://danariely.com/books/predictably-irrational/">beyond rationality</a>: there are reflexive thoughts that drive our behaviour, often <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/09/cognitive-bias/565775/">without our own awareness</a>. And if we want to save as many lives as possible, our efforts have to take these subconscious biases into account. For example, asking people to <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-physical-distancing-is-our-only-hope-we-must-all-adhere-to-it/">observe physical distancing</a> may actually have the opposite effect for those who fear that compliance will lead to a restriction in their freedom. This is called <a href="http://journal.sjdm.org/15/15824a/jdm15824a.html">reactance bias</a>, and it is partly why in our society teenagers drink alcohol and some drivers resist seatbelts. It is also why pandemic safety measures can be easily framed as a restrictive “<a href="https://www.salon.com/2020/04/17/dr-fauci-shuts-down-fox-news-laura-ingraham-after-she-complains-about-lockdowns_partner/">lockdown</a>” and why the U.S. president can <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/04/18/837974858/sen-tim-kaine-trump-is-trying-to-foment-division">incite people to unsafely meet up</a> in order to “liberate” their state. Given how quickly and passionately protesters follow populist leaders, it is not surprising that many of the same <a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-monitors-sees-coordinated-covid-19-disinformation-effort-by-iran-russia-china/30570938.html">bad actors</a> seen in anti-science campaigns against vaccination and climate change are again preying on swift emotions like <a href="https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-0912">fear and disgust</a> to manipulate us into acting before we think. Another way our minds mislead us is that we judge ourselves differently than we judge others. When we trip it is because the ground is uneven; others misstep due to clumsiness. Two-thirds of people say they are <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/two-thirds-of-drivers-think-theyre-better-than-you/article589874/">better than average drivers</a>. We all need some esteem to allow us to feel capable in life, but the flip side of this self-centredness is that we downplay the risks of daily grocery trips or play dates because, well, it’s us. But the novel coronavirus <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6914e1.htm">does not differentiate</a> between us and others, good or bad, our tribe or not. So although some people are more susceptible to serious complications, many otherwise <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/05/health/young-people-dying-coronavirus-sanjay-gupta/index.html">young and healthy</a> people have died from COVID-19. We just don’t think we’ll become one of “those people.” The tales we tell Stories, whether tales or in pictures, are also important in understanding our behaviour since <a href="https://hbr.org/2014/10/why-your-brain-loves-good-storytelling">we are wired</a> to remember them much more than numbers. Dry statistics of deaths in Asia or Europe are difficult to comprehend because our brains cannot emotionally connect. But <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.3758%2Fs13423-015-0807-6">stories are memorable</a> and become compelling when they evoke <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/02/new-research-says-there-are-only-four-emotions/283560/">basic emotions</a> such as happiness, sadness and fear. The heartbreaking image of three-year-old Alan Kurdi’s body lying on a Turkish beach is unforgettable, and elicited a much greater reaction than reports of <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/03/13/syria-war-bashar-assad-prospers-9-years-barbarity-confusion/4939671002/">Syria’s attacks on its citizens</a>. Recently, Dr. Anna Carvalho’s decision to <a href="https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/04/16/er-doctor-vancouver-plea-viral/">isolate from her family</a> included a photograph of her children waving through their aunt’s window, making the plea to physically distance more real and immediate — factors that <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-41549533">nudge us</a> towards action. Science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein wrote, “Don’t appeal to man’s better nature — <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/291501/time-enough-for-love-by-robert-a-heinlein/">he may not have one</a>.” More accurately, hundreds of cognitive biases such as those discussed here greatly affect the decisions we make, sometimes to our detriment. So if we are to change behaviour during this pandemic we must address both the rational and subconscious ways our minds work. Effective communication In order to build trust, leaders must be humble and honest. Familiar and regular communications from leaders like Drs. <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-bonnie-henry-is-a-calming-voice-in-a-sea-of-coronavirus-madness/">Bonnie Henry</a> and <a href="https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/april-2020/canadas-chief-medical-officers-put-womens-leadership-in-spotlight/">Theresa Tam</a> and Prime Ministers <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2020/03/31/donald-trump-should-take-a-lesson-from-justin-trudeau-and-even-doug-ford-on-coronavirus-leadership.html">Trudeau</a> and <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/04/jacinda-ardern-new-zealand-leadership-coronavirus/610237/">Ardern</a> can have <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374533557">positive effects</a>. Pro-science messages from diverse influencers like <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/ryan-reynolds-twitter-hayley-wickenheiser-medical-supplies-1.5523390">Hayley Wickenheiser</a>, Ryan Reynolds, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1716219971713">Chris Hadfield</a> and <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/6732110/michael-buble-coronavirus-appeal-social-distancing/">Michael Bublé</a> have resonated. And <a href="https://covidstories.ihi.org/">we need stories</a>, lots of them, <a href="https://time.com/collection/coronavirus-heroes/5816885/frontline-workers-coronavirus/">of the front-line workers</a> risking their safety. In turn, we must attempt to slow down and process our emotions and consider that bending the rules endangers others and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30073-6">lengthens the time</a> of distancing restrictions. For those whose opinions have become part of their own <a href="https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/public-health-experts-are-just-that-experts-u-of-c-professor-rejects-stephan-s-claim-that-covid-19-is-a-hoax-1.4893822">self-identity</a>, no fact will likely change their behaviour. Some personal liberties <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/covid-19-rising-costs-of-social-distancing">may have to be restricted</a> for the greater good in the same way we legislate sobriety for drivers and helmets for cyclists. Containing the COVID-19 pandemic will require more than the heroic measures of our front-line workers: we must all make difficult sacrifices. Success will not be easy, but to save lives we must take into account the hidden ways our brains work. We must use strategies that represent more reasoned logic than we tend to rely on, left to our own devices.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137987/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eric-cadesky-1055131">Eric Cadesky</a>, Clinical Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-british-columbia-946">University of British Columbia</a> 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/coronavirus-and-cognitive-bias-the-surprising-reasons-people-cheat-at-social-distancing-137987">original article</a>.

Mind

Shanghai Disneyland reopens with social distancing measures

Shanghai Disneyland reopened on Monday after 107 days of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The park is now open to public with 30 per cent capacity. Visitors are required to book tickets online, have their temperatures checked ahead of entry and wear face masks. Hand sanitisers are also made available at queue entries and attraction exits. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Tears! Long time no see my pals! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShanghaiDisneyland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShanghaiDisneyland</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SHDL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SHDL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E4%B8%8A%E6%B5%B7%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E3%82%BA%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%83%89?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#上海ディズニーランド</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Disney?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Disney</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Disneypark?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Disneypark</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Disneyland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Disneyland</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bsv51z84Ha">pic.twitter.com/Bsv51z84Ha</a> — DONGDONG (@gourmetdyy) <a href="https://twitter.com/gourmetdyy/status/1259672695668539392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2020</a></blockquote> The park also features yellow tape markers as part of social distancing efforts. Most of the park’s attractions – including rides, live shows, stores and restaurants – are accessible, but theatre shows are cancelled and the daily float parade is downsized. Cast members have also reportedly been trained to carry out <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/05/disneyland-shanghai-reopen-date-may-11-coronavirus-1202926767/">contactless guest interaction</a>. “We have cast members throughout the park. They’re continuously wiping down and making sure that everything is as disinfected and sanitized,” Andrew Bolstein, senior vice president of operations at Shanghai Disney Resort, told <a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/travel/story/opening-day-disney-shanghai-looked-70613135">Good Morning America</a>. The reopening came after Disney reported a $1 billion hit on its parks, experiences and products segment during the second quarter “primarily due to revenue lost as a result of the closures”. All other parks remain closed.

International Travel

Woman makes ‘monstrous’ knitted masks to encourage social distancing

An Icelandic woman has promoted social distancing through a novel, innovative way: knitting. Knitwear designer Ýrúrarí Jóhannsdóttir has gone viral after sharing her knitted masks and other isolation creations on social media. The 3D masks – which feature knits of mouths, teeth and jutting tongues – have been described by fans as “grotesque”, “<a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/icelandic-knitwear-designer-tongue-masks-yrurari-johannsdottir">trippy</a>” and “<a href="https://10daily.com.au/news/a200505cmtfy/woman-makes-grotesque-knits-to-scare-people-into-social-distancing-20200505">freakish</a>”. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_DKJ3xgUWt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_DKJ3xgUWt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">I’ve been experimenting with some of my sweater ideas to wear on a face, always interesting to see the outcome 👽 It has been fun to see masks inspired by mine, good use of quarantine time to knit💜But a reminder again, my masks are not made for safety, knitted masks are not safe to start with! Take care 🦠❌🦠❌🦠 #mask #knitting #fashionforbankrobbers</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/yrurari/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Ýrúrarí</a> (@yrurari) on Apr 16, 2020 at 10:00am PDT </div> </blockquote> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-4JbBOABY5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-4JbBOABY5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ýrúrarí (@yrurari)</a> on Apr 12, 2020 at 3:22am PDT </div> </blockquote> The 27-year-old designer said she has always been interested in tongues because “they are kind of rude, sticky, and strange”. She extended her work from sweaters to face masks due to the coronavirus pandemic. “I didn’t really make the masks to wear,” she told <a href="https://mashable.com/article/knitted-face-mask-tongue-lips/">Mashable</a>. “In my mind they are more like wearable sculptures, not made for safety [but] more as a fun approach to the rule of keeping distance.” “If you look scary enough people will stay away!” Jóhannsdóttir said the masks promoted the idea that “using masks can be fun”. “Everything we put on us can also be fun if we want it to, and bringing smiles to people’s faces in times like these is also important,” she told <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/icelandic-knitwear-designer-tongue-masks-yrurari-johannsdottir">Vogue</a>. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_PcEsSAByb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_PcEsSAByb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ýrúrarí (@yrurari)</a> on Apr 21, 2020 at 4:27am PDT </div> </blockquote> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_aQTE0gOyo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_aQTE0gOyo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ýrúrarí (@yrurari)</a> on Apr 25, 2020 at 9:16am PDT </div> </blockquote>

Art

Morning show hosts forced to awkwardly explain why they’re not social distancing

Social distancing measures in the UK amid the coronavirus pandemic has become a new normal for people. However, viewers of The Morning show have forced the programme’s hosts to explain why they are not sitting six feet apart. In a clip posted to their Twitter page, Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford explained why fans should not be worried about their close proximity to each other. “For anyone who's worried,<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://twitter.com/EamonnHolmes" target="_blank"> @EamonnHolmes</a> and<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://twitter.com/RuthieeL" target="_blank"> @RuthieeL</a> are actually married in real life, so it's safe for them to sit close to each other in the studio,” the show wrote in the caption. “If you're maybe new to watching This Morning because you're on lockdown...we are allowed to sit this close to each other because we're married, we live in the same house,” Ruth said. However, some fans did not approve of the reasons given by the show’s host, with one person writing: “They should be setting example saying 2 meters apart not everyone know this very shameful this needs to change asap.” Others believed it was still important for Ruth and Eamonn to follow the social distancing guidelines, however some questioned how people could not know the hosts were married. Eamonn spoke on the show after their twitter clip made waves online, saying: “With regard to social distancing, don't bother phoning in and saying 'why are these two together' because we are together all day in the house, we live together. “And in case a lot of you don't know this, we actually do live together.” Ruth added in: “Some people think it's a fake marriage darling, it's a TV marriage.” Eamonn and Ruth both regularly present the morning TV show side by side, have been married for ten years and share an 18-year-old son together.

Relationships

Armed police interrupt funeral while enforcing social distancing rules

A Melbourne woman said she was “inconsolable” after uniformed police officers carrying guns interrupted her father’s funeral over the Easter long weekend to enforce social distancing rules. Helen Kolovos said she was left feeling “heartbroken” after two police officers arrived at the church during her father’s funeral on Saturday and began counting the number of people in attendance as the coffin was carried down the aisle. Funerals have been limited to a maximum of 10 people under the rules announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in late March. “Being from a Greek family it was already mission impossible to do that, but we did, we literally had to pick and choose our own family and say you can come, you can’t come,” Kolovos told the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/apr/14/totally-disrespectful-police-interrupt-funeral-while-enforcing-social-distancing-rules-over-easter-weekend">Guardian</a>. She said the two officers entered the church at the end of the service as her father’s coffin was being carried out. “It was just totally disrespectful, to carry a gun in a Greek church, it’s totally against our religion,” Kolovos said. “But the way they came in, they didn’t bow their heads or anything. They just started speaking to some of the people who were working in the church and taking notes as we’re carrying out my dad. “Just pause what you’re doing for one moment, bow your head, just give that man a little shred of respect. I was inconsolable. That whole moment of farewelling my dad, that moment was taken away from me.” Kolovos’ daughter Benita said the two officers were watching “every move” of the 10 attendees, who were separated into individual pews. “I understand social distancing is imperative to keeping everyone safe but surely there has to be a better way of enforcing it? Couldn’t officers just watch from their cars?” she wrote on Twitter. “Couldn’t they have worn plain clothes? Or taken their vests and guns off? Or simply paid some respect to the dead?” The complaint emerged as more Victorians reported “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-13/victoria-records-new-coronavirus-cases-as-numbers-stabilise/12144060">concerning police interactions</a>” in the state. More than 400 people were fined over the Easter weekend, with examples of breaches including eight people having a party in St Kilda. In one of the complaints submitted to the new <a href="https://covidpolicing.org.au/">COVID-19 Policing in Australia website,</a> a mother in Eltham said she was followed by a police car while she was driving to her son’s grave. “I felt intimidated by the obvious stalking by police. This behaviour could only be described as harassment,” she said.

Legal

Police officers fined for breaching social distancing rules

Two police officers have been fined $1,000 each for breaching coronavirus restrictions and partying at a hotel in the Sydney CBD at the weekend. Police found one off-duty constable, apparently intoxicated, wandering down King Street on Saturday night with a 31-year-old man after attending a party at the nearby Meriton Suites apartment. The 27-year-old woman was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital for treatment and released the following morning, NSW Police said. Police later discovered a 27-year-old male senior constable from the Fairfield City police area command had also attended the gathering along with two other women who were not in the police force. All five people were handed $1,000 fines for failing to comply failing to comply with noticed direction under the Public Health Act 2010. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said social distancing was the new “way of life” until a COVID-19 vaccine was found. “We cannot have communities who currently don’t have the virus get contaminated unintentionally because people are moving around when they shouldn't,” she said.

Legal

Coronavirus: When will social distancing and restrictions end?

In the last few weeks you may have heard the term ‘social distancing’ being thrown around a lot, as it’s being hailed as the solution to end this pandemic. And they aren’t wrong, as social distancing is something everyone needs to be adhering to. It’s an emergency response in an emergency situation. It’s slamming the door on the face of a viral pandemic. The issue is that the virus lurks for a terribly long time. It’s not going anywhere, anytime soon. So the question remains, when will the emergency be over? When can we open our doors? When can we go back to our offices, cafes, clubs? To socialise? To be free? Before we can ease up, we have a mountain to crush. The only way restrictions will start to lift is when it’s known for certain that COVID-19 has been slowed to a point where our hospitals are coping well. But the good news is, that Australia’s early measures to “flatten the curve” may be starting to have a positive impact. This means our hospitals will be able to cope with the inevitable emergency cases as they keep rolling in. Resulting in fewer Australians dying. But that means we’ll be in quarantine for months to come. “For most of March, the total number of cases doubled in Australia every three to four days. That rate has now slowed to doubling every six to seven days,” a report released Wednesday from the Grattan Institute reads. “Over the past week the growth pattern has slowed and shifted from the exponential doubling to a linear trend with the number of new cases in Australia increasing by about 350 per day. If this rate continues, Australia’s current ICU capacity will be able to cope.” But there’s always a “but”. “But it is still early days. And our current testing regimen may not be shedding as much light on community transmission as we need. With limited community testing, and a disease which is asymptomatic or mild for many, we don’t know how far infections have spread into the community and so we don’t know the actual number of new cases each day.” So when will things return back to normal? The simple answer: When people build up immunity. “It will largely depend on being able to say who is safe from contracting the coronavirus,” says University of Queensland research fellow Larisa Labzin. No one knows yet if those who have contracted the virus are now immune from catching it again, which is why according to the molecular bioscientist, it’s crucial to test those who have the virus, but also those who have already had it. “An antibody test – which would identify those whose immune systems have already encountered the virus, as opposed to current tests that reveal the presence of the virus itself – will be an important part of efforts to track the true extent of the outbreak,” Labzin writes. Australia has ordered 1.5 million antibody testing kits, so it can be understood whether the immune system can recognise and fight off COVID-19 after recovering from the virus. It’s a different testing process to what is currently being applied. But Australia has ordered 1.5 million antibody test kits. We need to confirm immune systems can recognise – and fight off – COVID19 after recovering from the virus. “These kinds of tests will help clinicians and scientists measure exactly how soon after infection we develop antibodies, what levels are needed to be protective and how long these antibodies stay in our body,” Labzin writes. “But there is still a long way to go before we can test people’s blood for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and confidently say it is safe for people to go back to work or into the community without getting sick,” Labzin warns. With a vaccine still at least 18 months away, the recurring message is the need to test, and to keep the number of active cases down to levels the health care system can handle.

Domestic Travel

Why social distancing feels so unnatural

For many people, the most distressing part of the coronavirus pandemic is the idea of social isolation. If we get ill, we quarantine ourselves for the protection of others. But even among the healthy, loneliness may be setting in as we engage with pre-emptive <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults">social distancing</a>. There is some <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-prevent-loneliness-in-a-time-of-social-distancing/">great advice</a> out there about how to stay connected at such times. But why is the act of social distancing so hard for so many of us? The answer probably has more to do with our evolutionary history than people might think. Humans are part of a very sociable group, the primates. Primates are distinguished from other animals by their grasping hands and various ways of moving around, and because they show a high level of social interaction. Compared to other mammals of the same body size, primates also have <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=20tlZXXWX-MC&printsec=frontcover&dq=evolution+of+the+brain+and+intelligence&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSusmC_ajoAhVMTcAKHQZkArgQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=evolution%20of%20the%20brain%20and%20intelligence&f=false">larger brains</a>. There are several hypotheses about why this is. We know, for instance, that within the primates, species which face ecological challenges like accessing hard-to-reach foods have slightly larger brains. Doing these things may require more sophisticated brains. Our large brains seem to be as much about managing our social relationships as our survival skills. Brain size in all mammals is linked to understanding and intelligence. In primates it is also <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/social-network-size-linked-brain-size/">positively correlated with social group size</a>. Living in groups requires us to understand relationships, both amicable and conflicting, with those around us. For primates, remembering how two individuals have interacted in the past, and how they might feel about each other now, is necessary knowledge when deciding who to approach for help. Social skills are therefore fundamental for survival in group situations. Human brains are even larger than those of other primates. If we apply the scaling rule to ourselves, we would predict an average social group size of around 150 people. This prediction seems to be true. Workplaces, for example, have been shown to function better when there are <a href="https://www.npr.org/2011/06/04/136723316/dont-believe-facebook-you-only-have-150-friends?t=1584705448989">no more than 150 employees</a>. Why live in groups? Living in a group offers <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321488748_Group_living">various advantages</a>. Larger groups have better defences against rivals and predators. They are often better able to find food – more pairs of eyes searching for fruit trees means more success – and they are more able to defend that food from competitors. There are reproductive advantages, too. The larger the group, the more likely any individual is to be able to find a suitable mate. In more social species, there is also the potential availability of alternative care-givers to babysit or teach the young. Infant primates have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3192902/">lots of</a> complicated social and physical skills to learn. Living in a group gives them more opportunities to develop those skills in a safe environment under the watchful eye of an elder. Finally, larger social groups have more capacity to generate, retain and transmit knowledge. Older members are more numerous in larger groups. They may remember how to access difficult or unusual resources, and be able to show others how to do it. This can mean the difference between survival or death. For instance in a drought, only the oldest members of the group may remember where the remaining water holes are. How are we different? All this goes some way to explaining why being socially isolated can be so very uncomfortable for us. Modern humans are one of the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4302252/">most social species</a> of all mammals. As we evolved since our split with chimpanzees, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/human-evolution/Increasing-brain-size">our brains have continued to expand</a>. These increases seem to fit with even more intense reliance on community. Several of our distinctive features, including language and culture, suggest that modern humans are particularly dependent on social living. The most convincing evidence, however, may come from our characteristic division of labour. A <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/division-of-labour">division of labour</a> means that we allocate various specific tasks to different people or groups. In hunter-gatherer societies, some individuals may go hunting, while others collect plants, care for children or produce clothing or tools. Humans employ this strategy more than any other primate. Today, there are many people who have never hunted or grown their own food – these tasks instead being delegated to other people or companies, like supermarkets. This means we are free to work on other things, but it also makes us intensely dependent on our social networks for day-to-day necessities. An evolutionary perspective We have literally evolved to be social creatures, and it’s really no wonder so many of us find social distancing intimidating. It’s not all doom and gloom, however. Humans’ intense sociability has evolved over a very long period of time to make us habitually able to maintain relationships with large numbers of people, and so improve our shared chances of survival. We have already evolved symbolic language and huge cultural and technological capacities. If we had not, we would have no way to live in our increasingly global society, where maintaining personal links to everyone we depend on is effectively impossible. Current social distancing measures are, in fact, all about physical distance. But today, physical distance doesn’t have to mean social isolation. Our rich human history of managing social interaction in new ways suggests that we have a talent for adapting and innovating to compensate for difficulty. In the last 20 years, the explosion of mobile phones, the internet and social media has turned us into “super-communicators”. This is proof of our deep desire to be connected with each other. Our inner ape craves company, and in this time of physical distancing, these methods of staying in touch really come into their own.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/134271/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/isabelle-catherine-winder-709653">Isabelle Catherine Winder</a>, Lecturer in Zoology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bangor-university-1221">Bangor University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vivien-shaw-884795">Vivien Shaw</a>, Lecturer in Anatomy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bangor-university-1221">Bangor University</a> 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/coronavirus-experts-in-evolution-explain-why-social-distancing-feels-so-unnatural-134271">original article</a>.

Mind

Contamination experiment shows why social distancing is important

As the new coronavirus continues to spread around the world, social distancing has become the new normal. We have been accustomed to sanitising our hands, coughing under cover, and keeping at least 1.5 metre away from others in shops and on the street. However, these guidelines are often forgone during visits to family’s or friends’ house as people let their guard down and interact freely. In light of this phenomenon, a 2010 clip from the Discovery Channel television series Mythbusters has once again been circulated around the Internet to warn the public about how easily the virus might be spread in close vicinity. <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k1j8bh8_O_Q"></iframe></div> In the video, host Adam Savage performed a dinner party experiment. Savage put on a small rig filled with fluorescent dye – which was invisible to the naked eye – by his nose and went on to host the party for six guests while pretending to have a cold. Some of the things Savage carried out during the experiment included pouring alcohol, handing out plates and shaking hands. The UV light later revealed that the nasal secretions significantly contaminated five out of the six dinner guests. The sixth guest, Kari, was aware of the experiment and said she was a germaphobe. One of the more recent comments on the video said: “What a great way to show how easily our nose goo can spread to others. If you are sick, please keep others safe and self-quarantine!”

Caring

Coronavirus distancing measures: Here are 3 things to ask yourself before you see someone

This article is based on the coronavirus and COVID-19 situation as of March 23. It’s important to remember that the situation is rapidly developing and official advice may change. If the flurry of new orders released in the last 24 hours has you feeling confused about what’s OK and what’s not when it comes to social contact, you’re not alone. It’s so difficult to adopt a set of hard and fast rules with the advice changing so quickly. Government departments have put out detailed guidance but that won’t cover all situations. Experts in the public sphere will give different advice. The fact is, if there’s an activity you want or need to do and you’re not sure if it’s advisable, often you’ll have to make a call. After ensuring that it doesn’t breach public orders, your decision will need to be based on your assessment of the risks and benefits. Whatever activity you’re considering, it can help to first clearly list your options. For example, if I’m talking to a friend with kids, we could organise to meet at the park, in a house, online or not at all. Or if I want to catch up with my sister, I could do it in person or on the phone. Then ask yourself some important questions as you consider your options. Here are three considerations that should help you make an informed decision on behalf of your family and the wider community. <ol> <li> What’s the latest advice of my state or territory health department?</li> </ol> The first is to look to the latest advice for your state and territory health department, and be aware that they may change from day to day or even within a day. So keep checking. Some departments are now developing quite detailed lists of dos and don'ts that are being updated as quick as is humanly possible. <ol start="2"> <li> Do I know the latest on how the virus moves between people?</li> </ol> Understanding as much as you can about the way that the virus moves between people can help you make an informed decision about whether an activity you’re considering doing poses a higher risk of passing coronavirus on or picking it up. The coronavirus causing COVID-19 is currently thought to be passed on through contact and droplet transmission. It comes from the mucous membranes (meaning the wet parts of your face - mouth, nose and eyes). A person with the infection might cough or sneeze or touch their mouth or nose and then touch another surface where it can remain infectious for a time. The virus is able to move to another person through direct contact with droplets from the cough or sneeze or if they touch that surface with their hands then touch their mouth, nose or eyes. The more symptomatic somebody is, the more easy it is to get the infection but people with very mild symptoms can still pass it on. More is being learnt about the virus and this knowledge may change. That is why handwashing and cough or sneeze etiquette is so important. COVID-19 is currently thought to be mostly spread by people who have symptoms and have been in close contact with others. Those more at risk of it are those who have had contact with someone who has been diagnosed with it or have recently returned from overseas. However, that is changing as it moves more in the general community in Australia. That basic understanding of how it moves can help people make decisions of who to see, how to see them, how to behave in public places and at home. <ol start="3"> <li> How do the risks of a certain activity weigh up against the benefits?</li> </ol> Whenever you are considering doing some activity with somebody, you need to weigh up the risks of harm with the potential benefits. First, make sure you are abiding by the public health orders. Also remember that this is not just a decision about your personal risk. We are all reducing the chain of transmission by reducing our contact with others as much as we can. Sometimes, we will still want or need contact with others. First of all, we need to accept that we take a risk whenever we have contact with another person and we need to weigh that risk against the potential benefits. There might be really important social benefits, for example, for seeing a person for whom contact with others is extremely important. There might be benefits in helping someone who has less access to resources than we do – for example, helping a neighbour in need. In these instances, if you decide to take the risk, it is important to follow guidance on doing everything you possibly can do to minimise the spread of COVID-19 within that encounter. That means proper hand hygeine; washing hands when arriving and leaving. Try to stay 1.5 metres or more apart. Never go out and meet with others if you have respiratory symptoms such as a cough, or a fever. And it means trying to avoid contact with people at greater risk of severe disease, such as those with existing chronic disease, an older person, or person who is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. If the COVID-19 risk is really high to that person, then maybe the benefits don’t outweigh the potential harm. You may be forced to make a really hard decision. Hard decisions ahead There’s no magic cut off where you stop all risk. We have got to accept it is about degrees of risk and what we collectively do to minimise it. If we choose to have contact with another person, while staying within the boundaries of what is permissible based on the government requirements, then it’s important you have a set of evidence-based principles that helps guide your decision-making. Written by Julie Leask. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-distancing-measures-are-confusing-here-are-3-things-to-ask-yourself-before-you-see-someone-134394">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

New York wedding officiated from fourth-floor window amid social distancing

As weddings around the world are being cancelled or postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, a New York couple has found a way to carry on with their nuptials – by having a friend officiate the ceremony from a fourth-floor window. Reilly Jennings and Amanda Wheeler tied the knot on Friday on a small sidewalk in the city. Their friend Matt Wilson, who is a licensed marriage officiant, led the ceremony from his fourth-floor apartment window as part of social distancing efforts. The couple exchanged their vows as a few friends stood witness from several metres away. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B9_98yxpw7Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B9_98yxpw7Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Reilly Jennings (@reillyjennings)</a> on Mar 21, 2020 at 7:47am PDT </div> </blockquote> Jennings and Wheeler initially planned to wed in October, but decided to have a quick courthouse wedding amid concerns “that things weren’t going back to normal for quite a while”. Jennings said Wilson texted them on group chat, letting them know he was ordained by the county clerk of New York and could help them “get hitched”. “We texted, ‘Wanna marry us outside your window in the next 24hrs?’ and he said ‘YES!’” Jennings told CNN. “To that I replied, ‘How about in 90 minutes?’ We both finished up work meetings, got dressed, picked up some flowers, and headed to his apartment around the corner.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9-kCC8Jfca/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9-kCC8Jfca/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Reilly Jennings (@reillyjennings)</a> on Mar 20, 2020 at 6:39pm PDT </div> </blockquote> The wedding came as businesses were closed and residents of the US city were told to keep their distance and stay indoors where possible. Speaking to <a href="https://www.eonline.com/au/news/1133191/couple-marries-on-new-york-street-as-friend-officiates-wedding-from-3-floors-up">E!News</a>, Jennings said she and Wheeler will remember “the overwhelming sense of joy and love amidst a scary and uncertain time”.

Relationships

Owners shocked as they’re reunited with cat after 3,400km five-year trip

Sasha the cat hadn’t been seen by his owners in five years after a long walk meant that he didn’t come home. However, in a surprise twist, they are set to be reunited this week as the adventurous cat went on a shocking 3,400km journey from their home in Portland, Oregon. This means that Sasha was found in Santa Fe, which is in the US’s far south. His owner, Vicktor Usov had figured that a coyote had gotten to Sasha five years ago. “We waited a week or so,” Mr Usov said to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2019/11/portland-man-to-reunite-with-lost-cat-found-1300-miles-away-after-five-years-on-the-loose.html?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=theoregonian_sf&utm_source=facebook" target="_blank">The Oregonian</a>. “But when we didn’t get a call from the Humane Society and no one returned him, we figured a coyote got him. We were upset but we moved on.” However, a phone call from an animal shelter in Santa Fe turned around Usov’s day. "We have this long-haired black cat ... it's attached to your name on its microchip," the voice on the line said. The animal shelter officer that found Sasha said that they were lucky he was microchipped as it could be proved he belonged to Portland resident Viktor Usov. It appears that Sasha was less than thrilled when he was picked up. "He was very mad when we picked him up," said Murad Kirdar of the Santa Fe Animal Shelter to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-cat-turns-up-1300-miles-away-five-years-later-santa-fe-new-mexico/283-657bf08c-8683-4b05-bcdd-ecd755924e53" target="_blank">KGW</a>. "He's not skinny ... definitely been eating." Usov is thrilled for his return, although he’s unsure as to how Sasha got more than 3,400kms away. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsfhumanesociety%2Fvideos%2F441579156500117%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> "He went on a grand American adventure," Usov said. "He stopped by the Grand Canyon, Crater Lake, he saw the monuments, all the national parks, definitely Redwood Forest." Usov also reminisced on quirks of Sasha after adopting him from the Humane Society in Oregan. "He'd always greet you at the door with his little tail wagging," said Usov. "Loved his belly scratched." "I will recognise him for sure," Usov said. Sasha is currently on a flight home to Portland, where the pair will be reunited.

Family & Pets

Make your retirement funds go the distance

You only get one shot at going into retirement, so it is essential that you go in with your eyes wide open. That means being aware of where your income may be coming from, how to plan for living and recreational expenses, and making decisions that are balanced and have an eye on the long term. The earlier you start preparing, the more options you will have, so here are some top tips to get the ball rolling. Where do you stand now? Even if you haven’t been especially concerned about financial planning throughout your working life, it is important to do so as you enter retirement, where you are no longer able to rely on earned income. The first part of the planning process is to get a clear understanding of where you currently stand financially. What assets do you have and what are they worth? This includes your home, your savings and investments accounts, your superannuation, and your possessions. Key dates to be aware of The next step is to establish the key milestones as you transition to retirement. The first milestone is your “preservation age” — the age at which you can access your super. Provided you have retired from the workforce, the minimum preservation age is 55 years if you were born before July 1960. This age increases on a sliding scale up to age 60 for those born after June 1964. The second milestone is the age at which you are eligible for the age pension. For those born before July 1952, this will be 65. For those younger than that, it can be as high as age 67, depending on your date of birth. Eligibility also depends on the income and assets tests. Plan around your lifestyle decisions Once you know when your super and pension income will kick in, you can start to plan your finances around the lifestyle activities you want to engage in during the potentially long years of retirement ahead. For example, you may want to: <ul> <li>Travel in the earlier stages of retirement, before settling down</li> <li>Make some renovations around the home in the earlier years, so you don’t have to worry about them later</li> <li>Make major recreational purchases, such as a boat or motorhome</li> <li>Downsize your home or move to a retirement village down the track</li> </ul> Ideally, all of these major lifestyle decisions should be projected early, so that you can allocate funds for them, decide where those funds should be drawn from, and ensure that you have enough left to generate an ongoing income. Assess your income options Get a clear picture of where your retirement income may come from. This could include: <ul> <li>Income from super</li> <li>Investments outside super</li> <li>Part-time employment</li> <li>The age pension</li> <li>Home equity release or selling the family home</li> </ul> In assessing these income sources, you need to consider whether one may impact another. For example, selling the family home or working part-time may impact your age pension. Take full advantage of entitlements While the age pension on its own may not be enough to fund the lifestyle you want to enjoy, it can certainly be a handy supplement to your ongoing living income. Apart from the pension itself, there may also be other benefits, such as travel concessions, cheaper medicines, and reduced council and water rates, which can translate into a significant amount of savings every year. Structuring your investments to maximise entitlements is therefore a critical issue and some professional financial advice can make a big difference in that regard. Is work an option? Not everyone is particularly keen on making a sudden shift from full-time work to full-time leisure, so if you are still interested in continuing to work part-time, it can help you delay drawing down on your super and other assets. There are incentives within the social security system to encourage this, so seek advice to see how it may be a good option for you financially. Budgeting is essential There may be a temptation to splurge a little when you first receive a large lump sum from your super, but make sure you project your living expenses properly before taking the plunge. More than ever, a simple budget is essential to ensure you don’t outlive your income in retirement, so ask for advice and get things in writing to make it as tangible as possible. Don’t forget to include emergency funds in your budget to take care of any surprises or spikes in expenses, such as unexpected illness, a house move, or a family crisis. Get advice early As you can see from the factors mentioned here, there are many interconnected elements to planning income and expenses for retirement: speak to a financial planner to help put the puzzle together, structure a diversified investment strategy, maximise entitlements, and map out your lifestyle and living expense needs. What are your biggest concerns about getting through retirement without financial worry? Share your thoughts below. Written by Bridges. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/money/financial-planning/make-your-retirement-funds-go-the-distance.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.

Money & Banking

6 tips for driving long distances

With a rich, diverse landscape, Australia is one of the best countries for driving in the world. And there’s nothing like that sense of freedom you get when embarking on a road trip to one of our country’s many incredible attractions. But even if you’ve explored our sunburnt country from top to tail, it’s still important to be aware of the many risks involved when you’re driving for an extended period. To make sure you get to your destination on time and alive, we’ve provided a rundown containing six expert tips for driving long distances. To see them all, scroll through the gallery above. What’s the longest drive you’ve ever completed? Tell us in the comments below.

Insurance

5 great tips to make long distance travel easier

Do yourself a favour and take some of the pain out of your next long trip. 1. Plan ahead In the days leading up to a long flight or extended car trip, there are a few things you can do to ensure your body is in tip top condition. Stay away from heavy or spicy foods so that your stomach won’t be playing up. Drink plenty of water so that you’ll be hydrated and stay away from alcohol so you’re not nursing a hangover. Make sure you get plenty of rest (especially if you’re going to be the one driving) so you’re raring to go when travel day arrives. 2. Pack plenty of entertainment Boredom is your number one enemy during long distance travel. Stock up on books and magazines, download some new music or podcasts, and charge up your iPad. If you’re flying, you should have a seatback entertainment screen but you never know when these are going to be down, making for a dull flight. If you don’t want to carry all your heavy books home again, think about donating them or leaving them in a hotel library. 3. Do your exercises Sitting still in a small airplane or car seat can wreak havoc on your body, so make sure you get moving. A few basic stretches in your seat or walking laps around the aisles can make all the difference. Exercise is also one of the best ways to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can cause deadly blood clots, usually developing in the leg. Airline inflight magazines will usually list some preventative moves you can try. 4. Dress appropriately Loose, stretchy clothing in light, breathable fabrics are your friends for long distance travel. You don’t want to be stuck sitting for hours in a tight, uncomfortable outfit for hours at a time. Black or other dark colours are best for hiding the inevitable in-travel spills. You can also look into compression socks which will assist with blood flow and can also help prevent DVT. Keep a pair in your carry on and slip them on once you’ve boarded your flight. 5. Bring comfort supplies In the good old days of air travel, you would be given a pillow and blanket, and maybe even an eye mask and ear plugs. Nowadays, you’ll need to be organised and bring your own. Make up your own comfort pack of a blow up travel pillow, light blanket or large scarf, and basic toiletries (especially a toothbrush) to keep with you. An eye mask and ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones can be lifesavers when it comes to getting some sleep and also help regulate your circadian rhythms by restricting light. What tips would you suggest?

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