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Feed your family on a budget this Christmas with Aldi’s delectable hams

Aldi’s range of delicious Christmas feasts have made it easier than ever to go ham this festive season. The iconic supermarket, known for their low prices and high quality goods, have released their range of seven delectable ham options from just $7.99 per kilogram, catering to shoppers on every budget. The incredibly priced Australian Half Leg Ham is back with a bang this yearat only $7.99 p/kg (that’s 40 cents per serve!), with options to Go A Little Extra with a Triple Smoked Boneless Ham ($12.99 p/kg), or the crowd favourite Crackling Ham ($19.99 p/kg). For those looking for a festive feast for a smaller gathering, there is also an Australian Quarter Portion Leg Ham ($11.49 p/kg) or the NEW Lightly Smoked Boneless Ham Portion ($19.99 /kg). For those looking to jazz up their hams to impress their loved ones, Aldi has also shared two easy to follow recipes for heavenly glazes, with dozens of recipes available on the extensive new <a href="https://www.aldi.com.au/recipes/christmas-recipes/">online recipe hub</a>. This year, Aldi’s two feature glazes are the mouth-watering <a href="https://www.aldi.com.au/recipes/christmas-recipes/christmas-dinner-recipes/pomegranate-and-maple-glazed-ham-recipe/">Pomegranate and Maple Glaze</a>, and the Brown Sugar Honey Pineapple Glaze. For your Pomegranate and Maple Glazed Ham, you’ll need just four ingredients, totalling $1.18 per serve for six people. Pomegranate and Maple Glazed Ham <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 160g pomegranate seeds </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 125ml Brookdale maple syrup </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 1 tsp Colway dijon mustard </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> ½ tsp Stonemill ground ginger </li> </ul> For the Brown Sugar Honey Pineapple Glaze, you’ll need five ingredients, coming to a mere 45 cents per serve, with the recipe serving between 12 and 18 people. Brown Sugar Honey Pineapple Glaze <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 275g White Mill brown sugar </li> </ul> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 300g pineapple juice </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 280g Bramwells Yellow Box Honey </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 2 Tbsp Colway Dijon mustard </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 75g Pure Valley Unsalted Butter </li> </ul> For more festive recipes, from roasts and sides, to desserts and drinks, make sure to check out the Aldi online recipe hub, and don’t forget to pick up your scrumptious Aldi ham to feed your family without breaking the bank this Christmas. Image credits: Supplied

Food & Wine

SecondBite's Feed the Future Program: cultivating hope, one meal at a time

In a world where food insecurity continues to plague communities, there shines a beacon of hope in the form of <a href="https://secondbite.org/">SecondBite</a>. Since its inception in 2005, SecondBite has worked tirelessly to rescue and redistribute surplus food, ensuring that no Australian goes to bed hungry. Now, with the launch of their Feed the Future program, they are taking their commitment to combating hunger and waste to new heights. The impact of SecondBite's efforts is truly staggering. Having already rescued and redistributed the equivalent of almost 300 million meals, they have become a lifeline for countless individuals and families facing food insecurity across the nation. But as the demand for their services continues to rise, so too does the need for support from generous donors and supporters. At the heart of SecondBite's purpose is the belief that every Australian deserves access to nutritious food, regardless of their circumstances. Through their Feed the Future program, they are not only addressing immediate hunger but also working towards a future where hunger and food waste are relics of the past. One individual who embodied this spirit of generosity was the late Frank Costa AO, a prominent Australian businessman and philanthropist. His unwavering commitment to giving back to the community lives on through a generous $1 million donation to SecondBite's Future Trust, ensuring that his legacy of compassion and service will continue to make a difference for years to come. “Frank was so passionate about health and the role that nutritious food plays in keeping us healthy,” says his widow, Shirley Costa. “He always said that the best way to preserve your health is to put the right food in your body, in particular, fruit and vegetables. He felt genuinely proud to provide a service to people, but also to contribute to their health and happiness. And he hoped that his gift would allow SecondBite to continue this legacy.” <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-70396" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SecondBite_Hero_02.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /> For those considering leaving a gift to SecondBite in their will, the Feed the Future program offers a unique opportunity to create a lasting impact. By becoming a member, supporters can join a community of like-minded individuals dedicated to building a future where no one goes hungry. Membership in the Feed the Future program comes with a range of exclusive benefits, including a certificate of recognition, a special lapel pin, invitations to events, and even a symbolic apple tree to plant in your garden as a testament to your commitment to ending hunger. But perhaps the greatest reward of all is the knowledge that your gift will help SecondBite continue their vital work, providing nourishment, hope and dignity to those in need. Together, we can create a future where every Australian has a place at the table, and no one is left behind. <img class="alignnone wp-image-70420 size-full" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Cropped-Image_secondbite_770.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /> “If you share our vision of a place at the table for all Australians, so that every child, woman and man has access to a regular nutritious food supply,” says SecondBite co-founder Ian Carson, “please consider joining our Feed the Future program and making a gift to SecondBite in your Will.” To learn more about how you can support SecondBite's Feed the Future program and make a difference in the lives of those facing food insecurity, contact their team today at 1800 263 283 or visit <a href="https://secondbite.org/gifts-in-will/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secondbite.org/gifts-in-will</a>. Join us in cultivating a brighter future for all Australians, one meal at a time. Images: Supplied. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with SecondBite.

Food & Wine

Coles shopper admits to stealing to feed her family amid cost of living crisis

A woman has made a desperate plea to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after overhearing a teary Coles shopper admit to shoplifting to feed her family. The woman was shopping in her local Coles supermarket when she overheard another shopper confess the desperate act to her friend, as the cost of living crisis continues to impact struggling Aussies. Australia’s cost of living crisis is continuing to see millions struggle with soaring interest rates and rent prices, high energy bills and rising supermarket costs, with many being forced to take drastic measures to survive. Sharing on Facebook, the woman said she was feeling “let down” and “hoodwinked” by the Albanese government after listening to the Coles customer’s heartbreaking story. “Anthony Albanese, I am so deeply saddened to hear someone shopping at Coles admit to her friend in tears that sometimes she now steals food because she simply can’t put food on the table any other way,” she wrote. “Of course there is food relief et al (but those services are also at breaking point). It’s disheartening to witness firsthand the desperation that leads someone to resort to theft just to put food on the table." “While I have you, I am feeling let down and somewhat hoodwinked by you. Your sentiment around truly understanding hardship because of your upbringing seems to have been just talk." “What I heard today made me realise that not enough is being done that was promised to make a positive impact on the lives of those struggling with adversity.” Many commented on the post saying not enough was being done to help battling Aussies, and urging the government to do more. “The line at ReachOut (food pantry) was around the corner and down the street this afternoon,” one said. Another added, “Food costs are beyond ridiculous right now. I fear that the horse has bolted and once it’s out ... it’s not coming back for pats. “And sorry to say but Albo is just another politician. Hope he sees this and listens but I’m not holding my breath. Sad state of affairs.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Mum shamed and denied food for bottle feeding her baby

A Brisbane mother has been left feeling "devastated, guilty and enraged" after being targeted by a controversial rule after she took her baby to the emergency room. It was the middle of the night when Sarah Stoddart's 12-week-old daughter became extremely unwell. The baby, who Sarah had decided to bottle feed, was vomiting and running a temperature, prompting her worried mother to take her to the emergency department of Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane's north. Things started to go wrong for Sarah when she was handed a "welcome sheet" after arriving at the hospital. "They had circled and brought to my attention that only breastfeeding mothers were entitled to meals," she <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-mum-denied-food-at-hospital-for-not-breastfeeding-child/f8ea2db9-b448-4ce8-8dfb-6e65657cc5ab" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:told Nine News;cpos:5;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0" data-rapid_p="12" data-v9y="1">told Nine News</a>. "First of all [it] made me feel devastated and guilty but then quite enraged, that is a decision that is being made in this country and this state in 2023." Furious, Ms Stoddart claims staff eventually told her that they could "make an exception" and would "sneak through an approval" so that she could get fed. According to Sarah, her partner was at home looking after the couple's other kids, and the whole ordeal left her feeling guilty over a decision that was made for the health of their child. She added that mothers are "already struggling with enough" in the first trimester and "don't need the judgement from the government as to how they chose to feed their child". After speaking out about her treatment at the hospital and raising the issue with Metro North Health, the hospital has changed their policy. "The Prince Charles Hospital now provides meals to parents of children six months and under who are admitted into our care," Prince Charles Hospital said in a statement. "Parents of all patients admitted to the Paediatric Ward at The Prince Charles Hospital have access to food, water, tea and coffee. Further paid options, including fresh food vending machines, cafes and a stocked fridge, are accessible 24hrs a day." Queensland's Health Minister Shannon Fentiman she would work with other hospitals across the state to ensure a similar scenario does not occur again. "It shouldn't really matter whether you are breastfeeding or not, it should be about trying to make our parents who are doing the best they can to look after their sick kids as comfortable as possible," she said. Image credits: Nine News

Caring

Feed me: 4 ways to take control of social media algorithms and get the content you actually want

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marc-cheong-998488">Marc Cheong</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Whether it’s Facebook’s News Feed or TikTok’s For You page, social media algorithms are constantly making behind-the-scenes decisions to boost certain content – giving rise to the “curated” feeds we’ve all become accustomed to. But does anyone actually know how these algorithms work? And, more importantly, is there a way to “game” them to see more of the content you want? <h2>Optimising for engagement</h2> In broader computing terms, an algorithm is simply a set of rules that specifies a particular computational procedure. In a social media context, algorithms (specifically “recommender algorithms”) determine everything from what you’re likely to read, to whom you’re likely to follow, to whether a specific post appears in front of you. Their main goal is to <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.14679">sustain your attention</a> for as long as possible, in a process called “optimising for engagement”. The more you engage with content on a platform, the more effectively that platform can commodify your attention and target you with ads: its main revenue source. One of the earliest social media <a href="https://mashable.com/archive/facebook-news-feed-evolution">feed algorithms</a> came from Facebook in the mid-2000s. It can be summarised in one sentence "Sort all of the user’s friend updates – including photos, statuses and more – in reverse chronological order (newer posts first)." Since then, algorithms have become much more powerful and nuanced. They now take myriad factors into consideration to determine how content is promoted. For instance, Twitter’s “For You” recommendation algorithm is based on a neural network that uses <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/engineering/en_us/topics/open-source/2023/twitter-recommendation-algorithm">about 48 million parameters</a>! <h2>A black box</h2> Imagine a hypothetical user named Basil who follows users and pages that primarily discuss space, dog memes and cooking. Social media algorithms might give Basil recommendations for T-shirts featuring puppies dressed as astronauts. Although this might seem simple, algorithms are typically “black boxes” that have their inner workings hidden. It’s in the interests of tech companies to keep the recipe for their “secret sauce”, well, a secret. Trying to “game” an algorithm is like trying to solve a 3D box puzzle without any instructions and without being able to peer inside. You can only use trial-and-error – manipulating the pieces you see on the outside, and gauging the effects on the overall state of the box. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?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/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/525271/original/file-20230510-27-qte7k8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Manipulating social media algorithms isn’t impossible, but it’s still tricky due to how opaque they are. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> Even when an algorithm’s code is revealed to the public – such as <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2023/a-new-era-of-transparency-for-twitter">when Twitter released</a> the source code for its recommender algorithm in March – it’s not enough to bend them to one’s will. Between the sheer complexity of the code, constant tweaks by developers, and the presence of arbitrary design choices (such as <a href="https://mashable.com/article/twitter-releases-algorithm-showing-it-tracks-elon-musk-tweets">explicitly tracking</a> Elon Musk’s tweets), any claims of being able to perfectly “game” an algorithm should be taken with a pinch of salt. TikTok’s algorithm, in particular, is notoriously powerful yet opaque. A Wall Street Journal investigation found it uses “subtle cues, such as how long you linger on a video” to predict what you’re <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-algorithm-video-investigation-11626877477">likely to engage with</a>. <h2>So what can you do?</h2> That said, there are some ways you can try to curate your social media to serve you better. Since algorithms are powered by your data and social media habits, a good first step is to change these habits and data – or at least understand how they may be shaping your online experience. <h1>1. Engage with content you trust and want more of</h1> Regardless of the kind of feed you want to create, it’s important to follow reliable sources. Basil, who is fascinated by space, knows they would do well to follow NASA and steer clear of users who believe the Moon is made of cheese. Think critically about the accounts and pages you follow, asking <a href="https://guides.lib.uw.edu/research/faq/reliable">questions such as</a> Who is the author of this content? Do they have authority in this topic? Might they have a bias, or an agenda? The higher the quality of the content you engage with, the more likely it is that you’ll be recommended similarly valuable content (rather than fake news or nonsense). Also, you can play to the ethos of “optimising for engagement” by engaging more (and for longer) with the kind of content you want to be recommended. That means liking and sharing it, and actively seeking out similar posts. <h1>2. Be stingy with your information</h1> Secondly, you can be parsimonious in providing your data to platforms. Social media companies know more about you than you think – from your location, to your perceived interests, to your activities outside the app, and even the activities and interests of your social circle! If you limit the information you provide about yourself, you limit the extent to which the algorithm can target you. It helps to keep your different social media accounts unlinked, and to avoid using the “Login with Facebook” or “Login with Google” options when signing up for a new account. <h1>3. Use your settings</h1> Adjusting your <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/privacy/facebook-privacy-settings-a1775535782/">privacy and personalisation settings</a> will further help you avoid being microtargeted through your feed. The “Off-Facebook Activity” <a href="https://www.kaspersky.com.au/blog/what-is-off-facebook-activity/28925/">setting</a> allows you to break the link between your Facebook account and your activities outside of Facebook. Similar options exist for <a href="https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/account-privacy-settings">TikTok</a> and <a href="https://help.twitter.com/en/resources/how-you-can-control-your-privacy">Twitter</a>. Ad blockers and privacy-enhancing browser add-ons can also help. These tools, such as the open-source <a href="https://ublockorigin.com/">uBlock Origin</a> and <a href="https://privacybadger.org/">Privacy Badger</a>, help prevent cookies and marketing pixels from “following” your browsing habits as you move between social media and other websites. <h1>4. Get (dis)engaged</h1> A final piece of advice is to simply disengage with content you don’t want in your feed. This means: <ul> <li>ignoring any posts you aren’t a fan of, or “hiding” them if possible</li> <li>taking mindful breaks to avoid “<a href="https://theconversation.com/doomscrolling-is-literally-bad-for-your-health-here-are-4-tips-to-help-you-stop-190059">doomscrolling</a>”</li> <li>regularly revising who you follow, and making sure this list coincides with what you want from your feed.</li> </ul> So, hypothetically, could Basil unfollow all users and pages unrelated to space, dog memes and cooking to ultimately starve the recommender algorithm of potential ways to distract them? Well, not exactly. Even if they do this, the algorithm won’t necessarily “forget” all their data: it might still exist in caches or backups. Because of how complex and pervasive algorithms are, you can’t guarantee control over them. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t let tech giants’ bottom line dictate how you engage with social media. By being aware of how algorithms work, what they’re capable of and what their purpose is, you can make the shift from being a sitting duck for advertisers to an active curator of your own feeds. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?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/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=115&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=115&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=115&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=144&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=144&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498128/original/file-20221129-22-imtnz0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=144&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure> The Conversation is commissioning articles by academics across the world who are researching how society is being shaped by our digital interactions with each other. <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/social-media-and-society-125586">Read more here</a><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/204374/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marc-cheong-998488">Marc Cheong</a>, Senior Lecturer of Information Systems, School of Computing and Information Systems; and (Honorary) Senior Fellow, Melbourne Law School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/feed-me-4-ways-to-take-control-of-social-media-algorithms-and-get-the-content-you-actually-want-204374">original article</a>.

Technology

Grandma sparks rift by secretly feeding baby its first solids

There are a lot of exciting firsts for parents, significant milestones that should be theirs to celebrate, but one defiant Grandmother doesn’t quite follow this philosophy. A mum has taken to Reddit to express her fury over her mother-in-law feeding her 10-week-old baby ice cream, the first solid food the child had ever been given. The mum explained on Reddit that she and her mother-in-law have a less-than-perfect relationship. While they remain civil, her mother-in-law’s criticism has only increased since the birth of her child. “I am so aggravated and upset,” she began her post titled “My mother-in-law fed my 10-week-old ice cream. When she was pregnant, her mother-in-law even went as far as to say she was “just the incubator”. Even her husband’s maternal grandmother had told her to be nicer. She also had some unusual bonding activities planned for when her granddaughter was born. "She has been itching to give my baby ice cream or frosting from before I even gave birth. I have noooo idea why. Both my husband and I said no multiple times," the mum wrote. "Yesterday she turned her back to me and gave my two-month-old ice cream. I'm assuming it was just the finger tip full of ice cream. I know this was true because later on she told my husband she did it.” Aside from the mother’s outrage, the bub was left with an upset stomach and a nappy rash. Although her baby wasn’t endangered, she remained understandably upset. "I can't forgive my mother-in-law. She knew it was wrong or she wouldn't have hid. We have repeatedly said no. She's still too young, we were worried about allergies, and we want to be there for fun stuff like that (when she's old enough)," she shared. She asked users if she would be taking it too far if she were to cut contact with her mother-in-law for a while, and they were clearly on the mother’s side. “This got me so heated. This is foul behavior from your mother-in-law." one person commented. “Should never be left alone with your kid. Seriously. She has shown herself to be unfit." another added. "Definitely put your mother-in-law in time out," said a third. "I gasped at this title! Never let her alone with your baby," a fourth wrote. "If it were me, she'd be cut off permanently.” Others questioned how a grandmother could risk making their grandchild sick just to prove a point. "A 10-week-old can't even have water - what the eff was she thinking? This would be my hill I'd happily die on. The rage I've got for you!" said a fellow mum. "That seems like a cruel thing to do to little one's digestive track," said another, while another wrote, "She... made your 10-week-old-baby sick.” The mum added an update thanking those who responded, saying she was overwhelmed. “I knew I would get some responses but I'm truly blown away with the amount. I'm even more blown away that you all believe I am not over-reacting," she wrote. "It makes me feel so validated. “In-law relationships can be so tricky but I truly feel they need a 'time out’." Image credit: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

Name a cockroach after your ex and feed it to an animal this Valentine's Day

The San Antonio Zoo is making a unique offer for scorned lovers this Valentine's Day. For just $14 (AUD), the Texas zoo will name a cockroach after your ex and feed it to an animal, in a brutal display of hilarious pettiness to show someone how you really feel. The annual Cry Me a Cockroach fundraiser will "support the zoo's vision of securing a future for wildlife in Texas and around the world" the San Antonio Zoo says on its <a href="https://sazoo.org/cry-me-a-cockroach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>. For those not into bugs, you can choose a vegetable for $7, or a rodent for $35 to be fed to a hungry zoo resident. All donors will receive a digital Valentine's Day Card showing their support for the zoo. They can also opt to send their ex-partner a digital Valentine's Day Card informing them that a cockroach, rodent, or veggie was named after them and fed to an animal. For those who really want to make a statement, you can pay for a $200 upgrade which includes a personalised video message to the recipient showing their cockroach, rodent or vegetable being devoured by an animal. The annual event continues to be a hit, with Cyle Perez, the zoo's director of public relations, telling CNN last year that they received more than 8,000 donations from all 50 states and over 30 different countries. "Right now, we are on track to break last year's record, with 'Zach,' 'Ray' and 'Adam' being the most submitted ex-names so far," Perez said. To participate, you'll need to <a href="https://sazoo.org/cry-me-a-cockroach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">submit your ex's name online</a> before Valentine's Day. Image credits: San Antonio Zoo

Relationships

Social media use and poor wellbeing feed into each other in a vicious cycle

We often hear about the negative impacts of social media on our wellbeing, but we don’t usually think of it the other way round – whereby how we feel may impact how we use social media. In a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00127-022-02363-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent study</a>, my colleagues and I investigated the relationship between social media use and wellbeing in more than 7,000 adults across four years, using survey responses from the longitudinal <a href="https://www.psych.auckland.ac.nz/en/about/new-zealand-attitudes-and-values-study.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study</a>. We found social media use and wellbeing impact each other. Poorer wellbeing – specifically higher psychological distress and lower life satisfaction – predicted higher social media use one year later, and higher social media use predicted poorer wellbeing one year later. A vicious cycle Interestingly, wellbeing impacted social media use more than the other way round. Going from having “no distress” to being distressed “some of the time”, or “some of the time” to “most of the time”, was associated with an extra 27 minutes of daily social media use one year later. These findings were the same for men and women across all age groups. This suggests people who have poor wellbeing might be turning to social media more, perhaps as a coping mechanism – but this doesn’t seem to be helping. Unfortunately, and paradoxically, turning to social media may worsen the very feelings and symptoms someone is hoping to escape. Our study found higher social media use results in poorer wellbeing, which in turn increases social media use, exacerbating the existing negative feelings, and so on. This creates a vicious cycle in which people seem to get trapped. If you think this might describe your relationship with social media, there are some strategies you can use to try to get out of this vicious cycle. Reflect on how and why you use social media Social media aren’t inherently bad, but <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmz013" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how and why</a> we use them is really important – even more than how much time we spend on social media. For example, using social media to interact with others or for entertainment has been linked to improved wellbeing, whereas engaging in comparisons on social media can be detrimental to wellbeing. So chat to your friends and watch funny dog videos to your heart’s content, but just watch out for those comparisons. What we look at online is important too. One <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.02.002" target="_blank" rel="noopener">experimental study</a> found just ten minutes of exposure to “fitspiration” images (such as slim/toned people posing in exercise clothing or engaging in fitness) led to significantly poorer mood and body image in women than exposure to travel images. And mindless scrolling can also be harmful. Research suggests this passive use of social media is more damaging to wellbeing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/sipr.12033" target="_blank" rel="noopener">than active use</a> (such as talking or interacting with friends). <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/489514/original/file-20221013-6097-aup4h7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/489514/original/file-20221013-6097-aup4h7.jpeg?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/489514/original/file-20221013-6097-aup4h7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489514/original/file-20221013-6097-aup4h7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489514/original/file-20221013-6097-aup4h7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489514/original/file-20221013-6097-aup4h7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489514/original/file-20221013-6097-aup4h7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489514/original/file-20221013-6097-aup4h7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A person scrolls through a social media site on their phone" /></a><figcaption>Mindless scrolling can be damaging to your wellbeing. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> So be mindful about how and why you use social media, and how it makes you feel! If most of your use falls under the “harmful” category, that’s a sign to change or cut down your use, or even take a break. One 2015 experiment with more than 1,000 participants found taking a break from Facebook for just one week <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0259" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased life satisfaction</a>. Don’t let social media displace other activities Life is all about balance, so make sure you’re still doing important activities away from your phone that support your wellbeing. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.609967" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Research</a> suggests time spent outdoors, on hobbies or crafts, and engaging in physical activity can help improve your wellbeing. So put your phone down and organise a picnic with friends, join a new class, or find an enjoyable way to move your body. Address your poor wellbeing According to our <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00127-022-02363-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">findings</a>, it may be useful to think of your own habitual social media use as a symptom of how you’re feeling. If your use suggests you aren’t in a good place, perhaps you need to identify and address what’s getting you down. The first, very crucial step is getting help. A great place to start is talking to a health professional such as your general practitioner or a therapist. You can also reach out to organisations like <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beyond Blue</a> and <a href="https://headspace.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Headspace</a> for evidence-based support.<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/191590/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Writen by Hannah Jarman. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/social-media-use-and-poor-wellbeing-feed-into-each-other-in-a-vicious-cycle-here-are-3-ways-to-avoid-getting-stuck-191590" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty Images

Technology

Fennel looking a bit feeble? Growing enough veggies to feed yourself depends on these 3 things

<div class="copy"> Farming inside city boundaries is <a href="https://www.fao.org/urban-agriculture/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the rise</a> as countries become more urbanised and people seek to connect with the source of their food and improve their sustainability. But despite the productivity potential of home food gardens and the like, they are rarely analysed as serious farming systems. There’s little data, for example, on how much can be grown on an average suburban property. As climate change <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0217148" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">threatens</a> global food supplies, however, building sustainable urban food systems will be crucial. Our research has examined how productive the average home vegetable garden really is, and how to get the most from your patch. <h2>Lawn with a side of salad?</h2> Urban agriculture refers to growing produce and raising livestock inside a city’s boundary. In Australian cities, it might involve a home vegetable patch, community garden, backyard beehives, an edible rooftop garden on an apartment block, indoor hydroponics, a communal orchard and more. Sometimes, especially in developing countries, urban farming can help address issues such as poverty, unemployment and food insecurity. More broadly, it can increase access to healthy, fresh produce and lead to more sustainable food production. It can also help us save money and improve our well-being. Societies have traditionally lent on urban farming during times of stress. So it’s no surprise the practice resurged during the COVID pandemic. In Australia, keeping edible gardens significantly helped people maintain mental health during lowdown, <a href="https://sustain.org.au/projects/pandemic-gardening-survey-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">particularly</a> those on low incomes. But to what extent can we rely on our backyard gardens to meet all our fresh produce needs? Our research shows these three factors are key. <h2>1. Give up some lawn</h2> We <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.102770" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">looked at</a> the potential for food production at about 40,000 residential properties in suburban Adelaide – mostly free-standing homes. We calculated the amount of land required for a household of 2.5 people to grow the recommended five servings of vegetables per person each day. Then, using high-resolution aerial imagery to get a birds eye view of properties, we identified those with enough lawn area to make that happen. Some 21m² of lawn is needed to produce the recommended vegetable intake. In a scenario where a garden is high-yielding, this would require converting 23% of lawn area on a typical block into a vegetable patch. Of the properties modelled, 93% had the room to a create 21m² garden from the total lawn space. In a medium-yield garden, 72% of lawn on a typical block would need converting to produce enough vegetables to feed a household – equating to 67m². We limited the research to in-ground veggie production and didn’t include fruit trees. So a property’s potential to grow food would be even higher if food gardens or fruit trees already exist, or other garden beds or paved areas could be converted. <h2>2. Up your gardening game</h2> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230232" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a> out of Adelaide, which surveyed about 30 home gardeners, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.102770" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found</a> yields per square metre ranged from 0.24kg to 16.07kg per year. This suggests a high rate of variability in home garden productivity – notwithstanding the fact people grow different crops. Not all of us have green thumbs and in some cases, your veggie patch might not yield as much as you hoped. Perhaps you gave it too much or too little water. Maybe you didn’t have time to pull out weeds or harvest produce. Pests and fungus might have struck down your crop. You may have planted the wrong seeds at the wrong time or just have poor soil. Our research suggests low-yield gardens would need 1,407m² of converted lawn to meet the vegetable needs of a household. However, less than 0.5% of properties in the analysed Adelaide sites had so much land. So to reach self-sufficiency in urban agriculture environments, medium to high yields are preferred. Skilled gardeners with high yields will need much less land. Given the space constraints in cities, upskilling gardeners is important to maximising production. <h2>3. Know what’s in your soil</h2> Good soil <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130808" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">is a key factor</a> in productive gardens. It needs a good structure (one that allows water and air to enter and drain easily, while retaining enough moisture) an ample supply of plant nutrients and a rich microbial community. In city areas, heavy metal contamination and pollution of soils can be a concern. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122900" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">We examined</a> soils at 12 urban agricultural sites in Adelaide, and found in all cases that metal concentrations did not exceed health guidelines for residential areas – even at sites with an industrial history. But this might not always be the case. An <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653518302467?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> of residential and community gardens in Melbourne, for example, showed some soils were contaminated at levels which could pose a human health hazard. This highlights the importance of testing urban soils before planting. Proper management of inputs – particularly fertiliser – is also key. Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122900" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> has found urban gardeners can choose from a variety of organic waste-based fertilisers such as spent coffee grounds, food scraps or lawn clippings. But this abundance can lead to imbalances. In Adelaide, for example, the widespread use of freely available horse manure led to excessive phosphorous levels in almost all of the 12 tested sites. This imbalance can depress plant growth and damage the broader environment. <h2>Helping city gardens flourish</h2> Urban agriculture has been <a href="https://www.fial.com.au/urban-agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">identified</a> as a A$4 billion economic growth opportunity for Australia. However, suburban blocks are trending towards smaller yards with less growing space. Given the many benefits of urban farming, it’s time to think more seriously about maximising efficiency and scale. Community gardens are well placed for knowledge-sharing. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1809707115" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a> on 13 community gardens in Sydney revealed they were very high-yield – around twice as productive than the typical Australian commercial vegetable farm. Funding for more community gardens, and other education opportunities for urban gardeners, would be a valuable investment in improving public health and sustainability. This should be coupled with policy and planning decisions designed to increase the amount of urban farming space in our cities. Image credits: Getty Images  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=194567&title=Fennel+looking+a+bit+feeble%3F+Growing+enough+veggies+to+feed+yourself+depends+on+these+3%26nbsp%3Bthings" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/sustainability/global-food-crisis-garden/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by The Conversation. </div>

Home Hints & Tips

Partially paralysed man uses mind control to feed himself

A partially paralysed man has been able to feed himself - and use his fingers for the first time in 30 years - thanks to recent advances in neural science, software and robotics. Equipped with two robotic arms, one with a fork and the other with a knife, the man was able to make subtle movements with his fists to certain prompts from a computerised voice, such as “select cut location”, to direct the arms to cut a bite-sized piece of cake in front of him. With another subtle gesture at the command, “moving food to mouth”, the fork was aligned with his mouth. In less than 90 seconds, the man, who has very limited upper body mobility, fed himself some cake using his mind and some robotic hands. To make it all happen, a team of scientists from John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) at the John Hopkins School of Medicine developed a brain-machine interface (BMI) that allows for direct communication between the brain and a computer. The computer decodes neural signals and ‘translates’ them to perform various functions, such as controlling robotic prosthetic arms. It is the culmination of more than 15 years of research between the two groups as part of the Revolutionising Prosthetics program, allowing a person to manoeuvre a pair of prosthetic arms with minimal mental input. “This shared control approach is intended to leverage the intrinsic capabilities of the brain machine interface and the robotic system, creating a ‘best of both worlds’ environment where the user can personalise the behaviour of a smart prosthesis,” said Dr Francesco Tenore, a senior project manager in APL’s Research and Exploratory Development Department. “Although our results are preliminary, we are excited about giving users with limited capability a true sense of control over increasingly intelligent assistive machines.” Their findings, published in the journal<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbot.2022.918001/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Frontiers in Neurology</a>, also shows how robotics can be used to help people with disabilities. “In order for robots to perform human-like tasks for people with reduced functionality, they will require human-like dexterity. Human-like dexterity requires complex control of a complex robot skeleton,” Dr David Handelman, the paper’s first author and a senior roboticist at APL, explained. “Our goal is to make it easy for the user to control the few things that matter most for specific tasks.” Dr Pablo Celnik, the project’s principal investigator from PMR, said: “The human-machine interaction demonstrated in this project denotes the potential capabilities that can be developed to help people with disabilities.” To see the robot in action, head <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gAVyIyZAB5AtFp5kXntcw0Cs2Krp8XaJ/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: John Hopkins University APL

Body

Woman spends over $700 a month feeding and CLOTHING rescue pigeons

23-year-old Lincolnshire, UK, resident Meggy Johnson rescued her beloved pigeons Sky and Moose when they were chicks (also known as squabs), and has given them a life few pigeons dare to dream of. Johnson found each pigeon after it had been abandoned, and hand-fed them with a tube around the clock for six weeks, caring for them until they became as tame as any other pet. She found Sky in September 2019, when a workman brought the chick to her pet supply store in a plastic bag. <img style="width: 498.7593052109181px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844150/241734627_2854750591443745_4861876269133303799_n.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5cc821e4d2e2429d8cbb496825100aa9" /> “A gentleman came into my shop swinging a Tesco carrier bag around with Sky in and said ‘I’ve brought you a pigeon’,” Meggy told <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2021/09/13/woman-spends-4000-a-year-on-fashionista-pet-pigeons-15249463/">Metro.co.uk</a>. “It’s funny to look back now, and she’s nicknamed ‘Carrier Bag’ because of it. I said, ‘Be careful if you’ve got a baby pigeon in there!’ She was only two weeks old at the time and so small. She had to be hand-fed around round the clock like a mummy pigeon would do.” Meanwhile, Moose came into her care in May of this year, when someone called to let her know a one-eyed baby bird had been born. “He was born with a gentleman in Middlesbrough who contacted me and I said, ‘Yes please, I’d love to rescue him and give him a chance.” <img style="width: 375px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844143/124102563_2639594969625976_2117161696564980499_n.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ecbead2fc5634c7c8e2fb7f8bfd464d7" /> Now both pigeons are fully grown, and completely spoiled. Johnson estimates that she spends as much as $755 a month on the birds, adding up to over $7500 a year. This includes typical pet supplies, plus extra creature comforts like teepees and teddies, as well as an extensive wardrobe of 17 outfits that cost around $50 each. The outfits aren’t just a fashion statement – they’re also practical. “They do look super cool, but the outfits are also really practical because they catch their poo and help keep the house clean. You can also attach a little flight leash to take them into the garden for some fresh air – Sky likes to sit on my shoulder and sunbathe, and she’s never even attempted to fly off.” <img style="width: 374.9379652605459px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844144/148904057_2708219529430186_2290819989056113107_n.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ec524e9fc9804446a1633a117deed47e" /> Johnson also cares for two other birds – Clee the pigeon and Snowy the domesticated dove – but unlike Sky and Moose, who occupy a room in Johnson’s home, they live in her pet supply store. Both birds are disabled and cannot fly, so they wouldn’t be able to survive in the wild. Johnson rescued Clee in April when a member of the public found him wedged between a wall of their home and their garage, and Snowy was added to the brood after being found in a hospital car park in October 2020. <img style="width: 375px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844147/200534816_2791671084418363_7725484971032862860_n.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/124a1c52ae2c471e9bb3f436faa96565" /> Wild pigeons usually only live for two years, but domesticated birds can live for up to 15 years, so Johnson expects her birds to live long and comfortable lives under her care. Johnson said that while some people have said rude things about the birds, most are surprised to see how friendly and smart they are. She hopes to change the negative attitudes people have towards pigeons, and help show people that they’re clever, sweet animals. “Some people say, ‘Ew pigeon’ and call them ‘flying rats’, which is something as a pigeon-lover that really upsets me, but most people are more open-minded. The bond that you can get with them is amazing – Clee comes running to his name and follows you like a dog. They make the best pets, they’re so funny. When you hand feed them they get so trusting. You can sit with them, and they’ll come and jump on you and sit on your shoulder. “They’re very special little birds.” Images: Meggy Johnson/Facebook

Family & Pets

Humpback whales have been spotted ‘bubble-net feeding’ for the first time in Australia

If you gaze at the ocean this winter, you might just be lucky enough to spot a whale migrating along Australia’s coastline. This is the start of whale season, when the gentle giants breed in the warm northern waters off Australia after feeding in Antarctica. This north-south migration happens every year, but the whales can still surprise us. Thanks to a <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-citizen-science-16487">citizen scientist</a> and his drone, humpback whales were seen feeding in a mass super group and “bubble-net feeding” off the New South Wales coast last year. As my new <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.3621">research paper</a> confirms, this a big deal for two reasons: it’s only the second time a super group of humpbacks has been observed in the southern hemisphere (a first for Australia) and the first time bubble-net feeding has been seen in Australia. So what is bubble-net feeding, and why are these observations so important? Blowing bubbles, catching krill Bubble-net feeding is when whales deliberately blow bubbles from their noses to encircle their food — <a href="https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/animals/krill/">krill</a> and fish — like a net, concentrating their prey into a tight ball. Then, the whale or group of whales swim together from beneath, rise to the surface opening their mouths, and gulp up their prey. It remains a mystery as to why the whales feed in this way and how they learned to do it. 2020 was a year full of unprecedented events, and the humpback whales certainly didn’t disappoint. Humpback whales in this eastern Australian population are usually observed lunge feeding on their side, or feeding below the surface. Bubble-net feeding, on the other hand, is mostly documented in some <a href="https://youtu.be/Q8iDcLTD9wQ">Northern Hemisphere populations</a>. But we know there are individual whales in the eastern Australian humpback population who bubble-net feed in Antarctic waters. This means the unique behaviour in Australian waters may have evolved independently, or through <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/114/30/7775">cultural transmission</a> (learning new behaviours from different whales). The drone footage and observations made in September from whale-watching boats was the first to document bubble-net feeding. To add to the excitement, citizen scientists also documented bubble-net feeding behaviour further south of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-04/unprecedented-humpback-whale-sightings-tasmania-migration-season/12844702">Tasmania</a> a month later. Using stills from the September drone footage, an estimated 33 humpback whales can be seen feeding at the same time. Unfortunately, it’s not known exactly what the whales were feeding on. Until then, humpback whale congregations this large had never been observed in Australian waters. In fact, the only other time a mass humpback feeding event has been seen in the Southern Hemisphere was off <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0172002">South Africa</a> in 2011 (this now occurs regularly there). This was the first time the term “super group” was used to describe a group of 20 or more whales feeding this way. But why were they feeding in ‘breeding waters’ anyway? The majority of the east Australian humpback whale population spends the summer months feeding in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30748-4">Antarctic waters</a>. They then head north to warm breeding waters in the Great Barrier Reef during winter (June-August) to mate and give birth. They forego feeding for love — humpbacks can go for months without eating, relying instead on energy reserves in order to reproduce. Animals that do this are called <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19739368/">capital breeders</a>. From August to November, humpbacks migrate southward back to Antarctica. Along the way, they sometimes take a “pit-stop” on parts of Australia’s east coast <a href="http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v541/p231-244/">to feed</a>. It was originally thought this population never fed along the migratory route. However, we know they do now to possibly supplement their energy intake as they migrate. So why are these observations important? Whales play important an important role in the <a href="https://youtu.be/2PXgFoTtwi0">ecosystem</a> of the ocean because they feed in one area and poo in another. This action — known as the “<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0013255">whale pump</a>” — moves nutrients around the ocean. Their poo feeds tiny organisms, such as <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/plankton/">plankton</a>, which are eaten by krill, and then eaten by whales. Seeing these super group feedings highlights changes in our marine environment we might not have otherwise been aware of. One possible explanation for this behaviour could be favourable environmental conditions. A combination of ideal water temperatures and nutrients may have resulted in an abundance of food, which saw large numbers of humpback whales feeding in the same area. Or perhaps it has something to do with the recovery of the east coast humpback whale population, which has been increasing in numbers since whaling ended in the 1960s. Regardless, it’s important to understand how changes in the marine environment influence the extent humpback whales depend on feeding opportunities along their migratory route. This will help to predict how whale populations respond to future changes in the ocean. This includes climate change, which will warm ocean temperatures and alter when and where the prey of humpback whales are found. As a result, humpback whales will also move to different locations. One thing, at least, is abundantly clear: more eyes on land and sea through <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12651">citizen science</a> will provide a valuable opportunity to document such exciting future events. So keep your eyes peeled for whales this season, and be sure to tell a scientist if you see something unexpected. Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vanessa-pirotta-873986">Vanessa Pirotta</a>, Macquarie University. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/humpback-whales-have-been-spotted-bubble-net-feeding-for-the-first-time-in-australia-and-we-have-it-on-camera-157355">The Conversation.</a>

Cruising

Mum told not to breastfeed near shopping centre's "high-end" stores

A Gold Coast shopping centre says it will re-train staff after a mother claims she was told not to breastfeed her newborn outside luxury stores such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. The mother-of-two said the encounter with a member of the Pacific Fair concierge team took place at the weekend after she declined offers to use the centre's facilities. Pacific Fair Shopping Centre claims the incident was a "misinterpretation" but apologised and promised to re-educate staff on its policies. A peak body for breastfeeding says incidents such as this highlight the need for training and "breastfeeding-friendly environments", and for mothers to know their rights. On Saturday, Gold Coast mother-of-two Shannon Laverty said she was visiting Pacific Fair Shopping Centre with her three-week-old son Shep when she stopped at some seats to breastfeed. "I sat down on the public lounge area in front of the concierge desk and when my son was latched on my breast, this woman came running over," she said. "She said, 'Excuse me, you know there's a facility for that?' "She added, 'For your information, there's a facility you can change the baby's nappy, there's also hot water and milk powder so you don't need to use your body'. "My jaw just dropped, and I said, 'I'm fine here". Ms Laverty said when she declined the woman's offer to the facility provided the staff mentioned that she was seated in the "high end" section of the shopping centre. "She said, 'Well if you're not going to use the facility, I'm going to ask you to move on from here because, as you can see, there are stores like Louis Vuitton and Gucci, so you'll have to breastfeed somewhere else'," Ms Laverty said. "And I just said, 'I'm fine here thanks,' and just smiled and kept breastfeeding. It took me three times of saying no for her to walk away." Ms Laverty said the incident left her feeling overwhelmed as she recounted the incident on social media. Her posts were met with an outpouring of support from mothers around the country. Meanwhile, Pacific Fair Shopping Centre said it was sorry to hear about Ms Laverty's experience at the centre but maintained the incident was a "misinterpretation". In a statement the spokesperson said that it "has always been our policy that mothers are free to breastfeed anywhere at Pacific Fair". "Unfortunately while a member of staff was attempting to explain the various options available at the centre, there may have been a misinterpretation which caused offence to the customer," the spokesperson said. "(She) was never required to move on whilst feeding." The spokesperson said the centre was "truly sorry" for the incident, which "doesn't meet our standards of customer care", and it would be undertaking additional training with all of its staff to "re-educate them on its policies". "Pacific Fair immediately offered direct apologies to the customer from both senior customer service staff as well as senior centre management," the spokesperson said. "Pacific Fair is also grateful for the opportunity to reaffirm our position that breastfeeding mothers are welcome to breastfeed wherever they are most comfortable."

Family & Pets

Toddler drowns while feeding ducks with his family

A young boy in the UK has drowned after falling into a canal as he fed ducks alongside his family. An inquest heard three-year-old Dylan Milsom fell in the canal at Victoria Park in Newbury on March 13. Milsom's mother Shelley Nardini made a desperate attempt to try and find her young son, even jumping into the water to try and save him. The assistant coroner ruled the death as accidental, with Ian Wade QC calling it "extraordinarily tragic". The little boy was visiting the park with his mum, grandmother and little brother. The group reportedly moved closer to the cancel so the three-year-old's bread could reach the animals they were feeding. The BBC reported the child moved to the other side of the gate as his mum warned him to hold on so he did not fall into the water. But after she turned around to get a bag of bread from the pushchair, she saw the child being swept away. Dylan's grandmother, Jackie Arrowsmith said in a court statement that the child had tripped, which caused him to fall into the water. She said she tried to grab him but only caught the top of his hair. The publication said Dylan’s mother then jumped in and saw her son get sucked underneath a weir. This soon happened to her before she was able to grab onto a branch and was eventually pulled out. Dylan’s body was discovered by local authorities, the assistant coroner said, while adding the tragic incident had been “nobody’s fault”.

Family & Pets

Aussie Olympian shares craziest breastfeeding pic you will ever see

As an Olympic snowboarder, Torah Bright is no stranger to danger. Now, Australia's most successful winter Olympian has integrated her love of extreme sports into her lifestyle as a mother. Taking to Instagram, Bright shared multiple photos to celebrate her first Mother's Day along with an adorable caption. Fans were left particularly stunned by a rather impressive photo of her breastfeeding her 10-month-old son Flow - while doing a headstand. <img style="width: 452.0905923344948px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841155/screen-shot-2021-05-11-at-23601-pm.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4c47e74db85f4121bdc2a795b01fad08" /> "Becoming a mother has unleashed something inside of me," the 34-year-old wrote. "It's deeply spiritual. It's primal. It's raw. it's fierce. It is pure. "I am mother. My prayer for all mothers, now and in the future is that they be heard. Honoured. Respected and encouraged to trust their intuition." Instagram users loved the sweet tribute on her first Mother's Day. "Beautifully said mamma," one Instagram user wrote. "Love the boobie self serve handstand." "Happy Mother's Day Torah!!! That headstand photo is insane," one fan said. "The headstand pic is the best," another agreed. "How long did you manage to hold that position in photo 4?" one curious user asked. "Haha just long enough!" the snowboarder cheekily replied. It's not the first time the ex-Olympian, who shares her son with fellow snowboarder Angus Thomson, has shown off her unique breastfeeding methods. <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/CNqppAwlIee/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CNqppAwlIee/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Torah Bright (@torahbright)</a> </div> </blockquote> Last month, she posted a photo of <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/baby/breastfeeding/olympian-torah-bright-shares-unique-breastfeeding-method-meals-on-wheels-20210416-h1v8oz" target="_blank">herself skateboarding</a> while she breastfed her son. She's also shared photos of her feeding Flow at the beach and even at the snow. "Loves when mums on a board," she captioned the pic. "Feedback about dangerous parenting (below)," she joked.

Family & Pets

We don’t know if breastfeeding is rising or falling in Australia – that’s bad for everyone

As the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us all too well, good health policy depends on prior planning, decisive action, and a willingness to spend money. But there’s another area where Australia’s willingness to plan and spend has fallen far short: monitoring breastfeeding rates. A <a href="https://www.worldbreastfeedingtrends.org/uploads/resources/document/making-a-difference-wbti-eval-report-2020.pdf">newly released international report</a> reveals that 41% of babies worldwide are exclusively breastfed for their first six months – well short of the World Health Assembly’s target of 50% by 2025. <a href="https://wbtiaus.com/2018/05/24/australia-report-card-2018/">Australian data</a> are missing from the latest report because the infant feeding data have not been collected. Breastfeeding is important, just like immunisation. It protects children against illness and disease, such as gastroenteritis and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26869575/">later life diabetes</a>. Women who breastfeed are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26869575/">less likely to suffer breast cancer in later life</a>. Investing in breastfeeding will <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12530799/">save the health system money</a> in years to come. In 2019 a long-awaited <a href="http://www.coaghealthcouncil.gov.au/Portals/0/Australian%20National%20Breastfeeding%20Strategy%20-%20FINAL%20.pdf">Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy</a> proposed a national monitoring system for breastfeeding rates. Governments have been <a href="https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/62672740D891CA2CCA257BF0001C673F/%24File/breastfeeding.pdf">talking about this for nearly two decades</a>. Yet still there is no funding available for a national data collection network, despite its importance for women and children. Without rigorous data, we can’t tell whether Australia’s breastfeeding rates are improving or getting worse, which groups of people need help, or whether existing programs to encourage breastfeeding are working. Good data is crucial for good health care Some local data in NSW and <a href="https://www.bettersafercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-02/Vic%20perinatal%20services%20performance%20indicators%202017-18.pdf">Victoria</a> suggest that in recent years fewer women get off to a good start with exclusive breastfeeding. The percentage of babies fully breastfed at the time of discharge from hospital in NSW fell from <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/hsnsw/Publications/mothers-and-babies-2015.pdf">82.1% in 2011</a> to <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/hsnsw/Publications/mothers-and-babies-2018.pdf">72.6% in 2018</a>. We also don’t know how COVID-19 has affected breastfeeding rates. Some women have been hindered by reduced access to breastfeeding support, as hospitals and community services divert resources towards dealing with the pandemic. On the other hand, there are anecdotal reports of mothers enjoying the less hectic pace of life during lockdown to establish breastfeeding. But the problem is, without routine surveys of breastfeeding rates among large samples of the population, we just don’t know. In 1995, 2001 and 2005, National Health Surveys collected data on infant feeding. In 2008 one of us (Lisa), together with colleague Susan Donath, <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2008/189/5/socioeconomic-status-and-rates-breastfeeding-australia-evidence-three-recent">used these data to show</a> that breastfeeding rates did not improve, and the gap between high- and low-income families had widened during the decade spanned by these surveys. It was a shocking indictment. Despite this, the 2007-08 National Health Surveys did not collect infant feeding data. The 2014-15 and 2016-17 surveys each only collected infant feeding data on about 1,500 children – not enough for a rigorous analysis of the nationwide trend. Australia’s first and only comprehensive infant feeding survey <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mothers-babies/2010-australian-national-infant-feeding-survey/contents/table-of-contents">happened in 2010</a>, in response to a <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8215376?selectedversion=NBD42202999">recommendation</a> from the Parliamentary Best Start Inquiry. This survey sampled 52,000 infants aged up to 24 months. It was intended as a baseline for future surveys, but the follow-up surveys never happened. The <a href="https://www.coaghealthcouncil.gov.au/Portals/0/Australian%20National%20Breastfeeding%20Strategy%20-%20Final.pdf">National Breastfeeding Strategy</a> released last year by federal, state and territory governments pledged to routinely collect data on breastfeeding rates via the Child Digital Health Record program, which is still under development. It also promised to deliver a full nationwide survey every five years. Knowledge is power Routine data collection has several advantages. It is more cost-effective than standalone surveys, and it is population-wide, meaning it can include people who are otherwise under-represented in survey data. It is also a powerful research tool. Routine data on preterm versus full-term births in Belgium, for instance, <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f441">revealed</a> the dramatic effect of tobacco control policies on preventing premature births. Australia already routinely collects childhood health data, perhaps most notably on <a href="https://data.gov.au/dataset/ds-dga-8937acdc-98ae-492e-bbc3-5c4f484d7651/details?q=immunisation">immunisation rates</a>. Policy-makers can use this valuable data to ensure adequate coverage against childhood infections and to ensure existing policies are effective. The first step to investing in breastfeeding will be to fund proper data collection – both via routine data collection and regular in-depth national surveys. But so far no one has backed breastfeeding with the necessary dollars. Written by Lisa Amir and Julie P. Smith. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-dont-know-if-breastfeeding-is-rising-or-falling-in-australia-thats-bad-for-everyone-140549">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

Zoo admit they will feed their animals to each other if things get worse amid coronavirus

Over the Easter weekend, zoos were expected to have been crowded however they have become desolate amid strict coronavirus lockdowns. A zoo director in northern Germany has revealed that some of their animals may have to soon be fed to others due to dried up funds. “We've listed the animals we'll have to slaughter first,” Verena Kaspari from Neumünster Zoo explained to German newspaper Die Welt. While Ms Kaspari said killing animals would be a desperate last resort, exotic animals have large appetites and leave wide dents in finances. “If it comes to it, I'll have to euthanise animals, rather than let them starve,” she said. “At the worst, we would have to feed some of the animals to others.” Neumünster is not covered for state emergency funding according to Ms Kapari who estimates the zoo’s projected loss of income will be about AU$298,000 between the months of March and June. A number of zoos in Germany including Neumünster are asking for government aid worth AU$170 million to just keep them afloat. The Association of Zoological Gardens says zoos are unique and unlike many other businesses as they cannot minimise costs during people-droughts like the one they are currently suffering under quarantine, as animals still have to be fed and cared for. Lost turnover in a standard German zoo is estimated to be around AU$850,000 per week, says Jörg Junhold, Chief of the Association of Zoological Gardens.

Family & Pets

Scary red or icky green? We can’t say what colour coronavirus is and dressing it up might feed fears

Images of the latest coronavirus have become instantly recognisable, often vibrantly coloured and floating in an opaque background. In most representations, the shape of the virus is the same – a spherical particle with spikes, resembling an alien invader. But there’s little consensus about the colour: images of the virus come in red, orange, blue, yellow, steely or soft green, white with red spikes, red with blue spikes and many colours in between. In their depictions of the virus, designers, illustrators and communicators are making some highly creative and evocative decisions. Colour, light and fear For some, the lack of consensus about the appearance of viruses confirms fears and <a href="https://www.cjc-online.ca/index.php/journal/article/view/2738/2481">increases anxiety</a>. On March 8 2020, the director-general of the World Health Organisation <a href="https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/director-general-s-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-2019-novel-coronavirus---8-february-2020">warned</a> of the “infodemic” of misinformation about the coronavirus, urging communicators to use “facts not fear” to battle the flood of rumours and myths. The confusion about the colour of coronavirus starts with the failure to understand the nature of colour in the sub-microscopic world. Our <a href="https://www.pantone.com/color-intelligence/articles/technical/how-do-we-see-color">perception of colour</a> is dependent on the presence of light. White light from the sun is a combination of all the wavelengths of visible light – from violet at one end of the spectrum to red at the other. When white light hits an object, we see its colour thanks to the light that is reflected by that object towards our eyes. Raspberries and rubies appear red because they absorb most light but reflect the red wavelength. But as objects become smaller, light is no longer an effective tool for seeing. Viruses are so small that, until the 1930s, one of their scientifically recognised properties was their <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10739-018-9530-2">invisibility</a>. Looking for them with a microscope using light is like trying to find an ant in a football stadium at night using a large searchlight: the scale difference between object and tool is too great. It wasn’t until the development of the electron microscope in the 1930s that researchers could “see” a virus. By using electrons, which are vastly smaller than light particles, it became possible to identify the shapes, structures and textures of viruses. But as no light is involved in this form of seeing, there is no colour. Images of viruses reveal a monochrome world of grey. Like electrons, atoms and quarks, viruses exist in a realm where colour has no meaning. Vivid imagery Grey images of unfamiliar blobs don’t make for persuasive or emotive media content. Research into the representation of the Ebola virus outbreak in 1995 <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0392192107087919">revealed</a> the image of choice was not the worm-like virus but teams of Western medical experts working in African villages in hermetically sealed suits. The early visual representation of the AIDS virus focused on the emaciated bodies of those with the resulting disease, often younger men. With symptoms similar to the common cold and initial death rates highest amongst the elderly, the coronavirus pandemic provides no such dramatic visual material. To fill this void, the vivid range of colourful images of the coronavirus have strong appeal. Many images come from stock photo suppliers, typically photorealistic artists’ impressions rather than images from electron microscopes. The Public Health Library of the US government’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC) provides one such illustration, created to reveal the morphology of the coronavirus. It’s an off-white sphere with yellow protein particles attached and red spikes emerging from the surface, creating the distinctive “corona” or crown. All of these colour choices are creative decisions. Biologist David Goodsell takes artistic interpretation a step further, using watercolour <a href="https://pdb101.rcsb.org/sci-art/goodsell-gallery/coronavirus">painting</a> to depict viruses at the cellular level. One of the complicating challenges for virus visualisation is the emergence of so-called “colour” images from electron microscopes. Using a methodology that was originally described as “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451945616303579">painting</a>,” scientists are able to add colour to structures in the grey-scale world of imaging to help distinguish the details of cellular micro-architecture. Yet even here, the choice of colour is arbitrary, as shown in a number of coloured images of the coronavirus made available on Flickr by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). In these, the virus has been variously coloured yellow, orange, magenta and blue. Embracing grey Whilst these images look aesthetically striking, the arbitrary nature of their colouring does little to solve WHO’s concerns about the insecurity that comes with unclear facts about viruses and disease. One solution would be to embrace the colourless sub-microscopic world that viruses inhabit and accept their greyness. This has some distinct advantages: firstly, it fits the science that colour can’t be attributed where light doesn’t reach. Secondly, it renders images of the virus less threatening: without their red spikes or green bodies they seem less like hostile invaders from a science fiction fantasy. And the idea of greyness also fits the scientific notion that viruses are suspended somewhere between the <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-viruses-alive-giant-discovery-suggests-theyre-more-like-zombies-75661">dead and the living</a>. Stripping the coronavirus of the distracting vibrancy of vivid colour – and seeing it consistently as an inert grey particle – could help reduce community fear and better allow us to continue the enormous collective task of managing its biological and social impact. Written by Simon Weaving. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/scary-red-or-icky-green-we-cant-say-what-colour-coronavirus-is-and-dressing-it-up-might-feed-fears-134380">The Conversation. </a>

Retirement Life

Carrots and sweet potatoes dropped from helicopters to feed fire-affected wallabies

Thousands of kilograms of sweet potatoes and carrots have been dropped to fire-ravaged areas to help feed affected wallaby populations. The National Parks and Wildlife Service took to the skies to dump thousands of kilograms of vegetables over bushfire-ravaged regions in NSW to help provide food for native brush-tailed rock-wallabies. “The wallabies typically survive the fire itself, but are then left stranded with limited natural food as the fire takes out the vegetation around their rocky habitat,” said NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean. “The wallabies were already under stress from the ongoing drought, making survival challenging for the wallabies without assistance.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Operation Rock Wallaby 🦘- <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPWS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NPWS</a> staff today dropped thousands of kgs of food (Mostly sweet potato and carrots) for our Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby colonies across NSW 🥕🥕 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bushfires?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bushfires</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZBN0MSLZei">pic.twitter.com/ZBN0MSLZei</a> — Matt Kean MP (@Matt_KeanMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/Matt_KeanMP/status/1215900857436270592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote> Operation Rock Wallaby has delivered food to Kangaroo Valley and the Capertee and Wolgan valleys as well as the Yengo, Jenolan, Oxley Wild Rivers and Curracubundi national parks. The operation is one of the NSW Government’s “key strategies” to support the recovery of the endangered species, <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/operation-rock-wallaby-food-drop-for-bushfire-affected-animals/653e1a50-81bd-49c0-aa5f-3000bb0738d6">9News</a> reported. OverSixty, its parent company and its owners are donating a total of $200,000 to the Vinnie’s Bushfire Appeal. We have also pledged an additional $100,000 of product to help all those affected by the bushfire crisis. We would love you to support too! Head to <a href="https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nsw/vinnies-nsw-bushfire-appeal-nsw">the website</a> to donate.

Family & Pets

Why this photo of a politician feeding a baby has gone viral

A House Speaker from the New Zealand Parliament has been pictured feeding milk to a newborn toddler from his official chair while presiding over a debate. The image has since gone viral online, and pictures Trevor Mallard holding the baby of a fellow parliamentarian, Tāmati Coffey. “Normally the Speaker’s chair is only used by Presiding Officers but today a VIP took the chair with me,” Mr Mallard said in tweet with cute photos of baby Tūtānekai Smith-Coffey attached. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Normally the Speaker’s chair is only used by Presiding Officers but today a VIP took the chair with me. Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/tamaticoffey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tamaticoffey</a> and Tim on the newest member of your family. <a href="https://t.co/47ViKHsKkA">pic.twitter.com/47ViKHsKkA</a> — Trevor Mallard (@SpeakerTrevor) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerTrevor/status/1164026068078125057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2019</a></blockquote> “Congratulations [Tāmati Coffey] and Tim on the newest member of your family.” Mr Coffey, a Labour MP for the New Zealand seat of Waiariki and Smith, welcomed his son into the world last month - making him and his husband one of the only gay couples in the country to have found a surrogate and gained access to IVF. The images gained over 11,000 likes online with warm responses and a flurry of praise to both the speaker and the Kiwi parliament for supporting the new father. "Thank you for normalising the family unit," one person wrote. "We need to see more of this. Workplaces need to adapt to enable this behaviour." This is not the first time the New Zealand speaker has shared his important chair with a newborn. In November 2017, the three-month-old baby of Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime got to have a cuddle with Mr Mallard as well. New Zealand’s attitude towards babies in parliament is a stark contrast to those in other countries. Kenyan MP Zuleika Hassan was ordered to leave the parliament after she brought her five-month-old baby into the chamber.

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