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World's most expensive house up for sale

<p>A French chateau, once owned by a member of the Rothschild family and, later on, the King of Morocco, has gone up for sale with a £363 million (AU$699) price tag. </p> <p>Chateau d’Armainvilliers located at Seine-et-Marne, 48km east of the Eiffel Tower, is the world's most expensive home. </p> <p>Built upon the foundations of a 12th century castle, the sprawling mansion boasts 1,000 hectares of land, 100 rooms across 2,500 square metres of living space, a private lake, and plenty of sequoia trees - the largest trees in the world. </p> <p>Ignace Meuwissen, a self-acclaimed "real estate advisor to the global elite" described the property as a display of "opulence and grandeur".</p> <p>"It is the most expensive castle in France and perhaps in the world. The price of €425million is justified by the property itself but also by the 1,000 hectare land which offers numerous possibilities," he told Paris Match magazine. </p> <p>"An investor could build thousands of apartments there if he wanted."</p> <p>The chateau was first bought by the Rothschild banking empird in the late 19th century, before King Hassan II of Morocco bought it in the 1980s. </p> <p>He then made the chateau more fit for a king, adding a hammam spa, a beauty and hairdressing salon, and a fully-equipped medical and dental facility.</p> <p>The Moroccan King  also added a basement level, which has a network of tunnels, kitchens, cold rooms, storage spaces and staff quarters.</p> <p>The lucky owner will also find Moroccan mosaics and wall tiles decorating the home, and for any avid equestrians, the home also has a stable big enough for 50 horses. </p> <p>However, some luxury property agents have expressed their doubts on whether the property would sell with its nine-figure sum, with one saying it was an "unrealistic" price tag. </p> <p>"It doesn’t make sense, it’s absurd Properties of this type could sell for 20-25 million, or even 30 million if we really fall in love with them. I’m not even sure that Vaux-le-Vicomte (a Baroque French château), which has no marketing plans, would sell at this price," one agent told French real estate publication <em>Le Figaro Immobilier</em>.</p> <p>Others were unsure whether the changes made by the King in the 1980s would suit modern tastes. </p> <p><em>Images: Whisper Auctions</em></p>

Real Estate

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Yes, Kate Middleton’s photo was doctored. But so are a lot of images we see today

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/t-j-thomson-503845">T.J. Thomson</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p>Rumours and conspiracies have been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/style/princess-kate-middleton-health.html">swirling</a> following the abdominal surgery and long recovery period of Catherine, Princess of Wales, earlier this year. They intensified on Monday when Kensington Palace released a photo of the princess with her three children.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4U_IqTNaqU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4U_IqTNaqU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The photo had clear signs of tampering, and international wire services <a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-princess-photo-surgery-ca91acf667c87c6c70a7838347d6d4fb">withdrew the image</a> amid concerns around manipulation. The princess later <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1767135566645092616">apologised for any confusion</a> and said she had “experimented with editing” as many amateur photographers do.</p> <p>Image editing is extremely common these days, and not all of it is for nefarious purposes. However, in an age of rampant misinformation, how can we stay vigilant around suspicious images?</p> <h2>What happened with the royal photo?</h2> <p>A close look reveals at least eight inconsistencies with the image.</p> <p>Two of these relate to unnatural blur. Catherine’s right hand is unnaturally blurred, even though her left hand is sharp and at the same distance from the camera. The left side of Catherine’s hair is also unnaturally blurred, while the right side of her hair is sharp.</p> <p>These types of edits are usually made with a blur tool that softens pixels. It is often used to make the background of an image less distracting or to smooth rough patches of texture.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/581145/original/file-20240312-26-rhmkk1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/581145/original/file-20240312-26-rhmkk1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/581145/original/file-20240312-26-rhmkk1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=358&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/581145/original/file-20240312-26-rhmkk1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=358&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/581145/original/file-20240312-26-rhmkk1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=358&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/581145/original/file-20240312-26-rhmkk1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/581145/original/file-20240312-26-rhmkk1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/581145/original/file-20240312-26-rhmkk1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">At least eight logical inconsistencies exist in the doctored image the Prince and Princess of Wales posted on social media.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4U_IqTNaqU/">Photo by the Prince of Wales/Chart by T.J. Thomson</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Five of the edits appear to use the “clone stamp” tool. This is a Photoshop tool that takes part of the same or a different image and “stamps” it onto another part.</p> <p>You can see this with the repeated pattern on Louis’s (on the left) sweater and the tile on the ground. You can also see it with the step behind Louis’s legs and on Charlotte’s hair and sleeve. The zipper on Catherine’s jacket also doesn’t line up.</p> <p>The most charitable interpretation is that the princess was trying to remove distracting or unflattering elements. But the artefacts could also point to multiple images being blended together. This could either be to try to show the best version of each person (for example, with a smiling face and open eyes), or for another purpose.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C</p> <p>— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1767135566645092616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <h2>How common are image edits?</h2> <p>Image editing is increasingly common as both photography and editing are increasingly becoming more automated.</p> <p>This sometimes happens without you even knowing.</p> <p>Take HDR (high dynamic range) images, for example. Point your iPhone or equivalent at a beautiful sunset and watch it capture the scene from the brightest highlights to the darkest shadows. What happens here is your camera makes multiple images and automatically stitches them together to make an image <a href="https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography/hub/guides/what-is-hdr-photography.html">with a wider range of contrast</a>.</p> <p>While face-smoothing or teeth-whitening filters are nothing new, some smartphone camera apps apply them without being prompted. Newer technology like Google’s “Best Take” <a href="https://blog.google/products/photos/how-google-photos-best-take-works/">feature</a> can even combine the best attributes of multiple images to ensure everyone’s eyes are open and faces are smiling in group shots.</p> <p>On social media, it seems everyone tries to show themselves in their best light, which is partially why so few of the photos on our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15551393.2020.1862663">camera rolls</a> make it onto our social media feeds. It is also why we often edit our photos to show our best sides.</p> <p>But in other contexts, such as press photography, the <a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/telling-the-story/visuals">rules are much stricter</a>. The Associated Press, for example, bans all edits beyond simple crops, colour adjustments, and “minor adjustments” that “restore the authentic nature of the photograph”.</p> <p>Professional photojournalists haven’t always gotten it right, though. While the majority of lens-based news workers adhere to ethical guidelines like those published by the <a href="https://nppa.org/resources/code-ethics">National Press Photographers Association</a>, others have let deadline pressures, competition and the desire for exceptional imagery cloud their judgement.</p> <p>One such example was in 2017, when British photojournalist Souvid Datta admitted to <a href="https://time.com/4766312/souvid-datta/">visually plagiarising</a> another photographer’s work within his own composition.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Photographer Souvid Datta appears to have plagiarized Mary Ellen Mark: <a href="https://t.co/iO1Lm8CowU">https://t.co/iO1Lm8CowU</a> <a href="https://t.co/jswHyApGNj">pic.twitter.com/jswHyApGNj</a></p> <p>— PetaPixel (@petapixel) <a href="https://twitter.com/petapixel/status/859824132258537472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2017</a></p></blockquote> <p>Concerns around false or misleading visual information are at an all-time high, given advances in <a href="https://theconversation.com/nine-was-slammed-for-ai-editing-a-victorian-mps-dress-how-can-news-media-use-ai-responsibly-222382">generative artificial intelligence (AI)</a>. In fact, this year the World Economic Forum named the risk of misinformation and disinformation as the world’s greatest <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/ai-disinformation-global-risks/">short-term threat</a>. It placed this above armed conflict and natural disasters.</p> <h2>What to do if you’re unsure about an image you’ve found online</h2> <p>It can be hard to keep up with the more than <a href="https://theconversation.com/3-2-billion-images-and-720-000-hours-of-video-are-shared-online-daily-can-you-sort-real-from-fake-148630">3 billion photos</a> that are shared each day.</p> <p>But, for the ones that matter, we owe it to ourselves to slow down, zoom in and ask ourselves a few simple <a href="https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck-resources/how-we-check-the-facts/">questions</a>:</p> <p>1. Who made or shared the image? This can give clues about reliability and the purpose of making or sharing the image.</p> <p>2. What’s the evidence? Can you find another version of the image, for example, using a <a href="https://tineye.com/">reverse-image search engine</a>?</p> <p>3. What do trusted sources say? Consult resources like <a href="https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/">AAP FactCheck</a> or <a href="https://factcheck.afp.com/">AFP Fact Check</a> to see if authoritative sources have already weighed in.<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/225553/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/t-j-thomson-503845">T.J. Thomson</a>, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication &amp; Digital Media, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p>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/yes-kate-middletons-photo-was-doctored-but-so-are-a-lot-of-images-we-see-today-225553">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Hero image: The Conversation / X / Instagram</em></p>

Technology

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Rod Stewart's bizarre Ed Sheeran call out

<p>Rod Stewart has called out Ed Sheeran in a bizarre rant, saying he doesn't think the pop singer's music will stand the test of time. </p> <p>In a recent interview, the 79-year-old rocker was discussing what musicians would continue to be popular with the younger generations, although the interview quickly went awry when he couldn't remember the name of who he was thinking about. </p> <p>“You mean like ‘Maggie May’? Songs that will be played in 50 years?” Stewart said in response to the question. “I like whatshisname. Oh f**king great, Rod. Well done,” said the rocker, unable to remember the name of the star he was thinking of. </p> <p>“He’s British, really talented and his songs will be around,” he continued. </p> <p>When the interviewer suggested that Sheeran was the person whose name he forgot, Stewart was quick to hit back by proclaiming himself to not being a fan of the singer-songwriter. </p> <p>“No, not Ed, I don’t know any of his songs, old ginger bollocks. Jesus,” moaned Stewart.</p> <p>Ultimately, Stewart was thinking of another British singer: George Ezra. </p> <p>“Yes! I think he writes really tremendous songs,” he said of Ezra. “He’ll be around for quite a while.”</p> <p>Stewart's comments come after he admitted he wanted to move in a different direction with his music from now on. </p> <p>During an interview on<em> BBC Breakfast</em>, Stewart responded to a statement that host Charlie Stayt made, saying that “rock stars are performing into incredible ages now.”</p> <p>Stewart reacted and said, “I am actually stopping.”</p> <p>“I’m not retiring but I want to move on,” Stewart noted. “I had great success with The Great American Songbook … and I’ve just done a swing album with Jools Holland, which is going to come out next year, so I want to go in that direction.”</p> <p>“I just want to leave all the rock ‘n’ roll stuff behind, for a while, maybe.”</p> <p>“Everything has to come to an end sooner or later,” Stewart declared.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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What does a building need to call itself ‘accessible’ – and is that enough?

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ilan-wiesel-303040">Ilan W<em>iesel</em></a><em>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-bentley-173502">Rebecca Bentley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>The <a href="https://www.ndisreview.gov.au/resources/reports/working-together-deliver-ndis">National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) review</a> and the disability royal commission’s <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2023-09/Final%20Report%20-%20Volume%207%2C%20Inclusive%20education%2C%20employment%20and%20housing%20-%20Part%20C.pdf">final report</a> both highlighted the crucial role of accessible buildings and homes in ensuring the inclusion of people with disabilities.</p> <p>But the experiences of people with disability show Australia is a very long way from achieving this. There are the stories from people with disability who <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-25/taylor-swift-concert-disability-access-concerns/102520088">can’t enjoy events</a> or <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-09/harry-styles-concert-disability-tickets-consumer-rights/102060698">venues</a>. And researchers say even <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/arts-design-architecture/our-research/research-impact/case-studies/are-our-accessible-bathrooms-inaccessible-to-people-in-wheelchairs">accessible bathrooms are not usable</a> for half the people with disability.</p> <p>What can be called an accessible building or home? And should standards be improved?</p> <h2>What is accessibility?</h2> <p>The <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-persons-disabilities">Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability</a> includes the right to accessibility. Australia’s 1992 <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/disability-rights/frequently-asked-questions-access-premises">Disability Discrimination Act</a> includes premises standards to ensure people with disability have “dignified, equitable, cost-effective and reasonably achievable access to buildings, facilities and services”.</p> <p>However, a building is exempt if the owners can demonstrate modifying a building would cause them “unjustifiable hardship”. The burden of making a complaint about an inaccessible building falls on people with disability and the act also does not apply to private homes.</p> <p>Although experts follow different definitions of accessibility, they generally include some key principles:</p> <ul> <li> <p>easy entry and exit into a building</p> </li> <li> <p>easy navigation and functionality in and around the building</p> </li> <li> <p>potential for easy adaptation in response to changing needs of occupants.</p> </li> </ul> <p>An accessible building is one where people of all abilities are able move and carry out activities independently, safely, in comfort and with dignity.</p> <p>For people with disabilities <a href="https://disability.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/3969109/Accessible-Housing-Research-Report-22-October-2020.pdf">many buildings are inaccessible</a>. In these buildings, basic everyday activities such as taking a shower or preparing breakfast becomes difficult, tiring, uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous.</p> <p>Some people have been <a href="https://disability.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/3969109/Accessible-Housing-Research-Report-22-October-2020.pdf">injured</a> repeatedly in inaccessible homes, for example falling down a staircase. Such injuries may compound their disability. Many people with disabilities worry that if they’re injured at home, they will be forced to move permanently into a nursing home.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016718523001525">Studies</a> have found living in inaccessible homes severely harms the dignity, independence, social inclusion, employment, health and wellbeing of people with disabilities.</p> <p>People become more reliant on family members for support, putting strain on their relationships. Difficulty getting in and out of the house for social activities worsens social isolation. A sense of fatigue also reduces the motivation and capacity to work.</p> <h2>Access through the front door</h2> <p>Dignity is a crucial aspect of accessibility but it is often forgotten. For example, many buildings’ front entry has stairs that make it inaccessible for wheelchair users. There may be an accessible ramp entry in the back of the building. The building is then considered accessible, since wheelchair users can enter and exit. But such a “backdoor treatment” can be experienced as an indignity and discrimination.</p> <p>Accessible toilets are sometimes used for <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/most-public-toilets-inaccessible-to-people-with-disabilities/adsx7cnr8">storage, locked or out of order</a>. Again, although the design meets accessibility standards, in practice the building is inaccessible because of poor management.</p> <p>And accessibility is not exclusively about physical disabilities and physical barriers.</p> <p>People with cognitive disabilities, for example, might struggle to find their way in a building if way-finding signs are difficult to understand. <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-people-with-communication-disability-complaining-about-their-treatment-isnt-so-simple-214717">Communication accessibility</a> in building is achieved when the information needed to navigate and use the building is understood by everyone, no matter how they communicate.</p> <h2>Silver, gold and platinum standards</h2> <p>There are different levels of accessibility. In Australia, housing accessibility is most often assessed according to <a href="https://livablehousingaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/SLLHA_GuidelinesJuly2017FINAL4.pdf">Livable Housing Australia</a>’s (LHA) three standards of silver, gold and platinum. Silver-level homes have minimal accessibility features, but are designed in a way that enables easy home modifications over time.</p> <p>The silver standard of accessibility requires seven features:</p> <p>• a step-free path of travel from the street or parking area</p> <p>• at least one step-free entrance</p> <p>• internal doors and corridors that allow comfortable movement, including for people using wheelchairs</p> <p>• a toilet on the entry level with easy access</p> <p>• a bathroom with a hobless shower recess, so there isn’t a step-over barrier to entry</p> <p>• reinforced walls around the toilet, shower and bath. These allow installation of grabrails later if needed</p> <p>• stairways designed to reduce the risk of injury and also enable future adaptation.</p> <p>Gold-level homes have additional accessibility features. Platinum homes are designed for people with higher mobility needs and to allow ageing at home.</p> <h2>A patchwork of standards and what the NDIS review says</h2> <p>In 2021 Australian housing ministers <a href="https://www.industry.gov.au/news/building-ministers-meeting-communique-april-2021">agreed for the first time</a> to introduce minimum accessibility standards in the National Construction Code. It followed decades of campaigning by activist groups such as the <a href="https://anuhd.org/">Australian Network for Universal Housing Design</a>, <a href="https://riaustralia.org/">Rights and Inclusion Australia</a> and the <a href="https://www.summerfoundation.org.au/">Summer Foundation</a>.</p> <p>The code requires all new homes be built to silver standards. It does not apply to existing homes and exemptions will apply for some newly built homes because of site restrictions.</p> <p>When the code was introduced, New South Wales and Western Australia announced they would not adopt the new code. Both the NDIS review and the disability royal commission recommended all states and territories <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2023-09/Final%20Report%20-%20Volume%207%2C%20Inclusive%20education%2C%20employment%20and%20housing%20-%20Part%20C.pdf">immediately adopt</a> the code’s new accessibility standards.</p> <p>A consistent application of the code’s new standards across Australia is a good start. But the code provides only the minimum standard of accessibility. To make buildings and homes truly accessible, we need to improve education on accessibility for designers, operators and consumers.</p> <h2>An urgent national priority</h2> <p>With Australia’s ageing population, most people will experience disability – or have a household member with disability – at some point.</p> <p>Accessible homes and buildings can reduce pressure on the health system and improve quality of life. A consistent national construction code is just the first step urgently needed to improve building accessibility and inclusion so people with disability have autonomy and flourish.<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/217278/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ilan-wiesel-303040">Ilan Wiesel</a>, Associate Professor in Urban Geography, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-bentley-173502">Rebecca Bentley</a>, Professor of Social Epidemiology and Director of the Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-does-a-building-need-to-call-itself-accessible-and-is-that-enough-217278">original article</a>.</em></p>

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9 things you should never touch in someone else’s house

<p><strong>A hands-off approach</strong></p> <p>Nothing like a global pandemic to critically alter your lifelong and intrinsic sanitary practices, huh? And while we know coronavirus does not spread easily from surfaces, there are still plenty of other germs and bacteria that do. And it’s not always a matter of good hygiene – sometimes it’s just a matter of good manners!</p> <p><strong>The door </strong></p> <p>Of course, you can actually touch the door, but you should never do so to let yourself into someone else’s home without them, or without being invited. Always knock or ring the bell, even if it’s been left unlocked, unless someone has expressly told you that you don’t have to. </p> <p>And please, don’t show up knocking earlier than expected – it could be a huge inconvenience to your host.</p> <p><strong>Their bathroom </strong></p> <p>As with most of the things on this list, you should avoid this unless you’re specifically invited. Try not to stray after your trip to the bathroom for a look around – it’s definitely off-limits if you don’t have permission or are going in without your host knowing. Of course, there are exceptions, as it may not be so serious an offence if you know the person very well, or if one lives in a shared living space, a studio, or an apartment with limited space. </p> <p>And on that note, it’s best to wait until you’re invited to sit or relax on someone’s bed. Many people also find that a bedroom is a convenient place to store coats if there are guests coming over, but wait until they offer instead of assuming it’s OK.</p> <p><strong>The floor - with your shoes on</strong></p> <p>Depending on personal preferences or cultural norms, many households have a no-shoes-inside policy. Take the tip from your host – if they’re wearing shoes in their house, you can probably assume it’s OK for you. When in doubt, ask what they would prefer. </p> <p>Another place you shouldn’t be putting your feet? On the couch or coffee table. I can think of five good reasons you should ban shoes in the house, period.</p> <p><strong>The fridge and cupboards </strong></p> <p>This one might sound like it should go without saying, but some might not realize just how rude it is to help yourself to someone else’s food. If you’re hungry, let your host know, or suggest going out to eat. If you’re staying for a long time, your host will probably prepare and shop for food accordingly, but it’s a good idea to offer to bring or buy some groceries yourself. And if you came for dinner, eat what’s been prepared for you, and offer to bring a dish or wine to share. </p> <p>If you have a restricted diet, let your host know beforehand and prepare a dish to bring if it’s difficult to accommodate. Offer to help cook, and lend a hand with the dishes and cleanup. Countertops are absolutely one of those things you should be cleaning every day, regardless.</p> <p><strong>The windows or thermostat</strong></p> <p>Always let your hosts set the thermostat number – it’s their house, after all, and they’re the ones paying the bill for it. If you’re really too cold, a better option might be to ask to borrow a jumper, or extra blankets if you’ll be staying overnight. </p> <p>Too hot? Suggest an activity to help cool off, like going to a place with air conditioning. If you have a medical condition that makes you particularly sensitive to heat or cold, you should always inform your host ahead of time so you can make plans accordingly.</p> <p><strong>Drawers and cabinets</strong></p> <p>This one is definitely invasive of your host’s privacy. Don’t go rummaging for anything that’s not in plain sight or in the rooms your host is expecting you in. You might find it tempting to snoop, but the medicine cabinet is certainly off-limits.</p> <p><strong>Workspaces, mail, or bills</strong></p> <p>To go along with the last one, it’s always best to avoid snooping. In some homes, a guest bedroom might also double as a home office, so steer clear of using these spaces to store your things. You have no idea how they might have organised their things, so try to leave it as is. Not going through someone’s mail is basic manners!</p> <p><strong>Cigarettes or e-cigarettes </strong></p> <p>Unless your host is doing the same and gives you permission, you should never, ever start smoking a cigarette or e-cigarette in someone’s home. This rule is especially inflexible if there are children in the house. Not only can you expose them to the harmful ingredients and chemicals in cigarettes, but the effects – and the smell – can linger long after you’re gone. </p> <p>If you can’t wait, excuse yourself to go outside, and try to move away from doors and windows so it doesn’t waft into the house. Removing the cigarette and cigar smell is quite the cumbersome task. </p> <p><strong>The Wi-Fi</strong></p> <p>Try to refrain from asking for the Wi-Fi password unless you’re a long-term guest or a very frequent visitor. If you’re asking at the beginning of a dinner party, it’s sending the message that you’d rather be on your phone. Try to stay off of your phone as much as possible to really have quality time when you’re visiting.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/9-things-you-should-never-touch-in-someone-elses-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

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No, antibiotics aren’t always needed. Here’s how GPs can avoid overprescribing

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mina-bakhit-826292">Mina Bakhit</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-glasziou-13533">Paul Glasziou</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p>The growth in antibiotic resistance threatens to return the world to the pre-antibiotic era – with deaths from now-treatable infections, and some elective surgery being restricted because of the risks of infection.</p> <p>Antibiotic resistance is a major problem worldwide and should be the concern of everyone, including you.</p> <p>We need to develop new antibiotics that can fight the resistant bacteria or antibiotics that bacteria would not be quickly resistant to. This is like finding new weapons to help the immune system fight the bacteria.</p> <p>More importantly, we need to use our current antibiotics – our existing weapons against the bacteria – more wisely.</p> <h2>Giving GPs the tools to say no</h2> <p>In 2022, more than <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/aura-2023-fifth-australian-report-antimicrobial-use-and-resistance-human-health">one-third of Australians</a> had least one antibiotic prescription, with <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/analysis-2015-2022-pbs-and-rpbs-antimicrobial-dispensing-data">88%</a> of antibiotics prescribed by GPs.</p> <p>Many people <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28289114/">mistakenly think</a> antibiotics are necessary for treating any infection and that infections won’t improve unless treated with antibiotics. This misconception is found in studies involving patients with various conditions, including respiratory infections and conjunctivitis.</p> <p>In reality, not all infections require antibiotics, and this belief drives patients requesting antibiotics from GPs.</p> <p>Other times, GPs give antibiotics because they think patients want them, even when they might not be necessary. Although, in reality they are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17148626/">after symptom relief</a>.</p> <p>For GPs, there are ways to target antibiotics for only when they are clearly needed, even with short appointments with patients perceived to want antibiotics. This includes:</p> <ul> <li> <p>using <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32357226/">decision guides</a> or tests to decide if antibiotics are really necessary</p> </li> <li> <p>giving <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/partnering-consumers/shared-decision-making/decision-support-tools-specific-conditions">patients information sheets</a> when antibiotics aren’t needed</p> </li> <li> <p>giving a “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33910882/">delayed prescription</a>” – only to be used after the patient waits to see if they get better on their own.</p> </li> </ul> <p>All these strategies need some <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/assets/NPS/pdf/NPS-MedicineWise-Economic-evaluation-report-Reducing-Antibiotic-Resistance-2012-17.pdf">training</a> and practice, but they can help GPs prescribe antibiotics more responsibly. GPs can also learn from each other and use tools like <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24474434/">posters</a> as reminders.</p> <p>To help with patients’ expectations, public campaigns have been run periodically to educate people about antibiotics. These campaigns <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35098267/">explain why</a> using antibiotics too much can be harmful and when it’s essential to take them.</p> <h2>Giving doctors feedback on their prescribing</h2> <p>National programs and interventions can help GPs use antibiotics more wisely</p> <p>One successful way they do this is by <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34356788/">giving GPs feedback</a> about how they prescribe antibiotics. This works better when it’s provided by organisations that GPs trust, it happens more than once and clear goals are set for improvement.</p> <p>The NPS (formerly National Prescribing Service) MedicineWise program, for example, had been giving feedback to GPs on how their antibiotic prescriptions compared to others. This reduced the number of antibiotics prescribed.</p> <p>However, <a href="https://australianprescriber.tg.org.au/articles/the-end-of-nps-medicinewise.html">NPS no longer exists</a>.</p> <p>In 2017, the Australian health department did something similar by sending <a href="https://behaviouraleconomics.pmc.gov.au/projects/nudge-vs-superbugs-behavioural-economics-trial-reduce-overprescribing-antibiotics">feedback letters</a>, randomly using different formats, to the GPs who prescribed the most antibiotics, showing them how they were prescribing compared to others.</p> <p>The most effective letter, which used pictures to show this comparison, reduced the number of antibiotics GPs prescribed by <a href="https://behaviouraleconomics.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/projects/nudge-vs-superbugs-12-months-on-report.pdf">9% in a year</a>.</p> <h2>Clearer rules and regulations</h2> <p>Rules and regulations are crucial in the fight against antibiotic resistance.</p> <p>Before April 2020, many GPs’ computer systems made it easy to get multiple repeat prescriptions for the same condition, which could encourage their overuse.</p> <p>However, in April 2020, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) <a href="https://www.pbs.gov.au/pbs/industry/listing/elements/pbac-meetings/psd/2019-08/antibiotic-repeats-on-the-pharmaceutical-benefits-scheme">changed the rules</a> to ensure GPs had to think more carefully about whether patients actually needed repeat antibiotics. This meant the amount of medicine prescribed better matched the days it was needed for.</p> <p>Other regulations or policy targets could include:</p> <ul> <li> <p>ensuring all GPs have access to antibiotic prescribing guidelines, such as <a href="https://www.tg.org.au/">Therapeutic Guidelines</a>, which is well accepted and widely available in Australia</p> </li> <li> <p>ensuring GPs are only prescribing antibiotics when needed. Many of the conditions antibiotics are currently prescribed for (such as sore throat, cough and middle ear infections) are self-limiting, meaning they will get better without antibiotics</p> </li> <li> <p>encouraging GP working with antibiotics manufacturers to align pack sizes to the recommended treatment duration. The recommended first-line treatments for uncomplicated urinary tract infections in non-pregnant women, for example, are either three days of trimethoprim 300 mg per night or five days of nitrofurantoin 100 mg every six hours. However, the packs contain enough for seven days. This can mean patients take it for longer or use leftovers later.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>Australia lags behind Sweden</h2> <p>Australia has some good strategies for antibiotic prescribing, but we have not had a sustained long-term plan to ensure wise use.</p> <p>Although Australian GPs have been doing well in <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/antimicrobial-resistance/antimicrobial-use-and-resistance-australia-surveillance-system/aura-2021">reducing antibiotic prescribing</a> since 2015, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35098269/">more</a> could be done.</p> <p>In the 1990s, Sweden’s antibiotic use was similar to Australia’s, but is now less than half. For more than two decades, Sweden has had a national strategy that reduces antibiotic use by about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5677604/">7% annually</a>.</p> <p>It is vital Australia invests in a similar long-term national strategy – to have a centrally funded program, but with regional groups working on the implementation. This could be funded directly by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, or with earmarked funds via another body such as the Australian Centre for Disease Control.</p> <p>In the meantime, individual GPs can do their part to prescribe antibiotics better, and patients can join the national effort to combat antibiotic resistance by asking their GP: “what would happen if I don’t take an antibiotic?”.</p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mina-bakhit-826292">Mina Bakhit</a>, Assistant Professor of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-glasziou-13533">Paul Glasziou</a>, Professor of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-antibiotics-arent-always-needed-heres-how-gps-can-avoid-overprescribing-213981">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Why a familiar face made Adele break down on stage

<p dir="ltr">Adele has broken down during an emotional show in Las Vegas, after she locked eyes with a special audience member. </p> <p dir="ltr">The British songstress was performing at her residency show with a special Halloween show when she spotted a familiar face in the crowd.</p> <p dir="ltr">While dressed as Morticia from the Addams Family for the spooky-themed concert, Adele began to perform her hit song <em>When We Were Young</em> from her award-winning album <em>25</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">She suddenly burst into tears and ran into the audience, as she spotted the doctor who delivered her son Angelo ten years ago. </p> <p dir="ltr">Adele could be seen mouthing “Shut up!” in between lines of the heartbreaking ballad, as she couldn't believe what she was seeing.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cy_HGsFrr7Q/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cy_HGsFrr7Q/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 𝒜𝒹𝑒𝓁𝑒 𝐿𝒶𝓊𝓇𝒾𝑒 𝐵𝓁𝓊𝑒 𝒜𝒹𝓀𝒾𝓃𝓈 (@thirtyfreeadele)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Oh my god, Colin! Oh my god! This is my doctor that gave birth to my baby!”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I haven't seen you for years!” she exclaimed, as she paused the song and ran up into the audience.</p> <p dir="ltr">As Adele caught up with her long-lost friend, the tune continued playing in the background. </p> <p dir="ltr">The singer apologised to her fans as she was caught up in the emotional moment.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sorry!” she said to the crowd. “Will you sing it for me? That man delivered my baby!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans on Twitter rushed to praise the touching moment and Adele's sweet gesture to the doctor. </p> <p dir="ltr">One said, “This is so heartwarming,” while another added, “That's just the coolest thing ever!”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

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These 7 genius hacks will revive almost any plant

<p><strong>Look for signs of life </strong></p> <p>If your plant has turned brown and lost some leaves, don’t give up on it just yet. There is hope that you can revive a dead plant if the plant still has a few green leaves and pliable stems – buds are a sure sign too. Melinda Meyers, star and producer of Melinda’s Garden Moment TV and radio segments, says that reviving a plant takes patience (sometimes even years).</p> <p><strong>Think about the water</strong></p> <p>Plants that are over-watered appear wilted and may have brown or yellow leaves that make it look dead but with very moist soil. By contrast, if you have forgotten to water your plants,  the leaves will be brown but dried around the edges or curled up. Master gardener, Kristena LaMar, says that if you suspect over-watering is the cause of your plant’s demise, repot your plant in dry dirt. </p> <p>And if your plant is thirsty, water it! However, hold off on fertilising until the plant is in better health. Meyers warns that, “Fertilising a struggling plant can injure the tender roots of a recovering plant.”</p> <p><strong>Consider your lighting situation</strong></p> <p>If you recently moved your plant to a new spot, it’s possible it’s no longer getting enough light. Even if you didn’t move it, it’s possible its lighting situation changed. Did you recently buy heavier drapes? Plant a tree outside that’s now blocking the indoor sunlight? </p> <p>Try moving your plant to a sunnier window if it needs a lot of light. (Same goes with a plant that’s now getting too much sun; try a different location in your home.)</p> <p><strong>Find a humid spot</strong></p> <p>Plants absorb water through leaves as well as roots. So keep your plant in a humid spot that’s not too sunny and not too dry to help it recover.</p> <p><strong>Feed your plant carefully </strong></p> <p>People and pets aren’t the only things in your house that need food; plants can get malnourished, too. (Signs are discoloured leaves or slow or no growth.) Meyers recommends a fertiliser/nutritional supplement. Depending on the nutritional deficiency, providing the nutrition can help the plant recover nearly immediately within days. </p> <p>Other deficiencies may take longer – as in weeks – while others are chronic and may not ever fully recover, although these are rare with houseplants.</p> <p><strong>IV for plants </strong></p> <p>Another option for malnourished plants is a water-soluble fertiliser that will slowly release nutrients and is less likely to burn your plant’s roots. Add it to the watering can before watering plants. Only use fertiliser during the time when your plant should be growing. Over-fertilising or using the wrong fertiliser can burn the roots of the plant.</p> <p><strong>Compost</strong></p> <p>If you’ve tried everything, and your plant still can’t be revived, it might be time to let go. By composting your plants, the remains can be recycled as nutrient-rich dirt that can help your next houseplant thrive. Don’t beat yourself up – and next time buy a hearty, nearly kill-proof cactus.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/7-hacks-that-will-revive-almost-any-plant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Home & Garden

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Adele called herself a ‘borderline alcoholic’. But is that a real thing?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-lee-81635">Nicole Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p>British singer-songwriter Adele says she has quit drinking, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/18/adele-says-she-has-quit-drinking-after-being-a-borderline-alcoholic">describing herself</a> as a “borderline alcoholic” when she was in her 20s.</p> <p>She joins a <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-young-people-drinking-less-than-their-parents-generation-did-172225">growing number of people</a> who are trying to quit or reduce their drinking.</p> <p>But what does “borderline alcoholic” mean and is it a real thing?</p> <h2>It’s not all-or-nothing any more</h2> <p>In the <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-alcoholics-anonymous-actually-work-179665">early days</a> of alcohol treatment, people used to think of problems with alcohol as all-or-nothing. They used to believe there was something different about people who had problems with alcohol and those who didn’t. That’s how the idea of the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-there-really-such-a-thing-as-an-addictive-personality-184137">addictive personality</a>” came about.</p> <p>But now we think of drinking on a continuum. It goes from not drinking at all to dependent drinking. And people can move up and down that continuum at different points in their lives. The old saying “once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic” doesn’t apply any more.</p> <h2>How much is it OK to drink?</h2> <p>The Australian national alcohol <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/alcohol">guidelines</a> say healthy men and women should drink no more than ten <a href="https://alcoholthinkagain.com.au/resources-and-tools/standard-drink-tool">standard drinks</a> a week and no more than four a day. So that’s about two to three drinks three to four times a week. <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/alcohol-consumption/latest-release">Most Australians</a> drink within these guidelines.</p> <p>If you drink over those guidelines you are more likely to experience a number of long- and short-term <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-guidelines-reduce-health-risks-drinking-alcohol">problems</a> including alcohol dependence, cancers, diabetes and heart disease. The risk of problems increases the more you drink and the more frequently you drink.</p> <p>About 25% of Australians drink at <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey-2019/data">risky levels</a> and around 6% drink at such high levels that they would probably be dependent. Daily drinking is associated with dependence.</p> <h2>So when is someone an alcoholic or a borderline alcoholic?</h2> <p>The term “alcoholic” is rarely used by health professionals any more. It can make people believe there is nothing they can do about the problems they might be experiencing. Historically, that’s what the early treatment providers believed in the 1930s and that <a href="https://theconversation.com/alcohol-problems-arent-for-life-and-aa-isnt-the-only-option-8-things-film-and-tv-get-wrong-about-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-180946">myth has continued</a>. But some people find identifying as an “alcoholic” helpful to maintain their goal of quitting drinking.</p> <p>Health professionals have never used the term “borderline alcoholic”. But in describing herself that way Adele is really saying alcohol is having too much of a negative impact on her life, and like many others has decided to do something positive about it by taking a break.</p> <h2>Which terms do we use now?</h2> <p>Now, we tend to talk about “dependence” on a continuum from mild to moderate to severe. We also talk about the range of problems other than dependence that people can experience, which also lie on a continuum.</p> <p>The threshold for whether someone is a problem or dependent drinker is not just how much they drink (although that is important), but also how severe the alcohol-related problems are.</p> <p>Problems with alcohol don’t always correlate with consumption. Some people can drink a moderate amount and have a lot of problems and others can drink a lot and appear not to have many negative consequences.</p> <h2>I’m worried about my drinking. What next?</h2> <p>If you are wondering if you are drinking too much you can <a href="https://hellosundaymorning.org/nib_alcohol_self-assessment/">check online</a> with a free and anonymous assessment.</p> <p>Signs you may have a <a href="https://alcoholtreatmentguidelines.com.au/resources/appendix-3-diagnostic-criteria-for-alcohol-dependence">problem with alcohol</a> include:</p> <ul> <li> <p>having trouble stopping once you start drinking</p> </li> <li> <p>wanting or trying to cut back but slipping up frequently</p> </li> <li> <p>spending a lot of time drinking or recovering from drinking</p> </li> <li> <p>having cravings to drink alcohol, such as if you come home from work and reach straight for a drink</p> </li> <li> <p>dropping the ball at work, study or home because you’ve been drinking, such as not being able to do your work because you’re hungover</p> </li> <li> <p>continuing to drink alcohol even though you know it’s causing problems with your health, friends, work or relationships</p> </li> <li> <p>giving up or reducing social and work activities to drink instead</p> </li> <li> <p>drinking when it’s not safe, such as before driving or swimming.</p> </li> </ul> <p>If you find you aren’t getting the same effects from alcohol as you used to or you need more and more alcohol to get the same effect, you have probably developed a dependence.</p> <p>Sometimes people who are very dependent can experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop – strong cravings, nausea, sweating, agitation and anxiety.</p> <p>The more of these signs you have, the more likely you are to be dependent on alcohol.</p> <p>If you have any of these signs, taking a break from alcohol for a few months or longer can help. If you find that’s too hard, you can try sticking within the Australian alcohol guidelines by reducing the number of drinks per occasion and increasing your drink-free days.</p> <h2>There’s help</h2> <p>Sometimes when people experience some of these problems they need a bit of help to keep them on track. You can talk to your GP who can refer you to a psychologist or treatment service. Or you can try self-help options such as the Hello Sunday Morning’s <a href="https://hellosundaymorning.org/daybreak/">Daybreak app</a> (a community of people supporting each other to change their relationship with alcohol). If your problems are more severe, you can try something like <a href="https://smartrecoveryaustralia.com.au">SMART Recovery</a> (evidence-based group support for alcohol and other drug problems).</p> <hr /> <p><em>If you are worried about your own or someone else’s alcohol or other drug use, you can contact the National Alcohol and other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015 for free, confidential advice.</em><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/215987/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-lee-81635"><em>Nicole Lee</em></a><em>, Professor at the National Drug Research Institute (Melbourne), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/adele-called-herself-a-borderline-alcoholic-but-is-that-a-real-thing-215987">original article</a>.</em></p>

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All the reasons you might be having night sweats – and when to see a doctor

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/siobhan-banks-18473">Siobhan Banks</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-grosser-1461631">Linda Grosser</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p>You’ve finished a workout, so you’re hot and drenched with perspiration – but soon you begin to feel cool again. Later, it’s a sweltering summer evening and you’re finding it hard to sleep, so you kick off the covers.</p> <p>Sweating is a normal part of the body’s cooling system, helping to release heat and maintain optimal body temperature. But regularly waking up during the night, soaked through from excessive sweating is not.</p> <p>Night sweats are <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/night-sweats/basics/definition/sym-20050768">repeated episodes</a> of excessive or intense sweating at night. They are an unpleasant part of life for many people.</p> <p>Many conditions and factors can trigger night sweats by changing the body’s tightly regulated temperature set point, at which the body attempts to maintain its <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4161/temp.29702">core temperature</a>. Some triggers are harmless (a hot bedroom) or even related to positive lifestyle changes (exercise). Others have an underlying cause like menopause, infection, disease or medication.</p> <h2>Temperature control and sweating</h2> <p>The hypothalamus, located in the brain, is part of the <a href="https://www.hormones-australia.org.au/the-endocrine-system/">endocrine system</a> and the temperature control centre for the body. It contains <a href="https://www.statpearls.com/point-of-care/29920#ref_19631766">temperature sensors</a> that receive information from nerve cells (thermoreceptors) located centrally (in the organs) and peripherally in the skin.</p> <p>Thermoreceptors detect changes in body temperature, sending signals back to the hypothalamus. These <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034111000256">signals</a> will either activate sweating to cool the body or shivering to warm the body.</p> <h2>Hormones and night sweats</h2> <p>Anyone, regardless of age or gender, can experience night sweats. But women experience night sweats more often than men, largely because menopause and associated changing hormone levels are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/13697137.2011.608596">a leading cause</a>.</p> <p>Approximately 80% of women experience <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00737-007-0209-5">hot flashes</a> (also called hot flushes) or night sweats after <a href="https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/what-is-menopause">menopause</a> (when periods have ceased for 12 months) and during <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/perimenopause">perimenopause</a> (the time leading up to it).</p> <p>While both hot flashes and night sweats produce a feeling of overheating, they are different experiences associated with menopause. Hot flashes occur during the day, are transient episodes of flushing and may involve sweating. Night sweats occur at night and involve an intense period of <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/2821423865?accountid=14649">sweating</a>. Changing oestrogen levels are thought to impact norepinephrine and serotonin levels, two neurotransmitters that influence <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6459071/#:%7E:text=%5B21%5D%20Estrogens%20stimulate%20the%20production,norepinephrine%20which%20disturbs%20hypothalamic%20thermostat">temperature regulation</a> in the hypothalamus.</p> <p>Hormones also influence night sweats in men, particularly those with low <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/testosterone">testosterone</a> levels, known as <a href="https://www.hormones-australia.org.au/endocrine-diseases/hypogonadism/">hypogonadism</a>. Around 38% of men aged 45 years or older have low testosterone <a href="https://www.scielo.br/j/ibju/a/RZqqfTn5tY6BFpV6rp3GMxJ/">levels</a> but it can affect men at any age.</p> <h2>Infections, disease and medications</h2> <p>When fighting infection, our body temperature often <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/nbk/nbk562334">rises</a>. This can stimulate sweating to cool and decrease body <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034111000256">temperature</a>.</p> <p>Minor infections like the common cold can cause night sweats. They are also a symptom of serious infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and diseases such as <a href="https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2020/0101/p34.html">Hodgkin’s</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00002018-200831020-00002">non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma</a>. However, night sweats are rarely the only symptom present.</p> <p>Medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), corticosteroids, thyroid hormone replacement and methadone can cause night sweats. These medications affect parts of the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00002018-200831020-00002">brain</a> and neurotransmitters that control and stimulate sweating.</p> <p>Regular alcohol (particularly alcohol dependence) and recreational drug use can also <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00002018-200831020-00002">increase the risk</a> of night sweats.</p> <h2>Stress, snoring and strenuous exercise</h2> <p>Night sweats are commonly reported by people with <a href="https://karger.com/spp/article-abstract/26/2/92/295722/Psychological-Sweating-A-Systematic-Review-Focused?redirectedFrom=fulltext">anxiety</a>.</p> <p>Psychological stress activates the body’s fight or flight system releasing neurotransmitters that increase heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure. This causes the body to heat up, at which point it starts sweating to cool the body back down. Night sweats may also increase anxiety, causing more sweating which in turn leads to less sleep and more anxiety.</p> <p>If anxiety causes night sweats and this causes distress, it’s best to get up, move around and engage in a <a href="https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/symptoms/night-sweats">calming routine</a>, preferably in a dark or dimly lit room.</p> <p>Night sweats have similarly been connected with sleep disorders like <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/obstructive-sleep-apnoea">obstructive sleep apnoea</a>, where the airway is repeatedly blocked during sleep and there is loud snoring. About one third of people with obstructive sleep apnoea regularly <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11325-011-0502-4">experience night sweats</a>. The exact cause is undetermined but research shows it is linked with low blood oxygen levels (<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11325-022-02701-3">hypoxemia</a>) and/or <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2009.00743.x">high blood pressure</a>.</p> <p>People can experience night sweats after high-intensity workouts. Vigorous exercise can stimulate the thyroid, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500006/#:%7E:text=Thyroid%20hormone%20increases%20the%20basal,respiration%20rate%2C%20and%20body%20temperature">increasing basal metabolic rate</a> and body temperature for up to <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2011/09000/A_45_Minute_Vigorous_Exercise_Bout_Increases.6.aspx">14 hours post exercise</a>. So night sweats can occur even after a vigorous morning workout.</p> <p>Night sweats can indicate overtraining and/or under-fuelling. If not enough calories are consumed to support the increase in training, blood sugar could drop and you could experience <a href="https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2003/0301/p1019.pdf">hypoglycaemia</a>, which can cause night sweats.</p> <h2>When to seek help and 5 things to try</h2> <p>There are <a href="https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2020/1001/p427.html">numerous</a> health conditions and medications that can cause night sweats and interfere with sleep.</p> <p>If night sweats are regular, distressing, interfere with sleep or are accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue or weight loss (not related to lifestyle or diet changes) talk to a doctor to help determine the cause. They might suggest alternative medications to any you’re taking or recommend tests or investigations.</p> <p>In the meantime, you can try the following ideas:</p> <p><strong>1.</strong> sleep in a cool room and use a fan if needed</p> <p><strong>2.</strong> don’t overdress for bed. Wear breathable cotton or linen pyjamas</p> <p><strong>3.</strong> choose lightweight bedding you can kick off. Avoid synthetic fibres and flannel bedding</p> <p><strong>4.</strong> consider a cooling mattress or pillow and avoid those (such as foam ones) that can limit airflow</p> <p><strong>5.</strong> avoid spicy foods, caffeine or alcohol before bed.<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/211436/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/siobhan-banks-18473"><em>Siobhan Banks</em></a><em>, Research professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-grosser-1461631">Linda Grosser</a>, , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/all-the-reasons-you-might-be-having-night-sweats-and-when-to-see-a-doctor-211436">original article</a>.</em></p>

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No more brown leaves: sage advice from a gardening expert

<p>We’ve all been there before. We’re watering our seemingly healthy houseplant when suddenly there it is: a tinge of brown on the plant’s leaf. Yikes. But what do brown tips on leaves mean for your plant, and what can you do to make them go away? Read on to find out.</p> <p><strong>Lack of water or humidity</strong></p> <p>If your plant is sporting crispy, dark, or brown tips on its leaves, it may mean you need to water more often. Check the soil moisture and slowly reduce the number of days in between watering. Watch your plants for signs of improvement.</p> <p>Lack of humidity could also be the cause. Tropical plants prefer higher humidity levels than we have in our homes. When we turn on the heat in winter, there’s even less moisture in the air. Group plants together so that as one loses moisture through its leaves, the neighbours benefit. Or place plants on saucers or trays filled with pebbles and water. Set a pot on the pebbles above the water. As the water evaporates, it will increase the humidity around the plant, where it is needed.</p> <p><strong>Lack of nutrients</strong></p> <p>A lack of key nutrients may be behind the brown tips on leaves of your plant. Burned-looking leaf tips, or old leaves with dark green or reddish-purplish colouring, may indicate a phosphorus deficiency. With a potassium deficiency, you may see yellow or brown along older leaf tips and edges, yellowing between veins, curling leaves, or spotting.</p> <p>For potted plants, add a slow-release type of fertiliser to the soil mix before planting. Every time you water, a little fertiliser is released, providing a steady flow of nutrients. But depending on the growing conditions and number of plants in the container, a midseason boost may be needed. Stay on top of your fertiliser applications by making notes on a calendar.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/gardening-tips/why-does-my-plant-have-brown-tips-on-the-leaves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

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9 tricky ways to clean your house while you sleep

<p><strong>1. Soak a showerhead</strong></p> <p>Mineral deposits can clog a showerhead and affect its pressure over time. To clean, fill a plastic bag with vinegar. Place the bag around the showerhead, submerging it in the liquid.</p> <p>Secure the bag to the neck of the showerhead with a twist tie and leave overnight. The vinegar will break down the buildup by morning.</p> <p><strong>2. Remove stains on pots and pans </strong></p> <p>If a batch of cookies left your baking sheet gunky, let a dryer sheet clean it overnight. Place the sheet on the pan and fill with warm water.</p> <p>Cleaning agents in the dryer sheet will help loosen stuck-on grime and stains. In the morning, easily wipe off with a sponge.</p> <p><strong>3. Polish stove grates </strong></p> <p>Cleaning greasy, food-splattered stove burners can be a tiresome chore. Before you go to bed, seal each burner in a large plastic bag with ¼ cup of ammonia. </p> <p>The overnight soak will make it easy to wipe off the surface with a sponge the following day.</p> <p><strong>4. Banish rust on tools </strong></p> <p>If your rusty tools have seen better days, fill a tray with Coca-Cola. Submerge the tools, allow to soak overnight, and scrub clean with a stiff brush in the morning.</p> <p>The soda’s phosphoric acid will help loosen the gunk.</p> <p><strong>5. Eliminate wet messes </strong></p> <p>If your sofa or carpet became the victim of an icky, wet mess (say, vomit or urine), mix a paste of baking soda and water to soak it up.</p> <p>Use a spoon to spread the paste over the soiled area. Allow to dry overnight, then vacuum in the morning.</p> <p><strong>6. Descale a kettle </strong></p> <p>Limescale can build up from calcium carbonate deposits in water, leading to an off-white, chalky deposit in your kettle.</p> <p>To clean, cut a lemon into large slices, place in the kettle, and add water. Bring to a boil, then take the kettle off the heat and leave overnight.</p> <p>The lemon’s citric acid will loosen the limescale. Toss the fruit and water mixture in the morning and rinse before using your newly cleaned kettle.</p> <p><strong>7. Clean bath toys</strong></p> <p>To make grubby rubber duckies, boats, and other bath toys new again, mix one gallon warm water with ¾ cup vinegar. Soak the toys overnight. Rinse thoroughly and allow to air dry.</p> <p><strong>8. Make diamonds sparkle</strong> </p> <p>Quickly polish a diamond ring by filling a bottle cap with Windex. Soak the ring overnight and dry with a soft cloth in the morning to remove grime and add shine.</p> <p><strong>9. Remove red wine stains</strong></p> <p>If red wine marked up your favorite garment, sprinkle the stain with salt and cover with club soda. The salt absorbs the stain while the club soda’s carbonation and sodium helps lift it. Leave overnight before laundering.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/diy-tips/9-ways-clean-house-your-sleep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

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Woman dies after being accused by doctors of faking symptoms

<p>A woman from New Zealand has passed away from a debilitating illness after being told by a doctor that her illness was “all in her head”.</p> <p>Stephanie Aston, 33, died after a long and public battle with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a rare  genetic disorder affecting the body’s connective tissue, on September 1st. </p> <p>EDS, of which there are 13 different variants, is often referred to as an "invisible illness", as sufferers can often appear healthy despite experiencing excruciating symptoms, such as severe migraines, dislocating joints, easy bruising, abdominal pain, iron deficiency, fainting and an abnormally fast heart-rate.</p> <p>Aston said she was dismissed by a doctor in 2016, who dismissed her symptoms and told her that she was faking her disease. </p> <p>Despite being diagnosed with EDS by three different specialists, one doctor in Auckland, who Aston referred to as 'Doctor A', suggested she was not seriously unwell and indicated she was causing her illnesses, <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/stephanie-aston-death-eds-sufferers-call-for-change-after-doctors-accused-woman-of-faking-illness/VX4Q6CAWRVH25I6OCKGQ4KTW4M/">The NZ Herald</a></em> reports.</p> <p>Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes New Zealand founder Kelly McQuinlan said Stephanie's death has shocked the community, and said more needs to be done for those suffering with the debilitating condition. </p> <p>“A lot of people are feeling very lost,” she said.</p> <p>“I think most people in these rare positions or invisible illnesses, definitely experience setbacks and disbelieving because things can’t be seen but really the clinical symptoms are there that are being ignored.”</p> <p>Ms McQuinlan described Ms Aston as a “beacon” for those with the illness in a tribute to her on Facebook.</p> <p>“Most people in our community have experienced some form of sort of doctors not believing them or questioning their diagnosis which is extremely hard,” she wrote.</p> <p>“When they see someone in their community pass away, the first thing they think is ‘What if my care is not looked after? What’s going to happen to me?’.”</p> <p>“At the end of the day, if symptoms aren’t managed correctly, anyone can get sick enough that they will pass away.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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Why is a messy house such an anxiety trigger for me and what can I do about it?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erika-penney-1416241">Erika Penney</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the sight of clutter and mess in your home? Have you walked in the door only to feel overloaded by scattered papers, unwashed dishes and clothes in disarray? Maybe you’ve even had arguments because it bothers you more than it bothers you partner or housemates.</p> <p>You’re not alone. Many people report a messy house can trigger feelings of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167209352864">stress</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494421000062?via%3Dihub">anxiety</a>.</p> <p>So why do clutter and chaos make some of us feel so overwhelmed? Here’s what the research says – and what you can do about it.</p> <h2>Cognitive overload</h2> <p>When we’re surrounded by distractions, our brains essentially become <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21228167/">battlegrounds</a> for attention. Everything competes for our focus.</p> <p>But the brain, as it turns out, <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1994-43838-001">prefers</a> order and “<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00086/full%22%22">singletasking</a>” over multitasking.</p> <p>Order helps reduce the competition for our attention and reduces mental load. While some people might be better than others at <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1523471113">ignoring distractions</a>, distractable environments can overload our cognitive capabilities and memory.</p> <p>Clutter, disorder and mess can affect more than just our cognitive resources. They’re also linked to our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23907542/">eating</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132318307157?via=ihub">productivity</a>, mental health, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15374424jccp3401_9">parenting</a> decisions and even our willingness to donate <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23907542/">money</a>.</p> <h2>Are women more affected than men?</h2> <p>Research suggests the detrimental effects of mess and clutter may be more pronounced in women than in men.</p> <p>One <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167209352864">study</a> of 60 dual-income couples found women living in cluttered and stressful homes had higher levels of cortisol (a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19596045/#:%7E:text=After%2520controlling%2520for%2520the%2520individual,and%2520poor%2520self-rated%2520health.">hormone</a> associated with stress) and heightened depression symptoms.</p> <p>These effects remained consistent even when factors like marital satisfaction and personality traits were taken into account. In contrast, the men in this study seemed largely unaffected by the state of their home environments.</p> <p>The researchers theorised that women may feel a greater responsibility for maintaining the home. They also suggested the social aspect of the study (which involved giving home tours) may have induced more fear of judgement among women than men.</p> <p>We will all live with clutter and disorganisation to some degree in our lives. Sometimes, however, significant clutter problems can be linked to underlying mental health conditions such as <a href="https://beyondocd.org/information-for-individuals/symptoms/ocd-related-hoarding#:%7E:text=Examples%20of%20hoarding%20in%20the,are%20not%20needed%20any%20more">obsessive-compulsive disorder</a>, <a href="https://beyondocd.org/information-for-individuals/symptoms/ocd-related-hoarding#:%7E:text=Examples%20of%20hoarding%20in%20the,are%20not%20needed%20any%20more">hoarding disorder</a>, <a href="https://psychcentral.com/depression/messy-room-depression#does-it-exacerbate-symptoms">major depressive disorder</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005796704000531">attention deficit hyperactivity disorder</a>, and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0887618510001647">anxiety disorders</a>.</p> <p>This raises a crucial question: which came first? For some, clutter is the source of anxiety and distress; for others, poor mental health is the source of disorganisation and clutter.</p> <h2>Not all mess is a problem</h2> <p>It’s important to remember clutter isn’t all bad, and we shouldn’t aim for perfection. Real homes don’t look like the ones in magazines.</p> <p>In fact, disorganised spaces can result in increased <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23907542/">creativity</a> and elicit fresh insights.</p> <p>Living in constant disorder isn’t productive, but striving for perfectionism in cleanliness can also be counterproductive. Perfectionism itself is associated with feeling overwhelmed, anxiety and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28026869/">poor mental health</a>.</p> <h2>Mess makes me anxious so what can I do about it?</h2> <p>It’s important to remember you have some agency over what matters to you and how you want to prioritise your time.</p> <p>One approach is to try to reduce the clutter. You might, for example, have a dedicated de-cluttering session every week. This may involve hiring a cleaner (if you can afford it) or playing some music or a podcast while tidying up for an hour with your other household members.</p> <p>Establishing this routine can reduce clutter distractions, ease your overall mental load and alleviate worry that clutter will spiral out of control.</p> <p>You can also try micro-tidying. If don’t have time for a complete cleanup, commit just five minutes to clearing one small space.</p> <p>If the clutter is primarily caused by other household members, try to calmly discuss with them how this mess is affecting your mental health. See if your kids, your partner or housemates can negotiate some boundaries as a household over what level of mess is acceptable and how it will be handled if that threshold is exceeded.</p> <p>It can also help to develop a self-compassionate mindset.</p> <p>Mess doesn’t define whether you are a “good” or “bad” person and, at times, it may even stimulate your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23907542/">creativity</a>. Remind yourself that you deserve success, meaningful relationships and happiness, whether or not your office, home or car is a mess.</p> <p>Take comfort in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0013916516628178">research</a> suggesting that while disorganised environments can make us susceptible to stress and poor decision-making, your mindset can buffer you against these vulnerabilities.</p> <p>If clutter, perfectionism or anxiety has begun to seem unmanageable, talk with your GP about a referral to a <a href="https://psychology.org.au/psychology/about-psychology/what-is-psychology">psychologist</a>. The right psychologist (and you may need to try a few before you find the right one) can help you cultivate a life driven by values that are important to you.</p> <p>Clutter and mess are more than just visual nuisances. They can have a profound impact on mental wellbeing, productivity and our choices.</p> <p>Understanding why clutter affects you can empower you to take control of your mindset, your living spaces and, in turn, your life.<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/211684/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erika-penney-1416241">Erika Penney</a>, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-a-messy-house-such-an-anxiety-trigger-for-me-and-what-can-i-do-about-it-211684">original article</a>.</em></p>

Mind

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Little House on the Prairie star passes away

<p>Hersha Parady, renowned for her role in <em>Little House on the Prairie</em>, has passed away at the age of 78.</p> <p>According to a statement provided to <em>The Hollywood Reporter </em>by her son, Jonathan Peverall, Parady passed away at her residence in Norfolk, Virginia on Wednesday August 23. Her son had been actively seeking financial assistance before her demise, as Parady had been diagnosed with meningioma, a prevalent type of brain tumour.</p> <p>Peverall initiated a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/helping-hersha" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe campaign</a> with the intention of aiding his mother's escalating medical expenses. In a heartfelt plea on the fundraising page, he recounted how the illness had depleted her vitality, memory and vibrant demeanour, rendering her predominantly bedridden and struggling with day-to-day tasks.</p> <p>Relocating his mother to his own home, Peverall worked diligently to ensure she received the necessary medical attention. He emphasised that the associated costs extended beyond medical procedures, encompassing aspects such as moving expenditures, at-home nursing care and medical equipment.</p> <p>"While we contemplate a surgery to potentially ameliorate her condition, the path to recovery is an arduous one," he stated, acknowledging the substantial financial burden posed by these circumstances. Balancing a full-time job and caring for his three children added to the challenge, yet he reassured that they were providing the best care they could, regardless of external contributions.</p> <p>"Rest assured, we are taking care of her to the best of our ability, and we will continue to do so, regardless of any contributions made here," Peverall wrote. "This GoFundMe is about improving my Mom’s quality of life and giving her the support she needs during this difficult time. It's also about showing her that she is not alone in her fight.</p> <p>"Her family and friends have been here supporting her through everything, but there is only so much help she is willing to accept from the people she loves. My Mom has always been a fiercely independent woman, and asking for help isn't in her nature. That's why I'm stepping in to do it on her behalf."</p> <p>Peverall expressed his gratitude and urged supporters to rally around Parady, demonstrating that her on-screen "Little House" family was united in this battle, just as she had been a presence in their lives through the show.</p> <p>In an update dated August 1, Peverall shared that his mother had undergone a "successful" surgery. However, complications arose as Parady developed pneumonia during her recovery, leading to her admission to the intensive care unit. Unfortunately, her condition deteriorated to a point where she couldn't regain full consciousness. The medical team at the hospital launched an investigation into her condition.</p> <p>Peverall maintained ongoing communication with the medical professionals, seeking insights to guide the best decisions for her care. Despite the trying circumstances, he expressed hope and called upon others to remain optimistic.</p> <p>Parady embarked on her career in theater after graduating from Berea High School in 1963. Her journey took her to Los Angeles, where she secured a role opposite Jon Voight in a production of <em>A Streetcar Named Desire</em>. Subsequently, she transitioned to the silver screen, featuring in an episode of <em>Bearcats!</em>.</p> <p>However, it was in 1977 that Parady achieved widespread recognition for her portrayal of school teacher Alice Garvey in the fourth season of <em>Little House on the Prairie</em>. Appearing in 35 more episodes, her character, Alice, met a tragic end in season six, perishing in a fire. The actress also appeared in other shows including <em>Kenan & Kel</em>, <em>The Phoenix</em>, and <em>The Quest</em>, and movies like <em>The Break</em> and <em>The Babysitter's Seduction</em>.</p> <p>Parady is survived by her son Jonathan Peverall and her three grandchildren.</p> <p><em>Images: GoFundMe / Instagram</em></p>

News

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The rental housing crisis is hurting our most vulnerable and demands a range of solutions (but capping rents isn’t one of them)

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-beer-111469">Andrew Beer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-baker-172081">Emma Baker</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a></em></p> <p>Roughly <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/housing-occupancy-and-costs/2019-20">one in three Australians</a> rent their homes. It’s Australia’s fastest-growing tenure, but renting is increasingly unaffordable. From 2020 to 2022, our <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4253168">research</a> found a large increase in the proportion of renters who said their housing was unaffordable.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542737/original/file-20230815-25187-p7vxqo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542737/original/file-20230815-25187-p7vxqo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542737/original/file-20230815-25187-p7vxqo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=217&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542737/original/file-20230815-25187-p7vxqo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=217&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542737/original/file-20230815-25187-p7vxqo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=217&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542737/original/file-20230815-25187-p7vxqo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=273&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542737/original/file-20230815-25187-p7vxqo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=273&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542737/original/file-20230815-25187-p7vxqo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=273&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="horizontal bar chart showing changes in Australian renters' assessments of affordability form 2020 to 2022" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Change in Australian renters’ assessments of affordability from 2020 to 2022.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Baker, Daniel, Beer, et al, forthcoming, The Australian Housing Conditions Dataset, doi:10.26193/SLCU9J, ADA Dataverse</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Australians are concerned about the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/05/rents-rise-again-across-australia-with-sydney-seeing-fastest-rise-in-20-years">pace</a> of <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/how-much-has-rent-increased-around-australia/8ljlnf0zm">rent rises</a>. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/national-cabinet-meeting">says</a> increasing housing supply and affordability is the “key priority” for tomorrow’s national cabinet meeting.</p> <p>The crisis has impacts well beyond affordability. The rental sector is where the worst housing accommodates the poorest Australians with the worst health.</p> <h2>The unhealthy state of rental housing</h2> <p>Forthcoming data from the <a href="https://dataverse.ada.edu.au/dataverse/ahcdi">Australian Housing Conditions Dataset</a> highlight some of these parallel challenges:</p> <ul> <li> <p>it’s often insecure – the average lease is less than 12 months, and less than a third of formal rental agreements extend beyond 12 months</p> </li> <li> <p>rental housing quality is often very poor – 45% of renters rate the condition of their dwelling as “average, poor, or very poor”</p> </li> <li> <p>poor housing conditions put the health of renters at risk – 43% report problems with damp or mould, and 35% have difficulty keeping their homes warm in winter or cool in summer</p> </li> <li> <p>compounding these health risks, people with poorer health are over-represented in the rental sector. Renters are almost twice as likely as mortgage holders to have poorer general health.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Measures that potentially restrict the supply of lower-cost rental housing – such as rent caps – will <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4253168">worsen these impacts</a>. More households will be left searching in a shrinking pool of affordable housing.</p> <h2>It’s all about supply</h2> <p>Fixing the rental crisis needs more than a single focus on private rental housing. The movement between households over time between renting and buying homes means the best solutions are those that boost the supply of affordable housing generally. No one policy can provide all the answers.</p> <p>Governments should be looking at multiple actions, including:</p> <ul> <li> <p>requiring local councils to adopt affordable housing strategies as well as mandating <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/analysis/brief/understanding-inclusionary-zoning">inclusionary zoning</a>, which requires developments to include a proportion of affordable homes</p> </li> <li> <p>improving land supply through better forecasting at the national, state and local levels</p> </li> <li> <p>giving housing and planning ministers the power to deliver affordable housing targets by providing support for demonstration projects, subsidised land to social housing providers and access to surplus land</p> </li> <li> <p>boosting the recruitment and retention of skilled construction workers from both domestic and international sources.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>The biggest landlord subsidy isn’t helping</h2> <p>More than <a href="https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/taxation-statistics-2020-21/resource/ebbd32e3-4556-41e1-a8b9-33387457d518">1 million Australians</a> claim a net rent loss (negative gearing) each year. Even though negative gearing is focused on rental investment losses, it is not strictly a housing policy as it applies to many types of investment.</p> <p>The impact of negative gearing on the housing system is untargeted and largely uncontrolled. As a result, it’s driving outcomes that are sometimes at odds with the need to supply well-located affordable housing.</p> <p>The most impactful action the Australian government could take to deliver more affordable rental housing nationwide would involve refining negative-gearing arrangements to boost the supply of low-income rentals. These measures may involve</p> <ul> <li>limiting negative gearing to dwellings less than ten years old</li> <li>introducing a low-income tax credit scheme similar to the one in the United States.</li> </ul> <p>We can learn much from the US, where the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (<a href="https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/lihtc.html">LIHTC</a>) scheme subsidises the acquisition, construction and renovation of affordable rental housing for tenants on low to moderate incomes. Since the mid-1990s, the program has supported the construction or renovation of about 110,000 affordable rental units each year. That adds up to over <a href="https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-low-income-housing-tax-credit-and-how-does-it-work">2 million units</a> at an estimated annual cost of US$9billion (A$13.8billion).</p> <p>This scheme is much less expensive per unit of affordable housing delivered than Australia’s system of negative gearing.</p> <p>Closer to home, the previous National Rental Affordability Scheme showed the value of targeted financial incentives in encouraging affordable housing. This scheme, available to private and disproved investors, generated positive outcomes for tenants. The benefits included better health for low-income tenants who were able to moved into quality new housing.</p> <p>A <a href="https://cityfutures.ada.unsw.edu.au/documents/81/Next_moves_report.pdf">raft</a> of <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/260431">evaluations</a> have <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/267">demonstrated</a> the achievements of this scheme.</p> <h2>Crisis calls for lasting solutions</h2> <p>Short-term measures such as rent caps or eviction bans will not provide a solution in the near future or even the medium or long term. Instead, these are likely to worsen both the housing costs and health of low-income tenants.</p> <p>Reform focused on ongoing needs is called for. Solutions that can be implemented quickly include the tighter targeting of negative gearing and the introduction of a low-income housing tax credit.</p> <p>Talking about change, as the national cabinet is doing, will begin that process of transformation, but it must be backed up by a range of measures to boost the supply of affordable housing. This, in turn, will improve the housing market overall as affordable options become more widely available.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211275/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-beer-111469">Andrew Beer</a>, Executive Dean, UniSA Business, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-baker-172081">Emma Baker</a>, Professor of Housing Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-rental-housing-crisis-is-hurting-our-most-vulnerable-and-demands-a-range-of-solutions-but-capping-rents-isnt-one-of-them-211275">original article</a>.</em></p>

Real Estate

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Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie call it quits in epic legal battle

<p>Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reportedly chosen to settle their acrimonious legal dispute over their jointly owned French winery, Château Miraval, through mediation rather than pursuing further court battles.</p> <p>According to recent court filings obtained from TMZ, Jolie, 48, and Pitt, 59, have mutually agreed to attempt mediation as a means to resolve their disagreements concerning the future of Château Miraval.</p> <p>This development comes in the wake of allegations from Jolie's former investment company, Nouvel, accusing Pitt and other "co-conspirators" of trying to maintain control over Château Miraval by allegedly misusing and depleting its assets.</p> <p>The court documents claimed that Pitt had mismanaged the company's funds by directing substantial amounts towards personal endeavours, such as extravagant swimming pool renovations, repeated reconstruction of a staircase, and investing millions in restoring a recording studio.</p> <p>The legal dispute initially arose when Pitt filed a lawsuit against his former wife, claiming that she had sold her share of the winery to a Russian oligarch in 2021.</p> <p>According to a court filing, Pitt appeared upset over Jolie's decision to sell Nouvel to Stoli instead of him, and he allegedly failed to treat Nouvel as an equal partner in their business dealings.</p> <p>Furthermore, there were allegations that Pitt attempted to leverage the winery business to silence Jolie regarding the circumstances surrounding their divorce, which included allegations of abuse and disputes over child custody.</p> <p>Jolie had previously accused Pitt of physical abuse towards her and two of their children during a flight in 2016, leading to their separation later that same year.</p> <p>According to documents reported by the <em>New York Times</em> in 2022, Jolie's team claimed that Pitt engaged in a prolonged outburst during a flight from France to California in September 2016. The allegations included claims that Pitt had choked one of the children and struck another in the face, and had grabbed Jolie by the head and shaken her.</p> <p>In response to these accusations, Pitt's lawyer asserted that Pitt took responsibility for his actions but would not accept false claims against him. The actor has faced numerous personal attacks and misrepresentations throughout the legal proceedings.</p> <p>The former celebrity couple purchased Château Miraval, a picturesque country estate and winery located in the south of France, in 2008. Since then, it has become a focal point of their high-profile divorce.</p> <p>As they embark on the mediation process, both Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt hope to find common ground and reach an amicable resolution to put an end to their protracted legal battle over Château Miraval.</p> <p><em>Images: CNN / Getty </em></p>

Legal

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Should GPs bring up a patient’s weight in consultations about other matters? We asked 5 experts

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/au/team#fron-jackson-webb">Fron Jackson-Webb</a>, <a href="http://www.theconversation.com/">The Conversation</a></em></p> <p>Australian of the Year and body positivity advocate Taryn Brumfitt has <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/doctors-should-avoid-discussing-patient-s-weight-australian-of-the-year-says-20230707-p5dmhv.html">called for</a> doctors to avoid discussing a patient’s weight when they seek care for unrelated matters.</p> <p>A 15-minute consultation isn’t long enough to provide support to change behaviours, Brumfitt says, and GPs don’t have enough training and expertise to have these complex discussions.</p> <p>“Many people in larger bodies tell us they have gone to the doctor with something like a sore knee, and come out with a ‘prescription’ for a very restrictive diet, and no ongoing support,” Brumfitt <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/doctors-should-avoid-discussing-patient-s-weight-australian-of-the-year-says-20230707-p5dmhv.html">told the Nine newspapers</a>.</p> <p>By raising the issue of weight, Brumfitt says, GPs also risk turning patients off seeking care for other health concerns.</p> <p>So should GPs bring up a patient’s weight in consultations about other matters? We asked 5 experts.</p> <p><strong>Brett Montgomery - GP academic</strong></p> <p>Yes, sometimes – but with great care.</p> <p>I agree that weight stigma is damaging, and insensitively raising weight in consultations can <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0251566" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hurt people's feelings and create barriers</a>to other aspects of health care.</p> <p>I also agree people can sometimes be “overweight” yet <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0287218" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quite healthy</a>, and that common measures and categories of weight are <a href="https://theconversation.com/bmi-alone-will-no-longer-be-treated-as-the-go-to-measure-for-weight-management-an-obesity-medicine-physician-explains-the-seismic-shift-taking-place-208174">questionable</a>.</p> <p>On the other hand, I know obesity <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/FSDEDEV/media/documents/RACGP/Position%20statements/Obesity-prevention-and-management.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is associated with</a> heart disease, joint problems, diabetes and cancers.</p> <p>GPs should be ready to help people with their weight when they want help. <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/377/bmj-2021-069719.full?ijkey=FnARkmvxLOMFvlb&amp;keytype=ref">Our assistance somewhat effective</a>, though sadly dietary efforts often have minimal effect on weight in the long term. Meanwhile, treatments causing larger weight changes (<a href="https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2021/10/bariatric-surgery-public-system-access-still-terrible/">surgery</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-022-01176-2">some medicines</a> are often financially inaccessible.</p> <p>I feel safe discussing weight when my patient raises the issue. Fearing hurting people, I often avoid raising it myself. I focus instead on health rather than weight, discussing physical activity and healthy diet – these are good things for people of any size.</p> <p><strong>Emma Beckett - Nutrition scientist</strong></p> <p>No. It’s not likely to succeed. Large systematic reviews bringing together multiple studies of multiple weight-loss diets show weight loss is not generally maintained long term (<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32238384/">12 months</a> to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/0802982">four years</a>).</p> <p>The idea that weight is about willpower is outdated. The current body of evidence <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-weight-set-point-and-why-does-it-make-it-so-hard-to-keep-weight-off-195724">suggests</a> we each have a weight set point that our body defends. This is determined by genetics and environment more so than education.</p> <p>There may be associations between weight and health outcomes, but losing weight <a href="https://theconversation.com/just-because-youre-thin-doesnt-mean-youre-healthy-101185">does not necessarily equate</a> with improving health.</p> <p>Fat stigma and fatphobia are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2866597/">harmful too</a> and can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4381543/">compromise access to health care</a>.</p> <p>Instead, consider asking a better question. Healthy eating reduces disease risk <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3935663/">regardless of weight</a>. So maybe ask how many vegetables are your patients eating. Would they like to see a dietitian to discuss strategies for a better-quality diet?</p> <p><strong>Liz Sturgiss - GP/researcher </strong></p> <p>No. A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33211585/">US study</a> estimates it would take a family doctor 131% of their work hours to implement all preventive health-care recommendations. It's impossible to address every recommendation for preventative care at every consultation. One of the key skills of a GP is balancing the patient and doctor agenda.</p> <p><a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/treatment/weight-bias-and-stigma-in-health-care">Weight stigma</a> can deter people from seeking health care, so raising weight when a patient doesn't have it on their agenda can be harmful. A strong <a href="https://academic.oup.com/fampra/article/38/5/644/6244494?login=false">therapeutic relationship</a> is critical for safe and effective health care to address weight. </p> <p>Weight is always on my agenda when there is unexpected weight loss. If a patient has rapid weight loss, I am concerned about an undetected <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7283307/">cancer</a> or infection. Additionally, I am increasingly seeing patients who are unable to afford food, who often have <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dental-oral-health/oral-health-and-dental-care-in-australia/contents/introduction">poor oral health</a>, who lose weight due to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1747-0080.12580">poverty</a>. Weight loss for the wrong reasons is also a very concerning part of general practice.</p> <p><strong>Nick Fuller - Obesity researcher </strong></p> <p>Yes. GPs should play a role in the early detection of weight issues and direct patients to evidence-based care to slow this progression. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31032548/">Research</a> shows many people with obesity are motivated to lose weight (48%). <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31032548/">Most</a> want their clinician to initiate a conversation about weight management and treatment options.</p> <p>However, this conversation <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32385580/">rarely occurs</a>, resulting in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33621413/">significant delays to treatment</a>.</p> <p>Starting the conversation presents challenges. Although obesity is a complex disease related to multiple factors, it's still <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25752756/">highly stigmatised</a>in our society and even in the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23144885/">clinical setting</a>. Sensitivity is required and the wording the clinician uses is important to make the patient feel safe and avoid placing blame on them. Patients often <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20823355/">prefer terms</a> such as “weight” and “BMI” (body mass index) over “fatness,” “size” or “obesity”, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27354290/">particularly women</a>.</p> <p>Measuring weight, height and waist circumference should be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33621413/">considered routine in primary care</a>. But this needs to be done without judgement, and in collaboration with the patient.</p> <p><strong>Helen Truby - Nutrition scientist </strong></p> <p>Yes. A high body weight contributes to many chronic conditions that negatively impact the <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/australias-health/summaries">quality of life and mental health</a> of millions of Australians.</p> <p>Not all GPs feel confident having weight conversations, given the sensitive nature of weight and its stigma. GPs' words matter – they are a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12320">trusted source</a> of health information. It’s critical GPs gain the skills to know when and how to have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-019-1026-4">positive weight conversations</a>.</p> <p>GPs need to offer supportive and affordable solutions. But effective specialist weight management programs are few and far between. More equitable access to programs is essential so GPs have referral pathways after conversations about weight.</p> <p>GPs' time is valuable. Activating this critical workforce is essential to meet the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-obesity-strategy-2022-2032?language=en">National Obesity Strategy.</a></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/au/team#fron-jackson-webb">Fron Jackson-Webb</a>, Deputy Editor and Senior Health Editor, <a href="http://www.theconversation.com/">The Conversation</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-gps-bring-up-a-patients-weight-in-consultations-about-other-matters-we-asked-5-experts-209681">original article</a>.</em></p>

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What do the different colours of mould mean in my house?

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-taylor-228803">Michael Taylor</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a></em></p> <p>You may be interested (or possibly horrified) to discover you ingest and inhale thousands of tiny life forms on a daily basis.</p> <p>The air and surfaces around you are home to multitudes of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B978012394805200004X">bacteria, fungi, viruses</a>, mites, algae and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135400004206">protozoa</a>. Your skin isn’t much better, with a complex ecosystem of organisms called commensals which aren’t necessarily good or bad, but will shift in their composition depending on <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature11053">where you live</a>, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/6/1/2">the products you use</a> and <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/458">the pets you have</a>.</p> <p>Most of these creatures are generally undetectable due to their microscopic size and low concentrations. But when they find a niche they can exploit, you might notice them by their smell, or the appearance of unwanted staining and colour changes. A lot of this fungal growth is what we call mould.</p> <p>We’ve all been disappointed in ourselves at one time or another, lifting a neglected orange out of the fruit bowl to discover the bottom half is covered in a velvety blue-green growth.</p> <p>But what do the myriad colours that appear on our stuff tell us about the world we try not to think about?</p> <h2>Black</h2> <p>Often black staining is quite a disturbing occurrence. The concept of toxic black mould is one many people have become aware of due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/fungi-after-the-floods-how-to-get-rid-of-mould-to-protect-your-health-111341">flood impacts</a>.</p> <p>A quick online search will likely terrify you, but not all black discolouration is due to the same organisms, and almost none of it will outright cause you harm.</p> <p><em>Stachybotrys</em> is the one known as toxic black mould. It often turns up on <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/pdf/10.1289/ehp.99107s3505">building materials that have been wet for a long time</a>.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=384&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=384&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=384&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=483&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=483&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=483&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A severely mouldy wall covered in grey and black blotches" /></a><figcaption></figcaption>When the grout in your shower turns black though, that’s a different fungus called <em><a href="https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/view/130453">Aureobasidium</a></em>. It’s slimy, sticky and somewhere between a filamentous mould, which grows threadlike roots through whatever it’s eating, and a yeast, which prefer a free-floating, single-celled style of life.</figure> <p>Bleaching will often kill <em>Aureobasidium</em>, but the dark pigmentation will likely hang around – harmlessly, but stubbornly.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=425&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=425&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=425&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A close-up of white grout between grey tiles with black spots on it" /></a></figure> <h2>Blue</h2> <p>That blue orange I mentioned before, you can thank <em>Penicillium</em> for that. The organism that <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160512000852">gives us blue cheese</a> and the antibiotic penicillin is also responsible for producing a dense growth of mould that almost looks like smoke when disturbed, spreading millions of spores onto the rest of your fruit bowl.</p> <p><em>Penicillium</em> is a big group with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166061620300129">hundreds of species</a>, ranging from recognised pathogens to species yet to be named. However, the ones that turn up in our homes are generally the same “weed” species that simply cause food spoilage or grow in soil.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Close-up of a bright orange with a fuzzy blue mould spot on it" /></a></figure> <h2>Yellow and orange</h2> <p>We often think of fungi as organisms that thrive in the dark, but that’s not always true. In fact, some need exposure to light – and ultraviolet (UV) light in particular – to complete their life cycle.</p> <p>Many plant pathogens use UV light exposure as a trigger to produce their spores, and then protect their DNA by <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0003683814020094">hiding it behind melanin-containing shells</a>.</p> <p><em>Stemphylium</em> and <em>Epicoccum</em> turn up in our homes from time to time, often hitching a ride on natural fibres such as jute, hemp and hessian. They produce a spectrum of staining that can often turn damp items yellow, brown or orange.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A piece of wood laminate with yellow patches on it" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>We’re all fairly familiar with the green spots that turn up on mouldy bread, cake and other food items. Often we try to convince ourselves if we just cut off the bad bit, we can still salvage lunch.</p> <p>Sadly that’s not the case, as the roots of the fungi – collectively called mycelium – spread through the food, digesting and collecting sufficient nutrients to pop out a series of tiny fruiting bodies which produce the coloured spores you see.</p> <p>The green tuft is often from a group of fungi called <em>Aspergillus</em>. Under the microscope they look rather like the puffy top of a dandelion gone to seed.</p> <p>Like <em>Penicillium</em>, <em>Aspergillus</em> is another big fungal group with lots of species that turn up virtually in every environment. Some are <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mmy/article/43/Supplement_1/S87/1748298">heat tolerant</a>, some <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21553769.2015.1033653">love acid</a> and some will happily produce spores that <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1749461311000406">stay airborne for days to months at a time</a>.</p> <p>In the green gang is also a fungus called <em>Trichoderma</em>, which is Latin for “hairy skin”. <em>Trichoderma</em> produces masses of forest-green, spherical spores which tend to grow on wet cardboard or dirty carpet.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A pile of green grains on a small round tray" /></a></figure> <h2>Pink, purple and red</h2> <p>There are plenty to speak of in this category. And there is also a common bacterium that makes the list.</p> <p><em>Neurospora</em>, also known as the red bread mould, is one of the most studied fungi in scientific literature. It’s another common, non-hazardous one that has been used as <a href="https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3732/ajb.1400377">a model organism</a> to observe fungal genetics, evolution and growth.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A block of orange mouldy substance sitting on a banana leaf" /></a><figcaption></figcaption><em>Fusarium</em> is less common indoors, being <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261219416302794">an important crop pathogen</a>, but will sometimes turn spoiled rice purple. It also occasionally turns up on wet cement sheet, causing splotchy violet patches. <em>Fusarium</em> makes large, sticky, moon-shaped spores that have evolved to spread by rain splashes and hang onto plants. However, it is fairly bad at getting airborne and so doesn’t tend to spread very far from where it’s growing.</figure> <p>Finally in this category, that pink scum that turns up around bathroom taps or in the shower? It’s actually a bacterium called <em>Serratia</em>. It will happily chew up the soap scum residue left over in bathrooms, and has been shown to <a href="https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/AEM.02632-10">survive in liquid soaps and handwash</a>.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=337&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=337&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=337&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Close-up of white tile grout covered in a pink translucent film" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <h2>White</h2> <p>When fungi were first being classified and were eventually given their own phylogenetic kingdom, there were lots of wonderful and not strictly categorical ways we tried to split them up. One of these was hyaline and non-hyaline, essentially referring to transparent and coloured, respectively.</p> <p>One of the interesting non-pigmented moulds you may well catch sight of is a thing called <em>Isaria farinosa</em> (“farinosa” being Latin for “floury”). This fungus is a parasite of some moths and cicadas and is visible as brilliant white, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09583150802471812">tree-shaped growths on their unfortunate hosts</a>.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A dead bug on a green forest floor with white and yellow growths sticking out of it" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>So when you notice the world around you changing colour, you can marvel with your newfound knowledge at the microscopic wonders that live complex lives alongside yours. Then maybe clean it up, and give the fruit bowl a wash. <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/207737/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty / Shutterstock</em></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-taylor-228803">Michael Taylor</a>, Adjunct academic, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a></em></p> <p>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/what-do-the-different-colours-of-mould-mean-in-my-house-207737">original article</a>.</p>

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Stepson of billionaire trapped on sub called out for gross behaviour

<p>The stepson of the billionaire trapped onboard the OceanGate Titanic submersible has been called out online for attending a rock concert while his step-father remains missing in the Atlantic Ocean. </p> <p>Brian Szasz is the stepson of billionaire Hamish Harding, who is trapped on the missing vessel along with four others, days after the group left on an expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic. </p> <p>While rescue efforts continue to locate the group, Szasz has caused a stir online after being spotted with a beaming smile attending a Blink-182. </p> <p>Among those furious and confused by Szasz's actions was rapper Cardi B, who slammed the man on Instagram to her 167 million followers. </p> <p>"One of the billionaires that's missing underwater from that submarine s–t …Their stepson is at a concert, right?" Cardi B starts.</p> <p>The rapper noted that she felt that attending a concert, and post about it online amid the search and rescue of a loved one felt tone deaf.</p> <p>"People is like, um, 'What is he supposed to do? Be sad at the house? Is he supposed to go look for him himself?' Yes," she said.</p> <p>"Isn't it sad that you a whole f—ing billionaire and nobody gives a f–k about you?" the rapper asks. "That's crazy. I'd rather be broke. I'd rather be broke and poor, but knowing that I'm loved."</p> <p>Szasz fired back at the rapper, telling her to "show some class for once in your life", while he responded to the media storm after he claimed his family "would've wanted him to go" to the concert. </p> <p>"Yes, I went to @Blink182 last night. What am I supposed to do, sit at home and watch the news? Not sorry this band has helped me through hard times since 1998."</p> <p>Just hours after the online backlash over attending the concert, Szasz was once again being slammed online for flirting with an OnlyFans model on Twitter.</p> <p>Szasz retweeted an image of Only Fans it-girl Brea flashing her backside in a G-string with the caption, “can i sit on u” on the social media site, with Szasz responding, “Yes please!”</p> <p>The post came just minutes after he asked followers to “please keep my family in your prayers.”</p> <p>One commenter wrote of the unusual behaviour, “Lmao quote tweeting a thirst trap while your stepdad is lost at sea is wild business”, as another slammed, “Unreal to be tweeting this [right now.]”</p> <p>Another user added, “This guy loves blink-182 and having ladies sit on his face and he’s not afraid to let the world know.”</p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 16px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 28px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em>Image credits: Facebook / Action Aviation</em></p>

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