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"Good luck!": Pink stops show as pregnant fan goes into labour

<p>It's not every day that you can say pop icon Pink stopped her show as you were going into labour, but for one Sydney fan this was her reality. </p> <p>The <em>So What </em>singer briefly stopped her show after spotting a pregnant woman getting wheeled out of her concert by a medic on Friday. </p> <p>Wanting to know what all the commotion was about, Pink stopped half way through her performance of <em>Our Song </em>and excitedly tried to find out the baby-to-be's gender, after discovering  that the concertgoer was experiencing contractions. </p> <p>"Is it Alicia or Alex being born?" she asked from the stage, referencing her birth name, Alecia Beth Moore. </p> <p>The singer then playfully said that they shouldn't "be looking" anymore and urged the crowd to give the woman some "privacy."</p> <p> </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important; width: 573px; max-width: 100%;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7333559856185593090&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40miss_chantal%2Fvideo%2F7333559856185593090&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F22874a6d4d174a149b284ecb5a642be4_1707477473%3Fx-expires%3D1707865200%26x-signature%3DNsu2Nw7zUT%252Bf6ndURt3fjSjaZfg%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>"Wow, Our Song, that was the one that did it. Wouldn't have called that one! I thought it would've been Get The Party Started or 'Never Not Gonna Dance Again," she said, before congratulating the mum-to-be. </p> <p>"That's exciting. I don't even know what to say. But we have to sing now. Good luck! It's gonna be great! You're gonna do great," she said. </p> <p>A clip of the moment was shared on TikTok, with fans hoping that the mum had a safe delivery.</p> <p>"Baby is like nah I wanna see pink I don’t wanna just hear. Hope mama had a safe delivery 💕💕" one wrote. </p> <p>"Yep or maybe bubba is thinking will this make pink my godmother 😂💕" another added. </p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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A drink each day or just on the weekends? Here’s why alcohol-free days are important

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/megan-lee-490875">Megan Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-roberts-1456408">Emily Roberts</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p>In recent years, drinkers have become more aware of the health dangers of drinking alcohol, from disease to risky behaviour and poorer wellbeing. Events like the just-finished <a href="https://www.dryjuly.com/">Dry July</a>, <a href="https://febfast.org.au/">Febfast</a> and <a href="https://hellosundaymorning.org/2020/01/15/10-practical-tips-for-staying-af-alcohol-free/">Hello Sunday Morning</a> – when people voluntarily abstain from alcohol for periods of time – are growing in popularity and raise awareness about the risks involved in overindulgence.</p> <p>Many people extend these alcohol-free periods throughout the year by incorporating alcohol-free days into their weekly routines, while still enjoying a drink on the weekends.</p> <p>But does drinking the same amount spread over the week versus just on the weekends, make any difference health-wise?</p> <h2>How much is too much?</h2> <p>Australian alcohol <a href="https://alcoholthinkagain.com.au/alcohol-and-your-health/alcohol-guidelines#:%7E:text=Alcohol%20guideline%20for%20adults,standard%20drinks%20on%20any%20day">guidelines</a> and the <a href="https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health">World Health Organization</a> state there is no safe level of alcohol use. For adults who do drink, the guidelines recommend a maximum of four drinks in one sitting or ten in a week. (A zero-alcohol approach is recommended for under-18s and during pregnancy.)</p> <p>For some, this may not sound like much at all. One in four Australians exceed the recommendation of no more than four drinks in one session with men <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol/alcohol-tobacco-other-drugs-australia/contents/drug-types/alcohol">more likely</a> to do so than women. This amount <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/binge-drinking">can result</a> in alcohol poisoning, damage to brain cells and a higher likelihood of engaging in risky behaviours leading to violence, accidents and unprotected sex.</p> <h2>But what about a wine each night?</h2> <p>Even abiding by the Australian alcohol guidelines and drinking in moderation – one or <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/how-alcohol-affects-your-health#short-term-effects">two drinks each day</a> over the week – can be risky. Possible health outcomes of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/moderate-drinking.htm">moderated drinking</a> include increased risk of cancer, liver and heart disease, alcohol use disorder, and an increase in the symptoms of anxiety and depression.</p> <p>Everyone processes alcohol at a different rate depending on age, gender, body shape and size. However, for most people, alcohol can still be <a href="https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/alcohol/how-long-alcohol-stay-system/">detected</a> in the blood 12 hours after consumption. When the body is constantly processing the toxins in alcohol, it can lead to a chronic state of inflammation which is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/acer.13886?casa_token=dxIr4RolhC4AAAAA%3Acy6BTsnPHzJoIpbf2Ow_JQhMOcb3fLPc3LPs_0OwiCi_4P3sAJTeWYgmE9YujD7Ev25bA_I757DeDLk">linked to</a> physical and mental health risks.</p> <p>There are several biological mechanisms associated with alcohol’s impact on the brain. Alcohol destroys the fine balance of the bacteria in the gut microbiome, which has been <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S152169181730118X?casa_token=zwAVYFxdTdcAAAAA:ku6TCQ-fl1btAYqie_ydg2GpHeLGnYy3QdUn_SDhV7EWtXfuLrolAO5TpI5DtFLM7Ngz9JgKYoGX">linked</a> to brain health.</p> <p>Alcohol consumption disrupts the function of the amygdala – a part of the brain important for <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/amygdala">processing and regulating emotion</a>, including our fear response. When this is impaired we are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811910015405?casa_token=RmqcP2vnA5oAAAAA:GW3POct2CQA6Kv8zqE9GaEfsvwLY200NNpf3Qk1k31xE8ZhR5MWau-D0Wj7gWnV7ZiohfKNASHEY">less likely</a> to pay attention to our fears and more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviour.</p> <p>Areas involved in <a href="https://www.jsad.com/doi/abs/10.15288/jsa.1990.51.114">language production and comprehension</a> are also affected by alcohol, with too much leading to slurred speech and the inability to comprehend communication from others. When drinking dulls frontal lobe brain function, it can can lead to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.15023#add15023-bib-0092">changes in personality</a> for some people. <a href="https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/interrupted-memories-alcohol-induced-blackouts">Blackouts</a> can occur from the influence of alcohol on the hippocampus.</p> <h2>So, no drinking then?</h2> <p>While sobriety may be the answer for optimal health, depriving ourselves of the things we enjoy can also lead to negative mental health and a <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-016-2766-x#:%7E:text=Deprived%20lower%20and%20increased%20risk,wine%20across%20all%20drinker%20categories">higher likelihood</a> we will binge in the future. This is why alcohol-free days are becoming so popular, to balance health risks while also giving us the chance to enjoy social activities.</p> <p>Including alcohol-free days in your routine can <a href="https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-022-00603-x">give the body</a> a chance to rehydrate, detoxify and repair itself from the toxic properties of alcohol. Detoxification can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32391879/">lead to</a> improved liver function and sleep quality, less water retention and easier weight control, clearer thinking, improved memory, more energy, clearer skin, a strengthened immune system and decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression.</p> <p>Alcohol-free days can also create a domino effect by encouraging <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938410000259">other healthy behaviours</a> like eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking more water, improved sleep patterns and getting up early to exercise.</p> <h2>6 tips for better drinking balance</h2> <p>If you’re looking to incorporate more alcohol-free days into your routine you could try to</p> <ol> <li><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772724622000142">set realistic goals</a>. Clarify how many and what days will be your alcohol-free days, mark them on a calendar and set reminders on your phone</li> <li>plan <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/2884">alcohol-free activities</a> and find alcohol alternatives. List all the activities you like that do not include drinking and plan to do these at the times of the day you would normally drink</li> <li><a href="https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits-summary">make alcohol “invisible”</a>. Keeping beer out of the fridge and wine and spirits in closed cupboards keeps them from the forefront of your mind</li> <li>seek support and encouragement from your <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/2528837696?pq-origsite=gscholar&amp;fromopenview=true">partner and/or family</a></li> <li>incorporate stress management techniques like meditation and <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/2675715755?pq-origsite=gscholar&amp;fromopenview=true">mindfulness</a>. Observe how you feel on alcohol-free days and note positive changes in your physical and mental wellbeing</li> <li>reflect on your progress. Acknowledge and celebrate each alcohol-free day. Allow yourself non-alcoholic rewards for achieving your goals.</li> </ol> <p>Finally, it’s important to know everyone slips up now and then. Practice self-forgiveness if you do have a drink on a planned alcohol-free day and don’t give up. <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/210193/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/megan-lee-490875">Megan Lee</a>, Senior Teaching Fellow, Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-roberts-1456408">Emily Roberts</a>, PhD Candidate, Psychology, <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/a-drink-each-day-or-just-on-the-weekends-heres-why-alcohol-free-days-are-important-210193">original article</a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Good news for weekend warriors: people who do much of their exercise on a couple of days still get heart benefits

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emmanuel-stamatakis-161783">Emmanuel Stamatakis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ahmadi-1241767">Matthew Ahmadi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/raaj-kishore-biswas-1374060">Raaj Kishore Biswas</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Physical activity has <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/24/1451">established benefits</a> for health. The <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/24/1451">World Health Organization</a> recommends adults do a minimum of 150–300 minutes of moderate or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity each week. This can include active transport from place-to-place, exercise for fun and fitness, energetic housework or physical activity at work.</p> <p>These amounts can be accrued by being, as the <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/24/1451">WHO recommends</a>, regularly active throughout the week, or being a “weekend warrior” who does the bulk of their activity on one to two days only, which don’t need to be consecutive.</p> <p>So far, experts haven’t fully established which of the two patterns is better for overall health. For many people, busy lifestyles may make it hard to be physically active every day. It may be more feasible to squeeze most physical activity and exercise into a few days.</p> <p>Fresh <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2807286">analysis</a> of the large <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> database attempted to compare these two patterns of weekly activity and compare how they reduced cardiovascular risk for heart attacks, heart failure, irregular heart beat and stroke.</p> <h2>What the new study found</h2> <p>Researchers analysed records from 89,573 participants who wore a wrist activity tracker for seven days and were tracked for cardiovascular events for over six years.</p> <p>Those who did less than the WHO recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week were considered inactive. About a third (33.7%) of participants were inactive. Some 42.2% were termed active “weekend warriors” (they did at least 150 minutes and more than half of it occurred within one to two days) and 24% were regularly active (at least 150 minutes with most activity spread out over three or more days).</p> <p>Researchers considered the potential factors that could explain the link between physical activity and new cases of cardiovascular events, such as smoking and alcohol intake. They found both active groups showed similarly lower risk of heart attack (a 27% reduction for weekend warriors and 35% for regularly active people, compared with inactive participants).</p> <p>For heart failure, weekend warriors had a 38% lower risk than inactive people, while regular exercisers had a 36% lower risk. Irregular heartbeat risk was 22% lower for weekend warriors and 19% lower for regularly actively people. Stroke was 21% and 17% lower for weekend warriors and regular exercisers, respectively.</p> <h2>Not so fast. Some study limitations</h2> <p>Although the information was recorded by activity trackers, researchers did not consider on which days of the week the activity was done. Some people may have been active on Saturdays and Sundays, others might have chosen Wednesday and Friday – or different days each week. In that sense, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2807286">the study</a> examined a “pseudo-weekend warrior” pattern.</p> <p>Despite the many advantages the UK Biobank activity trackers have over <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2596007">questionnaire-based studies</a>, these trackers are not great at capturing strength-training exercise, such as weights or pilates, and other static activities that have <a href="https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/187/5/1102/4582884">established cardiovascular</a> health benefits.</p> <h2>What other research in this area says</h2> <p>There have been several questionnaire based studies in this area in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/160/7/636/136697">the past 20 years</a>.</p> <p>Our <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2596007">2017 study</a>, for example, combined data from 63,591 adults from England and Scotland and tracked them over 12 years. We looked at <a href="https://theconversation.com/weekend-warrior-exercise-is-it-good-for-you-70964">risk reductions</a> for death from any cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer causes. We found similar benefits among people who clocked at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity in one to two sessions per week, compared with three sessions or more per week.</p> <p>Our more <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x">recent studies</a> used activity trackers and emphasised the flexibility of activity patterns that benefit the heart and circulation. We found doing short one-minute-long bouts of incidental vigorous physical activity three to four times a day can cut the risk of death from cardiovascular causes by <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x">almost half</a>.</p> <p>Similarly, in another study we found just 19 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week was associated with <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/43/46/4801/6771381">40% reduction</a> in the risk of cardiovascular death, with steadily increasing benefits to the maximum amount of vigorous activity recorded (110 minutes a week linked to a 75% risk reduction).</p> <h2>What it means for you and your routine</h2> <p>Taken together, the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2807286">new study</a> and <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2596007">previous research</a> suggest the same thing: if it is difficult to find time to be active during a busy week, it is good enough to plan moderate to vigorous physical activities in a couple of weekdays or in the weekend.</p> <p>That said, there are benefits in being regularly physically active on most days of the week. A good session of aerobic exercise, for example, improves health indicators such as <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYP.0000000000000196">blood pressure</a>, and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01473-2">blood glucose</a> and <a href="https://lipidworld.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12944-017-0515-5">cholesterol levels</a> for a day or longer. Such effects can moderate some of the long-term health risks of these factors and assist with their day-to-day management.</p> <p>But confirmation that we can be flexible about how physical activity is accumulated across the week for heart health benefits is encouraging. It offers more opportunities for more people to be active when it is convenient and practical for them.<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/210053/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emmanuel-stamatakis-161783">Emmanuel Stamatakis</a>, Professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ahmadi-1241767">Matthew Ahmadi</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/raaj-kishore-biswas-1374060">Raaj Kishore Biswas</a>, Research Fellow &amp; Biostatistician, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</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/good-news-for-weekend-warriors-people-who-do-much-of-their-exercise-on-a-couple-of-days-still-get-heart-benefits-210053">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

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Rod Stewart’s son blows through inheritance

<p>Rod Stewart’s son, Sean Stewart, has allegedly spent all of his inheritance in an attempt to rebrand his clothing line.</p> <p>A source told <em>Page Six Style</em> exclusively that Sean had “cashed out” the funds he would have received upon his father’s death in order to salvage the failing Dirty Weekend brand.</p> <p>“It’s insane because this is the third time I think he’s relaunching Dirty Weekend,” the source revealed. “Maybe third time’s the charm.”</p> <p>Reps for Sean and Dirty Weekend did not return <em>Page Six Style’s</em> requests for comment.</p> <p>In March, the son of the British rockstar posted about his company’s rebrand and credited artist Hector De Marquez for helping him with the relaunch.</p> <p>“Really proud of the work me and @hectordemarquez have put into rebranding dirty weekend,” the 42-year-old captioned the Instagram post.</p> <p>“Someone who finally sees my vision. What makes a successful business and entrepreneur is the team you have behind you.”</p> <p>The brand was originally launched in 2022.</p> <p>He also recently married his partner Jody Weintraub in Las Vegas on Valentine’s Day.</p> <p>He had known his now-wife, also 42, since high school. She is the daughter of late producer Jerry Weintraub.</p> <p>The pair eloped and made their way back to Los Angeles to celebrate the special day with the infamous musician and his ex-wife Alana Stewart, who is Sean’s mother.</p> <p>The British icon married Alana in 1979 but they divorced after five years.</p> <p>Stewart, 78, has been married to his current wife, Penny Lancaster, for 14 years.</p> <p>During Stewart’s 2023 Australian tour, the lovebirds <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/relationships/rod-stewart-s-secret-ceremony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewed their vows</a> in a secret ceremony.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Money & Banking

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8 bite-sized renovations you can do on the weekend

<p>We’re all time poor but that doesn’t mean you have to develop renovation inertia. By chunking down the big tasks you need to do around your home into bite-sized, weekend-worthy nibbles you can power through a number of renovation items piece by manageable piece.</p> <p><strong>1. Replace your handles</strong></p> <p>Upgrading your old, tired <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/why-reddit-is-losing-it-over-doorknobs-20160323-gnpe5q/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">door handles</a></strong></span> is as simple as measuring the distance between the holes and searching online or in store to find a straight replace. Unscrew the old ones, hanging onto the existing screws, as otherwise you may have to cut the ones supplied with the new handles to size, and screw the new ones in place. Simple.</p> <p><strong>2. Changing cupboard fronts</strong></p> <p>A wonderful visual upgrade, you need to check that your kitchen has standard-sized cupboards for this to be an easy weekend upgrade. Standard cupboard and drawer sizes will have plenty of options in stores and online. You’ll need to check the location of hinges, the height and width of fronts and the condition of your carcasses but by unscrewing and replacing cupboards you can transform your kitchen or bathroom cabinets completely. You’ll find some <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/cabinet-fever-on-the-rise-20120706-21kkk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interesting colour, texture and pattern options</a></span></strong> The only impediment is your creativity.</p> <p><strong>3. Paint your doors</strong></p> <p>While painting your whole home might be a bit more than you can manage in one sitting, a nice bite-sized job is to apply a couple of coats of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/for-the-love-of-the-coloured-front-door-20151127-gl5boi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coloured paint to your existing internal and external doors</a></strong></span>. Sure, you might not get through them all in one weekend but you can chip away at this task after work or in the mornings and add amazing contrast and interest to your interior scheme. Remember to use an enamel paint for doors and timber work.</p> <p><strong>4. Replace your shower head and toilet seats</strong></p> <p>One of the things I do routinely when moving into a new property is replace the shower head with a new one. Most replacement shower heads come with thread tape and you don’t need to be a plumber to do this straight replace as it doesn’t interrupt the fitting connection. If you can manage that the toilet seat replacement is a cinch.</p> <p><strong>5. Regrouting tiles</strong></p> <p>Scrape out any old or worn grout and replace with a new colour or a replacement of the existing. A word to the wise – don’t grout floors in white as they will be mid grey in no time.</p> <p><strong>6. Replace bathroom accessories</strong></p> <p>Another quick trip to the hardware store or bathroom supplier and you can <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/budget-bathroom-makeovers-can-make-big-difference-20150703-gi12es/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">give your bathroom a facelift</a></strong></span> to complement that lovely new shower head.</p> <p><strong>7. Fill gaps and scrapes</strong></p> <p>There are different fillers for different tasks. A quick-dry, all-purpose one like Selley’s Rapid Filler is great for scratches and scrapes on walls or filling in bumps in timber work before painting. Fill gaps between skirtings, cornices and walls with no more gaps. Use a two-part filler like builders bog for areas that need a more hard-wearing but still sandable solution.</p> <p><strong>8. Remove redundant “features” and install new ones</strong></p> <p>Pulling out old, dated or worn shelving and storage cabinets can free up wall space and liberate your rooms from a tired look. Installing wall hung units or floating shelves can give you an opportunity to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/advice/moving-house-how-to-let-it-go-declutter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clear your home of clutter</a></strong></span> or create a place for you to best display your favourite items.</p> <p><em>Images and extract from HomeSpace and Easy Luxury by Darren Palmer (Murdoch Books, RRP $39.95 each), with photography by Felix Forest. </em></p> <p><em>Written by Darren Palmer. First appeared on <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Domain.com.au.</span></strong></a></em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

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How to increase the value of your home in one weekend

<p>Increasing the value of your property pre-sale doesn’t have to require a team of professionals.</p> <p>Just one weekend dedicated to cleaning, refreshing, tidying and upgrading can put you in great stead for sales success.</p> <p>We asked the experts to reveal the best value-adding DIY projects to suit a short time frame and shoestring budget.</p> <p><strong>1. Refresh an old paint job</strong></p> <p>There is no easier way to boost a property’s value than a new paint job, which can range from a one-room refresh, to an extensive repaint of the entire home.</p> <p>For homeowners low on budget and time, focus on painting the main living areas with Dulux’s Wash&amp;Wear to disguise mismatched old paint, cracks and imperfections.</p> <p>“It’s great for interiors, especially in the matt finish. Even if the colours don’t entirely match, you can get away with it,” says Andrea Lucena-Orr, colour planning and communications manager at Dulux Australia.</p> <p>In terms of colour, white remains popular for appealing to a broad base of buyers.</p> <p>If painting an older property, opt for warmer whites such as Dulux Natural White or Antique White U.S.A ® Contemporary homes are more suited to cooler whites, with a grey or beige base, such as Dulux Lexicon ® or White on White.</p> <p><strong>2. Create a feature wall</strong></p> <p>Painting a feature wall can be a valuable method for creating a point of difference on a minimal timeframe. This might be a dark single shade in the main bedroom or a bold dual-colour wall.</p> <p>“Feature walls, nooks and colour-blocking with tape are all ways to add interest,” says Lucena-Orr.</p> <p>When selecting colours for a feature wall, look for shades that will complement the room’s existing furniture and décor items.</p> <p>“Try using colours to highlight an artwork, a piece of furniture, or tie into the bed linen,” Lucena-Orr says.</p> <p><strong>3. Tidy the exterior</strong></p> <p>If there is one area of the home you should focus on before a sale, it’s the exterior.</p> <p>While some homes will benefit from an entire façade repaint, updating this area can be achieved in a few quick jobs.</p> <p>Start by removing any cobwebs, cleaning the walls and filling in visible cracks. For added aesthetic appeal, paint some pots and place them near the front door, or spray paint a bench seat for the front porch.</p> <p>Painting the front door a colour such as cobalt or teal blue is another powerful tool for creating colour memories and attracting interest.</p> <p>“A teal door will help buyers remember the house. Even if buyers don’t like it, it’s quick and easy for them to change,” Lucena-Orr says.</p> <p><strong>4. Install storage shelves</strong></p> <p>Installing open shelves in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry and study is a simple way to integrate more storage into a property, which never goes unappreciated.</p> <p>“Installing hooks, rails or racks to your doors will spruce things up without being too dramatic or involve any structural changes,” says Bunnings category manager – decorator, Sharyn Petrzela.</p> <p>“Pull-out baskets and base-mount slide-out baskets are also a great way to add storage and can be installed in a day.”</p> <p><strong>5. Outsource odd jobs</strong></p> <p>Selling a home is stressful and time consuming. If budget allows, don’t be afraid to outsource tasks where you can.</p> <p>Websites such as Airtasker make it affordable to hire individuals for even the smallest household jobs, from removing weeds, to assembling furniture, collecting hard rubbish and hanging pictures.</p> <p>You might just want someone to focus on cleaning those detailed areas of the home such as the skirting boards, architraves, light fittings and door handles.</p> <p><strong>6. Add the finishing touches</strong></p> <p>If you can’t afford a professional property stylist to decorate your home pre-sale, try these expert tips.</p> <p>“As a stylist, I think having decorative items (vases, candle holders and similar) that have a colour theme and style that is carried through the house gives a sense of flow that makes a house feel like a whole, instead of a series of different rooms,” says Sophie Kost, director and lead designer of My Beautiful Abode.</p> <p>Even small updates like replacing the feather inserts in your couch cushions can have a big impact on the feeling of a home.</p> <p>Remember to declutter surfaces and remove personal possessions in this process, as this allows buyers to better imagine themselves in the space.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

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New details announced for King Charles' coronation weekend

<p>Buckingham Palace has announced new details about the upcoming coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort. </p> <p>The historic weekend will take place from Saturday May 6th until Monday May 8th 2023, and will be complete with a range of ceremonial, celebratory and community events to commemorate the new reigning sovereign.</p> <p>The official coronation will take place at Westminster Abbey on May 6th, with the palace saying the service will "reflect the monarch's role today and looks towards the future".</p> <p>To celebrate the coronation, a special coronation concert will be staged at Windsor Castle and broadcast across the UK by the BBC, with tickets being made available to the public by a ballot. </p> <p>The palace states the concert will bring "global music icons" and "contemporary stars" together to celebrate the King's historic coronation.</p> <p>"The concert will see a world-class orchestra play interpretations of musical favourites fronted by some of the world's biggest entertainers, alongside performers from the world of dance," Buckingham Palace revealed in a statement.</p> <p>On Monday May 8th, members of the public will be invited to take part in The Big Help Out: an event designed to encourage "people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas".</p> <p>"Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort hope the Coronation Weekend will provide an opportunity to spend time and celebrate with friends, families and communities across the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth," the palace added in a statement.</p> <p>"Their Majesties are looking forward to marking the occasion with the public throughout 2023."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Top 10 spooky stays for those Halloween weekend road trips

<p>It's the spookiest time of year, and there are plenty of ghoulish places to discover around Australia. To help you plan your next spooky road trip, Toyota Australia has compiled a frightful list of ten top stays for a Halloween-themed road trip like no other.</p> <p><strong>1. <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.montecristo.com.au/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZb_k4JCv$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Monte Cristo Homestead</a>, Junee NSW</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/monte-cristo-homestead2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></strong></p> <p><em>Images: Monte Cristo Homestead (Facebook)</em></p> <p>Dubbed “Australia’s most haunted homestead”, Monte Cristo – only two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Canberra – is said to be haunted by at least ten ghosts, most significantly its original owners Christopher and Elizabeth Crawley. Christopher still haunts the room in which he passed, as kind a spirit as he was in life – Elizabeth, however, is not so nice; if she doesn’t like you, she’ll cause a chill across your skin to scare you off. Don’t believe us? For the thrill seekers and sceptics out there, Monte Cristo offers accommodation for you to sleep – or stare at the ceiling wide awake in terror all night.</p> <p><strong>2. </strong> <a style="text-align: center;" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.georgeiv.com.au/accommodation/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZYG9SB7T$"><strong>George IV Inn</strong></a><strong style="text-align: center;">, Picton NSW</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/george-iv-inn.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Images: George IV Inn (Facebook)</em></p> <p><span style="text-align: center;">If you’re game, how about a night or two at the century-old George IV hotel in Picton? The eerily stripped-back interior couldn’t be more fitting for accommodation located in what is considered Australia’s most haunted town. Picton in NSW – an hour’s drive from Sydney – is host to a variety of ghostly locations. If you dare, venture down to the Redbank Range Railway tunnel, where it is claimed the spirit of Emily Bollard, who was killed by a train in 1916 – stay on the lookout for a pale, faceless figure of a woman. That’s not all - according to residents, the cries of babies can be heard from Picton’s now-defunct Old Maternity Hospital, three ghosts haunt the Wollondilly Shire Hall, and the jukebox has been known to start playing while unplugged at the Imperial Hotel.</span></p> <p><strong><span style="text-align: center;">3. </span></strong><a style="text-align: center;" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.qstation.com.au/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZemwu4JL$"><strong>Quarantine Station</strong></a><strong style="text-align: center;">, Manly NSW</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/quarantine-station.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Images: Quarantine Station Ghost Tours (Facebook)</em></p> <p>Q Station in Manly – only half an hour’s drive from the Sydney CBD – is a stunning venue with accommodation ranging from guest lounges, suites, and cottages, and multiple on-site harborside fine dining restaurants and bars. Yet, the station also has a dark history as a quarantine station for the unwell, first operating over 150 years ago and only closing in 1984, where it has since been the site of almost 600 deaths. As a result, the place is allegedly riddled with ghosts – that’s why Q Station also offers a range of ghost tours around the property, including through the onsite cemetery and morgue.</p> <p><strong>4. </strong><a style="text-align: center;" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.jenolancaves.org.au/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZac_sEC_$"><strong>Caves House Hotel</strong></a><strong style="text-align: center;">, Blue Mountains NSW</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/caves-house-hotel.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Image: Caves House Hotel (Facebook)</em></p> <p>Described on its website as a “romantic and relaxing place to stay overnight”, you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise if you knew the haunted history of the Jenolan Caves. From disembodied screams and unexplained shoulder taps within the caves to sightings of ghostly arms and the sounds of playing children deep into the night in Caves House, the official website has been sure to <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.jenolancaves.org.au/about/blog/spinechilling-stories-from-the-underworld/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZVr10l2I$">document</a> any stories and sightings of spirits and spectres of those brave enough to stay the night in their stunning – but spooky – Blue Mountains lodgings, a three hour’s drive from Sydney.</p> <p><strong>5. </strong><a style="text-align: center;" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.booking.com/hotel/au/castlemaine-gardens-luxury-safari-tents.en-gb.html?aid=356980&label=gog235jc-1DCAsoD0InY2FzdGxlbWFpbmUtZ2FyZGVucy1sdXh1cnktc2FmYXJpLXRlbnRzSDNYA2gPiAEBmAEJuAEXyAEM2AED6AEBiAIBqAIDuALvvsqZBsACAdICJGM1YWMzNWExLWNmOWMtNDMwZS04MDg5LWUwZjM3ZjIyMzQ4ONgCBOACAQ&sid=7840f168f5ccfb8a42fa50883655b5f2&dist=0&group_adults=2&group_children=0&keep_landing=1&no_rooms=1&sb_price_type=total&type=total&__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZaDDH6o3$"><strong>Castlemaine Gardens Luxury Safari Tents</strong></a><strong style="text-align: center;">, Castlemaine VIC</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/castlemaine-gardens.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Image: </em><em>BIG4 Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park (Facebook)</em></p> <p>Glamp in style at the Castlemaine Gardens Luxury Safari Tents, a semi-open-air accommodation tucked away in beautiful gardens in outer north-west Victoria – only an hour and a half’s drive from Melbourne. With an exposed wood interior and white tulle mosquito nets draped over the four-poster beds, the tents are reminiscent of the gold rush era. To further your historical-themed getaway, you could perhaps consider a trip to Old Castlemaine Gaol – a colonial-era prison famed for housing some of the time’s most violent criminals, many of whom are said to still haunt the hallways. If you’re too scared to go back to your tent, how about sticking it out for one of their infamous 12-hour overnight ghost tours?</p> <p><strong>6. </strong><a style="text-align: center;" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/craigsroyal.com.au/accommodation/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZb3Qyc0y$"><strong>Craig’s Royal Hotel,</strong></a><strong style="text-align: center;"> Ballarat VIC</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/craigs-royal-hotel.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Images: Craig's Royal Hotel (Facebook)</em></p> <p>You know it’s worth the drive if the whole city has a dedicated website to ghost tours in the area. That’s the case with Ballarat’s <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.eerietours.com.au/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZW8NcLBZ$">Eerie Tours</a>, which offers a variety of historic ghost tours across both Ballarat, including its Old Cemetery and the Town Hall, and the nearby infamous Aradale Lunatic Asylum in Ararat – known as one of the most hostile haunted locations in Australia. After a night of frights (or two), it’s only fitting to retire in somewhere as grand as the heritage-listed, Victorian-designed Craig’s Royal Hotel – only an hour and a half’s drive from Melbourne.</p> <p><strong>7. </strong><a style="text-align: center;" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.spencersuitesalbany.com.au/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZZpDd-oj$"><strong>Spencer Suites</strong></a><strong style="text-align: center;">, Albany WA</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/spencer-suites.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Image: Spencer Suites (Facebook)</em></p> <p>Far down south in WA – five hours away from Perth if you drive – is the former colonial settlement of Albany, a seaside town rich with tales of ghost stories. From the ruins of a lighthouse said to be haunted by its keeper, a former hospital with doors closing on its own, a 150-year-old quarantine station and an old gaol, Albany offers so many spooky experiences you’ll just have to spend a couple nights – how about checking out Spencer Suites, where “heritage meets chic”? The refreshing modernity of the self-contained apartments would be a welcome change from the haunted colonial-era ruins.</p> <p><strong>8. </strong><a style="text-align: center;" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.babindaquarters.com/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZS_cs8AM$"><strong>Babinda Quarters</strong></a><strong style="text-align: center;">, Babinda QLD</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/barbinda-quarters.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Image: Babinda Quarters (Facebook)</em></p> <p>Most of the locations on this list so far have been colonial man-made institutions housing spirits of those who passed within their four walls, yet, a short drive from the beautiful tropical town of Babinda are the Babinda Boulders – a stunning and tranquil swimming and picnic area with a particularly treacherous stretch of the creek aptly named Devil’s Pool. According to local Indigenous legend, a young widow named Oolana came to the pool to grieve her husband, ultimately drowning herself to overcome her sorrows. It is said she still haunts the pool, with unexplained tides and sudden rushing torrents. Morbidly curious travellers beware: this creek has claimed many lives, something expressed on a sign as you approach it; most of them young men a similar age to the Oolana’s husband. If staying in Babinda to explore the rainforest (both haunted and not), Babinda Quarters, a recently refurbished art deco homestead offers stunning and quirky accommodation with a rainforest twist less than an hour’s drive from Cairns.</p> <p><strong>9. </strong><a style="text-align: center;" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.fothergills.net.au/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZXtl3Uxs$"><strong>Fothergills of Fremantle,</strong></a><strong style="text-align: center;"> WA</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/fothergills-fremantle.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Image: Fothergills of Fremantle (Facebook)</em></p> <p>Just half an hour’s drive from the heart of Perth CBD, Forthergills of Fremantle is a stunning 19th century heritage listed building, with rooms filled featuring local craftwork and fitted with on-theme colonial furniture – lit quite eerily in their official photos. Fittingly, Fremantle is home to one of the most infamous haunted locations in WA – the Fremantle Arts Centre. The former lunatic asylum is claimed to be one of the most haunted buildings in the state, with reports of faces being seen in windows, strange bouts of cold air, and doors opening and closing on their own.</p> <p><strong>10. </strong><a style="text-align: center;" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.thestationkapunda.com/__;!!IHJ3XrWN4X8!Ngc0COUlXfvAPcWa76VI_T27Ce9juwK-Y7cUZh4HcjW0O7Lv9maA12KJkUIyW9mqjnZreRPe2Jy4IZ1YHy1xZZZ0jA3h$"><strong>The Station</strong></a><strong style="text-align: center;">, Kapunda SA</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/station-kapunda.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Images: The Station Kapunda (Facebook)</em></p> <p>While the most haunted hotel in Australia might not be available for bookings, we thought it’d be more advisable to stay in a nicer, considerably less-ghostly accommodation such as The Station at Kapunda, a stunning and modern escape in a 162-year-old renovated railway station, only an hour by car from Adelaide. That way you can escape from The North Kapunda Hotel should the spirits cause you too much distress. Kapunda is also known as an extremely haunted town, with tours across the town available for any thrill seekers out there.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Mapping the labour and slavery risks in fashion supply chains

<div class="copy"> <p>How did your clothes get to you, and who was properly paid for them in the process?</p> <p>The garment industry is notorious for worker exploitation and complicated, unclear supply chains.</p> <p>Both within and without the fashion industry, forced labour, and modern slavery, is on the rise. According to the new <a href="https://publications.iom.int/books/global-estimates-modern-slavery-forced-labour-and-forced-marriage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Estimates of Modern Slavery</a> report, there were 50 million people around the world living in modern slavery: 28 million in forced labour, and 22 million in forced marriages.</p> <p>This is an increase of 10 million from when the report was done in 2016 – among other things, the number has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and armed conflicts.</p> <p>What does the garment supply chain look like? <em>Cosmos</em> investigates.</p> <h2>The shape of the garment industry: four tiers (sort of)</h2> <p>“In a broad sense, when retailers talk about their supply chains, they tend to talk with tiers zero to four,” explains Dr Alice Payne, an associate professor in fashion at Queensland University of Technology.</p> <p>Tier 0 is the company’s direct operations: retail, offices, and distribution centres, for instance. Each additional tier is a layer removed from them.</p> <p>“Tier 1 is the people and the organizations constructing the garments for them – so assembling and manufacturing,” says Payne.</p> <p>Tier 2 is fabric production, while Tier 3 is the production of the yarn that makes the fabric.</p> <p>“Tier 4 is raw materials,” says Payne.</p> <p>“Natural fibres like cotton and wool, that’s all the way back to the farm, or the forests that the trees come from that are then processed into viscose material. And the petrochemical industry, which is the feedstock for polyester, nylons, acrylics and so on.”</p> <p>In reality, there aren’t clear lines between these tiers – particularly further up the supply chain.</p> <p>Even something as ubiquitous as cotton has a very complicated history.</p> <p>“You’ve got the seed inputs to grow the cotton on the farm, the cotton has to be ginned – the seed and the lint separated – and then from the ginning, it’s shipped to a spinner to make it into a yarn.</p> <p>“Then the yarn producer will ship it often to other countries to be manufactured into a cloth. At any point along the chain, it might be dyed,” says Payne.</p> <p>“They can span the world over in terms of geographic location and can be really complex,” says Abigail Munroe, a modern slavery research and policy analyst at human rights group Walk Free, which compiled the <em>Global Estimates of Modern Slavery </em>report with the United Nation’s International Labour Organization and the International Organisation for Migration.</p> <h2>The labour distribution along the supply chain</h2> <p>Workers aren’t distributed evenly across these tiers. Spindles and looms are both highly mechanised processes, making the middle tiers less labour-intensive. The raw materials in Tier 4 can be equally mechanised, or labour-intensive to make, depending on the fibre.</p> <p>Assembling garments in Tier 1, however, demands a huge workforce.</p> <p>“It’s part of the nature of cloth – it’s fluid and malleable,” says Payne.</p> <p>“In the robotics space, they talk about how it might take months to teach a machine to fold a t -shirt because it’s just such a such a very difficult thing to manoeuvre and manipulate cloth.”</p> <p>Each seam on your clothes needs to be guided manually through a sewing machine – which is something of a boon for poorer countries wanting to bring in more industry.</p> <p>“The textile industry is often the first rung on the ladder for a country that’s industrialising,” says Payne.</p> <p>“What’s an industry to bring into a country when you’ve got a large labour force? Well, often garment assembly, because it’s fairly light machinery.”</p> <p>But this also comes with risks.</p> <h2>Who gets paid</h2> <p>According to the <a href="https://cleanclothes.org/poverty-wages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clean Clothes Campaign</a>, a T-shirt which sells for €29 (A$43) sends €0.18 (A$0.27) back to the Bangladeshi garment worker who sewed it.</p> <p>Walk Free’s <a href="https://www.walkfree.org/reports/beyond-compliance-in-the-garment-industry/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Beyond Compliance in the Garment Industry</em></a> report has found similar levels of low payment across the supply chain.</p> <p>“In our assessment, workers would need to be earning almost 40% more to have their basic needs met,” says Munroe.</p> <p>Exploitation may be worse in the more distant tiers.</p> <p>“In general, across any kind of industry, workers further down the supply chains tend to face increased modern slavery risks,” says Munroe.</p> <p>“That can be for a number of reasons – some of these being that they’re more likely to work in the informal economy, and they’re more likely to be invisible to policies designed to protect them.”</p> <p><iframe title="Huh? Science Explained" src="https://omny.fm/shows/huh-science-explained/playlists/podcast/embed?selectedClip=c7003c2f-954f-4ebf-b826-af090009d3ac&amp;style=cover&amp;autoplay=0&amp;list=0" width="100%" height="180" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <h2>Tracing slavery</h2> <p>Governments have taken steps to make companies monitor these supply chains, but there are still gaps in the legislation.</p> <p>In Australia, for instance, the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018A00153" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2018 Modern Slavery Act</a> requires companies with an annual revenue over A$100 million to produce annual reports on their supply chains and modern slavery risks within those chains. The UK has <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/30/contents/enacted" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">similar legislation</a>.</p> <p>Walk Free’s annual <em>Beyond Compliance </em>reports, track these disclosures and so far, they’ve looked at the hospitality, finance, and garment industries.</p> <p>While most of the garment companies in this year’s analysis had statements addressing modern slavery (an improvement on the hospitality and finance industries), 33% still didn’t meet minimum requirements set out by the acts. Over a quarter of companies didn’t produce any supply chain disclosure at all, while among those that did disclose, only 35% went beyond Tier 1.</p> <p>“There’s actually no penalties for companies that are within the threshold of the act, but don’t actually produce a statement,” says Munroe.</p> <p>And, even if those requirements are met, there’s little motivation to improve on reports.</p> <p>“We certainly see statements that are clearly being used as a box ticking activity,” says Munroe.</p> <p>“For both of those acts, even the Australian act which has more involved requirements, it’s completely disclosure-based. So simply reporting that the company needs to do more in relation to supply chain mapping or risk assessment – that’s enough.”</p> <p>Stricter legislation, such as the regulations <a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/european-union-releases-draft-mandatory-human-rights-and-environmental-due-diligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">currently being proposed by the EU</a>, might include financial penalties for failing to comply, alongside obligations to prevent and mitigate human rights abuses right through the supply chain.</p> <p>The Australian government is <a href="https://consultations.ag.gov.au/crime/modern-slavery-act-review/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">currently reviewing</a> its modern slavery act, with a consultation period closing in just over a month.</p> <p>Future changes to the act might increase compliance – but for now, most of the places you buy clothes from aren’t making it clear where the garments have come from – or who’s being properly paid to make them.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em><!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --> <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=213724&amp;title=Mapping+the+labour+and+slavery+risks+in+fashion+supply+chains" width="1" height="1" /> <!-- End of tracking content syndication --></em></div> <div id="contributors"> <p><em>This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/garment-supply-chain-slavery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Ellen Phiddian. </em></p> </div>

Beauty & Style

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Nervous Ash Barty making comeback this weekend

<p>On the opposite side of the planet to her former tennis compatriots and competitors, Ash Barty is preparing to suit up for triumphant return to international sport.</p> <p>The former tennis world number one is getting ready to compete in the Icons Series golf tournament in New Jersey at Liberty National golf club – and it will mark her official return to international competition since hanging up the racquet earlier this year at just 25 years of age.</p> <p>Barty has shown how serious she is about exploring golfing as a career by signing up for the Icons Series where she will be watched on by a global TV audience.</p> <p>During competition she will be going head to head with some of the biggest names in sport, including 23-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps, NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, boxing megastar Canelo Alvarez, English footballer Harry Kane and Aussie cricket legend Ricky Ponting.</p> <p>Barty is playing for “Team World” in a Ryder Cup-like format against Team USA in a nine-hole team matchplay exhibition event.</p> <p>The second day of the competition will be broadcast around the world, including on Fox Sports and Kayo from 4 am (AEST) on the morning of Sunday the 3rd of July.</p> <p>Barty won the ladies competition at the Brookwater Golf and Country Club in Brisbane’s outskirts in April and she plays off a handicap of 4. However, playing on the global stage is another level of pressure. “I’m going to absolutely be struggling,” she said in a recent interview.</p> <p>“My heart was beating so fast playing the club championships in our final with nothing on the line, so this is going to be a lot of fun.</p> <p>“I will just soak it all in, if it (my first tee shot) goes badly it’s all right, it is what it is, just go out and enjoy it with a smile.”</p> <p>Barty has always been a talented golfer and it was just over two years ago that she stunned American golfing great Tiger Woods.</p> <p>Barty also impressed English golfer Ian Poulter at the US Open, Icons Series chief executive Thomas Brookes revealed recently.</p> <p>“She’s got those skill sets within her locker. With a bit of practice she can get lower than a three or four handicap. I know she’s really, really excited to be playing in New York and she’s also really keen to bring the concept to Australia.”</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

News

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Surprise favourite heading into Logies weekend

<p dir="ltr">With the Logies just around the corner, debates about who could take home the Gold Logie are heating up, with gambling platforms even weighing in on who it could be.</p> <p dir="ltr">Radio star Hamish Blake has been dubbed a “shoo-in” for the award, but Sportsbet claims Channel 7’s Sonia Kruger could be tipped to nab the award instead, per <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/awards/logies/sportsbet-betting-odds-hint-sonia-kruger-is-hot-on-hamish-blakes-tail-for-gold-logie/news-story/06132b23f0f63ab0760c5d5ab77b766d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though Blake is still the frontrunner, with betting at $1.80, it’s come as a drop from $1.40 over the past few weeks. Meanwhile, Kruger has gone from $6 to $4, making her the second favourite.</p> <p dir="ltr">Following close behind is <em>MasterChef</em>’s Melissa Leong at $5.50, with <em>Home and Away </em>star Ray Meagher sitting at $10 and <em>I’m a Celeb</em>’s Julie Morris on $11.</p> <p dir="ltr">A victory for Kruger has been a long time coming, with her 20-year career being recognised with a nomination for Most Popular Personality.</p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to <em><a href="https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/06/2022-gold-logie-nominee-sonia-kruger.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TV Tonight</a></em> earlier in the week, the 56-year-old said it was “high time” a women nabbed the award, noting that most of the male nominees already have a Gold Logie to their name.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And it’s not a popularity contest but I did host every show on Channel 7 last year and deserve it more than everyone else,” she joked. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sportsbet’s Sean Ormerod echoed the sentiment.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sonia would be a deserved winner if she takes home the Gold,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There isn’t much she hasn’t appeared on, <em>Big Brother</em>, <em>Holey Moley</em>, <em>Dancing With The Stars</em>, to name a few, and there’s no doubt her popularity with the voting public.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The 62nd TV Week Logie Awards is set to air on Channel Nine this Sunday at 7pm, with live voting for the Gold Logie open from now until the red carpet telecast.</p> <p dir="ltr">To vote for your favourite from the short-list of nominees, head <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/awards/oscars/the-will-smith-slap-has-no-place-at-the-oscars-but-absolutely-belongs-at-the-logies/news-story/91b43d68880147bb09c11961703acbb5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-527adac2-7fff-0406-f3a1-fba2c5f87230"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

TV

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Ash Barty's huge weekend

<p dir="ltr">The Queen’s Birthday long weekend has been anything but dull for retired tennis champ Ash Barty, having joined a lengthy list of Aussies recognised on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List and taking part in an icy plunge in the name of charity.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 26-year-old was appointed an AO (Officer of the Order of Australia) after ending her tennis career having won this year’s Australian Open - making her a three-time grand slam singles champion.</p> <p dir="ltr">Barty also took part in Big Freeze 8 - an annual sporting event that raises funds for Motor Neuron Disease (MND) - which saw her slide down the iconic Big Freeze slide into icy waters.</p> <p dir="ltr">With costumes encouraged, Barty took to the slide while dressed as Rafiki, the baboon from <em>The Lion King</em>, re-enacting an iconic moment from the movie with a small Simba toy in hand.</p> <p dir="ltr">In an <a href="https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/ash-barty-steals-the-show-as-big-freeze-returns-to-packed-mcg-on-queens-birthday-c-7146375" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> during half-time of the event’s clash between the Collingwood Magpies and Melbourne Demons, Barty showed her true classy colours while reflecting on the slide.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The moment’s about Simba. It’s not about me, it’s about Simba!” she told Hamish McLachlan and Tim Watson.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At this point I’m thinking, ‘I can’t breathe, I need to get this wool off me’.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Then it is Simba’s moment. This is the iconic moment from the movie! Why not, right?”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c61192e4-7fff-0f68-9072-560a12cbd5ea"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">McLachlan said: “The beautiful thing about Ash, it is never about Ash. It is always about someone or something else. It happens to be Simba.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">"The moment is about Simba" 😂</p> <p>Ash Barty walks us through her Big Freeze 8 slide 💙 <a href="https://t.co/Y3VzDUTnJQ">pic.twitter.com/Y3VzDUTnJQ</a></p> <p>— 7AFL (@7AFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/7AFL/status/1536236886825480193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">But Barty wasn’t the only one to have a momentous weekend, with the 992 people featured on the Queen’s Birthday Honours Lists including individuals involved in the country’s pandemic response, the first female premier of NSW, scientists and philanthropists championing for good causes, and athletes and politicians.</p> <p dir="ltr">Shane Warne was posthumously appointed an AO in recognition of his distinguished service to cricket - with 708 wickets under his belt - and her service to the community through charitable initiatives.</p> <p dir="ltr">"On behalf of all Australians, I congratulate the Australians recognised in today’s Honours List," the Governor-General said in a <a href="https://www.gg.gov.au/queens-birthday-2022-honours-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Recipients share some common traits – including selflessness, excellence and a commitment to service. They’re from different backgrounds, their stories are each unique, and each has served in different ways. This diversity is a strength and each has impacted their community and made it better.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For that, we thank them and, today, we celebrate them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Collectively the recipients, whose achievements span community service, science and research, industry, sport, the arts and more, represent the very best of Australia.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Some of the Queen's Birthday honours recipients include:</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Teacher's aide Jill Smith</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Managing Director of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Nicholas Heyward</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Chief defence scientist Tanya Monro</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Former deputy prime minister John Anderson</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Physicist Anne Green</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Cook and author Donna Hay</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Chef Matthew Moran</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Former Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Golfer Adam Scott</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Author Susan Marsden</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Founding director at The Immunisation Foundation of Australia Catherine Hughes</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Former Nationals politician Larry Anthony</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">For a full list of Australians included on this year’s Honours List, head <a href="https://www.gg.gov.au/queens-birthday-2022-honours-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c8ec2967-7fff-52ba-2d35-7cd7936f1a84"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @7AFL (Twitter)</em></p>

News

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Mother goes viral for making her hair "look cute" while in labour

<p>While there are many things that race through a woman's mind when she is in labour, not everyone is too concerned with how they look. </p> <p>Secora Hawks, however, had her mind on other things. </p> <p>The US woman shared a video diary online to document the birth of her daughter Olive, posting her experience in hospital to TikTok.</p> <p>As the woman navigated her contractions, she decided to make herself "presentable" for the birth. </p> <p>"I just took a shower so I can re-braid my hair," she says in the clip.</p> <p>"I am just trying to do my hair quickly before the pain starts again."</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7079483270496308526&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40secora%2Fvideo%2F7079483270496308526&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp19-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2Fbfd3fa845fe8431bad95fd1287b7ac0d_1648320648%7Etplv-tiktok-play.jpeg%3Fx-expires%3D1651802400%26x-signature%3DyrlhpIbSZJfuyZmU%252BYRtkYMSmFQ%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;">In the video, which has now been viewed over 12 millions times, she tries to explain to her online followers the pain she is feeling while waiting at home to get the go ahead from the midwives to come in for delivery.</p> <p>At one point her pain is so bad that she has to take a break from doing her hair. "Babe I can't braid my hair. It looks so bad," she yells over to her partner.</p> <p>"Really doubted I was going to do my hair while in labour but I was committed," she captioned the post.</p> <p>Followers were stunned that the mum had the energy to be able to get herself ready for the trip to the hospital, as she said it was "Definitely the worst pain in my life".</p> <p>Other mums shared their stories of pushing through the pain to enjoy one last moment before birth. "I was in labour on thanksgiving and didn't want to miss dinner so I dealt with labour pains until I finished eating and then went," one recalled.</p> <p>Secora updated her followers that the video of her doing her hair was recorded at 10pm, and she ended up giving birth to her daughter Olive just hours later at 3am the next morning.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

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Meet the ‘professional bridesmaid’ who once attended FOUR weddings in one weekend

<p dir="ltr">Kersytn Walsh has made a business out of one of the happiest days of people’s lives - with a twist.</p> <p>Not only does she offer wedding planning, wedding day coordination, and MC services through her company, but she also offers<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hireabridesmaid.com.au/services" target="_blank">‘bridesmaid for hire’</a><span> </span>services.</p> <p>As a professional bridesmaid, Kerstyn can perform her usual roles of planning, coordinating, or MCing, but can also just be by the bride’s side on the day. On her website, Kersytn explains the role of professional bridesmaids by writing, “We are the friend, the cheerleader, the hand-holder, and support system you need by your side throughout planning and preparing for your wedding! We offer the kind of support you'd expect from your bestie, AND we're not afraid of some heavy lifting!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Their services can cost as much as $9000 a ceremony, and Kerstyn has been a bridesmaid over 150 times since starting her business in 2015 after deciding a career in real estate wasn’t for her.</p> <p dir="ltr">She fell into the role after being made the host at her friend Annie’s wedding, which saw her coordinating many of the vendors and guests on the day. Kerstyn told the<span> </span><em>Daily Mail,<span> </span></em>“I've always loved performing, and I suddenly had an epiphany that I wasn't doing a job I loved.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLoRva3DPjD/?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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLoRva3DPjD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by HIRE A BRIDESMAID (@hireabridesmaid_)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Soon after, she handed in her notice and established her own business. While she volunteered her services to several friends to kickstart her business, “word spread towards the end of 2015, and it wasn't long before I was attending four weddings in two days and between 30 and 40 a year”.</p> <p dir="ltr">She estimates that she has been a professional bridesmaid at over 150 ceremonies, and she has a closet of more than 70 dresses she has saved from her numerous weddings.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the full bridesmaid package costs around $9000, on-the-day coordination is around $2000. Kerstyn explained that women often hire her to do the running around and coordination on the day so their friends and family can relax and enjoy the day. “Brides often need someone who is willing to do all the jobs - whether it's consult with the vendors or fix the speakers for the DJ. They want their friends and family to be fully present for the wedding, while I can help with chores.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Money & Banking

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MP cycles to hospital while in labour

<p>In the early hours of Sunday morning, New Zealand Member of Parliament Julie Anne Genter welcomed her new baby into the world.</p> <p>The MP took to Facebook to share her dramatic birthing story, and how she cycled to the hospital while in labour.</p> <p>The Greens politician wrote, "Big news! At 3.04am this morning we welcomed the newest member of our family. I genuinely wasn’t planning to cycle in labour, but it did end up happening."</p> <p>"My contractions weren’t that bad when we left at 2am to go to the hospital - though they were 2-3 min apart and picking up in intensity by the time we arrived 10 minutes later."</p> <p>"And amazingly now we have a healthy, happy little one sleeping, as is her dad."</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJulieAnneGenter%2Fposts%2F4916210785057860&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="797" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></p> <p>Her extraordinary story has racked up thousands of likes on Facebook, with many well wishers commending her strength.</p> <p>One person wrote, "Wow, cycling in labour... not sure I could've done that!"</p> <p>Others shared their congratulations and called Julie a "Wonder Woman" for riding a bike while enduring contractions. </p> <p>Julie also praised the medical staff that assisted in the delivery, saying, "Feeling blessed to have had excellent care and support from a great team, in what turned out to be a very fast (and happily uncomplicated) birth."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Successful people do these 8 things each weekend

<p>Time management expert Laura Vanderkam reveals the subtle secrets to restorative and productive weekends in her book What Successful People Do Before Breakfast.</p> <p>Flex different skills<br />Your weekends need to feel different from your weekdays, which happens if you rotate in different activities and hobbies you don’t have time to do during the week, Laura Vanderkam shares in her book What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast. For examples, she notes that celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson plays soccer, television correspondent Bill McGowan chops firewood, and architect Rafael Vinoly plays piano. (Check out these other characteristics of wildly successful people.) Doing a different kind of labour allows your mind and body to recover from the typical stresses you encounter during the week.</p> <p>Plan it out<br />In today’s distracted world, no weekend plan likely means you’ll end up mindlessly watching television or browsing the internet. “Failing to think through what you wish to do on the weekend may make you succumb to the ‘I’m tired’ excuse that keeps you locked in the house,” she writes. You don’t need a micromanaged, minute-by-minute playbook, but sketch in three to five “anchor” activities. Planning also lets you savour the joy of anticipating something fun; psychology research shows we’re often happier anticipating an event, like a holiday, than we are during or after it.</p> <p>Do something fun on Sunday night<br />Dampen those Sunday night blues by giving yourself something to look forward to. “This extends the weekend and keeps you focused on the fun to come, rather than on Monday morning,” according to Vanderkam. You could make a tradition of a big dinner with your extended family, take an early-evening yoga class, or find a volunteer opportunity, such as serving meals to those less fortunate.</p> <p>Maximise your mornings<br />Weekend mornings tend to be wasted time, notes Vanderkam – cleaning up toys, throwing in laundry, flipping through programs you’ve recorded through the week. But if you’re willing to get up before your family, they’re great for personal pursuits, like training for a marathon. “It’s less disruptive for your family if you get up early to do your four-hour run than if you try to do it in the middle of the day,” she explains.</p> <p>Create traditions<br />Happy families often have special activities they do most weekends that don’t require special planning – Friday night pizza, a walk to religious services, Sunday morning pancakes. “These habits are what become memories,” she writes. “And comforting rituals boost happiness.”</p> <p>Schedule nap time<br />It’s not just for toddlers. Encouraging your whole family to have rest time in the mid- to late afternoon ensures you’ll actually take the time out of your busy schedules to let your body rest and recuperate.</p> <p>Compress chores<br />We know what you’re thinking: When else am I supposed to get errands done? Rather than let them take over your whole weekend, Vanderkam suggests that you designate a chore time, maybe on Saturday while you wait for the babysitter to come or for a designated period on Sunday mornings. “Giving yourself a small window makes you more motivated to get chores done quickly so you can move on to the fun things,” she writes.</p> <p>Cut down on tech<br />Even if you’re not religious, observing a “technology Sabbath” is good for your brain. “A stretch of time apart from the computer, phone and work stresses creates space for other things in life,” says Vanderkam. (It’s especially true if you show these signs you’re addicted to your phone.) Encouraging your whole family to put away their smartphones for a day, or even a few hours, forces you to have a different relationship with your spouse, friends, and kids. If you need to work on the weekends, consider a specific window to finish a project or sort through your inbox, rather than periodically checking and writing back to emails all day long.</p> <p class="p1"><em>Written by <span>Lauren Gelman</span>. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/successful-people-do-these-8-things-each-weekend"><span class="s1">Reader’s Digest</span></a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.com.au/subscribe"><span class="s1">here’s our best subscription offer</span></a>.</em></p>

Mind

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A life of long weekends is alluring but not practical

<p>When Microsoft gave its 2,300 employees in Japan <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/nov/04/microsoft-japan-four-day-work-week-productivity">five Fridays off in a row</a>, it found productivity jumped 40%.</p> <p>When financial services company Perpetual Guardian in New Zealand trialled <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/feb/19/four-day-week-trial-study-finds-lower-stress-but-no-cut-in-output">eight Fridays off in a row</a>, its 240 staff reported feeling more committed, stimulated and empowered.</p> <p>Around the world there’s renewed interest in reducing the standard working week. But a question arises. Is instituting the four-day week, while retaining the eight-hour workday, the best way to reduce working hours?</p> <p>Arguably, retaining the five-day week but cutting the working day to seven or six hours is a better way to go.</p> <p><strong>Shorter days, then weeks</strong></p> <p>History highlights some of the differences between the two options.</p> <p>At the height of the Industrial Revolution, in the 1850s, a 12-hour working day and a six-day working week – 72 hours in total – was common.</p> <p>Mass campaigns, vigorously opposed by business owners, emerged to reduce the length of the working day, initially from 12 hours to ten, then to eight.</p> <p>Building workers in Victoria, Australia, were among the first in the world to secure an eight-hour day, <a href="https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/publications/research-papers/download/36-research-papers/13812-heritage-note-no-1-2017-the-origins-of-the-eight-hour-day-in-victoria">in 1856</a>. For most workers in most countries, though, it did not become standard until the first decades of the 20th century.</p> <p>The campaign for shorter working days was based largely on worker fatigue and health and safety concerns. But it was also argued that working men needed time to read and study, and would be <a href="http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/explore-history/fight-rights/workers-rights/origins-8-hour-day">better husbands, fathers and citizens</a>.</p> <p>Reducing the length of the working week from six days came later in the 20th century.</p> <p>First it was reduced to five-and-a-half days, then to five, resulting in the creation of “the weekend”. This occurred in most of the industrialised world from the 1940s to 1960s. In Australia the 40-hour five-day working week became the law of the land <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/70-years-ago-today-the-40hour-five-day-working-week-began-20180101-h0c3dd.html">in 1948</a>. These changes occurred despite two world wars and the Great Depression.</p> <p><strong>Stalled campaign</strong></p> <p>In the 1970s, campaigns for reduced working hours ground to a halt in most industrialised countries.</p> <p>As more women have joined the paid workforce, however, the total workload (paid and unpaid) for <a href="https://theconversation.com/grappling-with-the-time-bomb-of-australias-work-rest-and-play-5330">the average family increased</a>. This led to concerns about “time squeeze” and overwork.</p> <p>The issue has re-emerged over the past decade or so from a range of interests, including feminism and environmentalism.</p> <p><strong>Back on the agenda</strong></p> <p>A key concern is still worker fatigue, both mental and physical. This is not just from paid work but also from the growing demands of family and social life in the 21st century. It arises on a daily, weekly, annual and lifetime basis.</p> <p>We seek to recover from daily fatigue during sleep and daily leisure. Some residual fatigue nevertheless accumulates over the week, which we recover from over the weekend. Over longer periods we recover during public holidays (long weekends) and annual holidays and even, over a lifetime, during retirement.</p> <p>So would we be better off working fewer hours a day or having a longer weekend?</p> <p>Arguably it is the pressure to fit family and personal commitments into the few hours between getting home and bedtime that is the main source of today’s time-squeeze, particularly for families. This suggests the priority should be the shorter working day rather than the four-day week.</p> <p>Sociologist Cynthia Negrey is among those who suggest reducing the length of the workday, especially to mesh with children’s school days, as part of the feminist enterprise to alleviate the “sense of daily time famine” she writes about in her 2012 book, <a href="http://politybooks.com/bookdetail/?isbn=9780745654256">Work Time: Conflict, Control, and Change</a>.</p> <p><strong>Historical cautions</strong></p> <p>It’s worth bearing in mind the historical fall in the working week from 72 to 40 hours was achieved at a rate of only about 3.5 hours a decade. The biggest single step – from six to five-and-half days – was a reduction of 8% in working hours. Moving to a six-hour day or a four-day week would involve a reduction of about 20% in one step. It therefore seems practical to campaign for this in a number of stages.</p> <p>We should also treat with caution results of one-off, short-term, single-company experiments with the four-day week. These typically occur in organisations with leadership and work cultures willing and able to experiment with the concept. Employees are likely to see themselves as “special” and may be conscious of the need to make the experiment work. Painless economy-wide application cannot be taken for granted.</p> <p><em>Written by Anthony Veal. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-life-of-long-weekends-is-alluring-but-the-shorter-working-day-may-be-more-practical-127817">The Conversation.</a> </em></p>

Retirement Life

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How to increase the curb appeal of your home in a weekend

<p>Whether your goal is to add value to your home to sell, or you’re just looking to get your home entertainment-ready for summer, there are three DIY projects you can complete in a weekend that will greatly increase the curb appeal of your home.</p> <p><strong>1. Repaint concrete exteriors</strong></p> <p>Painting an unsightly or worn concrete pathway, landing or wall is one of the most dramatic (and easy) home improvements you can make. With a little prep and some specialty concrete paint you can avoid the pricey task of having to replace the concrete and have it looking like new again.</p> <p><strong>Remember</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>PREPARATION IS KEY.</strong> Remove any lose concrete with a scraper, wire brush or sandpaper then scrub the surface clean with a strong detergent and stiff bristle broom and hose off with clean water. This will stop your paint from lifting and ensure long lasting results. Don’t skip this step! 
</li> <li><strong>ROUGHT IT UP.</strong> In order for your surface to really grip the paint, you need to make sure the surface is rough (it should feel like 180 grit sandpaper). If the surface is smooth, prep with White Knight Ultra Pave Concrete Etcher. If your surface is already fairly rough you can skip this step. 
</li> <li><strong>TIME TO PAINT.</strong> Using a roller and tray, first start on the large areas. Using White Knight Ultra Pave Quick Dry, start by painting the far corner and then work backwards so you don’t paint yourself into a corner. If you didn’t use a concrete etcher, I recommend thinning the first coat of paint with 20% water to help with adhesion. Your concrete area will be touch-dry in 30 minutes and ready to be recoated in two hours.</li> </ul> <p><strong>2. Paint the front door</strong></p> <p>Painting your front door and even your shutters is another easy way to improve the exterior of your home and help to leave a lasting impression.</p> <p><strong>Remember</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>KNOW YOUR ENVIRONMENT.</strong> Select a hardwearing concrete paint such as Ultra Pave which is designed to withstand Australia’s harsh climate. 
</li> <li><strong>DARE TO BE DIFFERENT.</strong> Remember, paint isn’t permanent so have fun with it. Try a strong contrast colour for maximum visual impact. Think red against a white frame and brick wall, bright yellow against navy, or deep blue on white. 
</li> </ul> <p><strong>3. Landscape</strong></p> <p>Last but certainly not least, a little bit of landscaping can do wonders to improve the curb appeal of your home.</p> <p><strong>Remember</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>ADD SOME COLOUR </strong>A vibrant flower bed can lift the feel of any home.</li> </ul> <p><em>This is a guest post by Dale Vine, former Block contestant and </em><a href="http://www.whiteknightpaints.com.au/"><em>White Knight </em></a><em>Ambassador. Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://www.handyman.net.au/how-increase-curb-appeal-your-home-weekend"><em>Handyman</em></a><em>.</em></p>

Home & Garden

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Hugh Grant lashes Boris Johnson over iconic Love Actually campaign spoof

<p><em>Love Actually<span> </span></em>might be considered one of the world's most popular Christmas films.</p> <p><span>However, not even an iconic scene taken from the movie for a spoof election campaign video by Boris Johnson could save him from a heap of criticism.</span><span></span></p> <p>Mr Johnson played as a poor understudy for<span> </span><em>Love Actually’s</em><span> </span>Andrew Lincoln for his take of the scene.</p> <p>In the film, Lincoln’s character Mark confesses his love for Julie, the wife of his best friend, with a series of cue card held up to the tune of carol singers outside their London home.</p> <p><em><strong>Scroll through the gallery to see the video in pictures.</strong></em></p> <p>While the scene has become a classic to reenact over the years since its release in 2003, the decision to use it by the conservative social media machine - which is run by an Australian political strategist and two New Zealanders - has received a harsh response from Britain.<span> </span></p> <p>Mr Johnson appears on a doorstep promising to “get Brexit done”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Brexit, actually. <a href="https://t.co/4ryuh19c75">pic.twitter.com/4ryuh19c75</a></p> — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1204152954934177792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The clip begins with the classic “tell them it’s carol singers” before launching into the Conservative election manifesto, saying “with any luck by next year we’ll have Brexit done.”</p> <p>Embed video<span> </span></p> <p>While some people in the UK have marked the video as “brilliant,” others have remade their own version for the Prime Minister to watch.<span> </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I saw that Boris Johnson made a Love Actually campaign video.<br /><br />Well, Boris, when I made this video, it looked as if the UK was going to leave before this Christmas. <br /><br />I am more than happy you are still with us. And hope for many more years together in our European family.<br /><br />🇪🇺❤️🇬🇧 <a href="https://t.co/HBZ6fzlsgE">https://t.co/HBZ6fzlsgE</a></p> — Terry Reintke (@TerryReintke) <a href="https://twitter.com/TerryReintke/status/1204377617153048576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">What a brilliant <a href="https://twitter.com/Conservatives?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Conservatives</a> broadcast. Everyone is talking about it! Well done <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BorisJohnson</a> and team! Here it is <a href="https://t.co/uGcNZn0NaR">https://t.co/uGcNZn0NaR</a></p> — Jayne Cowan (@JayneCowan) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayneCowan/status/1204161457837027329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Labour Party MPs also pointed out the scene had been parodied before by a Labour’s Rosena Allin-Khan on 22 November.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The choice at this election... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LoveActually?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LoveActually</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MerryXmas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MerryXmas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tooting?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tooting</a> <a href="https://t.co/laP589NlMm">pic.twitter.com/laP589NlMm</a></p> — Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (@DrRosena) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrRosena/status/1197884965444366337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2019</a></blockquote> <p><em>Love Actually</em><span> </span>star Hugh Grant, who played the role of Britain’s Prime Minister in the film and is a vocal critic of the Conservative government told the BBC he found that the video was “quite well done, very high production values but clearly the Conservative party have a lot of money.”</p> <p>“Maybe that’s where all the roubles went,” he said in reference to reports of Russian interference in the UK election.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">"One of the cards... Boris Johnson didn't hold up was the one saying "Because at Christmas you tell the truth"<br /><br />Actor Hugh Grant <a href="https://twitter.com/HackedOffHugh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HackedOffHugh</a>, who wants people to vote tactically against Brexit, gives his view of the PM's version of the famous Love Actually cards scene <a href="https://t.co/HyU9Uk47Sd">pic.twitter.com/HyU9Uk47Sd</a></p> — BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCr4today/status/1204321608694976514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“But I did notice that one of the cards from the original film he didn’t hold up was the one where Andrew Lincoln held up a card saying ‘because at Christmas you tell the truth’.”</p> <p>“And I just wonder if the spin doctors in the Tory party thought that was a card that wouldn’t look too great in Boris Johnson’s hands.”</p> <p><em><strong>Scroll through the gallery to see the video in pictures.</strong></em></p>

International Travel

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Wedding of the year: Meghan, Harry and everyone else who attended Misha Nonoo's nuptials this weekend

<p>33-year-old british fashion designer Misha Nonoo tied the knot on Sunday with her partner Michael Hess in a lavish Italian wedding. </p> <p>Not only is she a close pal of Duchess Meghan - dating back to 2015 - it is believed she is the one who introduced the royal to the Duke of Sussex in 2016. </p> <p>Since then, the pair have worked closely together to create the Duchess Smart Set capsule wardrobe for charity,<span> </span>Smart Works.</p> <p>“We were seated next to one another at a lunch, and we got along like a house on fire,” Nonoo told the Evening Standard of the actress-turned-royal in 2017. “She has the most remarkable and generous spirit. I aspire to be as philanthropic as she is, and to have as much of an impact as her.”</p> <p>“I love her to death,” Nonoo added. “She is the coolest girl in the world.”</p> <p>It is a guest list featuring young British royals, celebrities and American heirs - from US President’s daughter Ivanka Trump to Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan. </p> <p>Here is who attended the lavish event. </p> <p>Duke and Duchess of Sussex</p> <p>While both Meghan and Nonoo have been close confidants for years, Prince Harry has his own personal relationship with the British fashion designer. </p> <p>Before she tied the knot with oil tycoon Michael Hess, Nonoo  was married to Alexander Gilkes who is a friend to the flame-haired royal. </p> <p>They married in 2012 before separating in 2016. </p> <p>The royals attended the lux, star-studded event in Italy before leaving for their autumn summer tour of Southern Africa on Sunday.</p> <p>Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie</p> <p>The royal sisters both attended Nonoo’s wedding - however it was not together. </p> <p>Princess Eugenie was spotted arriving at the venue with the bride and it is assumed she is a member of the bridal party. </p> <p>Princess Beatrice showed up to the nuptials with Poppy Jamie and model Suki Waterhouse. It is reported she is the close pal who set up Hess and Nonoo. </p> <p>Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner </p> <p>Daughter of US President Donald Trump, Ivanka, arrived at the wedding in toe with her husband Jared Kushner sporting a stylish bob and a glitzy Bob Mackie floor-length cocktail dress. </p> <p>Among other A-list celebrities were US singer Katy Perry, actor Orlando Bloom, late night TV show host James Corden and supermodel Karlie Kloss. </p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see all the star-studded guests at Nonoo’s wedding.</p>

International Travel