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Hall of Fame fighter hospitalised after saving elderly parents from fire

In the heart of Ohio, a story of heroism and sacrifice has emerged from the flames of a devastating house fire. Mark Coleman, a revered figure in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) and the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), found himself in the midst of a harrowing ordeal, where his actions transcended the octagon to demonstrate unparalleled bravery and love for family. On a fateful Tuesday morning, as the dawn painted the sky over Fremont, Ohio, tragedy struck the Coleman household. Details of the fire initially emerged through local news outlets, shrouded in anonymity. However, it wasn't long before the truth surfaced – it was Mark Coleman, the UFC legend, who had selflessly rushed into the inferno to rescue his elderly parents from imminent danger. Reports indicated that Coleman, aged 59, wasted no time in the face of adversity. With unwavering determination, he courageously carried both of his parents, Dan and Connie Foos Coleman, to safety, braving the engulfing flames that threatened to consume their home. Yet, his valour knew no bounds as he plunged back into the fiery abyss, driven by an instinctive urge to save another beloved member of the family – their loyal dog, Hammer. Tragically, despite his desperate efforts, the canine companion did not survive the blaze. Coleman's daughter, Kenzie, revealed on social media that Hammer's persistent barking had roused her father from slumber, ultimately saving his life. This heartbreaking loss added another layer of sorrow to an already traumatic event. As news of Coleman's heroic act spread, an outpouring of support and prayers flooded social media platforms. His second daughter Morgan, in an emotional Instagram post, recounted her father's selfless deeds and pleaded for continued prayers during this trying time. To the Coleman family, Mark wasn't just a UFC pioneer; he was a beacon of strength and resilience, a cherished father and a beloved friend. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4bQHaopteq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4bQHaopteq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Morgan Coleman (@mocoleman18)</a> </div> </blockquote> Mark Coleman's legacy in the world of MMA is undeniable. Dubbed "The Godfather of Ground-and-Pound", he etched his name in the annals of UFC history as the organisation's inaugural heavyweight champion in 1997. His contributions to the sport earned him a well-deserved place in the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008, solidifying his status as a true icon. However, beyond the glitz and glory of the octagon, Coleman's journey has been marked by personal struggles and triumphs. In 2020, he battled a heart attack, a testament to his resilience in the face of adversity. A year later, he confronted his demons, seeking rehabilitation for alcoholism, and emerged stronger, embracing a healthier lifestyle. Author Jonathan Snowden, who shared a close bond with Coleman and was poised to document his remarkable life story, offered a glimpse into the aftermath of the fire. Through poignant images capturing the devastation, Snowden provided a raw and unfiltered portrayal of the ordeal. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This is what's left of the house Mark Coleman and his family were in last night. Mark's dog Hammer woke him up to a house in flames. He saved both his parents and is fighting for his life. <a href="https://t.co/hicYhv7SDm">pic.twitter.com/hicYhv7SDm</a> — Jonathan Snowden (@JESnowden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JESnowden/status/1767637195555299781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote> Images: Instagram / Twitter (X)

Caring

Little House on the Prairie star passes away

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

News

Stevie Nicks faces wild backlash over Hawaii fires post

Stevie Nicks, the celebrated icon from Fleetwood Mac, has drawn a mixed response among her admirers due to her extensive reflection on the Maui fires, with even her most devoted supporters not hesitating to express their concerns. The legendary artist took to social media to convey her thoughts regarding the tragic Maui fires, a subject close to her heart. However, her detailed account of how the catastrophe impacted her, particularly in relation to her niece's disrupted holiday plans, has drawn a divisive reaction. In a post entitled "“Lahaina is not gone ~ It is just away,” Nicks opened up about her personal connection to the coastal town that fell victim to the destructive fires, claiming the lives of at least 96 individuals. “As I am sure you have heard – the island, Maui, where I own a house I have been staying at since the 80s – and the small village, city, most magical place on earth, Lahaina, burned to the ground over the last few days,” she wrote. She further explained the distressing situation involving her young niece, her spouse, and their child, who had just embarked on a much-needed vacation before the niece's return to her studies in psychology. Regrettably, their vacation was cut short due to the onset of the fire. Nicks also delved into the profound connection that the members of Fleetwood Mac share with Maui. “This island, in so many ways, defines Fleetwood Mac and me and our families. My truth was that I wanted a house here just so I could spend time in Lahaina walking the streets; visiting the art galleries – sitting on the rock wall – Most all the opals I wear on my fingers came from a store on Front Street. I hope the sweet lady who owned that store was able to grab all her opals and run. I hope she made it out.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv3LAiCLf03/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv3LAiCLf03/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Stevie Nicks (@stevienicks)</a> </div> </blockquote> The response among her fan base has been polarised. Some voiced disappointment with Nicks for placing emphasis on her niece's disrupted vacation rather than the tragic loss of nearly 100 lives in the fires. They also questioned the absence of any links or information directing her substantial Instagram following, which numbers 1.4 million, towards aiding the fire survivors. One Instagram user commented, “I’ve been a Stevie fan forever and a day but this is Completely tone deaf! There are people who have LOST THEIR HOMES, their livelihood and their loved ones. Regular people – not rich, and not tourists. “Ruining” someone’s well deserved holiday is the absolutely LEAST of it all. True colours are shining and it’s such a disappointment.” While detractors were vocal, others stood up for Nicks, contending that her personal connection to the island warranted her sharing her story just as much as anyone else – with one post in particular offering a particularly insightful explanation: "People commenting with criticism: I sincerely understand but what you don’t realize is that this is a woman who doesn’t go on the internet or understand how any of that works. She hand writes these notes to express her heart and has an assistant post them. She has always given back without advertising it. The concept of crowdfunding donations on social media is something she really just has no idea about. If she knew better, I could understand the frustration but she’s just not a part of social media discourse whatsoever. I can guarantee that she is not only giving back but reaching directly out to individuals she has crossed paths with there over the years. Stevie has always been charitable, but has never been a citizen of the internet." Images: Instagram

Tourists flock to the Mediterranean as if the climate crisis isn’t happening. This year’s heat and fire will force change

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/susanne-becken-90437">Susanne Becken</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/johanna-loehr-1457342">Johanna Loehr</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Thousands of people on the beach. Children reportedly falling off evacuation boats. Panic. People fleeing with the clothes on their backs. It felt like “the end of the world”, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/23/british-tourists-tell-of-nightmare-in-rhodes-fires-greece">one tourist</a>. The fires sweeping through the Greek islands of Rhodes and Corfu are showing us favourite holiday destinations are no longer safe as climate change intensifies. For decades, tourists have flocked to the Mediterranean for the northern summer. Australians, Scandinavians, Brits, Russians all arrive seeking warmer weather. After COVID, many of us have been keen to travel once again. But this year, the intense heatwaves have claimed <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/world/heatwave-pictures-wildfires-worsen-greece-italy-spain-europe-us-2488556">hundreds of lives</a> in Spain alone. Major tourist drawcards such as the Acropolis in Athens have been closed. Climate scientists are “stunned by the ferocity” of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/25/northern-hemisphere-heatwaves-europe-greece-italy-wildfires-extreme-weather-climate-experts">heat</a>. This year is likely to force a rethink for tourists and for tourism operators. Expect to see more trips taken during shoulder seasons, avoiding the increasingly intense July to August summer. And expect temperate countries to become more popular tourist destinations. Warm-weather tourist destinations will have to radically change. <h2>What will climate change do to mass tourism?</h2> Weather is a major factor in tourism. In Europe and North America, people tend to go from northern countries to southern regions. Chinese tourists, like Australians, often head to Southeast Asian beaches. In Europe, the north-south flow is almost hardwired. When Australians go overseas, they often choose Mediterranean summers. Over the last decade, hotter summers haven’t been a dealbreaker. But this year is likely to drive change. You can already see that in the growing popularity of shoulder seasons (June or September) in the traditional Northern Hemisphere summer destinations. Many of us are shifting how we think about hot weather holidays from something we seek to something we fear. This comes on top of consumer shifts such as those related to sustainability and <a href="https://theconversation.com/flight-shaming-how-to-spread-the-campaign-that-made-swedes-give-up-flying-for-good-133842">flight shame</a>. What about disaster tourism? While thrillseekers <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/22/death-valley-tourism-extreme-weather-california">may be flocking</a> to Death Valley to experience temperatures over 50℃, it’s hard to imagine this type of tourism going mainstream. What we’re more likely to see is more people seeking “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09669582.2016.1213849?journalCode=rsus20">last-chance</a>” experiences, with tourists flocking to highly vulnerable sites such as the Great Barrier Reef. Of course, this type of tourism isn’t sustainable long-term. <h2>What does this mean for countries reliant on tourism?</h2> The crisis in Rhodes shows us the perils of the just-in-time model of tourism, where you bring in tourists and everything they need –food, water, wine – as they need it. The system is geared to efficiency. But that means there’s little space for contingencies. Rhodes wasn’t able to easily evacuate 19,000 tourists. This approach will have to change to a just-in-case approach, as in other <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyshih/2022/01/30/from-just-in-time-to-just-in-case-is-excess-and-obsolete-next/?sh=195cd054daf7">supply chains</a>. For <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261517712002063">emergency services</a>, tourists pose a particular challenge. Locals have a better understanding than tourists of risks and escape routes. Plus tourists don’t speak the language. That makes them much harder to help compared to locals. Climate change poses immense challenges in other ways, too. Pacific atoll nations like Kiribati or Tuvalu <a href="https://www.pacificpsdi.org/assets/Uploads/PSDI-TourismSnapshot-TUV3.pdf">would love</a> more tourists to visit. The problem there is water. Sourcing enough water for locals is getting harder. And tourists use a lot of water – drinking it, showering in it, swimming in it. Careful planning will be required to ensure local carrying capacities are not exceeded by tourism. So does this spell the end of mass tourism? Not entirely. But it will certainly accelerate the trend in countries like Spain away from mass tourism, or “overtourism”. In super-popular tourist destinations like Spain’s Balearic Islands, there’s been an increasing pushback from locals against <a href="https://theconversation.com/were-in-the-era-of-overtourism-but-there-is-a-more-sustainable-way-forward-108906">overtourism</a> in favour of specialised tourism with smaller numbers spread out over the year. Is this year a wake-up call? Yes. The intensifying climate crisis means many of us are now more focused on what we can do to stave off the worst of it by, say, avoiding flights. The pressure for change is growing too. Delta Airlines is being sued over its announcement to go carbon neutral by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/30/delta-air-lines-lawsuit-carbon-neutrality-aoe">using offsets</a>, for instance. <h2>Mountains not beaches: future tourism may look a lot different</h2> You can already see efforts to adapt to the changes in many countries. In Italy, for instance, domestic mountain tourism is <a href="https://www.euromontana.org/en/neve-diversa-how-mountain-tourism-can-adapt-to-climate-change/">growing</a>, enticing people from hot and humid Milan and Rome up where the air is cooler – even if the snow is disappearing. China, which doesn’t do things by halves, is investing in mountain resorts. The goal here is to offer cooler alternatives like northern China’s <a href="https://english.news.cn/20230714/9ae6f89a6b7b433ebde3ec689b87f6db/c.html">Jilin province</a> to beach holidays for sweltering residents of megacities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Some mountainous countries are unlikely to seize the opportunity because they don’t want to draw more tourists. Norway is considering a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2022/12/03/norway-to-consider-introducing-tourist-tax-from-2024/?sh=710871eb1b27">tourist tax</a>. Forward-thinking countries will be better prepared. But there are limits to preparation and adaptation. Mediterranean summer holidays will be less and less appealing, as the region is a <a href="https://www.unep.org/unepmap/resources/factsheets/climate-change">heating hotspot</a>, warming 20% faster than the world average. Italy and Spain are still <a href="https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/severe-drought-western-mediterranean-faces-low-river-flows-and-crop-yields-earlier-ever-2023-06-13_en">in the grip</a> of a record-breaking drought, threatening food and water supplies. The future of tourism is going to be very different. <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/210282/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/susanne-becken-90437">Susanne Becken</a>, Professor of Sustainable Tourism, Griffith Institute for Tourism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/johanna-loehr-1457342">Johanna Loehr</a>, , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/tourists-flock-to-the-mediterranean-as-if-the-climate-crisis-isnt-happening-this-years-heat-and-fire-will-force-change-210282">original article</a>.

International Travel

"Do better": Subway under fire over "distasteful" sign

A Subway store in the US has come under fire for poking fun at the Titan submersible implosion on a promotional sign. The fast food store, located in the Atlanta capital of Georgia, referenced the recent disaster in which five people were killed on an excursion to the Titanic wreckage, as their vessel imploded after it lost contact with its mothership. Their sign read, "Our subs don't implode". Following immense backlash, the store manager told a local radio station that the sign had been taken down. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/SUBWAY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SUBWAY</a> this is at your store in Rincon, GA. Not only is it distasteful, it’s just sad. Do better. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/subway?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#subway</a> <a href="https://t.co/PfgABPU8ML">pic.twitter.com/PfgABPU8ML</a> — Amanda Butler (@Amanda72118560) <a href="https://twitter.com/Amanda72118560/status/1675599325613654018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2023</a></blockquote> “We have been in contact with the franchise about this matter and made it clear that this kind of comment has no place in our business,” a statement from Subway to Fox News said. Social media users were quick to condemn the "distasteful" sign, after it went viral on Twitter. One person shared a photo of the sign and wrote, "Not only is it distasteful, it’s just sad. Do better." Another commenter took a stance against the fast food chain, saying, "I’ll never eat at Subway ever again. It is distasteful and disrespectful to families who lost loved ones." Despite the online backlash, some people believed the sign was not the worst thing Subway has done in terms of controversies, with many pointing out the sign is "far less worse than Jared [Fogle]", in reference to the spokesperson for the restaurant in the early 2000s who was arrested for possession of child pornography. Others chose to see the lighter side of the joke on the promotional sign, with one person adding, "No, but Subway subs make your insides explode." Image credits: Twitter

Legal

“Where’s Andy Murray?” Famous family fires up over Wimbledon faux pas

The family of Andy Murray are up in arms after the tennis champion was left out of a promotional artwork ahead of the annual Wimbledon competition. On Tuesday, the All England Club unveiled the promotional image to their social media accounts, which shows 15 past tennis champions, past and present, walking down the stairs of the main building at Wimbledon. At the forefront of the image are members of the “next generation of headline acts” Spaniard world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and Italian Jannik Sinner, surrounded by sporting legends such as Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and the Williams sisters Serena and Venus. Despite the image being filled with famous tennis faces, there is no image of Andy Murray, a two-time Wimbledon champion, whose famous victory in July 2013 ended 77 years of waiting for a homegrown British male singles winner. Andy's family and fans reacted with outrage that Murray, who was officially knighted in May 2019, was left out of the composition. Murray’s uncle Niall Erskine tweeted, “Appalling at every level, all about the men in the forefront and your own British history-maker nowhere to be seen. You should be ashamed of yourselves.” Elder brother Jamie – who has won two Wimbledon mixed doubles titles – asked, “Where’s Andy Murray?” LA-based freelance illustrator Grant Gruenhaupt responded to the criticism by saying, “Worry not Jamie, there are more paintings on the way.” He added, “Back with Wimbledon on another fun series celebrating historic moments and players!" “This one featuring the greatest rivalries of the past and present as they make the historic walk through the clubhouse and onto Centre Court." “A lot of nuance in this one. Definitely one of the more challenging scenes I’ve had to tackle.” Image credits: All England Club / Getty Images

Family & Pets

“They snack-shamed my three year old”: Mum fires up on school note

An American mother has taken to social media to share her Pringle problem with the world. As Megan Peavey explained in her TikTok video, she’d sent her three-year-old son to school with some chips in his lunchbox to enjoy when snacktime rolled around. However, the staff at the school weren’t exactly of the opinion that Pringles were the right choice, going so far as to suggest Megan had purposefully done the wrong thing and given her child something ‘unhealthy’. “Look at what happened to me today,” she said in the now-private clip. “I sent my son to school with Pringles, which is a very age appropriate snack for a three year old.” She went on to explain that the school had responded by sending the boy home with his empty chip container, the line “please help us make healthy choices at school” written across it in bold black marker. “They wrote that on his Pringles cup,” she said, “they snack shamed my three year old, they snack shamed me, by writing that passive-aggressively on his trash. After asking viewers what they might do in that situation, she described how she got in touch with the school, calling them out on what they’d done, and they “did not label things as healthy and unhealthy” in their house “because that starts eating disorders”. “Do you think that’s ridiculous?” came her final question. “Because I f***ing do.” Megan later shared an update on the entire situation, outlining how she had spoken to the school’s director, and was told “it was passive-aggressive of me to keep sending Pringles after the note”. But, as she pointed out, she didn’t believe Pringles to be an ‘unhealthy’ snack like they did. “I consider things like Doritos, Cheetos, and Milky Way bars to be unhealthy,” she noted, before adding that she regularly sends her son to school with the likes of granola bars with his other snacks, and that she just would have appreciated the school speaking to her directly without leaping to the note. Megan stood her ground and didn’t apologise to the educators, before she “walked downstairs and I just checked my son out - we’re done there.” Her comments were flooded by fellow parents who were more than eager to back her up, with many noting that they may not have handled it so well themselves - one even wrote that she’d have sent her child with an entire tub and a handwritten “no thank you” the next day. “I cannot even explain how out of line and wild this seems to me - on the school's part," another said. “On his birthday…send pringles for EVERY kid in the class,” someone suggested. And one pre-k teacher even came forward to share her take, noting “never would I ever tell a family to 'make healthy choices'. My girls get a bag of chips with their sandwiches, along with fresh fruit." Images: TikTok

Family & Pets

Britain’s Got Talent burned by 334 complaints after "insensitive" stunt

Warning: This article contains content that some readers may find disturbing. Britain’s Got Talent is in hot water with its 16th season after the second episode drew in a staggering 334 complaints - a total of 400 across both episodes, Ofcom reported. The stunt that caused the ire, dubbed “insensitive” and “unacceptable” by the public, saw a professional stuntman named Thomas Vu cover himself in a fire-retardant gel, before he was set alight and left to solve a Rubik’s Cube. In the wake of the stunt, hosts Ant and Dec were quick to issue a warning to viewers, telling them “do not try this at home, ever.” And when the clip was uploaded to the official BGT Twitter account, the text ‘do not try this at home’ is splashed across the video. However, distressed viewers still took to the comments section to share their distaste, with one writing that it was “absolutely ridiculous and irresponsible [and] should never have been allowed to be televised especially on a family programme!!” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Stuntman Thomas Vu solved the Rubik's cube in the most UNEXPECTED way: <a href="https://t.co/nSEWOokCSb">https://t.co/nSEWOokCSb</a> Do not try this at home!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BGT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BGT</a> <a href="https://t.co/awPLBTmaEf">pic.twitter.com/awPLBTmaEf</a> — BGT (@BGT) <a href="https://twitter.com/BGT/status/1649110690987376642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2023</a></blockquote> “BGT totally ill-considered showing a guy setting himself on fire whilst solving a Rubik’s Cube,” tweeted another. “No thought to the fact that impressionable children watch the show.” “Don’t get me wrong,” one began, “people do crazy stuff and it’s their choice and that’s fine by me but maybe that last act should have been well after the 9pm watershed?? Not sure that kind of playing with fire thing is suitable for young kids who probably stay up to watch BGT.” “Like what has BGT come to when we set people on fire for entertainment,” someone else said on the matter. And as yet another user put it, “sorry but showing a man setting himself on fire on a ‘family’ show is not acceptable. Even with the mention ‘do not try this at home’.” Concern for children continued from there, with one tweeting “The Rubik’s Cube fire stunt on BGT was totally inappropriate. Did you not think about burn victims and how seeing this would affect them?” Meanwhile, others simply found the stunt to be insensitive, with one even referencing the 1965 Bradford City disaster when they wrote “I just find this insensitive to anyone that has been through any trauma caused by fire.” Criticism for the episode was so intense, coupled with the volume of complaints flowing in, that the show was forced to issue a statement, telling viewers “Britain’s Got Talent showcases a mix of variety acts to engage audiences. “In this case, it was made very clear on screen that this act should not be tried at home and the programme was subject to strict compliance rules." Images: Britain’s Got Talent / ITV

Body

106-year-old tattoo artist becomes Vogue’s oldest cover star

Apo Maria ‘Whang-Od’ Oggay has made history as the oldest woman to have featured on the cover of Vogue. Regarded as the last mambabatok of her generation, Whang-Od was born in the remote village of Buscalan in the northern Philippines’ province of Kalinga in 1918, and entered the world of tattooing at just 16 years old. As Vogue Philippines’s editor-in-chief Bea Valdes explained of their decision to feature her on the cover, “we felt she represented our ideals of what is beautiful about our Filipino culture. "We believe that the concept of beauty needs to evolve, and include diverse and inclusive faces and forms. What we hope to speak about is the beauty of humanity.” And Whang-Od was the perfect choice. Vogue Philippines’ demonstrated as much when they wrote on Twitter that “the symbols of the Kalinga tribe signifying strength, bravery & beauty” are imprinted on her skin, and that Whang-Od embodies the “strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Apo Maria “Whang-Od” Oggay symbolizes the strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit. Heralded as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has imprinted the symbols of the Kalinga tribe signifying strength, bravery & beauty on the skin. Read more on <a href="https://t.co/2F1mJ5iQWG">https://t.co/2F1mJ5iQWG</a>. <a href="https://t.co/urVcA3g2Ek">pic.twitter.com/urVcA3g2Ek</a> — Vogue Philippines (@vogueph) <a href="https://twitter.com/vogueph/status/1641276503433572353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2023</a></blockquote> As tattoo anthropologist Dr Lars Krutak found out for Vogue, it was through Whang-Od’s father’s mentorship that she launched her career in tattooing. She was the first - and only - mambabatok of her time, and would spend her time visiting neighbouring villages - and beyond - to “to imprint the sacred symbols of their ancestors on individuals who have crossed or about to cross a threshold in their lives.” Her own life story can be found on her skin - featuring everything from her accomplishments to her ailments, and even the names of past lovers - in a story of beauty, bravery, and the heritage of the Kalinga tribe. For men, tattoos reflected them as “a headhunting warrior”, while women were typically tattooed for “fertility and beautification”. As Vogue reported, the elder women of Kalinga say that “when they die, they can’t take their beads and gold with them to the afterlife. They only have the markings on their body.” As Vogue went on to cover, decades of colonial erasure had a significant impact on batok - in Kalinga, village girls had to cover their arms, while many others abandoned the art. But through Whang-Od and her descendants, the ancient art of batok will continue - both in Buscalan and the rest of the world. Batok itself, as explained by the Vogue team who had the honour of receiving a tattoo from Whang-Od, involves “an unused gisi, a bamboo stick with a thorn attached to one end” and a pattern traced “using a length of grass dipped in the soot and charcoal mixture”. The process then sees Whang-Od hold the inked gisi in one hand, while she “uses a larger stick to whack it with her right hand, driving it over a hundred times per minute into the flesh until the three dots are filled and oozing with blood and ink. She dabs at them with a wet wipe before deciding to go over the freshly wounded spots again for good measure.” And now, Whang-Od has been teaching her craft to her grand-niece, Grace Palicas. Under Whang-Od’s mentorship, the thousand-year-old tradition will live on, as the next generation of stick-and-thorn artists strive to preserve their craft, and share it with the world. As for Whang-Od herself? Her plans are quite simple, with the artist explaining that “when visitors come from far away, I will give them the tatak Buscalan, tatak Kalinga for as long as my eyes can see.” Images: Instagram

Beauty & Style

Firing squad demanded for teen in Bali

Prosecutors are calling for a 19-year-old woman to be executed by firing squad after she was arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs into Bali. The Brazilian teenager, Manuela Vitoria de Araujo Farias, has been in custody since her initial arrest in January 2023, after allegedly being sprung with 3kg of cocaine in her luggage. According to global press agency Newsflash, prosecutors demanded the maximum penalty. If she is convicted of trafficking drugs into Indonesia, she could face execution by firing squad or a lifetime prison sentence. Authorities allege she was involved with a drug gang, but according to her lawyer, Davi Lira da Silva, the teen sold lingerie and perfume for a living and was tricked by people she trusted. Mr da Silva claimed the 19-year-old was tricked into cooperating after the gang who hired her told her about temples in Bali where they pray for the ill. Her mother had recently suffered a stroke and her lawyers claimed she was going to seek Buddhist prayers for a cure. They also alleged that the gang had promised to pay for surf lessons for Ms Farias following her arrival to the country. Her arrest made international headlines after the case was confirmed to local media by Bali Police Chief Inspector Gen Putu Jayan Danu Putra in Denpasar on January 27, 2023. The Bali Sun reported that Ms Farias had arrived at Bali Airport around 3 am on January 1 on a Qatar Airways flight, travelling from Brazil to Bali via Qatar. “The drug smuggling attempt was thwarted by the Bali airport customs. We really appreciate what customs have done,” Chief Inspector Putra said at a press conference on January 27, according to the outlet. Ms Farias’ case has been adjourned with the sentences to be announced on a later date in April. Image credit: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Streets on fire after controversial raising of retirement age

French Emmanuel Macron has ignited a furious spark in the people of France with controversial new pension reforms - those that would see the country’s pension age raised from 62 to 64. The changes were reportedly pushed through their parliament without a proper voting process - it has been said that Macron employed “special constitutional powers” to see it through. Protesters flocked to the streets in response, with over 250 different protests organised nationwide, in a move that has been praised by union leaders. However, while hundreds of thousands of participants experienced peaceful marches through some of the country’s largest cities, tensions were high in Bordeaux, and the town hall felt the full brunt of it when it was set alight. While it is not known who was responsible for the fire, it was quickly extinguished. In Paris, where the majority took part in peaceful demonstrations, violence did rear its head, with a number of clashes between protestors and police officers breaking out - shop windows were broken, street furniture demolished, and fast food establishments attacked. It has also been reported that while police were the target of various projectiles, they made use of tear gas to push back those responsible for any rioting behaviour. And at Place de l’Opera, the location at which demonstrators concluded their march, the tear gas was back, covering a portion of the area in a haze of fumes. The official demonstration in Paris - which had drawn people from all over the French social spectrum - was not the only one to take a violent turn, with the cities of Nantes, Rennes, Lorient, and Lyon facing similar fates. The protests, coupled with strikes and industrial action across the country, disrupted transport and prompted the cancellation of flights, with airport authorities claiming roll-on effects from the chaos. Protestors also succeeded in blocking off Terminal 1 of France’s largest international airport, the Charles de Gaulle airport. As to why the French had taken this approach to fighting the reforms, one demonstrator in Nantes summed it up by declaring “the street has a legitimacy in France. “If Mr Macron can't remember this historic reality, I don't know what he is doing here.” And as another told Reuters, "I oppose this reform and I really oppose the fact that democracy no longer means anything. We're not being represented, and so we're fed up." "It is by protesting that we will be able to make ourselves heard because all the other ways ... have not allowed us to withdraw this reform," another explained to AFP. The women on the streets were furious, seeing Macron’s move as one that targeted them in particular, especially those that had been forced to step away from their careers to dedicate their time to raising their children. As one social worker told The Guardian, “everyone is angry. Everyone thinks this law is unfair, but it particularly penalises women who are expected to produce future generations of the nation, and then find they are punished for doing so.” “They want to raise it to 64 today. Will it be 66, 67, 68 tomorrow?” a teacher implored. “They tell us life expectancy is longer but are we to work until we collapse and are carted off to the crematorium?” Images: Getty

Retirement Life

Fiddler on the Roof star passes away

Chaim Topol has passed away at the age of 87. The Israeli actor, known around the world for his role as Tevye the Milkman in Fiddler on the Roof, died at home with his loved ones at his side. He is survived by his wife and three children. Topol’s son had previously confirmed that the actor had been diagnosed with dementia in 2022, while The Times of Israel reported that the 87-year-old had been battling with Alzheimer’s for years. Israel’s president Isaac Herzog announced Topol’s death in a statement, describing him as a “gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and overseas, filled the cinema screens with his presence, and most importantly entered deep into our hearts.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> President <a href="https://twitter.com/Isaac_Herzog?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Isaac_Herzog</a> mourns the passing of Chaim Topol: <a href="https://t.co/PXWYUKq8iY">pic.twitter.com/PXWYUKq8iY</a> — Office of the President of Israel (@IsraelPresident) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelPresident/status/1633716213925724160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote> Topol was just 30 years old when he first stepped into the role of Tevye in 1996 for the stage musical Fiddler on the Roof. At the time, he was required to wear makeup and special costuming to make him look older than he was, but by the time he finished performing in 2009, he had to act younger, as he was then in his 70s. It has been estimated - and claimed by Topol himself in 2014 - that he had portrayed Tevye in the stage play over 4000 times. His credits weren’t limited just to the stage, however, with the actor also diving in as the beloved character for the 1971 screen adaptation. For this work, he secured himself nominations for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. While he did not win the Oscar, he did go home with the Golden Globe award. He also received a Tony Award nomination in 1991 for the Broadway revival. Throughout his career, Teyve was the first character people recognised him for, though Topol didn’t seem to mind. In a 2015 interview, he said “how many people are known for one part? How many people in my profession are known worldwide?” Production took him across the globe with Fiddler on the Roof, and saw him visit everywhere from Australia to Europe, Asia, and Israel. “Sometimes I am surprised when I come to China, or when I come to Tokyo, or when I come to France, or when I come to wherever, and the clerk at immigration says ‘Topol, Topol, are you Topol?’” he said, “many people saw [the play] and it’s not a bad thing.” Topol also starred in the likes of Galileo, Flash Gordon, and For Your Eyes Only, as well as providing his voice for Hebrew dubs of both The Jungle Book and two Harry Potter films. His later years, however, saw him turn to writing and illustrating books. And in 2015, the actor was awarded The Israel Prize by the State of Israel, something that is considered to be one of the state’s top cultural honours. Images: Getty

News

Man caught setting fire outside Buckingham Palace

A man has been arrested outside Buckingham Palace after setting a fire outside the gates of the royal residence. The shocking video shows the small blaze at the front gates of the King’s official residence, while a man can be seen on the floor after being tackled and handcuffed by two police officers. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyMailUK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DailyMailUK</a> Protester burning stuff at Buckingham Palace <a href="https://t.co/Tn1O2twyoK">pic.twitter.com/Tn1O2twyoK</a> — Kai Jiun (@CogenJ10) <a href="https://twitter.com/CogenJ10/status/1605326244111056896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote> He was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage. Witnesses say the police arrived at the scene “within seconds” of the fire starting. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “Shortly after 11:08 pm on Tuesday, 20 December, a 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage after a small fire was seen near the Buckingham Palace gates. “The man has been taken into custody. The fire has been extinguished.” The motivations behind the fire are unknown. Images: Twitter

News

TV host humiliated live on air by 9-year-old daughter

A TV host has been left mortified after her 9-year-old daughter embarrassed her live on air. Jenna Hager Bush, one of the hosts of the US morning show Today with Hoda & Jenna, had her daughter Mila on the show to chat about fashion. The 9-year-old then shocked her mum by telling viewers that Hager “never wears underwear.” She continued, “She is not wearing it right now! I saw her change!” The little one’s confession came one month after the journalist first confessed that she often skips underwear for a “more pretty silhouette” after co-host Hoda Kotb called her out. Hager, who also shares daughter Poppy, 7, and son Hal, 3, with husband Henry Hager, explained that her controversial wardrobe choice makes her life “easier.” “You don’t have to pack as much,” she pointed out last month. “There [are] a lot of pros to it.” While Mila wasn’t the first to out her mother’s lack of underwear, she did continue to embarrass Hager with another story on Tuesday. “One time she was laughing in our living room and she peed her pants!” Mila said, noting that Hager had to “change [her] pyjamas” at the time. Hager was a good sport, sarcastically thanking Mila before saying, “I think Hoda is trying to get the truth bombs out [of you] but no more.” <div id="ad-hybrid-banner-1" data-type="unruly" data-ad-size="4x4" data-device-type="web"> <div> </div> </div> When Mila showed no signs of keeping quiet, Hager abruptly concluded, “OK, goodbye! Goodbye, I love you!” As Mila exited the stage, Kotb gushed, “What a great kid. … You and her are very similar because you’re both just exactly who you are.” Image credits: Today with Hoda & Jenna

Dog found hidden in carry-on bag at airport security

A US Transportation and Security Agency (TSA) officer has discovered a small dog stashed in a traveller's carry-on luggage. The animal was found in a backpack when going through the X-ray machine at the Dane County <a title="Airport " href="https://www.9news.com.au/airport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Airport</a> in Wisconsin. TSA told a local news outlet that the passenger was unaware of the screening protocol and did not tell security officers about her dog. After an officer explained the proper process and confirmed she disclosed she was travelling with a pet to the airline, she proceeded to her gate to board her flight. TSA Great Lakes confirmed that the woman's error was an accident on social media, while alerting people to the proper flying rules. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Video: Here’s the proper way to travel with your pet. Note: This is a <a href="https://twitter.com/TSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TSA</a> PreCheck passenger traveling with a cat. If you think your pet will attempt an escape, ask to speak with a supervisor before removing the animal. Alternative screening options may be available. (2/2) <a href="https://t.co/NL2jNjni2l">pic.twitter.com/NL2jNjni2l</a> — TSA_GreatLakes (@TSA_GreatLakes) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSA_GreatLakes/status/1600210121136537600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2022</a></blockquote> "A dog was accidentally sent through the X-ray @MSN_Airport this week," it tweeted. "When travelling with any animal, notify your airline and know their rules." "At the checkpoint, remove your pet from the bag and send all items, including the empty carrier, to be screened in the machine." It then uploaded a video showing "the proper way" to travel with pets. Image credits: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Art expert fired over gross underestimation of artefact

A French art expert has been fired after grossly undervaluing a Chinese vase at 4,000 times less than its sale price. The vase in question, which was originally estimated at €2,000 ($3,119 AUD), sold for €9 million ($14,000,000 AUD) at French Osenat auction in Fontainebleau house in early October. The original estimate reflected the expert’s view that it was a 20th-century decorative piece, however buyers suspected that it might date back further to the 18th-century. Despite the date discrepancy, it is still unclear as to what drove the price so much higher. “The expert made a mistake. One person alone against 300 interested Chinese buyers cannot be right,” auction house president Jean-Pierre Osenat told T<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/07/why-chinese-vase-valued-at-euros-2000-sold-for-euros-8m-france">he Guardian</a> last week. “He was working for us. He no longer works for us. It was, after all, a serious mistake.” The anonymous seller found the Chinese ‘Tianqiuping’ style vase while clearing out her mother’s estate. While the dragon and cloud motif is greatly sought after among Asian collectors, some believe to have spotted a stamp belonging to 18th-century Chinese emperor Qianlong on the vase. “We don’t know whether [the vase] is old or not or why it sold for such a price,” explained Cédric Laborde, the director of the auction house’s Asian arts department. “The valuation corresponded to what the expert thought. In China, copying something, like an 18th-century vase, is also an art.” The unnamed and now-fired expert is reportedly standing by his original valuation of the Chinese vase. Image credits: Getty Images / Osenat

Art

Tips for designing a garden on a budget

Whether you are new to gardening or a garden guru, if you are thinking of redesigning your garden, the process can be a little intimidating and the costs can really add up. But with some planning and research and a little imagination it can be a very enjoyable project. Plan and do it yourself Gardening is a great way to spend a Sunday, but if you’re planning to design or redesign your whole garden, it might be a bit daunting. The trick is to plan what you want to do and pace yourself. You don’t want to exhaust yourself in a single day; and gardening should be fun not a chore. The beauty of planning out your garden design is that you’ll be able to see where you can save money, and where you might need some help from the professionals. Don’t be afraid to ask family and friends for help either; they’ll usually be happy to lend a hand. Gardening can also be a great activity to do with the grandkids. Propagate using cuttings The best way to determine what will grow best in your garden is to look around the neighbourhood. What plants in your neighbour’s garden are thriving? Once you have a list of the best plants for your area, visit some neighbours and ask if you can take some cuttings. Plants that will propagate from a cutting include geraniums, gardenias, camellias, lavender, hydrangea, azaleas, many succulents and native plants, to mention just a few. Often all you’ll need to do is cut away stems and leaves so roots can grow in their place and plant the cutting in the ground. But you can also add growth hormone to help propagate a cutting. Consider native plants As mentioned above, native plants can often be propagated using cuttings, but they are also naturally suited to your area. While you might not want to fill your garden with native plants, you can use smaller native plants and grasses for smaller spaces in your garden and take advantage of their easy manageability. Because native plants have evolved to withstand the climate and can survive with less fertiliser, pesticides and water, a native garden can be easier and much cheaper to maintain. This gives you greater flexibility; if you were to go on holiday, you won’t have to rely on the kids to look after the garden while you are gone. Find uses for common household items When you are designing your garden on a budget you should have a look around the house for ways to save on your garden budget. You can get plenty of ideas on the internet for how to repurpose old and vintage items in your garden. And there are many ways to recycle household items in the garden that you may have been planning to throw out. Newspaper mulching is a prime example of repurposing a household item. Use your old newspapers to smother weeds, allowing your flowers and veggies to grow unhindered. Have your grandkids grown out of their nappies? Use left overs in the place of water hydrating crystals in the bottom of pot plants. They’ll act as a reservoir and will keep the plant moist without drowning it. Egg carton seed storage Egg cartons and toilet rolls can be used as seed starters, while toilet paper makes great seed paper. You could even try your hand at composting. But if that’s a little too much for you, you can just use your tea leaves as a nutritional boost for your plants. So start planning your new garden, enlist the help of family and friends and have a look around your house and online for some inspiration. Did you design your own garden? Share your tips with the Over60 community in the comments below. To find more great tips on gardening and design, please visit the Australian Outdoor Living <a href="https://www.australianoutdoorliving.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website here</a>. Image: Getty

Home & Garden

Five tips for successful and safe solo travel

Planning an adventure on your own? Here’s your guide to friend-making, risk-taking and positive thinking while you’re off discovering yourself. Safety Unless you positively invite danger – i.e. strolling around a pitchblack park at 4am with headphones on – travelling alone isn’t actually that risky. The biggest peril is being taken for a ride. Literally, in the case of taxi drivers: always ask for an estimated fare before setting off. Otherwise, try to never look like a tourist; instead, exude assurance. Carry ID and always keep a back-up. Ensure that someone else knows your itinerary and commit to regular contact with them. Plan Being alone means you can’t use your cohort’s phone when yours runs out of juice, or rely on them should you lose your wallet. Put emergency systems in place: write down key numbers (friends, hotels, embassies, emergency services), have change for phone boxes and always keep some back-up money in your bag or, better still, in a locker. Eating Solomangarephobia. That’s the official, medical term for a fear of eating alone – a fear that many single travellers have. If you can get over your fear, it is very possible to enjoy the experience. Bring a book to dodge boredom, sit at counters to be less conspicuous or use the opportunity to practice your French or Filipino on a waiter. And scoff all the bread yourself. Making friends This is another common and very valid worry when travelling alone: what if no-one likes me? Acquiring new companions is always easier than feared, but still a scary proposition. It helps to look approachable – smile at people, have open body language and lose the sunglasses. Read something interesting to spark conversation, or ask strangers a question. More hands-on tactics include visiting expatriate bars, joining tours or using apps designed to help people make friends, such as Meetup. Enjoy it! Without realising it, most of us humans are very co-dependent: we worry whether our partner or friend is having a good time, and always balance their needs in decision-making. The joy of solo travel is that you can be entirely selfish: walk at your preferred pace, eat what and when you want, see the sights that interest you, use the entire hotel wardrobe. If you want to skip that museum of tractor history, you can. Take time to appreciate your independence and revel in that freedom. But, however well you plan in advance, things will go wrong. Missed trains, delayed planes, lost luggage, whatever. The trick is not to over-stress it; roll with the punches, laugh at it all, and draw up a new plan. Who knows: maybe Plan B will work out better anyway? Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/travel/activities/five-tips-successful-and-safe-solo-travel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Travel Tips

Melbourne pub under fire for tasteless posts about Queen Elizabeth

A Melbourne pub is under fire for its tasteless social media posts following Queen Elizabeth’s death. Kelly’s Hotel in Cranbourne in Melbourne’s southeast shared Facebook updates after news broke of Queen Elizabeth’s death on September 8. One of the posts shows a photo of Prince Harry looking down at his grandmother smiling with the caption, “Do lunch before they die. The opportunities after are extremely limited”. Another post shows a photo of the queen with an inset of Prince Harry arriving to the palace after news broke of the late monarch’s death. "Yep, he cancelled lunch, time and time again," the post read. "'She’ll keep till next week!' he said, ‘It’s not as if it’s my Mum’s Mum’, he said. "But next week never arrived for Grannie Windsor. Do lunch with your oldie!!" The posts, which have since been deleted, received plenty of backlash from locals and social media users who are calling for a boycott of the pub. “Disgusting and very distasteful. After our last visits we'd never go there again. It's just a no go zone," someone wrote. "I know a few of us that will never go back...There is a difference between funny and grubby,” another commented. The hotel’s manager Michael Goldie however defended the posts saying the point was misunderstood. "Over the last two years they’ve been stuck in homes...we thought it might be good to remind younger people the importance of older people in their life," he said. Images: Facebook

Family & Pets

Flight attendant reveals must-have travel items

A seasoned flight attendant has shared the three things she always packs in her carry-on luggage to make every travelling experience a breeze. Rosalie Shaw, who has been a cabin crew member for nine years, says she has learned plenty of travel hacks throughout her career. She says one of the things she always takes is a clear ziplock bag to carry her passport in, in case of unfortunate accidents. “I know it seems like a lot but a damaged passport will literally ruin your holiday,” she said in a recent TikTok video. “The bag protects it from any spills like a water bottle, the rain or in my case a really bumpy boat ride,” she said. The next thing on Rosalie's list is a “good quality clear bag” for shampoo, conditioner and other liquids you want to take in your carry-on. These sturdy cosmetic bags last much longer than zip lock bags and can contain mess if there is a mid-flight spill. Rosalie puts all of her carry-on luggage in the clear bags because “it's easier to find things” on the go, and also adheres to security requirements of keeping things in a see-through bag. The last thing she recommends is to take two or three changes of clothes in your carry-on, in case anything happens to your checked luggage and you are left with no clothes. When choosing what spare clothes to pack, Rosalie recommends packing your favourite or most expensive items that are harder to replace. She said, “That way if your bag does go missing, you aren't stranded for outfits.” Rosalie always has her favourite linen dress in her handheld luggage, a cardigan, a spare pair of underwear, a bikini and a spare pair of shoes. “One time my bag did go missing but at least I had a bag of backup outfits with me so I wasn't as stressed,” she said. Image credits: TikTok

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