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Do optimists really live longer? Here’s what the research says

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fuschia-sirois-331254">Fuschia Sirois</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/durham-university-867">Durham University</a></em></p> <p>Do you tend to see the glass as half full, rather than half empty? Are you always looking on the bright side of life? If so, you may be surprised to learn that this tendency could actually be good for your health.</p> <p>A <a href="https://content.apa.org/record/2020-71981-001">number of studies</a> have shown that optimists enjoy higher levels of wellbeing, better sleep, lower stress and even better cardiovascular health and immune function. And now, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35674052/">a recent study</a> has shown that being an optimist is linked to longer life.</p> <p>To conduct their study, researchers tracked the lifespan of nearly 160,000 women aged between 50 to 79 for a period of 26 years. At the beginning of the study, the women completed a <a href="https://local.psy.miami.edu/people/faculty/ccarver/availbale-self-report-instruments/lot-r/">self-report measure of optimism</a>. Women with the highest scores on the measure were categorised as optimists. Those with the lowest scores were considered pessimists.</p> <p>Then, in 2019, the researchers followed up with the participants who were still living. They also looked at the lifespan of participants who had died. What they found was that those who had the highest levels of optimism were more likely to live longer. More importantly, the optimists were also more likely than those who were pessimists to live into their nineties. Researchers refer to this as “exceptional longevity”, considering the average lifespan for women is about 83 years in developed countries.</p> <p>What makes these findings especially impressive is that the results remained even after accounting for other factors known to predict a long life – including education level and economic status, ethnicity, and whether a person suffered from depression or other chronic health conditions.</p> <p>But given this study only looked at women, it’s uncertain whether the same would be true for men. However, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.1900712116">another study</a> which looked at both men and women also found that people with the highest levels of optimism enjoyed a lifespan that was between 11% and 15% longer than those who were the least optimistic.</p> <h2>The fountain of youth?</h2> <p>So why is it that optimists live longer? At first glance it would seem that it may have to do with their healthier lifestyle.</p> <p>For example, <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.310828">research from several studies</a> has found that optimism is linked to eating a healthy diet, staying physically active, and being less likely to smoke cigarettes. These healthy behaviours are well known to improve heart health and <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases">reduce the risk</a> for cardiovascular disease, which is a <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds)">leading cause of death</a> globally. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857242/">important for reducing the risk</a> of other potentially deadly diseases, such as diabetes and cancer.</p> <p>But having a healthy lifestyle may only be part of the reason optimists live a longer than average life. This latest study found that lifestyle only accounted for 24% of the link between optimism and longevity. This suggests a number of other factors affect longevity for optimists.</p> <p>Another possible reason could be due to the way optimists manage stress. When faced with a stressful situation, optimists tend to deal with it head-on. They <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16859439/">use adaptive coping strategies</a> that help them resolve the source of the stress, or view the situation in a less stressful way. For example, optimists will problem-solve and plan ways to deal with the stressor, call on others for support, or try to find a “silver lining” in the stressful situation.</p> <p>All of these approaches are well-known to reduce feelings of stress, as well as the biological reactions that occur when we feel stressed. It’s these <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body">biological reactions to stress</a> –- such as elevated cortisol (sometimes called the “stress hormone”), increased heart rate and blood pressure, and impaired immune system functioning –- that can take a toll on health over time and increase the risk for developing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159115004316?via%3Dihub">life-threatening diseases</a>, such as cardiovascular disease. In short, the way optimists cope with stress may help protect them somewhat against its harmful effects.</p> <h2>Looking on the bright side</h2> <p>Optimism is typically viewed by researchers as a relatively stable personality trait that is determined by both <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/twin-research-and-human-genetics/article/sex-differences-in-the-genetic-architecture-of-optimism-and-health-and-their-interrelation-a-study-of-australian-and-swedish-twins/58F21AA11943D44B4BA4C63A966E6AC7">genetic</a> and early childhood influences (such as having a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6541423/">secure and warm relationship</a> with your parents or caregivers). But if you’re not naturally prone to seeing the glass as half full, there are some ways you can increase your <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221122?journalCode=rpos20">capacity to be optimistic</a>.</p> <p>Research shows optimism can change over time, and can be cultivated by engaging in simple exercises. For example, visualising and then writing about your “<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-matters-most/201303/what-is-your-best-possible-self">best possible self</a>” (a future version of yourself who has accomplished your goals) is a technique that studies have found can <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221122">significantly increase optimism</a>, at least temporarily. But for best results, the goals need to be both positive and reasonable, rather than just wishful thinking. Similarly, simply <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/SOCP.149.3.349-364">thinking about positive future events</a> can also be effective for boosting optimism.</p> <p>It’s also crucial to temper any expectations for success with an accurate view of what you can and can’t control. Optimism is reinforced when we experience the positive outcomes that we expect, and <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1970-20680-001">can decrease</a> when these outcomes aren’t as we want them to be. Although more research is needed, it’s possible that regularly envisioning yourself as having the best possible outcomes, and taking realistic steps towards achieving them, can help develop an optimistic mindset.</p> <p>Of course, this might be easier said than done for some. If you’re someone who isn’t naturally optimistic, the best chances to improve your longevity is by <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003332">living a healthy lifestyle</a> by staying physically active, eating a healthy diet, managing stress, and getting a good night’s sleep. Add to this cultivating a more optimistic mindset and you might further increase your chances for a long life.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184785/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fuschia-sirois-331254">Fuschia Sirois</a>, Professor in Social &amp; Health Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/durham-university-867">Durham University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-optimists-really-live-longer-heres-what-the-research-says-184785">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

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William Shatner shocks hosts simply by revealing his age

<p>In a world where time ticks mercilessly onward, one man has defied the very essence of ageing: the legendary William Shatner, the man who boldly went where no nonagenarian has gone before.</p> <p>As Shatner prepares to celebrate his 93rd trip around the sun, fans worldwide are scratching their heads in disbelief. The reason? Well, it seems that Captain Kirk himself has stumbled upon the fountain of youth and decided to keep it all to himself. </p> <p>The commotion started when Shatner made a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@todayshow/video/7347749279865490734?_r=1&_t=8koli3bKC49" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guest appearance</a> on the <em>US Today Show</em>, looking fresher than a daisy in springtime. Fans took to social media to express their shock, with one incredulous viewer commenting, "Damn, he's still sharp and has his hair. I would never have guessed 93." And another chimed in with, "I would've guessed 67 or 68."</p> <p>Forget "live long and prosper"; it seems the new motto is "live long and confound the heck out of everyone".</p> <p>Even the hosts of the<em> Today Show</em> were left flabbergasted by Shatner's youthful glow. They couldn't resist asking the man himself for his secret to longevity. And what pearls of wisdom did he impart? "Don't tell anybody [your age]." Ah, sage advice indeed. It seems the real secret to ageing gracefully is to maintain an air of mystery.</p> <p>But let's rewind to 2021 when Shatner was grilled by a journalist about whether he'd had any "serious work" done. His response? A witty comeback, of course. "No, have you?" Touché, Shatner, touché. And when pressed further, he simply attributed his youthful appearance to good genes, lots of horseback riding and a healthy dose of bewilderment about the world. </p> <p>Despite his apparent disdain for the number 90 ("It's disgusting," he once declared in an interview), Shatner finds himself hurtling towards the ripe old age of 93 with all the grace and poise of a starship navigating through a meteor shower. And if his recent TV appearance is anything to go by, he's showing no signs of slowing down.</p> <p>So let's all take a leaf out of Shatner's playbook, shall we? If anyone asks for the secret to your eternal youth, just give them that trademark Shatner smirk and say: "It's classified."</p> <p><em>Images: NBC | Wikimedia | Tik Tok</em></p>

Body

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"Unidentified life form" found off New Zealand coast

<p>Ah, the deep sea, where the mysteries of the ocean lurk in the shadows, waiting to be discovered by intrepid marine scientists armed with nets, trawls and a healthy dose of confusion...</p> <p>Recently, a team of brave souls embarked on a journey off the coast of New Zealand, armed with curiosity and a fervent desire to find Nemo's distant relatives. What they found, however, was not just Nemo's cousins – but a veritable treasure trove of potential new species. Or at least, they think so.</p> <p>In a saga that could rival any aquatic adventure film, the scientists stumbled upon approximately 100 potential new species, including one particularly enigmatic life form that has left them scratching their heads in bewilderment.</p> <p>Initially mistaking it for a sea star – or perhaps a particularly flamboyant sea cucumber – they now suspect it might be a deep-sea coral. Or a cosmic jellyfish. Or a lost prop from a sci-fi movie. The possibilities are as endless as the ocean itself.</p> <p>Dr Michela Mitchell, a taxonomist with a penchant for the dramatic, declared it could be "a whole new group outside of the octocoral." Because why settle for identifying just one species when you can potentially create an entire taxonomic order?</p> <p>Dr Daniel Moore, another member of the expedition and self-proclaimed captain of the confusion ship, confessed, "We can't even describe it to family." One can only imagine the perplexed expressions at family gatherings as they attempt to explain their latest discovery: "Well, it's sort of like a sponge, but not really. And it might have tentacles. Or wings. We're not entirely sure."</p> <p>Their research vessel, the <em>Tangaroa</em>, became a floating laboratory of befuddlement as they collected nearly 1,800 samples from the abyssal depths. Armed with modified sleds and a healthy dose of optimism, they trawled the ocean floor, hoping to snag the elusive creatures that lurked below.</p> <p>"It was true exploration, very exciting," Dr Moore boasted, his enthusiasm undiminished by the fact that they still couldn't <em>definitively</em> identify half of what they'd found.</p> <p>Among their discoveries was a new species of fish, dubbed the "eelpout", which was "instantly recognised as being different to the others." Because, apparently, it had a flair for the dramatic and refused to conform to traditional fish norms.</p> <p>In a surprising revelation, Dr Moore admitted, "Finding new vertebrates is rare." One can only assume that the eelpout, upon hearing this declaration, puffed out its chest (or whatever passes for a chest in fish anatomy) and proclaimed itself the king of the ocean.</p> <p>As the expedition came to a close, the scientists reflected on the vastness of the ocean and the infinitesimal fraction of its inhabitants they had encountered. With only 240,000 species identified out of an estimated 2.2 million, they realised they had barely scratched the surface. Or, in this case, the sea floor.</p> <p>And so, armed with their nets, their sleds, and their unshakeable sense of optimism, the intrepid scientists set sail once more, ready to delve deeper into the mysteries of the ocean and perhaps stumble upon another baffling creature that defies explanation. After all, what's science without a little bit of confusion?</p> <p><em>Image: Ocean-Census | NIWA</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Hollywood star reveals breast cancer diagnosis

<p>Olivia Munn has revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and has undergone a double mastectomy following her diagnosis. </p> <p>In an emotional post shared on Instagram, the actress shared a series of photos of her receiving treatment over the past year, and how she first found out about her diagnosis  in an effort to "help others find comfort, inspiration and support on their own journey".</p> <p>"In February of 2023, in an effort to be proactive about my health, I took a genetic test that checks you for 90 different cancer genes," she said.</p> <p>"I tested negative for all, including BRCA (the most well-known breast cancer gene). My sister Sara had just tested negative as well. We called each other and high-fived over the phone. That same winter I also had a normal mammogram."</p> <p>"Two months later I was diagnosed with breast cancer.</p> <p>"In the past ten months I have had four surgeries, so many days spent in bed I can't even count and have learned more about cancer, cancer treatment and hormones than I ever could have imagined.</p> <p>"Surprisingly, I've only cried twice. I guess I haven't felt like there was time to cry. My focus narrowed and I tabled any emotions that I felt would interfere with my ability to stay clearheaded."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4dXfrULDdJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4dXfrULDdJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by o l i v i a (@oliviamunn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She then credited her proactive gynaecologist, Dr Thais Aliabadi, for discovering the cancer, which could've gone unnoticed for another year. </p> <p>"Dr Aliabadi looked at factors like my age, familial breast cancer history, and the fact that I had my first child after the age of 30," the actress said.</p> <p>"She discovered my lifetime risk was at 37 per cent. Because of that score I was sent to get an MRI, which led to an ultrasound, which then led to a biopsy. The biopsy showed I had Luminal B cancer in both breasts. Luminal B is an aggressive, fast moving cancer."</p> <p>The<em> X-Men: Apocalypse </em>star said she has kept her health battle private until now, so she could catch her breath and go through the most difficult parts of her treatment. </p> <p>Her partner, comedian John Mulaney, who she shares son Malcom with, commented on her post saying: "Thank you for fighting so hard to be here for us. Malc and I adore you." </p> <p>A few other celebrities praised the actress for her courage and honesty. </p> <p>"You are very generous to share your story," Jessica Chastain wrote. </p> <p>"I believe in doing so, you've saved lives. So much love to you and your family."</p> <p>"Sending you and your family love &amp; healing vibes. You are so strong,"  <em>Modern Family's</em> Ariel Winter added. </p> <p>"Thank you for sharing this! Wow," <em>Big Bang Theory</em> star Kaley Cuoco wrote.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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World's oldest woman turns 117

<p>One of the world's oldest living person has turned 117. </p> <p>Maria Branyas Morera born on March 4, 1907 in San Francisco, lived through the 1918 pandemic, the two World Wars, Spain’s civil war and fully recovered after contracting Covid just days before her 113th birthday. </p> <p>She was one of the world's oldest Covid survivor's in 2020 and is now the 12th oldest verified person in history. </p> <p>Maria, who moved to Catalonia, Spain when she was eight, proudly announced her age on X, formerly known as Twitter in a post that read:  “Good morning, world. Today I turn 117 years old. I’ve come this far.”</p> <p>Maria, who has lived in a nursing home for the past 23 years, is healthier than ever aside from hearing difficulties and mobility issues, and scientists are studying her to find out the secrets to a long life. </p> <p>“She remembers with impressive clarity events from when she was only four years old, and she does not present any cardiovascular disease, common in elderly people," Scientist Manel Esteller told Spanish outlet <em>ABC</em>.</p> <p>“It is clear that there is a genetic component because there are several members of her family who are over 90 years old.”</p> <p>Scientists and Maria are working together to gain further insights into living longer, and researchers hope that studying Maria’s genes will help with the development of drugs which could combat diseases associated with ageing.</p> <p>Maria had three children with her husband  a Catalan doctor named Joan Moret.</p> <p>Her husband passed away 1976, and Maria also outlived her only son, August who tragically passed away in a tractor accident when he was 86. </p> <p>Maria now has two daughters, 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.</p> <p>The oldest person ever established was a Frenchwoman named Jeanne Calment, who lived to the age of 122 years and 164 days.</p> <p><em>Image: news.com.au/ Guiness Book of Records</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"What a life lived!": Fashion icon dies age 102

<p>New York designer and style icon Iris Apfel has passed away aged 102. </p> <p>Her death was confirmed by her commercial agent, Lori Sale, who called Apfel "extraordinary", although no cause of death was given. </p> <p>Apfel, who was born on August 29, 1921, was known for her eccentric outfits, oversized black-rimmed glasses, bright red lipstick and short white hair. </p> <p>Her death was also announced on the fashion icon's official Instagram page, on Friday US time, just one day after she celebrated her 102nd-and-a-half birthday. </p> <p>"Working alongside her was the honour of a lifetime. I will miss her daily calls, always greeted with the familiar question: 'What have you got for me today?'" Sale said in a statement.</p> <p>"She was a visionary in every sense of the word. She saw the world through a unique lens — one adorned with giant, distinctive spectacles that sat atop her nose."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3_geMFu15Y/?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/C3_geMFu15Y/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Iris Apfel (@iris.apfel)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p> </p> <p>Apfel was an expert on textiles and antique fabrics. She and her husband Carl owned textile manufacturing company, Old World Weavers, which specialised in restoration work, including projects at the White House under six different US presidents.</p> <p>Apfel first rose to fame in 2005 when the curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute hosted a show about her called "Rara Avis". Latin for "rare bird".  </p> <p>They showcased the personal collection of vintage and designer accessories which were style on mannequins dressed in clothes Apfel would wear, and the exhibit became an instant success.</p> <p>Following the exhibit Apfel was awarded several opportunities including featuring in a 2007 coffee table book, a 2012 MAC Cosmetics campaign, and a 2014 documentary about her life, which was nominated for an Emmy award three years later. </p> <p>Apfel was also gained popularity among the younger generation, with over 3 million followers on Instagram, and over 250,000 on TikTok. </p> <p>"More is more & Less is a Bore," the bio read across her social media platforms. </p> <p>Despite her age, Apfel never retired, and told <em>Today</em>: "I think retiring at any age is a fate worse than death. Just because a number comes up doesn't mean you have to stop."</p> <p>Tributes have poured in from fans across the world. </p> <p>"What a life lived! What an example set! What footsteps you have left behind! Rest peacefully, icon!" one wrote. </p> <p>"She inspired so many women to be bold, and brave and truly authentic….to ignore the number of years we have lived and view age as an opportunity to shine. What a beautiful legacy," another added. </p> <p>"What a blessing to live that long and look that fabulous doing it," wrote a third. </p> <p>The style icon was married to Carl Apfel for 67 years until his death in 2015. They had no children. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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"Go enjoy your life": Young woman announces her own death

<p>A young woman has announced the news of her own death after a gruelling battle with cancer, while sharing her wishes for her grieving loved ones. </p> <p>Daniella Thackray, a 25-year-old from Leeds, took to social media to share the her heart-breaking final words, after an eight-month battle with the rare disease. </p> <p>The young digital marketing specialist had pre-written the message for her family to post on her behalf after dying of cholangiocarcinoma, a type of cancer that forms in the bile ducts.</p> <p>The emotional message paid tribute to her family, fiancé Tom, and dog Leo, as she encouraged her loved ones to “enjoy the little things” in life and “cherish every moment” after she had “gone”.</p> <p>She wrote: “If you’re reading this then it means I have died from my battle with cancer and my family are posting my final message on my behalf.</p> <p>“Firstly, I just want to say that not all cancers are caused by lifestyle choices, in some cases it’s genetics or unfortunately it just happens." </p> <p>“In my case, despite me being very healthy and active, a cancer started in my bile ducts which was not caused by anything in my control and my life was never the same again."</p> <p>“Cholangiocarinoma is a rare aggressive cancer with often no obvious causes and no cure’.. I really really do hope that in the years to come more research is done about this horrid cruel disease so that more lives can be saved.”</p> <p>Despite her devastating diagnosis, she chose “not to mourn life” and make the most of her time. </p> <p>Daniella added: “So with that being said, although we can’t control what happens to us, we can control how we react. I chose not to mourn the life I was losing despite being so devastated, but to instead enjoy every moment I had left."</p> <p>“As I have always said and believed, you should enjoy the little things in life and cherish every moment! Romanticise your life! Do whatever makes you happy and don’t let anyone take the joy of life away from you." </p> <p>“I LOVED my life. Everything I had achieved was what I wanted. I loved my job, my fiancé, my family, my friends and my dog, and the house we were going to buy and the future we were making for ourselves."</p> <p>“Leo my fur baby was definitely brought into my life to help brighten my darkest days."</p> <p>“And lastly to my dear, beautiful Tom, I love you and always will. Thank you for supporting me and bringing so much love and happiness into my life. Go enjoy your life now, you deserve it.”</p> <p>Her message has already gained more than 30,000 likes, while hundreds of people rushed to leave their condolences to her loved ones.</p> <p>One person wrote, "Such courageous words from someone that I’ve never met. What a wonderful message to leave us with, may you rest in paradise.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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The one thing you must do before retirement

<p>When you think about planning for retirement, the standard advice is to take a thorough look at your superannuation and finances. Although money is undoubtedly an important aspect of retirement planning, making a plan for your emotion and physical wellbeing is just as crucial.</p> <p>New research from the UK has found that retirement can have a negative impact on your mental and physical health. The study, published by the Institute of Economic Affairs, looked at the impact of retirement on 7,000 people aged 50 to 70, and found that while retirement gives most people a small health booth, over the medium to long-term it causes a “drastic decline in health”. </p> <p>For both men and women, retirement decreases the likelihood of "very good” or "excellent" self-reported health by 40 per cent, increases risk for depression by 40 per cent, and diagnosis of a physical illness by 60 per cent. The study’s lead author, Gabriel Sahlgren, noted: "Work, especially paid work, gives many people a sense of purpose. Losing that may lead to declines in health."</p> <p>The lesson: Make a plan for your emotional and physical health.</p> <p>“Don't wait until you retire to decide how you're going to keep busy,” Dave Bernard, retirement blogger and author of Are You Just Existing and Calling it a Life?, told Prevention, adding, “And you need to look well beyond the first six months.”</p> <p>Just as it’s necessary to make sure your finances are in order before retirement, it’s crucial to ask yourself: What will my new sense of purpose in retirement be?</p> <p>“Many times, adults might not think about what it actually means to be retired, or they think about retirement in abstract terms,” says Angela Curl, an assistant professor in the University of Missouri School of Social Work.</p> <p>She says you need to make concrete plans for retirement. “If you want to volunteer when you are retired, ask yourself where and how often. Having specific plans and steps to follow will help you enter retirement more easily,” says Curl.</p> <p>Creating a plan of how you’ll spend your time when you retire will keep you mentally and physically strong, ensuring that you’ll be healthy enough to enjoy your well-deserved retirement.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Retirement Life

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"What a life I’ve had": Author announces own death after years of battling dementia

<p>Wendy Mitchell has died aged 68 after documenting her brave battle with dementia. </p> <p>The author from Walkington, East Yorkshire, became the best-selling writer after she was diagnosed with early onset vascular dementia and Alzheimer's in July 2014. </p> <p>She shared her philosophical outlook on living with the condition in her acclaimed 2018 memoir <em>Somebody I Used To Know </em>and in her 2022 book <em>What I Wish I Knew About Dementia</em>.</p> <p>In an <a href="https://whichmeamitoday.wordpress.com/2024/02/22/my-final-hug-in-a-mug/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open letter</a> shared online, the author announced her death and revealed that she had refused to eat or drink towards the end of her battle. </p> <p>"If you’re reading this, it means this has probably been posted by my daughters as I’ve sadly died," she began. </p> <p>"Sorry to break the news to you this way, but if I hadn’t, my inbox would eventually have been full of emails asking if I’m OK, which would have been hard for my daughters to answer… </p> <p>"In the end I died simply by deciding not to eat or drink any more," she wrote. </p> <p>She added that the last cup of tea she had, her "final hug in a mug" was "the hardest thing to let go of". </p> <p>"Dementia is a cruel disease that plays tricks on your very existence. I’ve always been a glass half full person, trying to turn the negatives of life around and creating positives, because that’s how I cope." </p> <p>Mitchell said that the language used by doctors can "make or break" how someone copes with dementia, and instead of saying there's "nothing they can do" it is better to tell them they will have to "adapt to a new way of living". </p> <p>"Well I suppose dementia was the ultimate challenge. Yes, dementia is a bummer, but oh what a life I’ve had playing games with this adversary of mine to try and stay one step ahead," she wrote in her final blog post. </p> <p>She also said that she had always been resilient, which has helped her cope with whatever life throws in her way. </p> <p>Mitchell has been an advocate for assisted dying in the UK, and said that "the only legal choice we shouldn’t have in life is when to be born; for everything else, we, as humans, should have a choice; a choice of how we live and a choice of how we die." </p> <p>She added that the way she died was an active choice as she doesn't want "to be an inpatient in a hospital, or a resident in a Care Home," as "it’s just not the place I want to end my years."</p> <p>"My girls have always been the two most important people in my life. I didn’t take this decision lightly, without countless conversations. They were the hardest conversations I’ve ever had to put them through. </p> <p>"This was all MY CHOICE, my decision. So please respect my daughters' privacy, as they didn’t choose the life I chose, of standing up to and speaking out against dementia." </p> <p>She then thanked everyone for their support and left with a touching final message. </p> <p>"So, enjoy this knowing that dementia didn’t play the winning card – I did."</p> <p><em>Images: Daily Mail</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Most expensive countries to retire in revealed

<p dir="ltr">Australia has become one of the most expensive countries in the world to spend your retirement, with experts sharing how much we need to retire comfortably. </p> <p dir="ltr">Australia is now regarded as the world's seventh most expensive place to retire, and is also a major target for scammers, given the country’s superannuation initiative. </p> <p dir="ltr">Swedish loan broking group Sambla calculated Australians need at least $640,911 to retire comfortably, with this hefty amount one of the biggest in the world. </p> <p dir="ltr">Australia's 4.1 per cent inflation rate is also higher than most of the rich world, which means a retiree would need $34,221 a year to survive, provided they aren't renting.</p> <p dir="ltr">Australia is also a target for scammers, having $3.6trillion in superannuation savings, or the fourth highest pool in the world.</p> <p dir="ltr">In comparison, Switzerland has been named the most expensive place in the world to retire, requiring $927,034 in retirement savings to grow old in the Alps, translating into annual costs of $46,632.</p> <p dir="ltr">Check out the entire top ten list of most expensive countries to retire below. </p> <p dir="ltr">10. France. $583,950 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">9. Austria. $598,434 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">8. Iceland. $607,558 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">7. Australia. $640,911 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">6. Canada. $665,752 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">5. Liechtenstein. $772,984 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">4. Singapore. $773,456 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">3. Qatar. $791,029 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">2. Monaco. $795,431 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1. Switzerland. $927,035 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Retirement Life

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Kelly's Clarkson's life-changing diagnosis

<p>Kelly Clarkson has opened up about the life-changing diagnosis that kicked started her massive weight loss. </p> <p>The American Idol winner spoke candidly on her own chat show about her drastic weight transformation, as she was joined by guest actor Kevin James, who commented on how good she looked. </p> <p>Clarkson has long been swamped with rumours that she used Ozempic to slim down, but has now confirmed that the reality of her weight loss is very different. </p> <p>“Well, I was told I was pre-diabetic,” she said.</p> <p>“That’s literally what happened, and, well, I wasn’t shocked. I was a tiny bit overweight.”</p> <p>The 41-year-old said the health news gave her the push she needed to make some lifestyle changes to turn around her diagnosis. </p> <p>“(The doctors) were like, ‘You’re pre-diabetic. You’re right on the borderline’,” she explained.</p> <p>“And I was like, ‘But I’m not there yet’. And then I waited two years, and then I was like OK, I’ll do something about it.”</p> <p>Rumours first began to fly of Clarkson using Ozempic to lose weight after her divorce, to which she hit back saying keeping up with her two young children was helping her get in shape.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Body

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Finding joy at age 100: Talking to centenarians about living their best life at any age

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heather-joyce-nelson-1440914">Heather Joyce Nelson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-regina-3498">University of Regina</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/beverlee-ziefflie-1445320">Beverlee Ziefflie</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/saskatchewan-polytechnic-5681">Saskatchewan Polytechnic</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paula-mayer-1445321">Paula Mayer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/saskatchewan-polytechnic-5681">Saskatchewan Polytechnic</a></em></p> <p>Aging is seen as a period of loss, and there are unhelpful <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/10-myths-about-aging">myths about older adults</a>. Myths lead to treatable conditions being considered normal parts of aging, including cognitive decline, dementia, depression and loneliness. Some even consider exercise dangerous in older adults.</p> <p>At the same time, mainstream media promotes the message that <a href="https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2017.58015">being young is central to a person’s value</a>. These ideas lead to ageism and older adults being seen as lesser.</p> <p>After spending time with six female centenarians in assisted living facilities, our research team — which included four nursing researchers and a documentary filmmaker — learned there is plenty still worth living for.</p> <p>Centenarians are a small but growing segment of the population with <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/daily-quotidien/220928/dq220928c-eng.pdf?st=LrkfjZE_">13,844 centenarians in Canada</a>, and our findings debunk myths about the experience of aging.</p> <p>We asked the centenarians questions about what brings them joy and how they plan for the future because we wanted to learn how the very elderly plan for and find ways to live their best lives. The results of this study were <a href="https://vimeo.com/showcase/looking-forward-at-100">turned into a 32-minute documentary</a> that captures participants’ long and interesting lives and offers insight into continued meaning experienced by centenarians in their daily lives. Three of the centenarians died shortly after the interviews took place.</p> <h2>Long and interesting lives</h2> <p>The participants were born between the years 1919 and 1922. They were children during the Great Depression and young adults during the Second World War.</p> <p>One of the women helped build bullet casings and worked on the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/Lancaster-airplane">Lancaster bomber</a>. Another woman helped her husband protect the blueprints of the ill-fated <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/avro-arrow">Avro Arrow aircraft</a> when he brought them home from work. Two women lost their husbands when their children were small and had to go to work to support their families. They all experienced love and adventure.</p> <p>Our team was fascinated by their stories and wanted to further explore what their lives look like today.</p> <p>Betty, 101, saw happiness as a choice. “I don’t know what’s really to complain about. I went through life staying happy,” she said.</p> <h2>Joy and challenges</h2> <p>This study used a research method called <a href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/151684840/Braun-Clarke-2006-Using-Thematic-Analysis">thematic analysis</a> to find four themes: Finding Joy, Act your Age, Looking Forward and Putting Challenges into Perspective.</p> <p>The centenarians found joy each day and enjoyed the little things such as activities, visits and treats. Betty enjoyed cheating at solitaire and Jean, 100, played the piano. Clementina, 101, had fun gambling and Joyce, 100, continued to write stories and watch her grandchildren in music concerts.</p> <p>Family was central to their lives and they enjoyed spending time with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Two of the women stated that raising their children was the biggest accomplishment in their lives.</p> <p>The centenarians also found great joy in reminiscing about their interesting lives. However, one of the challenges was that there was no one left alive who had the same shared experiences.</p> <h2>Limitations</h2> <p>The centenarians were constrained by the limitations of society, their bodies and their self-perceptions. “You have to act your age,” said Clementina. She physically described this phenomenon by clasping her hands together in her lap and sitting still.</p> <p>Some participants found life to be boring at 100 compared to their lives as younger adults. They had limited opportunities to do what they would like. “We had homes,” said Joyce, 100, describing how they had known better lives, which made it hard to accept the constraints of their current existence.</p> <p>In spite of these feelings, many of the participants continued to be busy and live life fully despite limitations. Jean, despite needing a wheelchair for mobility, continues to do people’s taxes for a volunteer organization, plays piano for church services and leads choirs within her facility.</p> <p>“I am constantly rebelling against my situation physically,” she said.</p> <p>The other women in this study also continued to challenge norms of what their age and disabilities meant. Joyce writes and submits short stories for publication, and has a poem in the war archives in Ottawa.</p> <p>Assisted living facilities often prioritize resident safety, but this can come at a cost to personal freedom. Some residents only leave their facility accompanied by a facility employee or a family member. Clementina rebelled against this restriction and at the age of 97, snuck out of her assisted living facility in a cab to go to the casino, pretending that she was going to meet her son.</p> <p>All of the participants put their life challenges into perspective. They all had lost spouses, friends and some had lost their children. “I was broken,” Clementina said about losing her husband.</p> <p>Christine, 102, was asked how she managed after losing her husband when her children were still small. “I am still here,” she said.</p> <h2>The future</h2> <p>Most of the centenarians had few plans for themselves for the future and were more interested in leading their day-to-day lives. Betty jokingly described the inevitability of her death and that she was “looking for the bucket.” Most described being prepared to die except for Jean, who laughed and said she didn’t have time to die. “I have too many plans.”</p> <p>The centenarians looked to the future of their families and the larger community and entrusted the next generation to make good choices.</p> <p>Participants in this study had long and interesting lives and continued to find meaning each day. This study supports the idea that older adults continue to lead engaging lives and that we need to support older adults to live their best lives at any age.</p> <p><em>This article was also co-authored by journalist and filmmaker Kelly-Anne Riess and retired nursing instructor Susan Page.</em><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206852/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heather-joyce-nelson-1440914"><em>Heather Joyce Nelson</em></a><em>, Assistant Professor of Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-regina-3498">University of Regina</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/beverlee-ziefflie-1445320">Beverlee Ziefflie</a>, Instructor, Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/saskatchewan-polytechnic-5681">Saskatchewan Polytechnic</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paula-mayer-1445321">Paula Mayer</a>, Associate Research Scientist, Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/saskatchewan-polytechnic-5681">Saskatchewan Polytechnic</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/finding-joy-at-age-100-talking-to-centenarians-about-living-their-best-life-at-any-age-206852">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Deborra-Lee Furness breaks silence on life post-divorce

<p dir="ltr">Deborra-Lee Furness has broken her silence on what life has looked like since her high profile split from Hugh Jackman. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Aussie actress has hit the press circuit promoting <em>Force of Nature: The Dry 2</em>, the sequel to the hit 2020 film, in which she’ll star alongside Eric Bana.</p> <p dir="ltr">Facing questions about her divorce, the 68-year-old finally broke her silence on how she has been dealing with life as a single woman. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It is kind of exciting,” she told <a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/hook-ups-break-ups/deborralee-furness-on-life-without-hugh-jackman-frightening/news-story/dc4fa3f9e19c80ea9dada89a852e67c0"><em>The Advertiser</em>.</a></p> <p dir="ltr">“You know what, change, transition, evolution is a little frightening, and we are all a bit scared of it, but I think it is probably our greatest gift.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Deborra-Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman shocked the world in September last year when they announced they would be separating after 27 years of marriage. </p> <p dir="ltr">The couple released a joint statement at the time announcing they were going their separate ways and had decided to split to pursue “individual growth”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have been blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage,” they said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our journey now is shifting, and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.”</p> <p dir="ltr">They added that their family is their highest priority and that they will undertake “this next chapter with gratitude, love and kindness”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple met in 1995 on the set of an Australian television show they both starred in, and married just one year later. </p> <p dir="ltr">Together they share two children, Oscar and Ava. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Relationships

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How to turn your handy skills into material wealth

<p>If you’re looking for an opportunity to be your own boss, minus all of the uncertainties that come with starting a business from scratch, a <a href="https://www.hireahubby.co.nz/franchise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hire A Hubby franchise</a> offers the perfect chance for you to take charge of your time, your future, and do what you love while building a successful business.</p> <p>This is no flash-in-the-pan start-up venture either; with more than 25 years of experience, the recognition and solid reputation already cemented by Hire A Hubby provide a valuable head start, making it far easier for you to connect with clients and build lasting relationships in your local community and beyond.</p> <p>Combining a proven business model refined and perfected over the years with all of the experience and insights of a solid Franchise Support Team, the risks commonly associated with entrepreneurship are virtually eliminated. Not only will you be stepping into a well-established brand that has earned the trust of customers nationwide, you’ll also be saying goodbye to the daily grind and hello to work-life harmony.</p> <p>One of the standout features of a Hire A Hubby franchise is the diverse range of services it offers. From general maintenance to renovations and repairs, franchisees have the opportunity to cater to a wide spectrum of customer needs. This versatility means you will not only attract a broader clientele, but also ensures a steady stream of business throughout the year, contributing to your long-term success.</p> <p>With New Zealand's property market experiencing a strong, continuous upward trend, there’s an equally strong demand for home maintenance and improvement services. What better way to position yourself to capitalise on this expanding market than with a Hire A Hubby franchise? As homeowners and businesses continue to place property upkeep front and centre, you’ll find yourself in a lucrative position to meet those needs – while contributing to the overall well-being of your community.</p> <p>And there’s no need to go it alone. Since success in any venture is most often the result of proper guidance and support, you’ll also benefit from Hire A Hubby’s comprehensive training programs, designed to equip you with all the necessary skills and knowledge to run a successful business. Backed by ongoing help from the Franchise Support Team, you’ll be able to stay well ahead of any industry trends and challenges standing in the way of success.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uNvVOK5UgPk?si=rbZkgdrP5fzmZ1m4" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></p> <p>But how best to get your name out there? Hire A Hubby understands all too well that visibility is key in any competitive marketplace. That’s why you’ll be able to tap into the collective strength of a national advertising and marketing campaign to not only boosts local visibility, but do wonders for your credibility at the same time, leading to new customers, new experiences and even greater success.</p> <p>The flexibility that comes with owning a Hire A Hubby franchise can’t help but add a serious dose of satisfaction to your lifestyle. You're not just running a business; you're crafting a life that allows you to balance work and play. That freedom to set your schedule means more time for the things you love.</p> <p>Speaking of which – as the proud owner of a Hire A Hubby franchise, you're not just fixing homes; you're also spreading joy one repair at a time. Whether it's a leaky roof or a wonky shelf, your expertise becomes a beacon of happiness for your clients. Imagine the pleasure of seeing a problem solved and the smiles on your customers' faces? These are priceless rewards that we all know come with the handyman territory.</p> <p>In the world of Hire A Hubby, happy customers aren’t just a metric; they are the real currency of success. That’s because satisfied clients are not just repeat clients; they are ambassadors for your brand, sharing their positive experiences and spreading the joy of your services.</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13682" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/01/HireAHubby01_060.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>Owning and running a Hire A Hubby franchise means building a community of satisfied customers who appreciate not just your skills but the positive energy you bring to their homes.</p> <p>In the end, Hire A Hubby isn't just a brand; it's a positive force in the world of home maintenance and improvement. Becoming a part of that means contributing to a brand that is known for its reliability, professionalism and, most importantly, its ability to bring smiles to the faces of homeowners across New Zealand.</p> <p>So put on that tool belt, square your shoulders and get ready to join The Everything Experts!</p> <p>For more information on how to transform your handy skills into easy material wealth, head to <a href="https://www.hireahubby.co.nz/franchise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.hireahubby.co.nz/franchise</a></p> <p><em>Images: Supplied.</em></p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Hire A Hubby.</em></p>

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Boss slammed for demanding "insane" farewell gift contribution

<p>A boss in London has been slammed after asking his employees to chip in almost $100 each for an expensive farewell gift for a co-worker. </p> <p>In a TikTok, London-resident Ben Askins read out the anonymous submission from one of the employees who was fed up after his manager “forced” everyone in the team to contribute because it was "compulsory". </p> <p>“Hey, noticed you hadn’t paid into the leaving present for Josh yet. Can you send me the £50 (AU$95) today? I want to put the purchase in by the end of the day,” the boss said in the text.</p> <p>Shocked by the "insane" amount of money, the employee replied: “Can I ask why it is so expensive?</p> <p>“Money is a little tight right now and to be asked to put in so much feels like a lot.”</p> <p>However, the manager didn't take his employee's financial situation into consideration, and said: “Josh has led the company for three years now and I think it’s nice gesture to show our appreciation.” </p> <p>The employee hit back: “I appreciate that but he makes so much more money than me and for me to be asked to put in so much feels weird especially as I never really worked with him”.</p> <p>But, the manager insisted that the employee needed to make a contribution. </p> <p>“This is compulsory I am afraid, it is not fair for me to ask some people and not others. Besides it isn’t that much all things considered," he said, and the employee conceded. </p> <p>It is unclear what happened after, but the texts have gone viral with over 2.2 million views thanks to Askins' <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ben.askins/video/7307322849407028513" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a>.</p> <p>Askins, who’s a managing director and co-founder of a digital agency, weighed in on the ordeal. </p> <p>“I don’t like this at all. I don’t mind leaving presents as a concept, right? But companies should pay it,” he said.</p> <p>“Companies should take responsibility, set a budget and they should pay for themselves. If you want to get something small for your best mate at work, that’s totally different, that’s well within your right.</p> <p>“But this sort of compulsory, ‘everyone’s got to chip in’, I absolutely hate," he added. </p> <p>He also said that the manager's actions are "really poor" and asking for that amount "is just ridiculous, it’s an insane amount". </p> <p>“It might not be much money for him but it is clearly a lot for this person so it’s just not fair what he’s doing,” he concluded. </p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p> <p> </p>

Retirement Life

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90-year-old grandma's secrets, regrets and brutal "advice"

<p>An amazingly sprightly 90-year-old grandmother has appeared on TikTok to share her deepest regrets in life, leaving viewers both amused and contemplative with her surprising take on being a nonagenarian.</p> <p>The video, which has garnered a whopping 70,000 views, features the wise words of wisdom from a woman who has seen it all, or at least enough to make her wish she hadn't seen quite so much.</p> <p>The nanna, who spilled the beans to her inquisitive granddaughter <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@racheljdillon?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rachel Dillon</a> – an online fitness coach –  began by revealing what she wishes she did less of in her life.</p> <p>"Probably less of nothing," she admits. "I mean I never worked after I was married or anything like that. I wish I had probably done more mixing with people with that. More socialising." </p> <p>It's then that the truth bombs really start to drop. When Rachel asks, "Do you have any regrets", a cloud of laughter fills the room, before the answer comes.</p> <p>"Yes, I do regret marrying too young," she says emphatically. "I met my husband when I was 13 and he was 15. We got married at 17 and 19. I met him at the library. He used to ride me up on the bicycle when I was going to the library."</p> <p>Then, when asked about the secret to turning 90, Rachel's grandma confesses not only that there isn't one, but that she regrets having made it this far at all.</p> <p>"I didn't really want to get to 90," she declares with the nonchalance of someone choosing between tea and coffee. "I've had enough. I've had all I wanted out of the world. I am quite happy to go and meet my little puppy dog waiting there for me."</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">When asked about her secret to looking so young, Rachel's grandma almost brushes the question aside, laying the blame simply in the quality of her genes for having "always been a fox", according to Rachel.</span></p> <p>The final question, and the final brutally honest response – which may have made Rachel regret asking about regrets – was simply: "Do you have any advice for us?"</p> <p>"Oh God no," comes the world-weary answer. "Not the way the world's going. No, I'm just glad I'll be gone. I don't want to be part of anything that I can see going on."      </p> <p>TikTok users were quick to commend the grandmother, not just for her unexpected revelations but also for her timeless beauty. "She looks absolutely amazing," gushed one admirer, proving that age is just a number – albeit one that sometimes takes us by surprise.</p> <p>In the end, this nonagenarian nanna has become an unexpected sensation, leaving us all to ponder life's mysteries, library love stories, and the prospect of meeting puppy dogs in the great beyond.</p> <p>If her story has taught us anything, it's that life is unpredictable, love can blossom in the unlikeliest of places (like a library), and sometimes it's OK to regret that hasty decision to say "I do" before you even knew how to do your taxes.</p> <div class="post_body_wrapper" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 0px 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #323338; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif;"> <div class="post-body-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-body-renderer-component post_body" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: top; position: relative; transition: max-height 0.14s ease 0s; overflow: hidden; color: var(--primary-text-color); max-height: none;"> <div class="post-body-content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 630px; overflow: auto hidden;"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 15px 15px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; overflow: auto; color: var(--primary-text-color); font-family: var(--font-family); line-height: 1.5; word-break: break-word;"> <div class="embed" style="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: 600px; 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%2F7311465610821651720&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40racheljdillon%2Fvideo%2F7311465610821651720&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2Fo49EYZFdsEDJhfBAiE2gfGE8l3IAR2qBQx14iB%3Fx-expires%3D1702681200%26x-signature%3DL%252FvO6dLXwqFOi09XENAbVmG4tgs%253D&amp;key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div><em>Images: TikTok / @racheljdillon</em></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Retirement Life

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What happens to teeth as you age? And how can you extend the life of your smile?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/arosha-weerakoon-792707">Arosha Weerakoon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a></em></p> <p>A healthy smile <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37314011/">helps us</a> live long, well and happy lives. But just <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37436910/">like our bodies</a>, our teeth succumb to age-related changes.</p> <p>So what happens to teeth as you age? And what can you do to ensure your smile lasts the distance?</p> <h2>First, what are teeth made of?</h2> <p>The tooth crown is covered by a hard enamel coat that surrounds softer, brown dentine, which protects a centrally located pulp.</p> <p>Enamel is a complex weave of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2584618/">brittle</a>, honeycomb-clustered strands that interact with light to make teeth appear opalescent (a pearly, milky iridescence).</p> <p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1601-1546.2012.00269.x">Dentine under enamel</a> forms most of the tooth crown and root, and is made of collagen, mineral, water and proteins. Collagen strands are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003996922002102?via%3Dihub#bib12">woven</a> to stretch and spring back, to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003996922002102?via%3Dihub#bib12">prevent teeth</a> from cracking and breaking when we grind and chew.</p> <p>The pulp has blood vessels and nerves that communicate with the rest of your body.</p> <p>Enmeshed in the dentine mineral and collagen are small, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8809302/">interconnected tubules</a> formed by specialised cells called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1047847799940960">odontoblasts</a> that settle around the pulp, once our teeth completely form.</p> <p>Each tooth contains a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23803461/">finite number of odontoblasts</a>, unlike the constantly replenished special bone cells that renew.</p> <h2>How do our teeth change as we age?</h2> <p>Unable to renew, our teeth <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003996922002102?via%3Dihub#bib19">become brittle</a>, and prone to fracture as dentine loses its spring.</p> <p>This is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002817714613532?casa_token=1K9Y6CJXmsAAAAAA:t6y_b_Iy02AWpUGaiz4H8Fk0Kdfx6z1ypHiGOEjFqFNlU1jvSRCVjfYOyysgIErJvgCzh33c2hfX">more common</a> in teeth with existing crack lines, large fillings or root canal treatments.</p> <p>With time, the outer surface of enamel <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022391305004348?casa_token=xXfdecXrLaoAAAAA:YE_0swAFtT3RyCUeJmPwciixQ0hwL-foLyC2RGtnlyUSJ9O-pPLQz0B8XNd4Gq1AMtCN2BgnCrqo">thins</a> to reveal the relatively opaque dentine that darkens as we age.</p> <p>The dentine darkens because the collagen weave <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1047847722000697">stiffens and shrinks</a>, and the fluid in the tubules <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590152422000010?via%3Dihub">fills with mineral</a>.</p> <p>The odontoblasts continue to form dentine inside the tooth to reduce the translucent pulp space. The increase in dentine makes our teeth appear <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003996913003294">opaque</a> and insulates from hot and cold sensations. This is why <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300571215000494?casa_token=iiLtoxOZOYQAAAAA:RfaGR7lrq9dgWuO_nh6hLETzVUiIWdu-mB-Ev019vZH5t6meVyAHs3YpZzcu9FNrDBYQL6OExu6j">X-rays</a> are useful to detect cavities we may not feel.</p> <p>Food and drink particles fill micro-gaps and age-related fine crack lines that run up and down enamel to <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yash-Kapadia/publication/322509199_Tooth_staining_A_review_of_etiology_and_treatment_modalities/links/5b4cd922a6fdcc8dae245b7d/Tooth-staining-A-review-of-etiology-and-treatment-modalities.pdf">discolour and stain</a>. These stains are easily managed by <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772559622000207">tooth whitening</a>.</p> <p>How else can you extend the life of your teeth and brighten your smile? Here are seven tips to avoid dental decline:</p> <h2>1. Avoid unnecessary forces</h2> <p>Avoid <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2012.722">using</a> your teeth to hold things such as working tools or to open packaging.</p> <p>Take measures to avoid forces such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1882761622000059">grinding or clenching</a> by wearing a night guard.</p> <p>If you have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0109564122002421">large fillings</a> or <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0109564122001579?casa_token=kQPjGNgU2iQAAAAA:ytMnT5MLV8aRehNyyWD7qC7FXSBE5xpPCxnzZ2ryKsuyJePq1jHisue1udtN0Cs6NDYJ37xYHy_5">root canal-treated</a> teeth, speak to your dentist about <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/aej.12002?casa_token=RwMhhwmgjwwAAAAA%3AGCWVA9vjFX68S2DdKbCFl4jwTAjMeqVDoT3GtXTSjA7SMEc3ksktOMCUSz9ArikD4XhBM5v08nGCvmVF0g">specific filling materials or crowns</a> that can protect your teeth from cracking or breaking.</p> <h2>2. Share the load</h2> <p>If you are missing molars or premolars, distribute chewing forces evenly to prevent overloading your remaining teeth.</p> <p>Replace missing teeth with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S010956411100858X?casa_token=4vrj3ssj0PEAAAAA:UODaFxNDCKmQ_lQs1faL6lh0xIeIfSFrRQBq-s0KF1ZvUJd6ytbXX37TVaiHLRzJPJaSDF_2aVmL">bridges</a>, <a href="https://aap.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1902/jop.2008.080188?casa_token=uA0r7imcRbUAAAAA%3AeXGszI5-Dcu4oKi33FCrRRviiAj0uyoP7V5wApIRQD1-1Zu-rkLAcoLhKMAJYVnC9tEnxj33UdNJIndEBA">implants</a> or well-fitted <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/13/6776">dentures</a> to support your bite. Get your dentures <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022391320301554">checked regularly</a> to ensure they fit and support adequately, and replace them at least every ten years.</p> <h2>3. Preserve your enamel</h2> <p>Reduce <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcpe.12330?casa_token=W2Ib34A77-QAAAAA%3AnLZtwwqZuueyHf1CMX0K9MERSW_Pvc3w0KlpArFT1KNusuopjEUcWmGd8pDUA7fQcj6DMkcS-JnXISFV1w">further enamel and dentine loss</a> by selecting soft-bristled <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00016350802195041?casa_token=E-ErdP543QUAAAAA%3A0Wz5AWwQxntBIc3UndFX_5nVbAYoPDx-PX1tg7Umxjr_QepX3CSIFVXYcrrxWV9iTx99Afk8c_zff-o">tooth brushes and non-abrasive toothpastes</a>.</p> <p>Certain whitening toothpastes can be abrasive, which can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8874033/">roughen and wear</a> the tooth surfaces. If you are unsure, stick with toothpastes that are labelled “sensitive”.</p> <p>Reduce your exposure to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2012.722">acid</a> in food (think lemons or apple cider vinegar) or illness (reflux or vomiting) where possible to maintain enamel and prevent erosion.</p> <h2>4. Enhance your saliva</h2> <p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jtxs.12356?casa_token=1moXbwnrDQIAAAAA%3AHz3Im9lmR3h75TmG8FSUQH-8_0UGnQ9TNkgaPL79LlrCmwC3kzZZJaAB2mSZHf4X7PX5y3GKaVoY5cm5JA">Saliva</a> protects against acid attacks, flushes our teeth, and has antibacterial properties to reduce erosion and decay (holes forming).</p> <p>Saliva is also important to help us chew, swallow and speak.</p> <p>But our saliva quality and quantity reduces because of age-related changes to our salivary glands as well as certain medications prescribed to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19392837/">manage chronic illnesses</a> such as depression and high blood pressure.</p> <p>Speak to your doctor about other medication options to improve your saliva or manage reflux disease to prevent erosion.</p> <h2>5. Treat gum disease</h2> <p>Aesthetically, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37358230/">treating gum disease (periodontitis)</a> reduces gum shrinkage (recession) that typically exposes the relatively darker tooth roots that are more <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00220345231166294">prone to developing holes</a>.</p> <h2>6. Manage and prevent senescence</h2> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36908187/">Cellular senescence</a> is the process that changes DNA in our cells to reduce our ability to withstand physical, chemical or biological damage.</p> <p>Cellular senescence enhances new cancer formation, the spread of existing cancers and the onset of chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease.</p> <p>You can prevent cell damage by managing lifestyle factors such as smoking, uncontrolled diabetes and chronic infections such as gum disease.</p> <h2>7. Adapt and ask for help</h2> <p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jan.15769?casa_token=SC-LouFQThsAAAAA%3A4jcvLRuJ56dGEm7ttvMad65hvUoZ7V5nvILg5sLFVZo8jxyQGR6YFeTcfM8sByTbdVrCWR1O5ytI3Z_crA">Ageing</a> can affect our cognition, hand dexterity and eyesight to prevent us from cleaning our teeth and gums as effectively as we once could.</p> <p>If this describes you, talk to your dental care team. They can help clean your teeth, and <a href="https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/full/10.12968/bjon.2020.29.9.520?casa_token=_rol0NXx9c8AAAAA%3Aq8zgxiMSASwF1MRQZnZzfzmttn2x7FfGwsiIv71C_s_PTTmGD9JOIbqqtLNXa0oF9ogOjOCZwwpwB94">recommend products and tools</a> to fit your situation and abilities.<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/215786/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/arosha-weerakoon-792707"><em>Arosha Weerakoon</em></a><em>, Senior Lecturer, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland and General Dentist., <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-happens-to-teeth-as-you-age-and-how-can-you-extend-the-life-of-your-smile-215786">original article</a>.</em></p>

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7 things you never knew about M*A*S*H

<p>Did you know <em>M*A*S*H</em> ran more than three times longer than the actual Korean War? It may have graced our screens for 11 years, but you might not know all there is to know about the classic TV series, <em>M*A*S*H</em>.</p> <ol> <li><strong>No one wanted a laugh track</strong> – Despite pleas from the show’s producers, the network (CBS) went ahead and added in canned laughter. You might have noticed the laugh track growing quieter and quieter as the years progressed, and in the UK, the laugh track was removed entirely.</li> <li><strong>CBS banned an “unpatriotic” episode</strong> – An idea for an episode was shot down by the network for being “unpatriotic”. It involved soldiers standing outside in the freezing cold to make themselves sick enough to be sent home – a tactic actually used during the war.</li> <li><strong>The writers got back at complaining cast members</strong> – If ever an actor complained about their script (or asked for changes), the writing team would change the script to make it “parka weather”, making the cast swelter in jackets through days in excess of 32°C on their Florida film set.</li> <li><strong>Patients were named after sports teams</strong> – After running out of names for patients visiting the hospital, the writers turned to baseball teams. In season six, four Marines are named after California Angels infielders, while in season seven, they named patients after the 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers.</li> <li><strong><em>M*A*S*H</em> hosted some big-name stars</strong> – Guest appearances on the show include Ron Howard, Leslie Nielsen, Patrick Swayze, Laurence Fishburne and Rita Wilson.</li> <li><strong>The series finale broke records</strong> – The two-and-a-half-hour 1983 series finale, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” was watched by a staggering 121.6 million people in the US alone – back then, that was 77 per cent of households with TV sets. It remains the most-watched episode of a TV show in US history.</li> <li><strong>The time capsule didn’t stay buried long</strong> – In the series’ second-last episode, the <em>M*A*S*H</em> gang bury a time capsule. When the show wrapped up, the land used as the show’s set was sold, and a construction worker found the capsule just months later. After getting in contact with Alan Alda to return it, Alda told the worker he could keep it.</li> </ol> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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Passengers stranded after three-year cruise abruptly cancelled

<p dir="ltr">When Life At Sea <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/world-first-three-year-cruise-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> their world-first three-year voyage in early 2023, many were quick to jump at the opportunity to spend the next years of their life onboard. </p> <p dir="ltr">People from around the globe <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/meet-the-woman-preparing-to-spend-three-years-at-sea#xd_co_f=YTM5MzVmOGQtNTY4My00NWE1LThjNDctMTUxMjJlNjVhMWNj~" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sold their homes</a> and belongings to fork out the hefty $180,000 price tag to spend 36 months travelling the world, with their once-in-a-lifetime voyage set to kick off in November. </p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ddf609a3-7fff-7e5e-04e2-f5d7a488896d"></span>But now, as their departure date loomed, Life At Sea have left passengers stranded after abruptly cancelling the trip in its entirety. </p> <p>Life at Sea Cruises was scheduled to depart from Istanbul, Turkey on November 1st but departure was relocated and delayed twice to November 30th, before passengers were informed on November 17th the cruise was off, according to <em>CNN</em>.</p> <p>The news outlet reported that the ship that was destined to be the vessel of the three-year journey was bought by another company just one day before the voyage was cancelled. </p> <p>The owner of Life at Sea Cruises’ parent company Miray Cruises, then confirmed they couldn’t afford the ship because investors had pulled out “due to unrest in the Middle East” – but suggested they were working on getting another ship and a new departure date. </p> <p>The idea that the vessel would be replaced filled some travellers with hope they would still be embarking on their three-year adventure, before CEO of Miray Cruises was forced to clarify: “In case we weren’t clear, the Life at Sea cruise trip is cancelled.”</p> <p>Passengers were devastated by the news, with those who thought they had locked in the next three years of their lives telling <em>CNN</em> they felt “incredibly sad”, “angry” and “betrayed”.</p> <p>“I had the next three years of my life planned to live an extraordinary life, and now [I have] nothing,” said one cruiser.</p> <p>“I don’t think they will ever understand how much damage they’ve caused us,” said another.</p> <p>The more than $180,000 three-year trip had been celebrated by big cruising fans and called a “nightmare” and “claustrophobic” by critics across social media.</p> <p>The company’s website is still advertising the cruise as normal, with a countdown stating on Monday it was three hours “until we go for an adventure of a lifetime”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Life At Sea</em></p>

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Homeowners often feel better about life than renters, but not always – whether you are mortgaged matters

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachel-ong-viforj-113482">Rachel Ong ViforJ</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hiroaki-suenaga-1477343">Hiroaki Suenaga</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-brierty-1477346">Ryan Brierty</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p>Homeownership has long been thought of as the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-23/why-australians-are-obsessed-with-owning-property/8830976">great Australian dream</a>. For individuals, it’s seen as the path to adulthood and prosperity. For the nation, it’s seen as a cornerstone of economic and social policy.</p> <p>Implicit in this is the assumption that owning a home rather than renting one makes people better off.</p> <p>It’s an assumption we are now able to examine using data from the government-funded <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda">Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia</a> (HILDA) survey, which for two decades has asked questions both about homeownership and satisfaction with life.</p> <p>The <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/4694137/ContinuingPersonQuestionnaireW23M.pdf">overarching question</a> asks "all things considered, how satisfied are you with your life? Pick a number between 0 and 10 to indicate how satisfied you are".</p> <p>We also looked at people’s satisfaction with their financial situation, their home and the neighbourhood in which they live.</p> <p>In a study published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00420980231190479">Urban Studies</a>, we linked those answers to home ownership and characteristics including age and income.</p> <p>As expected, we found homeowners were generally more satisfied with their lives than renters. But we also find the extent to which they were more satisfied depended on whether or not they were still paying off a mortgage.</p> <h2>Mortgaged homeowners about as satisfied as renters</h2> <p>Outright home owners were 1.5 times as likely to report high overall satisfaction as renters. But home owners still paying off a mortgage were only a little more likely to feel high overall satisfaction.</p> <p>Similarly, outright owners were 2.3 times as likely to report high financial satisfaction as renters – but mortgaged owners were only 1.1 times as likely.</p> <p>When it comes to satisfaction with their home and neighbourhood, the differences were less extreme.</p> <p>Outright home owners were 3.1 times as likely to report high satisfaction with their home as renters, while mortgaged owners were 2.8 times as likely.</p> <p>Outright owners were 1.6 times as likely to report high satisfaction with their neighbourhood as renters, and mortgaged owners 1.4 times as likely.</p> <p>The results also varied with age and income.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="hK9Ua" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/hK9Ua/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>As shown in the graph above, outright owners were more likely to report high financial satisfaction than renters across almost the entire age range.</p> <p>But mortgaged owners only showed a demonstrably greater financial satisfaction than renters between the ages of 25 and 50.</p> <p>Beyond age 50, the existence of a mortgage debt burden appeared to cancel out any boost to financial satisfaction from homeownership. This potentially reflects the growing financial stress of making mortgage payments as retirement approaches.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="f2GSl" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/f2GSl/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>By income, mortgaged owners reported experiencing more financial satisfaction compared to renters the more they earned between A$80,000 and A$240,000. Outright owners experienced more financial satisfaction than renters up to A$320,000.</p> <p>Beyond these income levels, owners did not have greater financial satisfaction than renters, perhaps because high-earning renters have other sources of financial satisfaction.</p> <h2>How satisfied people feel beyond 60</h2> <p>In other respects, outright owners and mortgaged homeowners showed similar patterns, becoming more satisfied with their homes relative to renters the more they age up – until the age of 60. That’s when their satisfaction relative to renters declined, as illustrated below.</p> <p>This decline might reflect the growing physical burden of maintaining an owned home as people age.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="oLrHz" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/oLrHz/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>Our study has important implications. One is that age matters.</p> <p>Although older people consistently express a desire to <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/analysis/brief/whats-needed-make-ageing-place-work-older-australians">age in place</a>, we found satisfaction among those who owned vs rented their home declined beyond age 60. This suggests better integration between housing and care is critical to support people ageing in place.</p> <p>Another implication is that as low-income owners are more reliant on their homes as a source of relative financial satisfaction than high earners, they are <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-social-policy/article/housing-equity-withdrawal-perceptions-of-obstacles-among-older-australian-home-owners-and-associated-service-providers/268F54A8EAA1E9ECA118E243505AA9FD">more exposed</a> in times of crisis. They may face the risk of being forced to sell suddenly with little time to consider the consequences.</p> <p>And another implication is as the relative financial satisfaction of mortgage holders disappears after the age of 50, and as more of us approach retirement with mortgages intact, more of us will either <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00420980211026578">postpone retirement</a> or become dissatisfied.</p> <p>Our findings suggest the extension of mortgage debt into later life should be discouraged if the benefits of the Australian dream are to be preserved.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215147/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachel-ong-viforj-113482"><em>Rachel Ong ViforJ</em></a><em>, ARC Future Fellow &amp; Professor of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hiroaki-suenaga-1477343">Hiroaki Suenaga</a>, Senior Lecturer School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-brierty-1477346">Ryan Brierty</a>, PhD candidate, School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/homeowners-often-feel-better-about-life-than-renters-but-not-always-whether-you-are-mortgaged-matters-215147">original article</a>.</em></p>

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