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Confusion, financial pressure, discomfort: older people can struggle with sustainable living, despite its obvious benefits

<p>Improving the sustainability of Australia’s housing stock is <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&amp;rls=en&amp;q=building+sector+australia+emissions+the+conversation&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;oe=UTF-8">crucial</a> to meeting national emissions reduction goals. But for older adults, such changes can bring both benefits and challenges.</p> <p>My <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132321007344">recent research</a> examined the literature on environmental sustainability measures at residences for older adults. These included private homes, retirement villages and nursing homes.</p> <p>I found that while sustainability measures can bring multiple benefits to older people, they also bring challenges. For example, people living in sustainable dwellings may use less energy and water which leads to lower bills. But older people may suffer cognitive decline and struggle to use sustainable technology devices.</p> <p>The full effects of environmentally sustainable features must be better understood if we’re to provide seniors with high-quality residential environments.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441440/original/file-20220119-15-60lcsc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Older man walks down corridor" /> <span class="caption">Sustainability measures can bring benefits and challenges to older people.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <h2>Sustainability and ageing: a complex mix</h2> <p>Forecasts suggest that by 2056, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/population-groups/older-people/overview">22% of Australians</a> – or 8.7 million people – will be aged 65 or older. High-quality residential environments are important to maintaining the welfare of these people as they age.</p> <p>Environmental sustainability is playing an ever greater role in residential development across the board, including retirement villages. And <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jar/2014/919054/">previous research</a> suggests most retirement village residents want to lead more sustainable lifestyles.</p> <p>As climate change worsens, the dwellings of older adults should allow them to adapt to these changing conditions. The reduced ability of elderly people to regulate their body temperature means global warming is a profound threat to this group.</p> <p>Improving the sustainability of a residential environment may include:</p> <ul> <li>reducing waste</li> <li>using low carbon or recycled building materials</li> <li>solar passive design</li> <li>efficient heating and cooling</li> <li>using renewable energy such as rooftop solar.</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://new.gbca.org.au/case-studies/building/stockland-takes-sustainability-retirement-living/">Some residential projects</a> for the elderly already include environmental sustainability. A <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/F-08-2011-0060/full/html">case study</a> of a not-for-profit retirement village in South Australia revealed practices such as innovative floor plans, thermally efficient building materials, good window orientation and a water harvesting system.</p> <p>And my previous research <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652619341605">found</a> a range of sustainability features at eight private and not-for-profit retirement villages in Queensland.</p> <p>However, while many retirement village developers prioritise “social sustainability” features such as care provision and social interaction, environmental sustainability is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652617313963">largely ignored</a>.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441450/original/file-20220119-25-1qtv5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="elderly woman holds hands of carer" /> <span class="caption">Forecasts suggest that by 2056, 22% of Australians will be aged 65 or older.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <h2>On the plus side</h2> <p>The benefits of environmentally sustainable features in in older adults’ residential environment include:</p> <p><strong>- reduced resource consumption:</strong> sustainable dwellings usually require less water and energy use, which lowers living costs. This is especially important for older adults who often have reduced financial capacity after retirement. Older people also use energy <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421597000402">more intensively</a> than other groups because they have fewer household members, greater heating requirements and spend more time at home.</p> <p><strong>- reduced health risks:</strong> environmentally sustainable measures can lead to healthier indoor environments. For example, good ventilation and high-quality air conditioning often lead to improved indoor air quality and more comfortable ambient temperatures.</p> <p><strong>- alleviated environmental challenges:</strong> many older people want their homes to be more environmentally friendly. Doing their bit to alleviate global problems such as greenhouse gas emissions can provide them with peace of mind.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441438/original/file-20220119-15-124namg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="elderly person's hands on heater" /> <span class="caption">Sustainable dwellings usually require less water and energy use,</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <h2>The potential downsides</h2> <p>The challenges of environmentally sustainable home features for older adults include:</p> <p><strong>- financial pressure:</strong> the income of many older adults is substantially reduced after retirement. This <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421511005222">can conflict</a> with the high initial investment of developing an sustainable housing and the cost of replacing existing systems with sustainable ones.</p> <p><strong>- reducing energy consumption:</strong> in some cases, sustainability measures can involve tolerating slightly higher or cooler temperatures. For example, moving from a gas-heating system to a more sustainable type may <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421515001172">delay</a> the arrival of heat in a room and leave older people uncomfortable for a short time. This may conflict with older people’s <a href="https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v84y2015icp250-256.html">increased sensitivity</a> to ambient temperatures.</p> <p><strong>- confusion and complexity:</strong> Older adults can have <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bmb/article/92/1/135/332828">reduced cognitive capabilities</a> affecting memory and information processing speed. As a result they may struggle to use sustainable technologies such as smart thermostats. Research has <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421514006259">suggested</a> ways of overcoming this, such as better recognising the diversity of older adults to achieve a better “person-technology fit”.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441437/original/file-20220119-25-fkfanl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Four older women shelter from the sun under umbrella" /> <span class="caption">Older people may have increased sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Paul Miller/AAP</span></span></p> <h2>Next steps</h2> <p>Older adults have unique needs which their homes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132321007344">must satisfy</a>, even when sustainability features are being adopted.</p> <p>Ageing should be seen as a dynamic process with physical, psychological and social dimensions. And the complex interrelationships of ageing, environmental sustainability and the residential environment also need to be recognised.</p> <p>Best practices and lessons learned in creating sustainable living environments for older adults should be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652618325241">shared</a>.</p> <p>Finally, developers making sustainability decisions should consult other stakeholders. These include contractors, occupational therapists, researchers and most importantly, older adults themselves.<!-- 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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/174535/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><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/xin-hu-685656">Xin Hu</a>, Lecturer, School of Architecture and Built Environment, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/confusion-financial-pressure-discomfort-older-people-can-struggle-with-sustainable-living-despite-its-obvious-benefits-174535">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Retirement Income

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8 ordinary things you don’t realise are messing with your brain

<p><strong>Doors</strong></p> <p><span>Ever walk into a room with some purpose in mind, only to completely forget what that purpose was? Turns out, doors themselves are to blame for these strange memory lapses. Psychologists at the University of Notre Dame have discovered that passing through a doorway triggers what’s known as an event boundary in the mind, separating one set of thoughts and memories from the next. Your brain files away the thoughts you had in the previous room and prepares a blank slate for the new locale.</span></p> <p><strong>Beeps</strong></p> <p><span>If you can’t concentrate during the irritating sound of a truck reversing, blame the brain baffle on an evolutionary glitch. Natural sounds are created from a transfer of energy (say, a stick hitting a drum) and gradually dissipate, and our perceptual system has evolved to use that decay of sound to figure out what made it and where it came from. But beeps don’t typically change or fade away over time, so our brains have trouble keeping up.</span></p> <p><strong>Wide-open spaces</strong></p> <p><span>We walk in circles when we traverse terrain devoid of landmarks, such as the desert. Even though we’d swear we’re walking in a straight line, we actually curve around in loops as tight as 20 metres in diameter. German research from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics reveals why: with every step a walker takes, a small deviation arises in the brain’s balance (vestibular) or body awareness (proprioceptive) systems. These deviations accumulate to send that individual veering around in ever-tighter circles. But they don’t occur when we can recalibrate our sense of direction, using a nearby building or mountain, for instance.</span></p> <p><strong>Attractiveness</strong></p> <p><span>We say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, but unfortunately, our brains tend to do just that. In what’s known as the ‘halo effect’, a single positive quality in a person can dupe our brain into thinking that person has many good qualities, even if we don’t know them at all. For instance, when we find someone physically attractive, we may also automatically have the impression that he or she is smart, kind, funny, etc. This is by far the most common example of the ‘halo effect’, to the extent that the effect is also known as ‘the physical attractiveness stereotype’. This has a lot to do with celebrities, and why we feel like we ‘know’ them when we really don’t.</span></p> <p><strong>Being up high</strong></p> <p><span>For many people, being at a certain height, especially for the first time, creates a surreal sensation of detachment. This is known as the ‘breakaway phenomenon’. “You feel as if you’re disconnected from the Earth, literally, even though you’re in a building or an aeroplane,” says Dr James Giordano, a neurology and biochemistry professor at Georgetown University Medical Center. Though some experience this sensation at the top of a tall building, or on a balcony, it’s most commonly felt while flying. This sensation is totally separate from fear of heights; in fact, it makes some people feel very calm and peaceful. “Some people actually enjoy the way that feels; others, it makes them uncomfortable,” says Dr Giordano.</span></p> <p><strong>That one time you ate bad chicken</strong></p> <p><span>If you’ve ever wondered why one bad experience can ruin something for you, blame your brain. A single unpleasant experience with food, in particular, can taint the taste of that food in your mind, even if you actually really enjoy it. This is known as the ‘Garcia Effect’, because of a scientist named Dr John Garcia who tested it on rats. If you experienced nausea or sickness shortly after eating something (whether or not the food itself is what made you sick), you’ll likely develop what’s known as a taste aversion to that food. This triggers your brain to be hesitant about consuming it again, even if it’s a food you love. Unsurprisingly, this occurs frequently with a certain type of alcohol or even a non-alcoholic mixer.</span></p> <p><strong>Arrows</strong></p> <p><span>Though they seem straightforward, arrows have the potential to trip up our brains quite a bit. They can distort our perceptions of distance, direction and length; in fact, two popular optical illusions use arrows to trick the mind. One is the ‘Muller-Lyer illusion’, which takes three lines of equal length and uses arrowheads to make them appear different lengths. The other, the ‘Flanker task’, is more interactive; it shows you a screen with several arrows on it and makes you select the direction that the middle arrow is pointing. (It’s harder than it sounds!) The arrows that are not in the centre are ‘irrelevant stimuli’, distracting your brain by pointing in different directions.</span></p> <p><strong>A bargain</strong></p> <p><span>Salespeople can fool your brain into thinking you want a product you really don’t. According to Dr Deborah Searcy of Florida Atlantic University, retailers use this sneaky trick all the time: they tell you the price of an item and try to get you to buy it. If you say that price is too much, they’ll offer you a lower one. Because your mind has been ‘anchored’ around the higher price, you think you’re getting a great deal, and you’re more likely to buy the item. But, if the salesperson had offered you the lower price right off the bat, chances are you wouldn’t have bought the product. Your brain is duped by the allure of a good deal.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Written by Meghan Jones and Natalie Wolchover. This article first appeared in </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/true-stories-lifestyle/science-technology/8-ordinary-things-you-dont-realise-are-messing-with-your-brain" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reader’s Digest</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">here’s our best subscription offer.</span></a></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

Mind

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8 things we do that really confuse our dogs

<p>Dog behaviour is extraordinarily flexible – this is why we can keep them in our homes and take them to cafes with us at the weekend.</p> <p>Nevertheless, there are ways in which evolution has not equipped dogs for the challenges of living in our world, and puppies must learn how to cope.</p> <p>These are some of the things we do they struggle to understand.</p> <p><strong>1. We leave them alone</strong></p> <p>As born socialites, dogs make friends easily. Puppies are intensely interested in spending time with other dogs, people, and any species willing to interact with them socially. They usually play, rest, explore and travel with company. Yet we often leave dogs alone: at home, in kennels or the vet clinic.</p> <p>In these situations, naive dogs can’t be sure we’ll ever return to collect them. Only after experience are they likely to expect a reunion, and even then, their experience depends on the context.</p> <p>At home, we may try to enforce dog-free zones. Naturally, many dogs protest. How can they stay with their (human) social group when they’re separated behind impenetrable barriers (doors)? This explains why dogs so often demand to be let inside when their human family is there, and why those with separation-related distress frequently find some solace in being indoors.</p> <p><strong>2. We are visually driven</strong></p> <p>Dogs live in an olfactory world, while ours is chiefly visual. So, while TVs may offer a visual feast for humans, parks and beaches are an olfactory banquet for dogs.</p> <p>An additional challenge is dogs move while investigating the world, whereas we often sit still. They may not relish the inertia we enjoy in front of a noisy, flashing light-box.</p> <p><strong>3. We change our shape and smell</strong></p> <p>Shoes, coats, wallets, briefcases, bags and suitcases: countless smells cling to these items after we take them into shops and workplaces, then back to our dogs. Cleaning products, soaps, deodorants and shampoos also change the scents our dogs are used to.</p> <p>Towels, hats and bags change our shape when we’re using them. And when we’re pulling them on, jumpers and coats alter our visual outline and may catch dogs unaware.</p> <p>Dogs change their coats at least once a year. In contrast, we change our external cladding every day. This means the odours we carry are changing far more than dogs have evolved to expect.</p> <p>In their olfactory world, it must be puzzling for dogs to encounter our constantly changing smells, especially for a species that uses scent to identify familiar individuals and intruders.</p> <p><strong>4. We like to hug</strong></p> <p>How humans use their forelimbs contrasts sharply with how dogs do. We may use them to carry large objects a dog would have to drag, but also to grasp each other and express affection.</p> <p>Dogs grasp each other loosely when play-wrestling, and also when mating and fighting. Being pinned by another dog hinders a quick escape. How are puppies to know what a hug from a human means, when that behaviour from a dog might be threatening?</p> <p><strong>5. We don’t like to be bitten</strong></p> <p>Play-fighting is fun for many puppies and helps them bond with other dogs. But they must monitor the behaviour of other dogs in play-fights and know when they’ve used their tiny, razor-sharp teeth excessively.</p> <p>Humans are much more susceptible to pain from playful puppy jaws than other dogs are, and so we can react negatively to their attempts to play-fight with us.</p> <p>Dogs interact with objects almost entirely with their muzzle. And to feed, they use their jaws, teeth and tongue.</p> <p>Dogs also “mouth” other dogs when playing, expressing affection and communicating everything from “more” to “please don’t” to “Back off!”. So, naturally, they try to use their mouths when communicating with us, and must be puzzled by how often we take offence.</p> <p><strong>6. We don’t eat food from the bin</strong></p> <p>Dogs are opportunists who naturally acquire food anywhere they find it. In contrast, we present them with food in dishes of their own.</p> <p>Puppies must be puzzled by our reaction when we find them snacking from benches and tables, in lunchboxes and kitchen bins. We should not be surprised when dogs unearth food we left somewhere accessible to them.</p> <p><strong>7. We share territories</strong></p> <p>We visit the territories of other dogs, bringing back their odours, and allow unfamiliar human and canine visitors to enter our dogs’ home. Dogs have not evolved to accept such intrusions and threats to their safety and resources.</p> <p>We shouldn’t be surprised when our dogs treat visitors with suspicion, or when our dogs are treated with hostility when we bring them to the homes of others.</p> <p><strong>8. We use our hands a lot</strong></p> <p>Sometimes our hands deliver food, scratches, massages and toys. Other times, they restrain dogs, trim nails, administer ointments or tablets, and groom with brushes and combs that may pull hair.</p> <p>No wonder some dogs grow to fear the human hand as it moves about them. We can make it easier for dogs to accept many types of hand-related activities if we train them to cooperate with rewards.</p> <p>But humans often misread their fear and may even greet it with violence which compounds the problem. Hand-shy dogs can easily become defensive and find their way into pounds and shelters, where life expectancy for nippers and biters is poor.</p> <p>On the whole, dogs show a remarkable ability to adapt to the puzzles we throw at them. Their behavioural flexibility offers us lessons in resilience and how to live simply and socially. Our challenge is to understand the absence of guile and malice in everything they do.<!-- 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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/122616/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: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melissa-starling-461103">Melissa Starling</a>, Postdoctoral researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-mcgreevy-139820">Paul McGreevy</a>, Professor of Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/8-things-we-do-that-really-confuse-our-dogs-122616">original article</a>.</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Why Prince Harry and Meghan’s new titles are even confusing Buckingham Palace

<p>When Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan announced they would be stepping down as senior members of the royal family, a spanner was thrown into the works of a meticulously run Palace – one that is still having trouble smoothing out all the kinks.</p> <p>Buckingham Palace announced the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would be giving up not only their royal duties but the role of representing the Queen in a formal capacity and their HRH titles.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B7ld5OWnQ4N/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B7ld5OWnQ4N/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Duchess of Sussex (@sussex.meghan)</a> on Jan 21, 2020 at 6:41am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>When the statement was released, royals from the palace also verified that the pair would now be dubbed Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.</p> <p>However, as it would turn out, it is not as straightforward as it seems and according to a new report from<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-and-prince-harrys-titles-post-exit-have-sparked-confusion-even-among-royal-aides/" target="_blank">PEOPLE</a>,<span> </span></em>Palace experts are reviewing the new titles of Prince Harry and Meghan.</p> <p>According to latest sources, the new title involves both Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson who divorced from their royal spouses – Prince Charles and Prince Andrew – and as a result, were touted as Diana, Princess of Wales, and Sarah, Duchess of York.</p> <p>The issue is – there has not been any divorce between Prince Harry and Meghan so questions arise as to whether their new titles are in fact correct.</p> <p>While there's no sure answer yet as to what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s official titles will be moving forward, we can still refer to them as their Royal Highnesses until their transition period deadline of Spring 2020 is over.</p> <p>Prince Harry’s position in line to the throne has not changed and he remains sixth-in-line while his son, eight-month-old Archie is just behind his dad as seventh-in-line.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B7krFoaioIY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B7krFoaioIY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Meghan and Harry❤ (@meghan_and_harry)</a> on Jan 20, 2020 at 11:17pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Last Monday, Prince Harry attended the Sandringham Summit to discuss his and Duchess Meghan’s future with the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William.</p> <p>Following Kensington Palace announcing the new plans set in place for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry attended a private dinner for charity Sentebale and delivered a hearty and emotional speech.</p> <p>"It brings me great sadness that it has come to this," he told the room.</p> <p>"The decision I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly... Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the Commonwealth and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible."</p> <p>He continued: "I've accepted this, knowing that it doesn't change who I am or how committed I am.</p> <p>"But I hope that helps you understand what it had to come to, that I would step my family back from all I have ever known, to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life."</p> <p>Prince Harry is believed to be back in Canada with Meghan and Archie, where they plan to forge ahead with their new life away from the prying eyes of the British tabloids.</p>

Relationships

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Mysterious “blob” 130 kms wide causes confusion amongst meteorologists

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A “blob” that appeared on the US National Weather Service’s radar had meteorologists worried as they thought it was a massive storm on the way.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The mass, which was about 130 kilometres wide went over San Diego County in Southern California.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, on closer inspection, it appeared to be a massive swarm of ladybugs. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meteorologist Joe Dandrea told </span><a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-ladybugs-on-radar-20190604-story.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Los Angeles Times</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that the ladybugs were spread throughout the sky and flew at an altitude of between 1500 kilometres and 2700 kilometres.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The most concentrated group was about 16 kilometres wide. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I don’t think they’re dense like a cloud,” he said. “The observer there said you could see little specks flying by.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">The large echo showing up on SoCal radar this evening is not precipitation, but actually a cloud of lady bugs termed a "bloom" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CAwx</a> <a href="https://t.co/1C0rt0in6z">pic.twitter.com/1C0rt0in6z</a></p> — NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSanDiego/status/1136115889516867586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">5 June 2019</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As California is home to about 200 species of ladybugs, it’s not yet known what type of ladybugs were causing the phenomenon.</span></p>

Travel Trouble

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Why Virgin's major rule change is confusing a lot of people

<p>It’s a game changer announcement that is the first of its kind for airlines worldwide – but it has triggered an unexpected response.</p> <p>Virgin Atlantic says from now on, its female flight hostesses will no longer be required to wear make-up while working.</p> <p>That’s not the only rule they are adjusting in 2019 – female flight attendants will now be supplied with pants as a part of their standard uniform, in addition to the famously worn red skirts. Before this announcement, hostesses had to specifically request to wear pants.</p> <p>This new move by Virgin is a bold one in an industry that has a large focus on the appearance of female crew.</p> <p>The UK-based airline founded by Richard Branson declared the change came after following feedback from staff.</p> <p>“We want our uniform to truly reflect who we are as individuals while maintaining that famous Virgin Atlantic style,” Mark Anderson, the airline’s executive vice president for customers, said.</p> <p>“We have been listening to the views of our people and as a result have announced some changes to our styling and grooming policy that support this.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7824340/gettyimages-145603619.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ac5a2a7cef6c409297370c7cce26d648" /></p> <p>Despite the “forward-thinking” move that has been congratulated by some for their “small but symbolic step” towards ridding sexism from plane cabins, others have not been so supportive.</p> <p>People were surprised by the fact there was a make-up rule to begin with, and that the rule had not been removed before.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">How crazy, were they actually "required" to wear makeup before this?</p> — Marcus Wolford (@mvmntcoach) <a href="https://twitter.com/mvmntcoach/status/1102640430489919488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">What, so in 2018 they WERE? unbelievable</p> — Cristiane Breining (@CristianeBrein1) <a href="https://twitter.com/CristianeBrein1/status/1102648973427396608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Unbelievable that this was a requirement</p> — Mary Conway (@eightmjc) <a href="https://twitter.com/eightmjc/status/1102608273834950656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Strict rules govern that make-up and grooming of cabin crew is expected across the airline industry and not only women are expected to adhere to appearance standards.</p> <p>Qantas requires female cabin crew to wear mascara and lip colour at the bare minimum, as well as only having minimal hairstyles – bun or ponytail, both siting low.</p> <p>British Airways female crew are required to wear lipstick and blush as a minimum and to cover “obvious blemishes … wherever possible".</p> <p>Emirates’ Imaging and Grooming Department demands a specific shade of “E<span>mirates red” lipstick for female flight attendants to wear.</span></p> <p>Many airlines require male flight attendants to wear a small amount of tinted moisturiser and to maintain their facial hair.</p> <p>Do you think airline rules regarding make-up are exaggerated? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

Travel Tips

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The 4 most confusing computer technology terms explained

<p>Before we get started, here is a quick overview of the amount of space available in computers.</p> <ul> <li>The letter “G” (for “giga”) before a unit of measure means the value is multiplied by 109 (one billion).</li> <li>The letter “T” (for “tera”) before a unit of measure means the value is multiplied by 1012 (one million million).</li> <li>Therefore, 1 Tera = 1,000 Giga and 1 Giga = 1,000 Mega.</li> </ul> <p>Some of the most confusing terms are:</p> <p><strong>1. Processor speed</strong></p> <p>This is the speed at which a computer can run applications.</p> <p>It is measured in hertz (abbreviation: Hz). As technology develops, recent computers’ processing speeds have come to be noted in either MHz (megahertz) or GHz (gigahertz) because they are so fast.</p> <p>The higher its processing speed, the faster a computer will be able to run word processing applications (Word), music players, imaging software, etc.</p> <p>For example, programs will respond faster on a computer with a 2 GHz processor than on one with a 1.66 GHz processor.</p> <p><strong>2. RAM (Random Access Memory)</strong></p> <p>A type of computer data storage; in common usage, RAM basically represents the memory available to the programs running on your computer (word processor, music player, internet browser, etc.).</p> <p>More RAM allows you to run more applications at once.</p> <p>For example, you could surf the web while listening to music, chatting with a friend on an instant messaging program, and working on a word processing document without your computer slowing down-but only if it has a sufficient amount of RAM.</p> <p>If not, you could experience a delay in the different applications’ response, causing them to “freeze” temporarily.</p> <p>Therefore, the more RAM there is on your computer, the better. Newer computers usually have a minimum of 4 GB of RAM.</p> <p><strong>3. Hard disc drive</strong></p> <p>More commonly referred to as the “hard drive”, this is where your computer stores data such as music files, photos, videos, and various documents.</p> <p>The storage capacity of hard drives is measured in bytes. The bigger your hard drive, the more files you can store.</p> <p>Nowadays, most computers usually come with a hard drive of over 500 GB. There are also external hard drives, which are not built into a computer.</p> <p>You can connect them to your computer through a USB port (see next point), allowing you to store your files.</p> <p>It is recommended to back up (i.e. copy) your files onto an external hard drive; in the event that your computer crashes, at least you won’t have lost all your data (music, photos, documents, etc.).</p> <p>Some newer external hard drives have a capacity of over 5 TB (5,000 GB).</p> <p><strong>4. USB (Universal Serial Bus) Port</strong></p> <p>This is the place where you plug in devices that may not have come with your computer. The “U” in “USB” stands for “universal”, which means that this port is usually found on both Mac computers and PCs, and is the standard type of plug for most computer add-ons like external hard drives, joysticks (to play games), and digital camera and cellphone cables.</p> <p>Mainly, USB ports allow you to use these devices, or in the case of camera and cellphone cables, transfer data (files such as music, pictures, etc.) from your computer to the other device, or vice-versa.</p> <p>The USB port is also where you would plug a USB key, which is basically a small memory stick (perfect to keep in your purse!) where you can store data to transfer it from one computer to another, or just as a back up for safekeeping.</p> <p class="p1"><em>Written by Marieve Inoue, Divine.ca. This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/science-technology/4-most-confusing-computer-technology-terms-explained?items_per_page=All">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRN87V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></em></p> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

Technology

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Why my trip back home unexpectedly filled me with pain and confusion

<p><strong><em>Ray Thomas left his family farm in South Australia when he was in his 20s and moved to New Zealand. He has always loved writing short stories and watching sport. He married an amazing woman 16 years ago and they both retired three years ago. They love family life, travelling, spending time in their large garden and fostering young children.</em></strong></p> <p>It all began innocently and without warning. On a recent trip to my home state of South Australia, I had visited a niece and her family, and then my older sister, in the same day. Surrounded by the once familiar countryside, now almost drought-like after months of virtually no rain, pain and confusion slowly began to build within me. Initially, it felt like a small fire that I thought would soon burn itself out.</p> <p>After spending time with family, I began to realise the importance of being around family members. It started simply by talking about family members and loved ones, both past and present, which were reinforced when looking at old photos. Memories of family members I had not thought about for decades suddenly became very real, and for some reason, extremely important to me.</p> <p>Why now? Why after leaving the country of my birth more than 45 years ago? I didn’t have the answers, and to this day I still haven’t, but I knew the confusion to be real, the pain had not yet set in.</p> <p>Little did I know that during the remainder of the trip, the fire would not extinguish. Rather, it was like a wind had caught it and began to totally consume me. Staying with very dear and close friends, and spending time around my beautiful home city of Adelaide, did nothing to quell the fire. In fact it only inflamed it even further.</p> <p>A short time later, we were staying at my brother’s house at Port Elliot, and spent many happy days there, and nearby Victor Harbour, both places I knew really well and enjoyed. It was here that the pain began. The pain of possibly never again spending time in that part of the state with its magnificent scenery and memories was very real.</p> <p>Then we visited my parent’s graves at Mundalla and a chance to “talk” to them and former friends/neighbour who are resting nearby. Suddenly, an absolute realisation I was home and the pain and confusion really began which I could not understand but knew to be genuine and real. Now, I knew and accepted that the bushfire which had been burning strongly within me was totally real which while being frightening at times, also contained a sense of inner peace. Several precious days with my elderly, frail brother, his amazing wife and several members of their family, capped off an amazing trip.</p> <p>Upon returning to New Zealand, I have accepted the trip had a profound effect on me, left me feeling confused, with a very strong sense of being called home. The pain of wanting to return home is palpable, as is the confusion of knowing what to do next.</p> <p>Do I allow time to take its course, with the possibility that the strong feelings will disappear? I sense not, but this is a remote possibility.</p> <p>What I would like to do, is not rational, and totally unfair on my amazing wife. I could visualise us buying a house in Victor Harbour close to, or with views of the beach. A house with a large garden, because we both love gardening, would be ideal for us. We would obtain a cute, little dog which we would take for daily walks, along the many beautiful, picturesque walkways.</p> <p>However, realistically at our age to suddenly move to another country with all the associated issues involved with shifting, and adjusting to the scorching summer heat would be difficult, but problems we could overcome. The biggest issue for my wife would be moving away from her very close family, friends which would not be fair on her. As much as I would love to return to live, realistically I have to acknowledge that it is highly unlikely to happen.</p> <p>So what options do I have? There are several, but none that totally resolve the problem. Until this has happened, with me being an Aussie but now married and happily living in NZ has never been an issue, but now it is. I love everything about New Zealand. Over the years, it has been very good to me, including marrying my amazing wife. I love the magnificent scenery the snow-capped mountains during the winter time, the lakes and the comparative short distances between towns and cities.</p> <p>Driving across the South Island is approximately the same as driving from Adelaide-Bordertown. To drive from one end of the island to the other takes approximately the same amount of time of driving from Melbourne-Sydney. There is nothing NOT to love about this beautiful country, but it is NOT home. I usually describe Australia, in a general sense, as being “too flat, too dry, too boring, you travel great distances, to get anywhere”, but it is ultimately home.</p> <p>Many years ago, I purchased a plot at the local cemetery, near to where my wife will lay next to her first husband… the “love of her life” and the father of their two incredible children. The thought of resting reasonably close together has always been comforting for both of us. Now, however the pain and confusion becomes very real, not only to me, but my amazing wife.</p> <p>Do I forsake that or consider the option of having my ashes returned home to be close to loved family members? The thought of not being with my wife pains me a great deal, as does the thought of not returning home and being close to family.</p> <p>I have discussed my pain and confusion with her, and although she has not said a great deal, and doesn’t want to influence my decision, I sense she understands my desire to return home but saddened that after countless years of happy marriage, our final resting places may be separated by a great distance, rather than the close proximity we had always envisaged.</p> <p>With time, hopefully I will obtain total clarity and know what to do. Thereby my pain and confusion will cease, and allow my fantastic wife and I to live our (hopefully) long and precious lives together.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">A few weeks later</span></p> <p>Time is not necessarily a great healer, but it does allow a chance to reflect. At the time, my pain and confusion was very real, to the point that it was affecting me mentally, and physically.</p> <p>I have looked at possible alternatives regarding my burial, but have decided to not pursue that, at least for now, because it is too painful to think about and where there seems to be no perfect solution.</p> <p>It has become obvious, that returning to South Australia to live is no longer a viable alternative. The time has come, not to entirely forget about the pain and confusion, but not allow it to totally consume me, like it did for several painful weeks.</p> <p>I have needed a distraction, something else to focus my life on, and with the help of my amazing wife, we are about to do just that. We are both excited about what the future holds for us.</p>

Mind

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Getting your head around confusing gadget names

<p>Some tech companies have a knack for creating confusing and complicated names for their products.</p> <p>Television manufacturers are the worst with their model names consisting of seemingly random letters and numbers.</p> <p>Each television manufacturer uses a slightly different methodology for its names. About the only number you'll recognise in the model name is the screen size, such as 40, 49, 55 or 65.</p> <p>The rest are internal codes to designate a year or feature.</p> <p>To make it harder, some TVs have different models numbers for different countries which makes it tricky when trying to find reviews online.</p> <p>This naming convention also makes shopping for a television difficult as it's hard to remember the models you like when comparing different products or asking shop staff for advice.</p> <p>However, smartphones, laptops and cameras can also have baffling names. </p> <p>Canon has used three different naming conventions for the same camera. The Canon EOS 450D was called the EOS Rebel XSi in North America and EOS Kiss X2 in Japan.</p> <p>Laptops are nearly as bad as televisions with unassuming model names. I can understand internally companies need detailed model numbers, but they should have a simple, marketable name for consumers. </p> <p>Research shows consumers identify with names rather than numbers. This has been shown with car models, which can have eclectic names that are designed to lure buyers.</p> <p>However, names didn't help Ausus. It released the both the FonePad (a 7-inch tablet that also doubles as a phone) and the PadFone (a 5-inch smartphone that becomes a tablet). Neither model sold well. </p> <p>Even Apple, which is proud of its simplicity, gets criticised. The iPad was mocked when its name was released and everyone is still slightly confused why Apple skipped the iPhone 7s and went straight to iPhone 8 instead of following its traditional naming pattern.</p> <p>Samsung has also had a run of odd product names for its phones such as the Samsung Rant and the overly long Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch. </p> <p>While all of these companies probably have their reasons for creating confusing names, it makes it hard for consumers. </p> <p>Navigating all the jargon, technical acronyms and specifications are tricky enough, we don't need complex names too. </p> <p>Do you think gadgets are too confusingly named?</p> <p><em>Written by Blayne Slabbert. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Stuff.co.nz.</strong></span></a></em></p>

Technology

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Mind-bending optical illusion has people very confused

<p>We’ve looked at some pretty mind-blowing optical illusions <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/07/counting-bars-optical-illusion/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">before</span></strong></a>, but this one has to be the most confusing we’ve ever seen. Take a look for yourself.</p> <p><img width="499" height="353" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/27376/illusion_499x353.jpg" alt="Illusion" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>You may have noticed 12 black dots scattered around this grey and white grid. You may have also noticed that your brain simply can’t handle seeing all 12 at once.</p> <p>The illusion went viral on the weekend, with many questioning the reason behind the strange mental quirk. Well, one Reddit user may have found the answer, as described in a 2000 paper titled <em>Variations on the Hermann Grid: An Extinction Illusion</em>.</p> <p>“When the white disks in a scintillating grid are reduced in size, and outlined in black, they tend to disappear,” the paper says. “One sees only a few of them at a time, in clusters which move erratically on the page. Where they are not seen, the grey alleys seem to be continuous, generating grey crossings that are not actually present.”</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/07/counting-bars-optical-illusion/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Counting bars optical illusion</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/2016/07/incredible-optical-illusion-paintings/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Optical illusion paintings bowling people over</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/02/duck-or-rabbit-optical-illusions-says-a-lot-about-you/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>What you see in this optical illusions says a lot about you</strong></em></span></a></p>

News