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What’s the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest? One’s about plumbing, the other wiring

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-todorovic-1210507">Michael Todorovic</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-barton-1184088">Matthew Barton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> In July 2023, rising US basketball star Bronny James collapsed on the court during practice and was sent to hospital. The 18-year-old athlete, son of famous LA Lakers’ veteran LeBron James, had experienced a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bronny-james-cardiac-arrest-3953eee8789e83f3cccfb6dd798bc54e">cardiac arrest</a>. Many media outlets incorrectly referred to the event as a “<a href="https://en.as.com/nba/lebron-james-son-bronny-plays-for-the-usc-trojans-for-the-first-time-since-suffering-a-heart-attack-n/">heart attack</a>” or used the terms interchangeably. A cardiac arrest and a heart attack are distinct yet overlapping concepts associated with the heart. With some background in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKrgEv7-rVM&t=16s">how the heart works</a>, we can see how they differ and how they’re related. <h2>Understanding the heart</h2> The heart is a muscle that contracts to work as a pump. When it contracts it pushes blood – containing oxygen and nutrients – to all the tissues of our body. For the heart muscle to work effectively as a pump, it needs to be fed its own blood supply, delivered by the coronary arteries. If these arteries are blocked, the heart muscle doesn’t get the blood it needs. This can cause the heart muscle to become injured or die, and results in the heart not pumping properly. <h2>Heart attack or cardiac arrest?</h2> Simply put, a heart attack, technically known as a myocardial infarction, describes injury to, or death of, the heart muscle. A cardiac arrest, sometimes called a sudden cardiac arrest, is when the heart stops beating, or put another way, stops working as an effective pump. In other words, both relate to the heart not working as it should, but for different reasons. As we’ll see later, one can lead to the other. <h2>Why do they happen? Who’s at risk?</h2> Heart attacks typically result from blockages in the coronary arteries. Sometimes this is called coronary artery disease, but in Australia, we tend to refer to it as ischaemic heart disease. The underlying cause in about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507799/#:%7E:text=It%20has%20been%20reported%20that,increases%20beyond%20age%2050%20years.">75% of people</a> is a process called <a href="https://youtu.be/jwL4lkSlvSA?si=H2as7dQkhbIqWWkU">atherosclerosis</a>. This is where fatty and fibrous tissue build up in the walls of the coronary arteries, forming a plaque. The plaque can block the blood vessel or, in some instances, lead to the formation of a blood clot. Atherosclerosis is a long-term, stealthy process, with a number of risk factors that can sneak up on anyone. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diet, diabetes, stress, and your genes have all been implicated in this plaque-building process. Other causes of heart attacks include spasms of the coronary arteries (causing them to constrict), chest trauma, or anything else that reduces blood flow to the heart muscle. Regardless of the cause, blocking or reducing the flow of blood through these pipes can result in the heart muscle not receiving enough oxygen and nutrients. So cells in the heart muscle can be injured or die. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Heart attack vs cardiac arrest" /></a><figcaption>Here’s a simple way to remember the difference. Author provided</figcaption></figure> But a cardiac arrest is the result of heartbeat irregularities, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively around the body. These heartbeat irregularities are generally due to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_soKG-Tzh0&t=903s">electrical malfunctions</a> in the heart. There are four distinct types: <ul> <li> ventricular tachycardia: a rapid and abnormal heart rhythm in which the heartbeat is more than <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10541285/">100 beats per minute</a> (normal adult, resting heart rate is generally 60-90 beats per minute). This fast heart rate prevents the heart from filling with blood and thus pumping adequately </li> <li> ventricular fibrillation: instead of regular beats, the heart quivers or “fibrillates”, resembling a bag of worms, resulting in an irregular heartbeat greater than 300 beats per minute </li> <li> pulseless electrical activity: arises when the heart muscle fails to generate sufficient pumping force after electrical stimulation, resulting in no pulse </li> <li> asystole: the classic flat-line heart rhythm you see in movies, indicating no electrical activity in the heart. </li> </ul> Cardiac arrest can arise from numerous underlying conditions, both heart-related and not, such as drowning, trauma, asphyxia, electrical shock and drug overdose. James’ cardiac arrest was attributed to a <a href="https://www.espn.com.au/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38260006/bronny-james-cardiac-arrest-caused-congenital-heart-defect">congenital heart defect</a>, a heart condition he was born with. But among the many causes of a cardiac arrest, ischaemic heart disease, such as a heart attack, stands out as the most common cause, accounting <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11898927/">for 70%</a> of all cases. So how can a heart attack cause a cardiac arrest? You’ll remember that during a heart attack, heart muscle can be damaged or parts of it may die. This damaged or dead tissue can disrupt the heart’s ability to conduct electrical signals, increasing the risk of developing arrhythmias, possibly causing a cardiac arrest. So while a heart attack is a common cause of cardiac arrest, a cardiac arrest generally does not cause a heart attack. <h2>What do they look like?</h2> Because a cardiac arrest results in the sudden loss of effective heart pumping, the most common signs and symptoms are a sudden loss of consciousness, absence of pulse or heartbeat, stopping of breathing, and pale or blue-tinged skin. But the common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain or discomfort, which can show up in other regions of the body such as the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Also frequent are shortness of breath, nausea, light-headedness, looking pale, and sweating. <h2>What’s the take-home message?</h2> While both heart attack and cardiac arrest are disorders related to the heart, they differ in their mechanisms and outcomes. A heart attack is like a blockage in the plumbing supplying water to a house. But a cardiac arrest is like an electrical malfunction in the house’s wiring. Despite their different nature both conditions can have severe consequences and require immediate medical attention.<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/229633/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-todorovic-1210507">Michael Todorovic</a>, Associate Professor of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-barton-1184088">Matthew Barton</a>, Senior lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/whats-the-difference-between-a-heart-attack-and-cardiac-arrest-ones-about-plumbing-the-other-wiring-229633">original article</a>. </div>

Body

The travel hack giving travellers two holidays in one

When it comes to a long-haul flight, a stopover can be exactly what you need to stretch your legs and recharge before the next leg of your journey. But some eager travellers are getting even more out of their stopovers, by booking a few nights in their stopover destination and effectively getting two holidays in one. The “two-for-one holiday” trend is especially popular for those travelling from Australia and New Zealand, as it takes many, many hours to travel from Oceania to Europe, the US, or basically anywhere else in the world. Rather than looking at layovers as a hassle that just prolongs your journey, data shows that travellers are opting to use them as a way to explore new destinations and extend their holidays. According to data from travel search engine <a href="https://www.skyscanner.com.au/">Skyscanner</a>, there has been a notable uptick in bookings for long-haul flights to destinations such as Istanbul, London, Shanghai, and India. When travelling to Europe or the US, many travellers stopover in Asian cities such as Hong Kong, Bangkok in Thailand, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, or Singapore. Alternatively, many stopovers occur in the UAE and Middle East area, with some flights stopping in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or even Qatar. It’s easy to book your stopover holiday when booking your flights. Just select your original flight to your final destination, but change your second flight to leave the stopover destination a few days later. Skyscanner's travel expert Cyndi Hui told <a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/holiday-hacks-two-in-one-stopover-destination/9e77c117-3a14-49a0-903f-b9847bc92fe0">9Travel</a> of the travel hack: "With Australia being so far from many global hubs, taking the time to enjoy a stopover instead of rushing through airports allows Australians to truly make the most of their travel experiences". "It's a savvy way to make the most of their travel time, turning what used to be just a stopover into a memorable part of the adventure." Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

What’s a recession – and how can we tell if we’re in one?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leonora-risse-405312">Leonora Risse</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a> Today’s <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/national-accounts/australian-national-accounts-national-income-expenditure-and-product/latest-release">economic data</a> shows that, outside of the pandemic, the Australian economy has slowed down to its lowest annual rate of growth since the early-1990s recession. That’s prompting the dreaded question: are we headed for another one? Any mention of the “R” word can trigger anxiety. Recessions bring job losses and financial strain, and put serious pressure on people’s mental health. These impacts can be especially severe for people who are already experiencing disadvantage and vulnerabilities. But what exactly does it mean to be in a recession? What are the different ways we define them? And are these current approaches the best way to measure people’s economic pain? <h2>What’s a recession?</h2> A bit like the waves of the ocean, our economy is characterised by ebbs and flows in overall activity. Spending and business growth can swell during times of confidence, but slow down when optimism deflates or the economy is hit by an unexpected shock such as a pandemic or climate disaster. This pattern is what economists describe as “the business cycle”. Most of the time, our economy is constantly growing, even if the pace varies. Conventionally, we measure this pace by tracking changes in the level of <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/economic-growth.html">gross domestic product</a> (GDP) – the overall volume of items and services being produced, bought and sold in the economy. The <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/national-accounts/australian-national-accounts-national-income-expenditure-and-product/jun-2024">latest economic growth rates</a> of 0.2% for the June quarter, and 1% over the past year, tell us that the Australian economy is still growing, even if at a slower pace than previous years. Occasionally, the economy slows down to such a grind that economic activity, from one quarter to the next, shrinks. When this happens, the GDP measurements come out negative. When we have two negative measurements of GDP in a row, this is defined as a <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/recession.html">technical recession</a>. This is what happened to most countries around the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, Australia hadn’t experienced a technical recession since 1991. The latest figures tell us Australia is staying afloat for now. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t feel like a recession to many people. Some other metrics show why. <h2>Other measures of recession</h2> Growth in economic activity is fuelled, in part, by a growing population. Dividing total economic output by the population size, GDP per capita can offer a more accurate picture of people’s economic reality. This population-adjusted measure of economic growth has long fallen into negative territory. Today’s figures tell us that Australia’s GDP per person has been shrinking for 18 months. Our annual per capita growth rate is now -1.5%. <figure class="align-right zoomable"></figure> In the United States, recessions are measured differently again. Recessions are officially declared by the National Bureau of Economic Research (<a href="https://www.nber.org/research/business-cycle-dating">NBER</a>). Unlike technical recessions, these aren’t based on a simple rule. NBER considers a range of measures beyond GDP – including personal income, employment, personal consumption, wholesale and retail sales, and industrial production across multiple sectors – when deciding whether to declare a US recession. <h2>Is Australia heading for a recession?</h2> This is a challenging question to answer because the GDP figures economists conventionally use to diagnose the situation only come to light after a recession hits. Today’s economic figures from the ABS are for the June 2024 quarter – now more than two months old. Measurements of the current economic climate won’t come through in official statistics for some time. If it occurs, by the time a recession is officially diagnosed, we’re usually well and truly in it. A similar limitation applies to the retrospective approach of the <a href="https://www.nber.org/research/business-cycle-dating">NBER</a>, which “waits until it is confident that a recession has occurred”. It’s like a weather forecaster declaring a cyclone has hit only after the wind gusts have blown your roof away. But we can use other metrics to alert ourselves to recession risks before the eye of the storm hits. <h2>Using jobs numbers as a recession alert</h2> One approach is the <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SAHMCURRENT">Sahm Rule</a>, named after its creator, US economist Claudia Sahm. By analysing patterns in the monthly unemployment data that preceded past recessions, Sahm devised a <a href="https://stayathomemacro.substack.com/p/the-sahm-rule-step-by-step">formula</a> to detect when increases in the current unemployment rate were rapid enough to pose a recession risk. The advantage of this approach is that unemployment statistics come out more quickly and frequently than GDP numbers. Many would also argue that monitoring unemployment, rather than GDP, is a more meaningful metric to reflect people’s everyday experiences of the economy and wellbeing. The Sahm approach tracks how quickly the national unemployment rate is currently rising compared to the past year. It’s calculated by comparing the current three-month moving average of the national unemployment rate to this figure’s lowest value in the previous 12 months. This “moving average” approach smooths out the bumpiness of monthly figures. A jump of 0.5% or more signals the economy’s current pattern is on the cusp of recession. While the Sahm formula was developed for the US economy, it does a fairly good job of waving a red flag where recessions previously occurred in the Australian economy, too. Australia’s latest unemployment rate – inching up to 4.2% in July 2024 – pushed the Sahm value up to 0.5%. <iframe id="3d239" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/3d239/5/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> This indicator doesn’t necessarily mean that a recession will occur. But it suggests policymakers should be on high alert. The Sahm indicator also validates the experiences of job seekers who – despite official definitions that the economy is not in recession – are personally feeling the pressures of a slowing economy and shrinking job opportunities. As our approaches to measuring and managing the ups and downs of the economy continue to evolve, these people-centred metrics are an increasingly important part of our toolkit.<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/238199/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leonora-risse-405312">Leonora Risse</a>, Associate Professor in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/whats-a-recession-and-how-can-we-tell-if-were-in-one-238199">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Why aren’t the Olympics and Paralympics combined into one Games? The reasoning goes beyond logistics

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-misener-992664">Laura Misener</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-university-882">Western University</a> As the lights go out on an outstanding Olympic Games in Paris, with <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/press-release/7-in-10-canadians-tune-in-for-paris-2024">record-breaking media attention</a> and <a href="https://olympic.ca/press/paris-2024-team-canada-brings-home-historic-medal-haul/">excellent medal results for Team Canada</a>, it’s important to remember the Games aren’t over — it’s just the halfway mark. While the closing ceremonies on Aug. 11 seemed like the end of the event with the <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/as-the-olympic-flame-heads-for-los-angeles-what-can-we-expect-from-the-2028-games-1.6997247">official handover to Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Games</a>, the 2024 Games are really just on pause. This two-week break between Olympic and Paralympic Games isn’t a respite at all. Paris is now getting ready to host the Paralympic Games, which will <a href="https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/information/competition-schedule-for-the-paralympic-games">begin on Aug. 28 with the opening ceremony</a>. In two weeks, a whole new set of elite international athletes will descend on Paris for the <a href="https://olympics.com/en/sports/paralympic/">third largest sporting event</a> in the world. Canada will be sending <a href="https://paralympic.ca/news/team-of-126-canadian-athletes-set-to-compete-at-paris-2024-paralympic-games/">126 athletes to the Paris Paralympics</a> to compete in 18 sports. Staff will be working hard to set up venues for the Paralympic sports. This means tearing down some temporary venues and putting up others that facilitate accessibility for Paralympic sports, athletes and their entourage. Transforming <a href="https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/the-games/village">the village</a>, which housed just over 14,000 athletes and team personnel for the Olympics, to get it ready for the 8,000 para athletes and staff for the Paralympic Games is no simple feat. <h2>A logistical nightmare</h2> At this juncture, the question often arises as to why the Olympics and Paralympics aren’t combined together into one Games. The reasoning behind the decision is more complicated than it might appear. In 2001, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee signed the <a href="https://www.paralympic.org/feature/2-historic-one-bid-one-city-agreement">One Bid, One City</a> agreement to protect the interests of the Paralympic Games. The agreement requires host cities to stage both the Olympic and Paralympic Games using the same venues, facilities and infrastructure. This also unites the two sporting movements. The sheer size of such an event would make it impossible for almost any city to host a single combined Olympic and Paralympic Games. Consider the logistics of an event that would include approximately 15,000 athletes over 50 sporting disciplines. In the current iteration, there are already 15 cities outside of Paris playing host to events. For instance, sailing was <a href="https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/venues/marseille-marina">held in Marseille</a>, shooting was <a href="https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/venues/chateauroux-shooting-centre">held in Châteauroux</a> and the rowing and canoe-kayak events were <a href="https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/venues/vaires-sur-marne-nautical-stadium">held in Vaires-sur-Marne</a>. Even a city with the resources and infrastructure of Paris could not, and would not, host an event of that size. Combining the games would necessitate a change in structure, and inevitably sports — likely Paralympic sports — would be dropped. Hence the two-week break between Games. <h2>Paralympics deserve their own spotlight</h2> The discussion about the separation of the two events goes much deeper than logistical concerns. Some supporters of the Paralympic Games see the need and value for a <a href="https://time.com/7004176/olympic-paralympic-games-separate/">separate event</a> that showcases and highlights elite athletes with disabilities. IPC President Andrew Parsons, for example, argues that hosting the Paralympic Games separately <a href="https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1147694/merging-olympic-and-paralympic-games">focuses on their broader mission</a> of drawing attention to “issues of disability rights, accessibility, and broader areas of inclusion for the legacy of the event.” The distinct Paralympic event showcases the elite performances of Para athletes, giving them the attention and celebration deserved. All too often, Para athletes’ successes are overshadowed by the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795221103410">tendency of media to prioritize non-disabled athletes</a>, often marginalizing or overlooking the achievements of athletes with disabilities. The challenge, then, is for the host city to maintain the momentum from the Olympics and ensure Paralympic athletes receive the recognition they deserve for their sporting successes. The Canadian Paralympic Committee launched their <a href="https://paralympic.ca/games/paris-2024/">Greatness Moves Us</a> campaign recently to highlight the stories of excellence of Paralympic athletes and galvanize support and viewership. <h2>A lasting legacy</h2> Ultimately, the Paralympic Games showcase elite sporting excellence in a way that no other event does. But the Games are about so much more — championing inclusion, disability rights and a lasting legacy of social change. Paris is an example of a city that has stepped up to the challenge. It put <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/06/travel/paris-olympics-accessibility-disabled.html">accessibility at the centre of its bid</a>, knowing full well the challenge ahead of them in the historic city. Leading into the Games, the city has made good on <a href="https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1147595/paris-accessibility-paralympics-games">many promises around accessibility</a> and increasing opportunities for people with disabilities. The city upgraded the overground transportation network by adding fully accessible bus and tram lines, and introduced 1,000 accessible taxis. They also tackled some challenging tasks, such as upgrading historic venues into accessible sporting spaces. More than €10 million was allocated to improve the accessibility of six major sports facilities, including the <a href="https://www.paris.fr/en/pages/georges-vallerey-swimming-pool-reopens-after-renovation-work-27046">Georges Vallerey swimming pool</a> and the <a href="https://www.paris.fr/en/pages/the-pierre-de-coubertin-stadium-has-been-renovated-for-the-olympic-games-27211">Pierre de Coubertin stadium</a>. The aim is to sustain the momentum, not only between the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but long after they conclude, with the goal of creating a more <a href="https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/our-commitments/promoting-the-role-of-sports/more-inclusive-society">inclusive society</a> in France. Leading up to the start of the Paralympics, there is some concern about whether the momentum will be there from a viewership perspective and spectators in the stands. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games set records for viewership in a Games that was largely devoid of spectators in the stand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. American <a href="https://www.wkar.org/wkar-news/2022-01-17/opinion-sports-are-a-shared-human-experience-bringing-us-joy-and-drama-so-it-is-time-to-appreciate-the-paralympics-on-par-with-the-olympics">television network NBC</a> reported 15.5 million viewers per night for the 2020 Olympic Games, in contrast to 14 million viewers in total for the 2020 Paralympic Games. But many of us will be looking more at the momentum of the event to be a catalyst for inclusion, access and opportunity beyond the events. Once all the lights go out on the Games, it is the lasting legacy of social change that will be the ultimate judge of the success of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.<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/236670/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-misener-992664">Laura Misener</a>, Professor & Director, School of Kinesiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-university-882">Western University</a> Image credits: ALI HAIDER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-arent-the-olympics-and-paralympics-combined-into-one-games-the-reasoning-goes-beyond-logistics-236670">original article</a>. </div>

International Travel

The gift of a lifetime: How one busy mum found peace of mind and left a lasting legacy

Anita lives in Sydney with her husband and three sons. She recently chose to include a gift to Lifeline Australia when writing her Will with an online Will-writing service called <a href="https://www.gatheredhere.com.au/c/lifeline-au?gh_cuid=Oxs_YC7byb&gh_cch=%40campaign%2Fchannel%2Fnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gathered Here</a>. “My Will has been in the making for the last five years and it has always been pushed down on the prioritisation list due to the high cost of seeing a solicitor and us being a very busy family with young kids,” says Anita. “When I found out about Gathered Here, I thought I may as well check it out, and after 10 minutes I had a Will! The process was simple and straightforward without any complicated legal jargon to cut through. “Within the Will-writing process, summarising my wishes was an important and practical step for me. I want to ease the situation for my loved ones I leave behind by providing emotional and financial certainty in a time of confusion and grief. “There is also an opportunity to nominate and leave gifts to my favourite charities. I have three young boys and having some insight into the mental health challenges in Australia made my decision of allocating a portion of my estate to Lifeline Australia very easy. “Seeing an organisation like Lifeline continuously dedicate their effort, time and professionalism at the highest level to ensure that no one is ever alone in crisis provides me with hope of a better world for my children.” Lifeline is a national charity providing people in Australia experiencing emotional distress with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. Tragically, over 3,000 people in Australia lose their lives to suicide every year. This year, Lifeline will receive well over 1 million contacts from people in crisis. Every 30 seconds, someone in Australia reaches out to Lifeline. Lifeline exists to ensure that no person in Australia has to face their toughest moments alone, and believes that through connection, hope can be found. Lifeline Australia has partnered with Gathered Here to offer you the opportunity to <a href="https://www.gatheredhere.com.au/c/lifeline-au?gh_cuid=Oxs_YC7byb&gh_cch=%40campaign%2Fchannel%2Fnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">write your Will online for free</a> this Include a Charity Week, which runs from the 2nd – 8th September and is dedicated to raising awareness of how anyone can make a lasting impact to causes that they care about with a gift in their Will. You’ll also be able to make free and unlimited changes to your Will for life. Gathered Here provides end-of-life services through probate, funerals and online Wills. They are supported by an in-house legal team of highly experienced Wills and estate lawyers who have reviewed and vetted the Will writing process. Gathered Here's online Will-writing service allows you to appoint guardians for your children and pets, set out how you want to divide your estate and leave gifts to charities that mean the most to you - like Lifeline. After you've provided for those closest to you, <a href="https://www.gatheredhere.com.au/c/lifeline-au?gh_cuid=Oxs_YC7byb&gh_cch=%40campaign%2Fchannel%2Fnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaving a gift to Lifeline Australia is a lasting and meaningful way that you can have an impact for years to come</a>. You will be helping to prevent suicide and save lives in future generations. Gifts in Wills make a phenomenal difference to charities, including Lifeline. This is why a growing number of people understand that once they have provided for their loved ones, leaving a gift in their Will is one of the most powerful ways they can support Lifeline, without incurring any financial costs during their lifetime. If you would like to learn more, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Lifeline Australia’s Gifts in Wills Specialist Abi Steiner via email at <a href="mailto:giftsinwills@lifeline.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">giftsinwills@lifeline.org.au</a> or phone on 02 8099 1974. If you, or someone you know, are feeling distressed or overwhelmed, we encourage you to connect with Lifeline in the way you feel most comfortable. For 24/7 crisis support, you can phone Lifeline to speak to a Crisis Supporter on 13 11 14, text 0477 131 114, chat to Lifeline online or access the Support Toolkit to self-manage what you’re going through at <a href="http://www.lifeline.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.lifeline.org.au</a>. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Lifeline Australia. Image: Lifeline Australia

Money & Banking

Expert's number one complaint against grey nomads

An Aussie farm contractor has taken aim at "entitled" travellers at campsites, many of whom are "grey nomads". Victoria, aged in her 30s, spends a lot of time on the road travelling for work as she "runs the bar and does a bit of camp hosting" at Charlotte Plains, an outback sheep station and campground almost 800 kilometres west of Brisbane. Through her job, Victoria said most of her clientele at the campsites are over the age of 50, and she claims most of her problems are with these older travellers. Although she "doesn't want to generalise too much", she does "feel the need to speak out about them" so the younger generation "know what not to do" and become "better people". Speaking to <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/the-game-changing-trend-taking-over-australian-4wd-camping-sites-021745171.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News Australia</a>, Victoria said in addition to their "general sense of entitlement", grey nomads, in her experience, had a tendency to "mansplain" issues she's acutely aware of, flout campsite rules, disregard safety policies and even resort to stealing from her. "I've experienced a lot with grey nomads," she told Yahoo. "I've worked on farms for years. I'm very experienced with operating machinery. I drive my caravan well, a lot better than a lot of these guys, some of whom even need help reversing." "But I guess the biggest issue I find is handling grey nomads, in particular is theft. I travelled South America in my 20s, and the only thing that ever went missing was a jar of Vegemite. Let me tell you, if my stuff is not nailed down, with grey nomads around — they've stolen it." Victoria said it's "more than just toilet paper" that goes missing at campsites, recalling, "It will be hose fittings that are still on the hose. It could be a whole hose. A grey nomad stole my jockey wheel the other day — it's travelled the whole country in the same spot, and then the other day somebody sole it. Even my sunglasses." "I don't want to categorise all baby boomers into one, but it's just that these are the people that I deal with," she argued, adding "there are bad people in every generation" but she says she rarely encounters badly behaved travellers under 40. While Victoria says she doesn't want to over-generalise, she's been astounded by some of the disrespectful actions she's seen at the hand of the elderly travellers. Speaking out in a bid to raise awareness of campsite safety and to deter young people from "acting like baby boomers", Victoria said she hopes by making her ordeals public it'll promote more courtesy from grey nomads in the future. "The next generation is growing up fast," she said. "Hopefully the younger ones don't do the same things and are bit more courteous to others". Image credits: TikTok

Travel Trouble

Sorting a loved one’s finances after their death – what you need to know

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-reed-1548385">Kate Reed</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sheffield-1147">University of Sheffield</a> Financial anxiety is often talked about, but rarely in the context of bereavement. Following the death of a loved one, relatives usually have to complete a range of financial “death administration” tasks. These can be anything from closing bank accounts and settling utility bills to managing probate (things like property sales, asset management and inheritance distribution). The <a href="https://bereavementcommission.org.uk/media/xube5elb/ukbc_summary_report_low-res.pdf">UK Commission on Bereavement</a> has estimated that 61% of adults struggle to deal with such time consuming and time sensitive administrative responsibilities. While research has begun to shed light on some of the financial difficulties bereaved people can face after the death of a <a href="https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12905-015-0194-1">spouse</a> or a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1468-4446.12190">family member</a>, the emotional toll of navigating financial admin after bereavement remains <a href="https://www.bereavementjournal.org/index.php/bcj/article/view/1114">largely invisible</a>. But the good news is there are several resources that can help bereaved people to navigate these processes, including the UK government’s own <a href="https://www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies">step-by-step guide</a>. We conducted <a href="https://thenbs.org/partnerships/death-admin-research-report">research</a> on death admin in collaboration with the <a href="https://thenbs.org/">National Bereavement Service</a>, an organisation that provides free practical and emotional support for anyone who has lost a loved-one. The study showed how government services provide a gateway to sorting out a range of financial issues. Financial organisations require proof of the death through a death certificate. This is provided when you <a href="https://www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies">register</a> a death with the local registrar of births, marriages and deaths. Where there is an inquest, an interim death certificate will be issued. Often, multiple copies of the death certificate are needed. And, at £12.50 for <a href="https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate">each copy</a> (£12 in <a href="https://www.mygov.scot/birth-death-marriage-certificate#:%7E:text=You%20can%20order%20a%20certificate,orders%20made%20in%20another%20way.">Scotland</a>), the financial burden falling on bereaved people can quickly grow. In terms of tax, pensions and benefits, the registrar provides a unique reference number that bereaved people can use to inform the government through a service called <a href="https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/organisations-you-need-to-contact-and-tell-us-once">Tell Us Once</a>. This is an initiative that notifies national and local government bodies including HM Revenue and Customs (to deal with personal tax and to cancel certain benefits and tax credits) and the Department for Work and Pensions (to cancel benefits and entitlements like universal credit or the state pension). The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/valuing-estate-of-someone-who-died?step-by-step-nav=4f1fe77d-f43b-4581-baf9-e2600e2a2b7a">government website</a> also provides help on how to value the person’s estate and work out inheritance tax. <h2>Avoiding family fall-outs</h2> But other financial aspects of death administration can be more challenging to navigate. Probate, for example, is the legal right to deal with someone’s property, money and possessions (their “estate”) when they die. You can <a href="https://www.gov.uk/applying-for-probate?step-by-step-nav=4f1fe77d-f43b-4581-baf9-e2600e2a2b7a">check</a> on the UK government website whether you require probate. It remains one of the most challenging aspects of death administration. Our <a href="https://thenbs.org/partnerships/death-admin-research-report">research</a> shows that people often seek legal advice to manage probate because they are scared to get things wrong, or because they want to avoid future disputes with family members. The process of closing bank accounts and managing assets can be straightforward when the deceased person had made clear arrangements and had few bank accounts. But financial concerns often arise in situations where there are multiple or complicated banking systems. As one of the participants in our research stated: “It’s been a real mess … my dad had quite a few properties, and it’s been quite difficult winding those down.” Worse still, bereaved people can face threatening letters from companies like utilities providers in relation to bills and closing accounts. We found organisations often lack compassion in this context. We encountered cases of companies continuing to write directly to the deceased person, causing further distress to their loved-ones. One of our participants told us that their stepmother was “still getting the bill with my father’s name on, which distresses her”. It is also worth noting that certain types of death present particular administrative and financial challenges. For example, in 2022 17% of deaths in England and Wales were subject to a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2022/coroners-statistics-2022-england-and-wales#inquests-opened">coroner’s inquest</a>. These deaths can be more difficult to administer on the Tell Us Once initiative due to the time-lag and extra bureaucracy involved. In addition, many people die without a will, which usually makes navigating financial issues much harder. The location of the death can also have financial implications. For example, our <a href="https://www.bereavementjournal.org/index.php/bcj/article/view/1114">research</a> shows how financing a care home stay is usually interconnected with inheritance or selling the person’s house, which places extra pressure on those trying to release the funds. Many organisations could make their administrative processes clearer and train their staff to be more compassionate towards people who have recently been bereaved. There are, however, glimmers of hope that things are improving. My own father died last year and while my experiences of helping my mum deal with the financial aspects of death administration have been mixed, we did experience many acts of kindness and compassion along the way. There is also excellent practical guidance out there from organisations like the <a href="https://thenbs.org/">National Bereavement Service</a>, which along with emotional support from charities like <a href="https://www.cruse.org.uk/">Cruse Bereavement Support</a> are vital to helping people navigate complex administrative systems. The COVID pandemic and death of the queen in 2022 have likely meant that, as a society, we are talking more about death and grief both publicly and privately. Death and bereavement happen to us all, and it is crucial that we talk more openly, not just about our emotional concerns, but about the practical and financial implications too.<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/231967/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-reed-1548385">Kate Reed</a>, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Sheffield Methods Institute, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sheffield-1147">University of Sheffield</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/sorting-a-loved-ones-finances-after-their-death-what-you-need-to-know-231967">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Readers response: What is one holy grail item you always pack on a holiday?

When it comes to packing for a holiday, everyone has that one special item that they make sure they have packed safely. Sometimes that one must-have thing can mean the difference between a good and bad holiday. We asked our readers what their holy grail travel item is, and the responses were overwhelming. Here's what they said. Wendy Parsons - Small fold-up umbrella. Antoinette Devlin - Definitely my phone and kindle. Lorraine Lenthall - Gym shoes. June Debono - My bunny called Dude. I'm a Grandma and he goes everywhere with me. A well travelled rabbit! Anita Thornton - My down pillow! Gail Morgan - Champagne sealer. Helen Holt - My crafts! Sewing, crocheting and knitting. Sue Perryman - Vegemite. Kathie Kirsop - Ear plugs because you never know who’s going to be your neighbour. Meg Hallissy - A sarong. Very versatile! Felicity Jill Murphy - A torch. I always pack a torch that has fresh batteries in it. Sue Bailey - Lots! Phone, charger, knee pillow, head pillow (chiro approved), folding foot stool. Chris Ballard - Comfy shoes. Carol Hanson - Lots of books. Juliet Vance - Everything I can think of. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

What’s the difference between ‘strep throat’ and a sore throat? We’re developing a vaccine for one of them

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-davis-1535254">Kim Davis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-childrens-research-institute-1027">Murdoch Children's Research Institute</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alma-fulurija-1535255">Alma Fulurija</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/telethon-kids-institute-1608">Telethon Kids Institute</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/myra-hardy-1535253">Myra Hardy</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-childrens-research-institute-1027">Murdoch Children's Research Institute</a> the time of the year for coughs, colds and sore throats. So you might have heard people talk about having a “strep throat”. But what is that? Is it just a bad sore throat that goes away by itself in a day or two? Should you be worried? Here’s what we know about the similarities and differences between strep throat and a sore throat, and why they matter. <h2>How are they similar?</h2> It’s difficult to tell the difference between a sore throat and strep throat as they look and feel similar. People usually have a fever, a bright red throat and sometimes painful lumps in the neck (swollen lymph nodes). A throat swab can help diagnose strep throat, but the results can take a few days. Thankfully, both types of sore throat usually get better <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8655103/">by themselves</a>. <h2>How are they different?</h2> Most sore throats are caused by viruses such as common cold viruses, the flu (influenza virus), or the virus that causes glandular fever (Epstein-Barr virus). These viral sore throats can occur at any age. Antibiotics don’t work against viruses so if you have a viral sore throat, you won’t get better faster if you take antibiotics. You might even have some unwanted <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK401243/#:%7E:text=People%20may%20then%20wonder%20whether,infection%2C%20such%20as%20bacterial%20tonsillitis.">antibiotic side-effects</a>. But strep throat is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria, also known as strep A. Strep throat is most common in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2217/fmb-2021-0077">school-aged children</a>, but can affect other age groups. In some cases, you may need antibiotics to avoid some rare but serious complications. In fact, the potential for complications is one key difference between a viral sore throat and strep throat. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/605956/original/file-20240710-19-irooun.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/605956/original/file-20240710-19-irooun.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/605956/original/file-20240710-19-irooun.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/605956/original/file-20240710-19-irooun.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/605956/original/file-20240710-19-irooun.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/605956/original/file-20240710-19-irooun.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/605956/original/file-20240710-19-irooun.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/605956/original/file-20240710-19-irooun.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> Generally, a viral sore throat is <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6867">very unlikely</a> to cause complications (one exception is those caused by Epstein-Barr virus which has been associated with illnesses such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3893202/">chronic fatigue syndrome</a>, <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abj8222">multiple sclerosis</a> and certain <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(22)00404-7/fulltext">cancers</a>). But strep A can cause invasive disease, a rare but serious complication. This is when bacteria living somewhere on the body (usually the skin or throat) get into another part of the body where there shouldn’t be bacteria, such as the bloodstream. This can make people extremely sick. Invasive strep A infections and deaths have been <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON429">rising in recent years</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10786649/">around the world</a>, especially in young children and older adults. This may be due to a number of factors such as increased social mixing at this stage of the COVID pandemic and an increase in circulating common cold viruses. But overall the reasons behind the increase in invasive strep A infections are not clear. Another rare but serious side effect of strep A is autoimmune disease. This is when the body’s immune system makes antibodies that react against its own cells. The most common example is <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rheumatic-heart-disease">rheumatic heart disease</a>. This is when the body’s immune system damages the heart valves a few weeks or months after a strep throat or skin infection. <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2102074?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed">Around the world</a> more than 40 million people live with rheumatic heart disease and more than 300,000 die from its complications every year, mostly in developing countries. However, parts of Australia have some of the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.50682">highest rates</a> of rheumatic heart disease in the world. <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/heart-stroke-vascular-diseases/hsvd-facts/contents/all-heart-stroke-and-vascular-disease/arf-and-rhd">More than 5,300</a> Indigenous Australians live with it. <h2>Why do some people get sicker than others?</h2> We know strep A infections and rheumatic heart disease <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/82_2012_280">are more common</a> in low socioeconomic communities where poverty and overcrowding lead to increased strep A transmission and disease. However, we don’t fully understand why some people only get a mild infection with strep throat while others get very sick with invasive disease. We also don’t understand why some people get rheumatic heart disease after strep A infections when most others don’t. Our research team is trying to find out. <h2>How about a vaccine for strep A?</h2> There is no strep A vaccine but <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6028081/">many</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8545125/">groups</a> in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6495378/">Australia</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7902606/">New Zealand</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3620221/">and</a> <a href="https://www.clinicalkey.com.au/#!/content/playContent/1-s2.0-S0264410X19316457?returnurl=https:%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0264410X19316457%3Fshowall%3Dtrue&referrer=https:%2F%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F">worldwide</a> are working towards one. For instance, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Telethon Kids Institute have formed the <a href="https://www.asavi.org.au">Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative</a> to develop strep A vaccines. There’s also a <a href="https://savac.ivi.int/">global consortium</a> working towards the same goal. Companies such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10747066/">Vaxcyte</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7696035/">GlaxoSmithKline</a> have also been developing strep A vaccines. <h2>What if I have a sore throat?</h2> Most sore throats will get better by themselves. But if yours doesn’t get better in a few days or you have ongoing fever, see your GP. Your GP can examine you, consider running some tests and help you decide if you need antibiotics.<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/230292/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-davis-1535254">Kim Davis</a>, General paediatrician and paediatric infectious diseases specialist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-childrens-research-institute-1027">Murdoch Children's Research Institute</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alma-fulurija-1535255">Alma Fulurija</a>, Immunologist and the Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative project lead, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/telethon-kids-institute-1608">Telethon Kids Institute</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/myra-hardy-1535253">Myra Hardy</a>, Postdoctoral Researcher, Infection, Immunity and Global Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-childrens-research-institute-1027">Murdoch Children's Research Institute</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/whats-the-difference-between-strep-throat-and-a-sore-throat-were-developing-a-vaccine-for-one-of-them-230292">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Grandfather killed after being mistaken for kidnapper

An Indian grandfather has been tragically killed in a one-punch attack after being mistaken for a kidnapper. Mewa Singh, 60, was visiting his son and grandson in Christchurch when he suffered the fatal blow at the hands of a stranger. His 32-year-old attacker, whose name has been suppressed, was spending time at a park on April 7th 2023 with his son when he drove off and left his child behind to “teach his son a lesson” after the boy was misbehaving, according to <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350337161/totally-unfair-how-one-punch-changed-familys-life-forever" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">Stuff</a>. When he returned a short time late to pick up his son, the man saw a stranger, later identified as Singh, holding his son’s hand near a bus stop and became enraged, shoving Singh and yelling “that’s my f****** son”. He drove the child back to his ex-partner’s house and explained the situation, when his son allegedly said, Singh was “trying to walk him to daddy’s car”. The man then decided to drive back to the park to find Singh, where he confronted the grandfather by grabbing his shirt collar and accusing him of trying to abduct his son. He then delivered a “haymaker-style punch” to his jaw, which caused Singh to fall backwards and hit his head on the pavement. Believing Singh to be dead, his attacker left and told his ex-partner he thought he killed him, prompting her to phone emergency services. Despite being treated in the ICU at Christchurch Hospital, Singh did not regain consciousness and died on April 9th. Singh’s attacker faced Christchurch High Court on Friday, when he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and is scheduled to be sentenced in October. Speaking to <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350337161/totally-unfair-how-one-punch-changed-familys-life-forever" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stuff</a> about the attack 15 months on, Singh’s son Himanshu Keshwer said his family was still beyond devastated at the sudden loss. “He was a very good human being,” he said. Keshwer said what happened to his father was “totally unfair”. “Someone killed my dad and I couldn’t do anything, and still can’t do anything,” he told the outlet. “It makes me sad, it shouldn’t have happened.” A <a href="https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/helping-and-support-the-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">fundraiser</a> was launched to support Singh’s family and transport his body back to India, raising $16,316, which exceeded the $15,000 goal. Image credits: givealittle.co.nz

Caring

"Worst nightmare": Teen dies one day after flu diagnosis

William Jones was complaining of a sore throat and cough last month and when his mum called the doctor, they were told that it was most likely the flu. However, the following morning when Rebecca Rollason went to check on her 16-year-old son, he was found unresponsive in his bed in their Wellington home. "We ask ourselves how what started as a sore throat, snotty nose and a cough on Tuesday to no longer with us three days later," the grieving mum told the NZ Herald. "No one understands, we don't know what happened... it feels like the worst nightmare that we cannot wake from." Rollason explained that her family have to "wait for results" in hopes of understanding what happened and how the teenager, who was barely sick, passed away so suddenly. "We just don’t understand how this can happen to a boy who was barely ever sick and was very healthy," she said. "It is an incredibly hard and devastating time for us." A family friend has helped set up a <a href="https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/rebecca-lost-her-son-william-last-friday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fundraising page</a> to help relieve the financial pressure on her and William's two brothers while they grieve. "It is every parents worst nightmare and a shocking tragedy to lose a healthy child from a sudden and brief illness," a statement from the fundraising page read. "The money will help the family with funeral costs and ease Financial burden while they grieve and come to terms with Williams passing." On July 1 they shared an update on the fundraising page, saying: "Rebecca and family would like all to know that are incredibly grateful for all the support and kindness." Image: Givealittle

Caring

I watched some 40 films at this year’s Sydney Film Festival. Here are my top five picks – and one hilarious flop

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ari-mattes-97857">Ari Mattes</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-australia-852">University of Notre Dame Australia</a> This year’s <a href="https://www.sff.org.au/">Sydney Film Festival’s</a> rich offerings of films more than compensated for the minor technical issues that led to some screenings being interrupted. Out of the 40-odd films I saw, here are my top five, along with some notable mentions and three disappointments (including a genuine dud). <h2>1. The Girl with the Needle</h2> Cowritten and directed by Swedish filmmaker Magnus von Horn, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_with_the_Needle">The Girl with the Needle</a> is loosely based on the story of notorious early-20th century serial killer Dagmar Overbye. But this is no procedural true crime film, painstakingly attempting to recreate crimes with historical accuracy. It’s a stylish Danish nightmare dazzling with cinematic acrobatics right from the opening sequence, in which black and white faces hideously morph, looking at the viewer like deranged figures from a hellish circus. It is, indeed, one of the most terrifying films I’ve seen. The narrative follows the struggles of new mother Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne) as she gives her baby to Dagmar’s informal adoption agency and begins working with her as a wet nurse, unaware of what’s really going on. Sonne is as self-assured as ever – and none of the actors put a foot wrong here. Seasoned Danish film star Trine Dyrholm is exceptional in bringing nuance to what could have become a caricaturishly evil role as Dagmar. And Besir Zeciri endows Peter, a war-wounded veteran who can only find employment in a circus freakshow, with an unexpected warmth and tenderness. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VlyW-z1xbO4?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The Girl with the Needle features some of the most distressing sequences one could find in a commercial film. Its meticulously rendered shades of German expressionism never distract from its smorgasbord of horrors, offering an almost unbearably bleak vision of the world in the aftermath of the Great War. If only all films were this good! <h2>2. Dying</h2> I’d normally suppress a yawn if you told me I had to sit through a three-hour social realist drama about the everyday difficulties of a bourgeois German conductor and his family. Yet writer-director Matthias Glasner’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dying_(2024_film)">Dying</a> is a near perfect film (no surprise it won <a href="https://www.screendaily.com/news/matthias-glasners-dying-wins-german-lola-for-best-film/5193046.article">four prizes</a> at the German Film Awards). The film is complex and engrossing – deeply sad in places and hysterical in others – formally controlled, but underpinned by an anarchic sensibility. It is life-affirming without any skerrick of sentimentality. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kagVqEfPxFw?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Lars Eidinger is astonishingly good as maestro Tom, who is trying to keep his career on track as his family life crumbles around him. He is matched by Lilith Stangenberg, mesmerising as his unhinged sister Ellen. Robert Gwisdek is equally exceptional as the highly strung composer and friend Bernard, while Corinna Harfouch anchors the film’s first section as Tom’s far from maternal mother, Lissy. At one point, Ingmar Bergman’s 1982 period film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_and_Alexander">Fanny and Alexander</a> is playing on the TV (Tom watches it every Christmas). Even though Dying feels like a contemporary film committed to interrogating the difficulties of being in the modern world, there’s something of late Bergman here as it unfolds across its epic length. It is a three-hour film about middle-class life, but like a great 19th-century novel, it never feels long. The fact that nothing particularly extraordinary happens is testament to how well-made the film is. <h2>3. Kill</h2> Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s Indian action film <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kill_2023_2">Kill</a> is cheesy, sentimental and at first seems remarkably silly. Commando Amrit, played by beefy TV star Lakshya, is travelling to New Delhi by train with his buddy, fellow commando Viresh (Abhishek Chauhan). His true love Tulika (Tanya Maniktala) is also on board and has recently become engaged to another man through an arrangement by her wealthy father, Baldev Singh Thakur (Harsh Chhaya), who happens to own the train company. When a group of 30-plus bandits led by the charming but ice-cold Fani (Raghav Juyal) move to rob the train, Amrit must defend Tulika, her family and the rest of the passengers. When the title card appears 40 minutes into the film, suddenly emblazoned on the screen, it seems like a distracting quirk at first. But it begins to make sense as the train rolls on. All of the violence and bone-crushing action of the first section is mere preamble, leading to a point of transition from an extremely violent but fun action film, to a much darker – and bloodier – revenge film. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/da7lKeeS67c?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Kill is an exceptionally well-wrought genre film. The kinetic and balletic action recalls the golden era of Hong Kong action cinema, but with hammers, daggers and sickles instead of guns and the frenetic staging of hand-to-hand combat instead of poetic slow-motion footage. It is also a great example of a film being more than the sum of its parts. No element is perfect, yet they come together to transcend these limitations, its flow reaching sublime levels by the end. There’s also an undercurrent of sadness throughout. We see an India of haves and have-nots, of families of bandits struggling to survive and of the supreme violence sustaining the social and political order. As Fani says to Amrit near the end: “Who kills like this? I killed four of your people. You finished off 40 of my family. You’re not a protector. You’re a monster. A fucking monster.” The title says it all. <h2>4. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story</h2> Biographical films about celebrities inevitably feel gossipy. Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super/Man:_The_Christopher_Reeve_Story">Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story</a> is no exception. But it is so well made (and well-resourced, one would imagine, as it’s produced by DC) that it moves beyond its tabloid-like qualities. Interviews with Reeve’s friends and colleagues, including Susan Sarandon, Glenn Close and Jeff Daniels, are interspersed with home footage shot by Reeve and his family throughout his career and during his recovery from the near-fatal riding accident that left him paralysed and breathing through a respirator for the rest of his life. Reeve’s close friendship with “brother” Robin Williams assumes central importance, with the film implying the two men were so emotionally dependent on each other that Williams would probably still be alive if Reeve hadn’t died in 2004. But the most interesting parts of the film involve carefully assembled archival footage looking at how Reeve’s decision to play Superman negatively impacted his career and personal life. He never starred in another profitable film, and his father and colleagues such as William Hurt loathed his decision to play a comic book character. This is counterpointed with his post-accident career as a director and disability advocate. Interviews with Reeve’s children add a genuinely tragic sense of pathos to this slick, well-made and emotionally exhausting “true Hollywood” story. It’s everything one could want from such a documentary. <h2>5. Kneecap</h2> Cowriter-director Rich Peppiatt’s Kneecap is a riotous, irreverent biopic following the career of Belfast drug-dealers Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara as they team up with high school music teacher DJ Próvai to become the first Irish-language rap group, Kneecap. The real <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-66408560">Kneecappers</a> cowrote the film and play themselves and, given none of them are actors, do so remarkably well. They’re joined by Irish heavyweights Josie Walker, playing the detective who has it in for them, and Michael Fassbender, playing Móglaí’s father, an old-school Irish radical who has been on the run for the past few decades. The film depicts their hedonistic drug use and anarchic disregard for the law in the context of their radical political motivation to speak Irish against the colonial English. And while it may be a bit cartoonish in its presentation of Belfast’s history and the struggle to keep Gaelic alive, it is a music biopic after all. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FFYfp-hKxZQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Kneecap is violent, coarse and laced with infectiously good humour – a genuinely fun film, buoyed by its charismatic stars and lively style. Only the most stringent moralist wouldn’t enjoy this one! <h2>Notable mentions</h2> It’s extremely difficult to pick a top five when 15 or so of the films I saw were standouts. And this is testament to the quality of the festival’s selection. It was a pleasure watching heavyweight Sean Penn go head-to-head with Dakota Johnson in writer-director Christy Hall’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daddio_(film)">Daddio</a>, even if the story takes an uninteresting turn in the final third. Despite the banality of the premise – a New York cabbie chats with a passenger – and the inanity of some of the dialogue, this romantic ode to urban life in all its alienated, fluoro-lit techno glory is so well crafted that we happily go along for the ride. Equally affective is the melancholic and beautifully performed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puan_(film)">Puan</a>, a restrained comedy set in a University faculty in Buenos Aires. Puan could easily make my top five, as could André Téchiné’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_New_Friends_(film)">My New Friends</a>), an offbeat French melodrama starring Isabelle Huppert as a disillusioned police officer who becomes friends with an anti-cop activist in the suburbs. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cnz-6h60tkk?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>Poor performers</h2> Of the lot, I only found three films disappointing. The first, Among the Wolves, is a Belgian-French documentary in which a photographer and illustrator lie waiting in a tiny, makeshift building to encounter wild wolves. While some of the footage is striking, the film is let down by its scientific inaccuracy, such as references to the “alpha male” wolf – a term and concept that has <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/science/elements/the-myth-of-the-alpha-wolf">long been discredited</a>. Such innacuracy is a cardinal sin for a documentary, which is supposed to inform the viewer. Though critically acclaimed, Hollywood horror film The Substance – a story of an ageing entertainer who turns to a mysterious substance to stay young (with unsurprisingly horrific ramifications) – feels neither new nor particularly interesting. And while it’s great to see Demi Moore and Dennis Quaid back on the big screen, their caricaturish characters make the whole thing seem like a boring joke: an inflated short film that is both irritatingly silly and painfully didactic. But rarely does a film so resolutely reaffirm a sense of the absurd hubris of humans as Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed mega-flop, Megalopolis. This cartoonish, incoherent mess set in a dystopian version of the United States, “New Rome”, is howlingly bad in places. Imagine the worst parts of The Hunger Games and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064940/">Fellini Satyricon</a> (1969) crossed with Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead and you begin to get a sense of the kind of self-indulgent, heavy-handed nonsense that is Megalopolis. Side-splittingly funny moments come courtesy of bad dialogue (“Utopias become dystopias,” actor Giancarlo Esposito says at one point with a straight face). And stilted acting by Adam Driver and Aubrey Plaza had the (remaining) audience in stitches. Megalopolis is like one of the great fiascos from days gone by – the 21st century’s Heaven’s Gate – and there is definitely something delightful about the existence of this <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/francis-ford-coppola-funding-120-million-dollars-megalopolis-1235184765/">US$120 million</a> (roughly A$180 million) flop. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1FQzWD5xVKQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> But as a dud, Megalopolis is the outlier. And in a year following Barbie, Oppenheimer, Napoleon and Poor Things (talk about heavy-handed cinema), much of the menu of this year’s Sydney Film Festival once again proves there are still good filmmakers out there making good films.<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/232706/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ari-mattes-97857">Ari Mattes</a>, Lecturer in Communications and Media, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-australia-852">University of Notre Dame Australia</a> 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/i-watched-some-40-films-at-this-years-sydney-film-festival-here-are-my-top-five-picks-and-one-hilarious-flop-232706">original article</a>. Image: IMDB </div>

Movies

The one in-flight activity to avoid to conquer jet lag

While many people love to travel and explore new destinations, there’s no doubt that the worst part of a holiday is often the long-haul flight. With many holidays, especially ones overseas, a drastic change of timezones can mean jet lag is unavoidable, but there are a few things you can do to make life easy when you land. According to one travel expert, how you feel when you disembark often boils down to your in-flight activities. Sarah Built, who has worked up a lifetime of long-haul travel as the Etihad Airways Vice President of Sales for Australasia, told <a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/flight-tips-how-to-avoid-jet-lag/db8fbda1-2318-44c0-b9fe-e14d11dec70c">9Travel</a> that there is one thing she always avoids onboard in order to land at her destination feeling fresh: alcohol. "Whilst the allure of coffee, cocktails and snacks is real (particularly if you're travelling with kids), they can actually contribute to dehydration and worsen jet lag," she says. Instead of that in-flight beer glass of wine, Sarah says to drink water (with lime added for a twist) or herbal tea to boost your hydration and lessen that groggy mid-flight feeling. Drinking water is obviously also the key to staying hydrated, as Sarah says it's important to start drinking extra water the day before your flight, so you're going in prepared. "I carry a reusable water bottle to keep fluids up during the journey (most airports will have water stations for you to refill easily)," she says, which means you won't need to pay for an overpriced bottle at the airport. "Dehydration can cause headaches and fatigue, and you want to be able to hit the ground running on arrival, so always remember to drink plenty of water," she advises. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

The voice in your head may help you recall and process words. But what if you don’t have one?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/derek-arnold-106381">Derek Arnold</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Can you imagine hearing yourself speak? A voice inside your head – perhaps reciting a shopping list or a phone number? What would life be like if you couldn’t? Some people, including me, cannot have imagined visual experiences. We cannot close our eyes and conjure an experience of seeing a loved one’s face, or imagine our lounge room layout – to consider if a new piece of furniture might fit in it. This is called “<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-blind-and-deaf-mind-what-its-like-to-have-no-visual-imagination-or-inner-voice-226134">aphantasia</a>”, from a Greek phrase where the “a” means without, and “phantasia” refers to an image. Colloquially, people like myself are often referred to as having a “blind mind”. While most attention has been given to the inability to have imagined visual sensations, aphantasics can lack other imagined experiences. We might be unable to experience imagined tastes or smells. Some people cannot imagine hearing themselves speak. A <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/we-used-to-think-everybody-heard-a-voice-inside-their-heads-but-we-were-wrong">recent study</a> has advanced our understanding of people who cannot imagine hearing their own internal monologue. Importantly, the authors have identified some tasks that such people are more likely to find challenging. <h2>What the study found</h2> Researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09567976241243004">recruited 93 volunteers</a>. They included 46 adults who reported low levels of inner speech and 47 who reported high levels. Both groups were given challenging tasks: judging if the names of objects they had seen would rhyme and recalling words. The group without an inner monologue performed worse. But differences disappeared when everyone could say words aloud. Importantly, people who reported less inner speech were not worse at all tasks. They could recall similar numbers of words when the words had a different appearance to one another. This negates any suggestion that aphants (people with aphantasia) simply weren’t trying or were less capable. <h2>A welcome validation</h2> The study provides some welcome evidence for the lived experiences of some aphants, who are still often told their experiences are not different, but rather that they cannot describe their imagined experiences. Some people feel anxiety when they realise other people can have imagined experiences that they cannot. These feelings may be deepened when others assert they are merely confused or inarticulate. In my own <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1374349/full">aphantasia research</a> I have often quizzed crowds of people on their capacity to have imagined experiences. Questions about the capacity to have imagined visual or audio sensations tend to be excitedly endorsed by a vast majority, but questions about imagined experiences of taste or smell seem to cause more confusion. Some people are adamant they can do this, including a colleague who says he can imagine what combinations of ingredients will taste like when cooked together. But other responses suggest subtypes of aphantasia may prove to be more common than we realise. The authors of the recent study suggest the inability to imagine hearing yourself speak should be referred to as “anendophasia”, meaning without inner speech. Other authors had suggested <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8551557/">anauralia</a> (meaning without auditory imagery). Still other researchers have referred to all types of imagined sensation as being different types of “imagery”. Having <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010945222000417">consistent names</a> is important. It can help scientists “talk” to one another to compare findings. If different authors use different names, important evidence can be missed. <h2>We have more than 5 senses</h2> Debate continues about how many senses humans have, but some scientists reasonably argue for a <a href="https://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/blog/how-many-senses-do-we-have#:%7E:text=Because%20there%20is%20some%20overlap,sensation%20of%20hunger%20or%20thirst.">number greater than 20</a>. In addition to the five senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing, lesser known senses include thermoception (our sense of heat) and proprioception (awareness of the positions of our body parts). Thanks to proprioception, most of us can close our eyes and touch the tip of our index finger to our nose. Thanks to our vestibular sense, we typically have a good idea of which way is up and can maintain balance. It may be tempting to give a new name to each inability to have a given type of imagined sensation. But this could lead to confusion. Another approach would be to adapt phrases that are already widely used. People who are unable to have imagined sensations commonly refer to ourselves as “aphants”. This could be adapted with a prefix, such as “audio aphant”. Time will tell which approach is adopted by most researchers. <h2>Why we should keep investigating</h2> Regardless of the names we use, the study of multiple types of inability to have an imagined sensation is important. These investigations could reveal the essential processes in human brains that bring about a conscious experience of an imagined sensation. In time, this will not only lead to a better understanding of the diversity of humans, but may help uncover how human brains can create any conscious sensation. This question – how and where our conscious feelings are generated – remains one of the great mysteries of science.<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/230973/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/derek-arnold-106381">Derek Arnold</a>, Professor, School of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-voice-in-your-head-may-help-you-recall-and-process-words-but-what-if-you-dont-have-one-230973">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

"Not one ounce of compassion”: BBC star kicked off plane over daughter's allergy

A BBC weather presenter and her family have been kicked off a plane after asking passengers to be wary of her daughter's peanut allergy. British weather presenter Georgie Palmer was flying from London to Turkey with her husband Matt and their daughters Annie and Rosie, as the family boarded their flight at Gatwick Airport with SunExpress airlines. Georgie and her family were kicked off the plane shortly after boarding, after the 49-year-old mother ran into issues around her daughter's severe allergy to peanuts. According to Palmer, she has requested that the captain make an announcement to all passengers asking them not to eat any peanut products on the flight, but the pilot refused. Palmer then took matters into her own hands and one by one asked passengers not to consume peanuts on the four-hour flight, before being asked to disembark the aircraft. The weather presenter took to Instagram to share her side of the story with a lengthy post. She began, “I thanked the beautiful souls on our plane for helping us. Many of them hugged, cheered and held our hands as we were forced to disembark." “The SunExpress captain and cabin crew refused to make the standard announcement on behalf of our daughter. We gently asked the passengers at the front of the plane to share our request." “Row by row, all the passengers turned back to kindly ask the row behind to please not eat nuts on the flight. It was calm, earnest and with an overwhelming sense of solidarity and empathy.” Georgie added: “There’s no beef with simple asks like these. People get it!" “We were hoofed off the plane after the angry little captain shouted at us from the cockpit.” She concluded by saying they were discriminated against for “simply having an allergy”. Georgie told the <a title="www.dailymail.co.uk" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13457399/bbc-weather-presenter-Georgie-Palmer-flight-nuts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail,</a> “The captain decided because of my daughter’s allergy he didn’t want to fly with her on board." “When he found out I had spoken to the other passengers he was screaming at me from the cockpit. He was so angry, the next thing I knew we were told to get off the plane." “How we were treated was disgusting – nobody working on that plane showed one ounce of compassion.” A SunExpress spokesman then shared the airline's version of events, claiming that Georgie's husband had become aggressive, and kicked the family off the plane with their best interests at heart. The statement said, “We take the safety of our passengers very seriously. Shortly after boarding our flight, the passenger raised a concern about one of his family group having a serious peanut allergy." “They requested an announcement to other passengers. We refrain from making these kinds of announcements. Like many other airlines, we cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment on our flights, nor can we prevent other passengers from bringing food items containing allergens on board." “Due to the insistent behaviour of the passenger to others on board, the captain decided it would be safest if the family did not travel." “When this was explained to the passenger, he behaved aggressively towards our crew members and tried to gain access to the cockpit. To ensure the safety of our crew and our passengers on board, we cannot tolerate aggressive and unruly behaviour on our flights." “Our website states that passengers must notify us 48 hours in advance of any special care required due to a medical condition. No such notification was received from the passengers in this instance.” According to <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/28140666/bbc-family-flight-passengers-peanuts-allergy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a>, Mr Sollom denies acting aggressively. The differing versions of events have divided many on social media as thousands weighed in on the debacle, with plenty of users siding with the pilot. “The pilot is a national treasure,” one person wrote. “As they should have been,” a second wrote, referring to the family getting kicked off. “Would have booted them off as well,” another agreed. A fourth wrote: “I think this story would be found under Self Entitlement in the dictionary.” Image credits: Instagram

Travel Trouble

How do I plan for my retirement? Step one – start right away

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bomikazi-zeka-680577">Bomikazi Zeka</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a> Planning for retirement is important because it will help you build the nest egg you’ll need to financially sustain your retirement years. Past <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/03601277.2012.660859?needAccess=true">studies</a> have shown that those who plan for their retirement are more likely to be better off at retirement compared to those don’t. The sooner the planning process gets underway, the better. This gives your money more time to grow by generating investment returns. And the income from your first job is your first opportunity to save for retirement. As the saying goes: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” As people <a href="https://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=15601">can expect to live longer</a>, they must save more for retirement so that they don’t outlive their savings. This is particularly true given that the pensions landscape worldwide has undergone some major changes. In the past, governments and employers provided retirement income for individuals through government social security benefits and employment-based retirement funds. Because of increasing life expectancies, pension plans that guaranteed a retirement benefit to employees are now rare. Employees are now responsible for making contributions towards their own pensions as well as choosing the investments offered by the pension fund. Since employers are no longer responsible for funding their employees’ retirement and governments lack resources to provide a universal state pension, each person is ultimately responsible for ensuring they have enough retirement savings. So it’s very important to know the basics of the retirement planning process. As a researcher, I’m interested in how people use financial products to overcome economic challenges and build wealth. One of the things I investigate is whether planning for retirement leads to better retirement outcomes. For instance, my <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bomikazi-Zeka-2/publication/340130176_Retirement_funding_adequacy_in_black_South_African_townships/links/5e8bf3924585150839c6408b/Retirement-funding-adequacy-in-black-South-African-townships.pdf?_sg%5B0%5D=started_experiment_milestone&origin=journalDetail&_rtd=e30%3D">research</a> has found that individuals whose financial affairs are in order are more likely to maintain their standard of living at retirement. Given that everyone’s financial situation is unique, it’s always a good idea to speak to a financial planner for tailored financial advice. If you haven’t given retirement planning much thought or don’t know where to start, here are four points to help get the ball rolling. <h2>What are my retirement goals?</h2> Retirement goals make you think about what you want to achieve by the time you retire and what you need to do to achieve it. Some people may have a goal in mind about when they want to retire, or how much wealth they’d like to have by the time they retire. And since wealth has different meanings for different people, others may think about maintaining or improving their standard of living at retirement. Once you’ve thought about your retirement goals, the <a href="https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/management/smart-goal/">“smart” goals</a> framework is a useful guide. It outlines that goals should be: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. When goals are clear, within reach, achievable, realistic and time-sensitive, they become a blueprint to help you turn them into a reality. <h2>How do I start saving for retirement?</h2> For those who have a job that comes with retirement fund membership, a workplace pension is used to provide for retirement. But there are also other options available to help you save. For instance, retirement annuity funds are voluntary retirement savings. Personal assets such as <a href="https://www.allangray.co.za/what-we-offer/unit-trust-investment/#fund-3">unit trusts</a> or <a href="https://www.gov.za/faq/money-matters/how-can-i-make-tax-free-investment">tax-free investments</a> can also be used as a savings tool. Unit trusts are generally better suited for people willing to take on risk because their value is tied to the movements of financial markets. In other words, they can generate positive returns but they can also lose value. The drawback of tax-free investments in South Africa is that they have a lifetime contribution limit. You can’t use them to save more than R500,000 (US$27,400). Each of these options has its advantages and disadvantages and what works best for one person may not be best for another. But there are several ways to save for retirement depending on your financial situation and retirement goals. Getting professional advice will help you determine what’s best for you. <h2>Will my retirement savings be enough?</h2> Once you’ve set your retirement goals and have a retirement savings plan in place, you can calculate whether you are saving enough to achieve your retirement goals. For example, if your retirement goal is: “I want to retire at the age of 65 years with an income equivalent to R35,000 (US$1,900) per month” then you can use a <a href="https://www.sanlam.co.za/tools/Pages/retirement.aspx">retirement calculator</a> to track your progress and determine whether you need to make adjustments to meet your goals. You might have to increase the monthly amount you’re putting away for retirement or reconsider your retirement age. The retirement calculators are also a useful tool for regular check-ins on your progress should your financial situation change – for example, if you change employers and earn a different salary. <h2>What other issues should I consider?</h2> It’s also important to think about your lifestyle and priorities. For instance: <ul> <li> do you aim to retire with your mortgage settled? </li> <li> are there debts you plan to clear before you retire or children who need financial support at retirement? </li> <li> would you like to renovate your home? </li> <li> would you like to buy a new car when you reach retirement age? </li> </ul> Another important consideration is healthcare costs. Many people assume that they will be able to work indefinitely and overlook the fact that healthcare costs may increase with age. <h2>Starting early matters</h2> Many people plan to work after retirement age, while others don’t plan to retire at all. It may be that they can’t afford to. They may have accessed their retirement benefits too soon, made inconsistent retirement fund contributions, or had to pay high administrative costs that eroded the final value of a retirement payout. So best be prepared. Retirement may seem like a distant event to plan and save for, especially when there are more pressing financial needs. It’s important to think about the financial decisions you make now that may cost you in the future. If you start to plan for your retirement now, your future self will thank you for it.<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/230553/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bomikazi-zeka-680577">Bomikazi Zeka</a>, Assistant Professor in Finance and Financial Planning, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/how-do-i-plan-for-my-retirement-step-one-start-right-away-230553">original article</a>. </div>

Retirement Income

If I’m diagnosed with one cancer, am I likely to get another?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-diepstraten-1495268">Sarah Diepstraten</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/walter-and-eliza-hall-institute-822">Walter and Eliza Hall Institute</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/terry-boyle-1521638">Terry Boyle</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Receiving a cancer diagnosis is life-changing and can cause a range of concerns about ongoing health. Fear of cancer returning is one of the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9321869/">top health concerns</a>. And <a href="https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/cancer-information/living-well/after-cancer-treatment/fear-of-the-cancer-returning/managing-fear-of-recurrence/">managing this fear</a> is an important part of cancer treatment. But how likely is it to get cancer for a second time? <h2>Why can cancer return?</h2> While initial cancer treatment may seem successful, sometimes a few cancer cells remain dormant. Over time, these cancer cells can grow again and may start to cause symptoms. This is known as cancer recurrence: when a cancer returns after a period of remission. This period could be days, months or even years. The new cancer is the same type as the original cancer, but can sometimes grow in a new location through a process called <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-does-cancer-spread-to-other-parts-of-the-body-219616">metastasis</a>. Actor Hugh Jackman has gone public about his <a href="https://www.skincancer.org/blog/is-basal-cell-carcinoma-serious/">multiple diagnoses</a> of basal cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer) over the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-65158945">past decade</a>. The exact reason why cancer returns differs depending on the cancer type and the treatment received. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8486871/">Research</a> is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cam4.3408">ongoing</a> to identify genes associated with cancers returning. This may eventually allow doctors to tailor treatments for high-risk people. <h2>What are the chances of cancer returning?</h2> The risk of cancer returning differs between cancers, and between <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8019423/">sub-types</a> of the same cancer. New screening and treatment options have seen reductions in recurrence rates for many types of cancer. For example, between 2004 and 2019, the risk of colon cancer recurring dropped by <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2812113">31-68%</a>. It is important to remember that only someone’s treatment team can assess an individual’s personal risk of cancer returning. For most types of cancer, the highest risk of cancer returning is within the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31231898/">first three years</a> after entering remission. This is because any leftover cancer cells not killed by treatment are likely to start growing again sooner rather than later. Three years after entering remission, recurrence rates for most cancers decrease, meaning that every day that passes lowers the risk of the cancer returning. Every day that passes also increases the numbers of new discoveries, and cancer drugs being developed. <h2>What about second, unrelated cancers?</h2> Earlier this year, we learned Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma (a type of skin cancer) <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-68047608">shortly after</a> being treated for breast cancer. Although details have not been confirmed, this is likely a new cancer that isn’t a recurrence or metastasis of the first one. Australian research from <a href="https://bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2407-11-83">Queensland</a> and <a href="https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cncr.31247">Tasmania</a> shows adults who have had cancer have around a 6-36% higher risk of developing a second primary cancer compared to the risk of cancer in the general population. <h2>Who’s at risk of another, unrelated cancer?</h2> With improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment, people diagnosed with cancer are living longer than ever. This means they need to consider their long-term health, including their risk of developing another unrelated cancer. Reasons for such cancers <a href="https://www.cancer.net/survivorship/what-second-cancer">include</a> different types of cancers sharing the same kind of lifestyle, environmental and genetic risk factors. The increased risk is also likely partly due to the effects that some cancer treatments and imaging procedures have on the body. However, this increased risk is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6435077/">relatively small</a> when compared with the (sometimes lifesaving) benefits of these treatment and procedures. While a 6-36% greater chance of getting a second, unrelated cancer may seem large, only around 10-12% of participants developed a second cancer in the Australian studies we mentioned. Both had a median follow-up time of around five years. Similarly, in a <a href="https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cncr.30164">large US study</a> only about one in 12 adult cancer patients developed a second type of cancer in the follow-up period (an average of seven years). The kind of first cancer you had also affects your risk of a second, unrelated cancer, as well as the type of second cancer you are at risk of. For example, in the two Australian studies we mentioned, the risk of a second cancer was greater for people with an initial diagnosis of head and neck cancer, or a haematological (blood) cancer. People diagnosed with cancer as a <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/212/3/second-primary-cancers-people-who-had-cancer-children-australian-childhood">child</a>, <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/jayao.2022.0074">adolescent or young adult</a> also have a greater risk of a second, unrelated cancer. <h2>What can I do to lower my risk?</h2> Regular follow-up examinations can give peace of mind, and ensure any subsequent cancer is caught early, when there’s the best chance of successful treatment. <a href="https://www.lymphoma.org.au/lymphoma/treatments/maintenance-therapy/">Maintenance therapy</a> may be used to reduce the risk of some types of cancer returning. However, despite ongoing <a href="https://febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/febs.15626">research</a>, there are no specific treatments against cancer recurrence or developing a second, unrelated cancer. But there are things you can do to help lower your general risk of cancer – not smoking, being physically active, eating well, maintaining a healthy body weight, limiting alcohol intake and being sun safe. These all reduce the chance of <a href="https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/caac.21719">cancer returning</a> and <a href="https://www.cancer.net/survivorship/what-second-cancer">getting a second cancer</a>.<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/226386/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-diepstraten-1495268">Sarah Diepstraten</a>, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/walter-and-eliza-hall-institute-822">Walter and Eliza Hall Institute</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/terry-boyle-1521638">Terry Boyle</a>, Senior Lecturer in Cancer Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/if-im-diagnosed-with-one-cancer-am-i-likely-to-get-another-226386">original article</a>. </div>

Body

How one widow has changed how women solo travel

After Yvonne Vickers' husband passed away in 2014, she thought her opportunities to travel and see the world had slipped away. Yvonne had always been a keen traveller and went on trips with her married friends after becoming a widow, but she "got over being the third wheel", she admitted to <a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/cruising-solo-female-older-passengers/9553953c-84e8-418a-9c2b-8c9b847b9ba4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Travel</a>. Still wanting to see the world on her own terms, Yvonne took to Facebook where she created a group seeking like-minded women who share her passion for adventure. Now, the Find A Female Cruise or Travel Buddy is an ever-growing group that has connected thousands of women looking for travel companions. Whether they're single, widowed, or just married to someone who doesn't want to travel, the group is open to women across the globe to join. Thanks to her newfound community, Yvonne has taken 41 cruises and dozens of land trips since her husband's death, all while making friends for life, and the rest of the group's members are in the same boat. "It's wonderful to get feedback from ladies saying that it's helped to change their life," Yvonne said. "That's the rewarding part of it for me." Members can make a post in the group, detailing a cruise sailing or trip that they have their eye on booking, to see if anyone else would like to join them. "We have a lot of widows in our group who are cashed up and want to travel but don't have anyone to travel with or share their experiences with," Yvonne said. "The group gives them the opportunity to be able to do that." "There are also a lot of ladies who are married but their husbands don't want to travel. It gives them the opportunity to be able to travel." Yvonne says that cruising is a perfect way for older females to travel, especially if they're on their own. "It's a really safe way to travel as a solo female," she says, also noting that it's an easy way to get around and see places. Recently, she did a 35-day trip around Hawaii with a group of women from the group. For the Find A Female Cruise or Travel Buddy group, there's even more fun trips on the horizon. Yvonne just came back from a trip to Japan with 14 group members, and is heading to Bali in August with a friend she made through the group. Image credits: Nine News \ Facebook

Cruising

Gina Rinehart demands for National Gallery to remove her portrait

Gina Rinehart has demanded that her portriat be removed from the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra because she doesn't like it. The portrait of Australia's richest woman appears alongside many others, including Queen Elizabeth and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, in an exhibition by acclaimed Archibald Prize-winning Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira. Namatjira's works are known for having cartoon-like qualities, as he often paints famous figures as caricatures. <a title="www.smh.com.au" href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/portrait-gina-rinehart-doesn-t-want-you-to-see-mogul-demands-national-gallery-remove-her-image-20240513-p5jd59.html">Nine Newspapers </a>have the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) have been flooded with a dozen complaints about the portrait of Rinehart, including some from athletes she sponsors through her company Hancock Prospecting. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, has demanded the National Gallery of Australia remove a portrait of her from an exhibition by Archibald Prize-winning Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira. THAT’S A GOOD REASON TO SHARE THE PORTRAIT WIDELY. <a href="https://t.co/pYoMh6vQcW">pic.twitter.com/pYoMh6vQcW</a> — Maurie Mulheron (@maurie_mulheron) <a href="https://twitter.com/maurie_mulheron/status/1790621641502036239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></blockquote> One complaint allegedly accused the NGA of “doing the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party” with the portrait of Ms Rinehart. On the NGA website, Ms Rinehart is listed as a “friend” of the gallery, as she historically has donated up to $9999. The NGA has refused to take the painting down, and the artwork will be on display until July 21st. “Since 1973, when the National Gallery acquired Jackson Pollack’s Blue Poles, there has been a dynamic discussion on the artistic merits of works in the national collection, and/or on display at the gallery,” the NGA said in a statement. “We present works of art to the Australian public to inspire people to explore, experience and learn about art.” In response to the demand to have the painting removed, Namatjira released a statement saying, “I paint the world as I see it. People don’t have to like my paintings, but I hope they take the time to look and think, ‘why has this Aboriginal bloke painted these powerful people? What is he trying to say?’" "I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad. Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.” Image credits: Getty Images / X (Twitter)

Art

Nat Barr quizzes Jim Chalmers over one major budget flaw

Nat Barr has quizzed treasurer Jim Chalmers over one major flaw in the federal budget. On Tuesday night, Chalmers <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/biggest-winners-and-losers-of-the-2024-25-federal-budget" target="_blank" rel="noopener">handed down</a> his third federal budget that prioritised cost-of-living relief, with one major initiative saving Aussies big on their next energy bills. All Australian families will get $300 off their annual electricity bill, while small businesses will also get a $325 rebate for their bills. Chalmers joined Nat Barr on Sunrise on Wednesday morning to discuss the initiative further, as the host pointed out one major flaw in the government's plan. “If you’re earning a million dollars, why do you need a $300 power rebate?” Barr asked. But Chalmers said wealthier Australians weren’t the focus of the rebate, as everyday Aussies struggling with the rising cost of living were sure to benefit. “It is primarily for people doing it tough — you know, millions and millions of Australians are under cost-of-living pressure,” he said. “We’re trying to help. So more help is on the way for millions of people under the pump. Whether it is a tax cut for every taxpayer or energy bill relief for every household.” Barr asked Chalmers if people earning $1 million were “under pressure”, but the treasurer said offering specifically targeted assistance was logistically impossible. “Once you go beyond (pensioners), you have to design a whole new system because the energy retailers that we use to provide this help, they don’t have income information for people,” he said. “We deliver this relief via energy bills, via the retailers. There’s not a system that allows you to slice and dice that beyond providing it either to people on pensions and payments.” Barr's comments were echoed online, with many slamming the logistics of the rebate on social media. "I'm sure Gina Rinehart is stoked she's getting $300 back on her energy bills," one person commented. Another added, "If this stupid government gives me $300 off my energy bills it goes straight to charity. Join me if you can afford it." A third wrote, "Feel like there should be an exemption in the $300 energy rebate for anyone who has ever slept under a doona with the aircon on." Image credits: Sunrise

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What’s the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest? One’s about plumbing, the other wiring

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Why aren’t the Olympics and Paralympics combined into one Games? The reasoning goes beyond logistics

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Expert's number one complaint against grey nomads

Sorting a loved one’s finances after their death – what you need to know

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Grandfather killed after being mistaken for kidnapper

"Worst nightmare": Teen dies one day after flu diagnosis

I watched some 40 films at this year’s Sydney Film Festival. Here are my top five picks – and one hilarious flop

The one in-flight activity to avoid to conquer jet lag

The voice in your head may help you recall and process words. But what if you don’t have one?

"Not one ounce of compassion”: BBC star kicked off plane over daughter's allergy

How do I plan for my retirement? Step one – start right away

If I’m diagnosed with one cancer, am I likely to get another?

How one widow has changed how women solo travel

Gina Rinehart demands for National Gallery to remove her portrait

Nat Barr quizzes Jim Chalmers over one major budget flaw

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Entertainment

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What’s the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest? One’s about plumbing, the other wiring

The travel hack giving travellers two holidays in one

What’s a recession – and how can we tell if we’re in one?

Why aren’t the Olympics and Paralympics combined into one Games? The reasoning goes beyond logistics

The gift of a lifetime: How one busy mum found peace of mind and left a lasting legacy

Expert's number one complaint against grey nomads

Sorting a loved one’s finances after their death – what you need to know

Readers response: What is one holy grail item you always pack on a holiday?

What’s the difference between ‘strep throat’ and a sore throat? We’re developing a vaccine for one of them

Grandfather killed after being mistaken for kidnapper

"Worst nightmare": Teen dies one day after flu diagnosis

I watched some 40 films at this year’s Sydney Film Festival. Here are my top five picks – and one hilarious flop

The one in-flight activity to avoid to conquer jet lag

The voice in your head may help you recall and process words. But what if you don’t have one?

"Not one ounce of compassion”: BBC star kicked off plane over daughter's allergy

How do I plan for my retirement? Step one – start right away

If I’m diagnosed with one cancer, am I likely to get another?

How one widow has changed how women solo travel

Gina Rinehart demands for National Gallery to remove her portrait

Nat Barr quizzes Jim Chalmers over one major budget flaw

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