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Why do organisations still struggle to protect our data? We asked 50 professionals on the privacy front line

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jane-andrew-10314">Jane Andrew</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dr-penelope-bowyer-pont-1550191">Dr Penelope Bowyer-Pont</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/max-baker-25553">Max Baker</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> More of our personal data is now collected and stored online than ever before in history. The rise of data breaches should unsettle us all. At an individual level, data breaches can compromise our privacy, cause harm to our finances and mental health, and even enable identity theft. For organisations, the repercussions can be equally severe, often resulting in major financial losses and brand damage. Despite the increasing importance of protecting our personal information, doing so remains fraught with challenges. As part of a <a href="http://www.doi.org/10.25910/psq3-q365">comprehensive study</a> of data breach notification practices, we interviewed 50 senior personnel working in information security and privacy. Here’s what they told us about the multifaceted challenges they face. <h2>What does the law actually say?</h2> Data breaches occur whenever personal information is accessed or disclosed without authorisation, or even lost altogether. <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-20/optus-hack/104002682">Optus</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-09/medibank-data-release-dark-web-hackers/101632088">Medibank</a> and <a href="https://www.afr.com/technology/canva-criticised-after-data-breach-exposed-139m-user-details-20190526-p51r8i">Canva</a> have all experienced high-profile incidents in recent years. Under Australia’s <a href="https://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/cth/consol_act/pa1988108/">privacy laws</a>, organisations aren’t allowed to sweep major cyber attacks under the rug. They have to notify both the regulator – the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) – and any affected individuals of breaches that are likely to result in “<a href="https://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/cth/consol_act/pa1988108/#:%7E:text=Whether%20access%20or%20disclosure%20would%20be%20likely%2C%20or%20would%20not%20be%20likely%2C%20to%20result%20in%20serious%20harm%2D%2Drelevant%20matters%20%C2%A0">serious harm</a>”. But according to the organisational leaders we interviewed, this poses a tricky question. How do you define serious harm? Interpretations of what “serious harm” actually means – and how likely it is to occur – vary significantly. This inconsistency can make it impossible to predict the specific impact of a data breach on an individual. Victims of domestic violence, for example, may be at increased risk when personal information is exposed, creating harms that are difficult to foresee or mitigate. <h2>Enforcing the rules</h2> Interviewees also had concerns about how well the regulator could provide guidance and enforce data protection measures. Many expressed a belief the OAIC is underfunded and lacks the authority to impose and enforce fines properly. The consensus was that the challenge of protecting our data has now outgrown the power and resources of the regulator. As one chief information security officer at a publicly listed company put it: <blockquote> What’s the point of having speeding signs and cameras if you don’t give anyone a ticket? </blockquote> A lack of enforcement can undermine the incentive for organisations to invest in robust data protection. <h2>Only the tip of the iceberg</h2> Data breaches are also underreported, particularly in the corporate sector. One senior cybersecurity consultant from a major multinational company told us there is a strong incentive for companies to minimise or cover up breaches, to avoid embarrassment. This culture means many breaches that should be reported simply aren’t. One senior public servant estimated only about 10% of reportable breaches end up actually being disclosed. Without this basic transparency, the regulator and affected individuals can’t take necessary steps to protect themselves. <h2>Third-party breaches</h2> Sometimes, when we give our personal information to one organisation, it can end up in the hands of another one we might not expect. This is because key tasks – especially managing databases – are often outsourced to third parties. Outsourcing tasks might be a more efficient option for an organisation, but it can make protecting personal data even more complicated. Interviewees told us breaches were more likely when engaging third-party providers, because it limited the control they had over security measures. Between July and December 2023 in Australia, there was an increase of <a href="https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/notifiable-data-breaches/notifiable-data-breaches-publications/notifiable-data-breaches-report-july-to-december-2023">more than 300%</a> in third-party data breaches compared to the six months prior. There have been some highly publicised examples. In May this year, many Clubs NSW customers had their personal information potentially <a href="https://www.rimpa.com.au/resource/more-than-a-million-australian-data-records-potentially-exposed-in-nsw-club-and-pub-data-breach.html#:%7E:text=Outabox%2C%20the%20IT%20services%20provider,and%20has%20notified%20law%20enforcement">breached</a> through an attack on third-party software provider Outabox. Bunnings suffered a <a href="https://australiancybersecuritymagazine.com.au/bunnings-customer-data-compromised/">similar breach</a> in late 2021, via an attack on scheduling software provider FlexBooker. <h2>Getting the basics right</h2> Some organisations are still struggling with the basics. Our research found many data breaches occur because outdated or “legacy” data systems are still in use. These systems are old or inactive databases, often containing huge amounts of personal information about all the individuals who’ve previously interacted with them. Organisations tend to hold onto personal data longer than is legally required. This can come down to confusion about data-retention requirements, but also the high cost and complexity of safely decommissioning old systems. One chief privacy officer of a large financial services institution told us: <blockquote> In an organisation like ours where we have over 2,000 legacy systems […] the systems don’t speak to each other. They don’t come with big red delete buttons. </blockquote> Other interviewees flagged that risky data testing practices are widespread. Software developers and tech teams often use “production data” – real customer data – to test new products. This is often quicker and cheaper than creating test datasets. However, this practice exposes real customer information to insecure testing environments, making it more vulnerable. A senior cybersecurity specialist told us: <blockquote> I’ve seen it so much in every industry […] It’s literally live, real information going into systems that are not live and real and have low security. </blockquote> <h2>What needs to be done?</h2> Drawing insights from professionals at the coalface, our study highlights just how complex data protection has become in Australia, and how quickly the landscape is evolving. Addressing these issues will require a multi-pronged approach, including clearer legislative guidelines, better enforcement, greater transparency and robust security practices for the use of third-party providers. As the digital world continues to evolve, so too must our strategies for protecting ourselves and our data.<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/236681/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jane-andrew-10314">Jane Andrew</a>, Professor, Head of the Discipline of Accounting, Governance and Regulation, University of Sydney Business School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dr-penelope-bowyer-pont-1550191">Dr Penelope Bowyer-Pont</a>, Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/max-baker-25553">Max Baker</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</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/why-do-organisations-still-struggle-to-protect-our-data-we-asked-50-professionals-on-the-privacy-front-line-236681">original article</a>. </div>

Legal

Experienced bush tracker to join in search for Samantha Murphy

An experienced bush tracker is joining the search for Samantha Murphy, who went missing two weeks ago after she was last seen going out for a morning run. Jake Cassar - who has experience in high-profile missing persons cases including that of missing child, William Tyrrell - is on his way to Ballarat to help with the ongoing search. Cassar’s involvement was announced in a Facebook post set up by locals to help find Murphy. Cristie Lea, who helped organised Cassar’s visit to Victoria, said that the experienced bushman will be arriving in Melbourne on Monday and will return on Friday, with the community pitching in to cover the cost of his flights. “I’m hoping to get a lot done while I’m here,” Cassar told 7News. Cassar's arrival is ahead of the planned community-led ground search for Murphy on Saturday, with him set to teach tracking skills to volunteers and help them “establish a solid game plan” before he leaves. “I’ll cover as much ground as physically possible while I’m out here, especially in the more remote places. “I plan on training up some locals in the fundamentals of tracking, so when I leave I can continue to liaise with those on the ground.” He added that he respected the work done so far by police and SES volunteers and hoped that he could find something that could further the investigation. “People are entitled to their opinions as to whether or not Samantha is out in the bush,” he said. “On the chance that she is, I want to ensure that absolutely everything is done to find her.” Cassar’s involvement had been “highly anticipated, warmly welcomed and very much appreciated” by locals who are helping search for Murphy. “Jake has significant bush expertise, tracking skills and previous experience in searching for missing people,” Lea said. “Momentum is strong and we pray that Jake’s expertise will energise the already motivated community and grow the already overwhelming public support for this Saturday’s major Ground Search event. “Together we will continue to encourage others to join local search activities that will bring Samantha home.” Images: Facebook

Legal

Thinking of using an activity tracker to achieve your exercise goals? Here’s where it can help – and where it probably won’t

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/corneel-vandelanotte-209636">Corneel Vandelanotte</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> It’s that time of year when many people are getting started on their resolutions for the year ahead. Doing more physical activity is a popular and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13668-016-0175-5">worthwhile</a> goal. If you’re hoping to be more active in 2024, perhaps you’ve invested in an activity tracker, or you’re considering buying one. But what are the benefits of activity trackers? And will a basic tracker do the trick, or do you need a fancy one with lots of features? Let’s take a look. <h2>Why use an activity tracker?</h2> One of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-01001-x">most powerful predictors</a> for being active is whether or not <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140673621026301">you are monitoring</a> how active you are. Most people have a vague idea of how active they are, but this is inaccurate a lot of the time. Once people consciously start to keep track of how much activity they do, they often realise it’s less than what they thought, and this motivates them to be more active. You can self-monitor without an activity tracker (just by writing down what you do), but this method is hard to keep up in the long run and it’s also a lot less accurate compared to devices that track your every move 24/7. By tracking steps or “activity minutes” you can ascertain whether or not you are meeting the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians/for-adults-18-to-64-years">physical activity guidelines</a> (150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week). It also allows you to track how you’re progressing with any personal activity goals, and view your progress over time. All this would be difficult without an activity tracker. Research has shown the most popular brands of activity trackers are generally reliable when it comes to tracking basic measures such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.2196/18694">steps</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/jmpb.2019-0072">activity minutes</a>. <h2>But wait, there’s more</h2> Many activity trackers on the market nowadays track a range of other measures which their manufacturers promote as important in monitoring health and fitness. But is this really the case? Let’s look at some of these. Resting heart rate This is your heart rate at rest, which is normally somewhere <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/resting-heart-rate">between 60 and 100 beats per minute</a>. Your resting heart rate will gradually go down as you become fitter, especially if you’re doing a lot of high-intensity exercise. Your risk of dying of any cause (all-cause mortality) is much lower when you have a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28552551/">low resting heart rate</a>. So, it is useful to keep an eye on your resting heart rate. Activity trackers are pretty good at tracking it, but you can also easily measure your heart rate by monitoring your pulse and using a stopwatch. Heart rate during exercise Activity trackers will also measure your heart rate when you’re active. To improve fitness efficiently, professional athletes focus on having their heart rate in certain “<a href="https://chhs.source.colostate.edu/how-to-target-heart-rate-training-zones-effectively/">zones</a>” when they’re exercising – so knowing their heart rate during exercise is important. But if you just want to be more active and healthier, without a specific training goal in mind, you can exercise at a level that feels good to you and not worry about your heart rate during activity. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/HCO.0000000000000437">most important thing</a> is that you’re being active. Also, a dedicated heart rate monitor with a strap around your chest will do a much better job at measuring your actual heart rate <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-020-0226-6">compared</a> to an activity tracker worn around your wrist. Maximal heart rate This is the hardest your heart could beat when you’re active, not something you could sustain very long. Your maximal heart rate is not influenced by how much exercise you do, or your fitness level. Most activity trackers <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2566167">don’t measure it accurately</a> anyway, so you might as well forget about this one. VO₂max Your muscles need oxygen to work. The more oxygen your body can process, the harder you can work, and therefore the fitter you are. VO₂max is the volume (V) of oxygen (O₂) we could breathe maximally (max) over a one minute interval, expressed as millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). Inactive women and men would have a VO₂max lower than 30 and 40 ml/kg/min, respectively. A reasonably good VO₂max would be mid thirties and higher for women and mid forties and higher for men. VO₂max is another measure of fitness that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.3605">correlates well</a> with all-cause mortality: the higher it is, the lower your risk of dying. For athletes, VO₂max is usually measured in a lab on a treadmill while wearing a mask that measures oxygen consumption. Activity trackers instead look at your running speed (using a GPS chip) and your heart rate and compare these measures to values from other people. If you can run fast with a low heart rate your tracker will assume you are relatively fit, resulting in a higher VO₂max. These estimates are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01639-y">not very accurate</a> as they are based on lots of assumptions. However, the error of the measurement is reasonably consistent. This means if your VO₂max is gradually increasing, you are likely to be getting fitter. So what’s the take-home message? Focus on how many steps you take every day or the number of activity minutes you achieve. Even a basic activity tracker will measure these factors relatively accurately. There is no real need to track other measures and pay more for an activity tracker that records them, unless you are getting really serious about exercise.<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/219235/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/corneel-vandelanotte-209636">Corneel Vandelanotte</a>, Professorial Research Fellow: Physical Activity and Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-using-an-activity-tracker-to-achieve-your-exercise-goals-heres-where-it-can-help-and-where-it-probably-wont-219235">original article</a>.

Body

Clothes women wanted to wear: a new exhibition explores how Carla Zampatti saw her designs as a tracker of feminism

The late Carla Zampatti is celebrated in a splendid retrospective Zampatti Powerhouse at the Powerhouse Museum. Planned well before the fashion designer’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-carla-zampatti-pioneered-wearable-yet-cosmopolitan-clothes-for-women-and-became-a-fashion-icon-158377">untimely death</a> last year, the unveiling of her legacy will be bittersweet to her many fans. Zampatti is often referred to as “Carla” by friends and those who worked for her, rather than her brand name, Carla Zampatti. Here, the simple name “Zampatti” removes the emphasis from Zampatti as designer to a simpler assertion: businesswoman, mother, philanthropist-entrepreneur. It is a move as deft and elegant as the rest of the exhibition choices. In one of the best-looking fashion exhibition designs Australia has seen, creative director Tony Assness serves up a dynamic vision of clothes punctuated by a vibrant red (one of Zampatti’s favourite design choices) that encourages excitement and discovery. Clothes are arranged by themes – jumpsuit, jungle, graphic, blouson, power – rather than date. Curator Roger Leong leverages his years of experience to do a relatively new thing for Australian museums: tell the stories of clothes through the stories of women who wore them. <h2>A migrant story</h2> Zampatti’s story is an Australian migrant story. Born Maria Zampatti in Italy in 1938 (not 1942, as is often believed), she did not meet her father, who had migrated to Fremantle, until she was 11. In Australia, she was forced to change her name to Mary. It was claimed the other kids could not pronounce Maria. She did not finish school. When she moved to Sydney in her late 20s, she reinvented herself as Carla. The fashion business started on a kitchen table in 1965 under the label ZamPAtti. By 1970, Carla had bought out her business partner husband, and was sole owner of Carla Zampatti Pty Ltd. Zampatti flourished in fashion. She had a finger on the pulse, was in the right place at the right time, and knew a more glamorous role was possible for a fashion designer than the industry “rag trader”. In the 1970s, the markets suggested that the ultra-expensive haute couture was about to disappear, to be replaced by informal ranges created by a new type of designer often called a “stylist”. It was the decade of flower power, retro dressing and ethnic borrowings. Until the 1960s, fashion had been dominated by the rise of haute couture and the “dictator-designer” system – mainly men who determined hem lengths and silhouettes for women. But in 1973, the French body governing high fashion added a new layer of designers, créateurs (literally “creators” or designers), who produced only ready-to-wear. In 1972 Zampatti opened her first Sydney boutique, inspired by informal shops she had seen in St Tropez. Zampatti offered women bright jumpsuits, art deco looks and peasant-inspired ease. She aimed to provide women clothes they wanted to wear. She draped the cloth and colours on herself. Like many women designers historically, she was alert to how her clothes made women customers look and feel. Zampatti remained the fit model for the whole range and would not produce anything in which she did not look and feel well. Zampatti saw her “clothes as a tracker of feminism”. The 1980s cemented Zampatti’s rise to prominence. She became a household name, even designing a car for women. In this time, personal expression became more important than unified looks dictated by designers. Zampatti’s Australian designing coincided with a new development in Italy: the stylisti. Small, focused family businesses alert to the zeitgeist and understanding quality flourished. It was an approach that emphasised quality and glamour. Zampatti identified talent. She employed well-known couturier Beril Jents on the shop floor after she had fallen on hard times. She then employed Jents to improve the cut of her designs. Zampatti continued to embrace the services of stylists and other designers including Romance was Born, whom she recognised could take her work to the next level. <h2>The stories of clothes</h2> Worn equally by politicians and their circles on the right and the left, Zampatti injected more than power dressing into women’s wardrobes. She inspired a sense that women wore the clothes, not the clothes them. In this exhibition we are given many examples, from Linda Burney’s red pantsuit worn for her parliamentary portrait to a gown worn by Jennifer Morrison to the White House. The exhibition viewer can turn from serried ranks of brilliantly styled mannequins and enter large “listening pods”, screening brilliantly edited videos in the manner of artist Bill Viola. The women, who include Dame Quentin Bryce and Ita Buttrose, discuss the creative mind of Zampatti or reflect on their own Zampatti wardrobe. They are amongst the best such “talking heads” I have seen in a museum. Like many designers, Zampatti was not that interested in her own past. She did not keep substantial archives and records, which is a testament to the skills demonstrated by the museum in bringing us this show. Zampatti never turned her back on her personal story, but she was a futurist, one who looked forward rather than backward. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/clothes-women-wanted-to-wear-a-new-exhibition-explores-how-carla-zampatti-saw-her-designs-as-a-tracker-of-feminism-194040" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Beauty & Style

13 clever house-cleaning hacks from professional cleaners

Don't forget the doormat Doormats are your best friend when it comes to trapping dirt, so make sure you have two – one outside the house and one inside. This tip is especially helpful when there’s a lot of rain and you have wet, muddy shoes going in and out of the house. Just be sure to clean the mats regularly as dirty mats contribute to the mess. Combine tasks Kill two birds with one stone by doing similar cleaning tasks at the same time. “Clean your baseboards when you are vacuuming or washing floors, clean blinds when you are cleaning windows, etc,” suggests Becky Rapinchuk, owner of <a href="https://www.cleanmama.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CleanMama.net.</a> Skip the bucket Sometimes moving around the mop bucket only makes more of a mess thanks to the dirty water splashing around. Leslie Reichert, founder of The Green Cleaning Coach and author of The Joy Of Green Cleaning, has a bucket-less mopping technique that works wonders: a spray bottle filled with diluted cleaning solution and a microfibre mop. Or choose a mop that allows you to fill the base with water and a little floor cleaner and spray from the handle as you go. Stock up on products No, a bathroom tile cleaner shouldn’t be used to wipe down your mirrors. “The right products that actually clean go a long way to getting the job done more effectively and efficiently for you,” says McGee. Buy a soap dispenser dish brush According to Dana White, founder of <a href="https://www.aslobcomesclean.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Slob Comes Clean</a>, you can use a soap dispenser dish brush in your shower. “Mark it for the bathroom only with a permanent marker, and fill it with your favorite dish soap,” she says. “Hang it in the shower, and you can scrub the shower while you’re in it anyway. Dish soap does a great job cleaning the bathroom!” Vacuum the right way Rapinchuk recommends first vacuuming a room horizontally and then vertically to get all of the trapped dirt. Most cleaning experts agree that vacuuming slowly is also very important to ensure that vacuum picks up all the dirt particles. Define "clean" Everyone has a different idea of what “clean” actually means. Some think a sparkling floor is clean, while others are happy with just doing a load of laundry. Beth McGee, author of Get Your House Clean Now: The Home Cleaning Method Anyone Can Master, suggests asking yourself questions like how much stuff do I have and what type of home do I have to determine what clean and organised really means to you. A pillowcase can be a cleaner Obviously, you don’t want to use the pillowcase you sleep on every night, but using a pillowcase to clean your ceiling fans is a hack that you need to try ASAP. “The pillowcase holds the dust so it doesn’t fall on a table or bed,” says Reichert. “A very clean way to dust a fan.” Create a cleaning plan We all have those random cleaning bursts, but having a plan beforehand will make your cleaning process smoother. “Cleaning is really like a dance. You start high, work down and around, and carefully observe anything that needs attention,” says McGee. “As you move around, wipe light switches, door frames, baseboards, walls, working in a circle around a room and not back and forth from one thing across the room to another. Don’t get distracted, keep a smooth motion around your home.” Use your dishwasher Dishwashers are for so much more than just washing dishes. Reichert recommends using yours to dust off knickknacks like jars, toys and glass candle globes. Pretty much anything glass or ceramic should be fine going in the dishwasher, but you do want to stay away from putting meltable plastics. DIY cleaning solutions Want to know the secret to streak-free mirrors and windows? Well, it’s an easy at-home solution you can make yourself. According to Rapinchuk, all you need is: <ul> <li>1 1/2 cups water</li> <li>1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar</li> <li>1 1/2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol</li> <li>3 drops peppermint essential oil</li> </ul> Place in a spray bottle, and away you go. Clean the toilet daily If you swish your toilet every day with your cleaning brush, you’ll keep it relatively clean without a ton of hard labour. Use the water already in the toilet to swish the entire toilet bowl. Your bathroom probably gets dirtiest the fastest and is the hardest to clean. Skip the polish Of course, you need to polish your wooden furniture and hardwood floors every once in a while (once or twice a year, or when they begin to look foggy), but all you really need to keep them shiny is a dry microfibre cloth. “Your furniture will actually get less dusty without using furniture polish,” says Reichert. Prioritise “[Start] with scrubbing areas such as kitchens and baths, then moving on to de-cluttering, dusting, bedding, and finally floors,” McGee advises. “Look at your home carefully to determine what needs most attention to bring it to your idea of clean.” Speed clean Maybe you just found out your in-laws are coming over and you need to quickly tidy up the place – knowing how to speed clean will be your saviour. Make sure you hit the places that are most visible first like kitchen countertops and the bathroom. You can skimp on things like the top of the fridge and behind the coffee maker. Purchase a paintbrush Reichert uses a stiff paintbrush around her furniture to pull the dirt out without having to move all the furniture around. “You are brushing it out away from the furniture so the vacuum can suck it up,” she says. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/home-tips/clever-house-cleaning-hacks-professionals-swear?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

Mum's list of insane babysitter requirements sparks debate

A man on TikTok has clapped back at a very strange babysitter's list of requirements, posted by a mother in a local bulletin. In a video shared to social media, Collins O aka @thatboycollins revealed the list and pointed out how extreme and unrealistic the requirements really are. * "Babysitter needed ASAP," the ad read. "I need someone to look after my four kids (aged two, three, five and seven) from noon to 6 pm Monday to Friday.” The prerequisites laid out by the mother require applicants to "be a great cook and avid cleaner", "be over 25-years-old" and have a minimum education of a "master's degree”. <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@thatboycollins/video/7154155085965495598" data-video-id="7154155085965495598"> <section><a title="@thatboycollins" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thatboycollins?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@thatboycollins</a> Why did Tiktok take this down..😂 <a title="♬ original sound - Collins O" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7154155088645212971?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound - Collins O</a></section> </blockquote> The requirements became more restrictive as the list went on, saying that applicants couldn't have "social media accounts", adding "I don't need my kids seeing that". It also stated "no drinking, no smoking, not even vaping!" and "no tattoos or piercings.” In order to get the job, applicants needed to have "five professional references" and stated that a "background check and drug test [would] be carried out." Collins was blown away by the audacity of the mum, and so were viewers. It was then revealed that the job only pays a shocking $200 per WEEK. At the bottom of the page, a sentence prompted applicants to contact 'Tammy' to apply for the job. "Tammy, with all due disrespect, go to hell," Collins joked. Amassing a huge 300,000 views, it seems the audience agreed with him too. Images: TikTok

Family & Pets

Professional cleaner shares her holy grail products

A professional cleaner has shared her holy grail products, revealing what she would never use to clean with and what she would use for alternatives. The 22-year-old cleaner and business owner hit the cleaning aisle of her local supermarket to suggest swapping out some popular products for “better results” and to make cleaning “simple, cost effective and less toxic”. She would never use products like Ajax Spray N' Wipe, Windex glass cleaner, Easy Off soap scum remover and White King two-in-one mould and soap scum remover. The cleaner, who owns <a href="https://www.spotoncleaningsydney.com/">Spot On Cleaning Sydney</a>, first suggested swapping Ajax Spray N' Wipe for Morning Fresh washing up liquid mixed with water. She said that mixing a small amount of dishwashing liquid with water would produce better results on commonly used surfaces. She also said the solution works better than Windex to get glass surfaces sparkling without the need to buy different products. Her next tip was to swap Easy Off soap scum spray for Bar Keepers Friend, which is a 'better alternative for built up soap scum and water stains'. The woman also recommended swapping out White King two-in-one mould and soap scum spray for Selleys rapid mould killer for better, longer lasting results. Her followers were thrilled with the cleaning hacks, with one person calling her a “life saver” after following her cleaning tips. Another follower said, 'Yes! Dishwashing liquid is literally so great for cleaning so many things. Surface cleaners only leave residue when not wiped off after spraying.” Despite the flood of praise, others were concerned that using dishwashing liquid won’t have the same germ-fighting results as sprays. “But dish liquid won't kill surface germs like surface spray?” one woman asked. However the cleaner assures her it “absolutely” will, “after all it is designed to clean dishes and kill bacteria,” she wrote. Image credits: TikTok

Home & Garden

Do fitness trackers really work?

Fitness trackers are the big accessory of the moment, with figures suggesting one in five people wear some form of wearable technology. These nifty devices say they track everything from steps to calories burnt to sleep, but do they actually work? Research into the market shows that 50 per cent of people stop using their wearable device within a year. And the people who are most likely to benefit from the trackers anyway are people who are already obsessed with their fitness. "Those individuals tend to be able to take this data and literally run with it," said Dr Mitesh Patel, an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Healthcare Management at the University of Pennsylvania. "Whereas the people who have chronic conditions or are obese or have diabetes, for those folks giving a device is often not enough." Dr Patel said for the devices to be really worth their price tag they need to be paired with "effective behaviour change strategies" in order for people to improve their health. Image: Shutterstock

Body

11 home improvement projects you can do yourself instead of hiring a professional

There's no better time to DIY There’s nothing quite as satisfying as a job well done – and these DIY projects will boost your handyman status. They are simple enough to do on your own without spending a lot of cash on tools and supplies. Fasten that tool belt and get started! General painting “Some DIY projects can be done by homeowners with a small investment in the right tools and a little patience. Painting is a great way to give your home a face lift, and it’s not difficult if you do some research and take your time,” says Newell Slade, general contractor. No one wants to paint a room twice, so paint like the pros and buy high quality rollers and paint and choose a paint that has a primer already in it to save time and money. “Painting can be fun and relaxing if you just let yourself take the time to do it right.” Patch and prime There’s plenty of thrifty painting tricks you can use, starting with prepping the wall for optimal coverage. You need a smooth surface for the walls to be blemish free. Even larger holes can easily be repaired with wall patch kits found at home improvement stores. The steps are quite simple and will give your new painted walls a beautiful, smooth finish. “Using a spackle knife, fill in each hole with lightweight putty and scrape the excess off the walls. Wait for the putty to dry and sand down the spot until it’s smooth. Then, prime and paint the repaired spots,” says J.B. Sassano, president of a home improvement franchise. Peel-and-stick floor Looking for an inexpensive home improvement that will make a big impact? It doesn’t get much easier than peel-and-stick flooring. “This specific tile is easier to work with and prevents adhesive from oozing through the cracks between the tiles. It can even be installed over concrete if the concrete is clean, smooth and dry,” says Monica Mangin, host of DIY series, The Weekender. If you’re feeling creative, it’s easy to create bold patterns or borders with different using a variety of patterns and colours. Peel-and-stick panels Panelled rooms are making a comeback. This time around, the trend is usually horizontal and installation doesn’t require a hammer and nails, even though the panels are made from wood. “Creating a wood accent wall offers a great way to add personality and texture to your space. You can customise your look by playing with thickness and pre-stained colours,” says Mangin. “Mixing and matching the colours and styles will provide an eye-catching piece that pop.” Penny tile A tired and worn splashback can be replaced in a day. “Penny tile is a really affordable option, especially when it comes in white, which is one of the more standard colours,” says Mangin. But you don’t necessarily have to buy more tiles to get the colours you want. Mangin says you can customise this DIY home improvement by using enamel paints to colour individual tiles and bake them in the oven to fully cure. “After the white sheets are up on the wall, decide which tiles you want to pop out and then just pop in your DIY coloured tile,” says Mangin. Plus, these tiles don’t require a tile cutter, just a utility knife to cut the mesh sheets to fit the area. Fences It’s been said that fences make good neighbours, but the price shock of hiring a pro seems worse than the dog next door who likes to do his business in your yard every morning. Whether you want privacy or need to replace a worn-out fence, it’s a project that Bryan Clayton, CEO of GreenPal says you can do if you remember to do two important things: get a survey done to identify the correct property lines, and mark for pipes if you have underground sprinklers. However, there are certain fences that are friendlier for a DIY home improvement. “Based on my experience the easier types of fencing to install are the black aluminium-based products made to look like wrought iron,” says Clayton. “However, for fencing styles such as chain link and solid vinyl panels, I would not recommend doing it yourself – there’s quite a bit of a learning curve associated with getting them just right.” A lasting first impression A faded, outdated, or squeaky door doesn’t make a good first impression and it may not provide much in the line of security or keeping out drafts. Luckily you can create a more welcoming entrance by replacing your old door with a new one. Exterior doors are available pre-hung in a weatherstripped frame so all you need are a few tools and basic carpentry tools to install it. Depending on your budget, you can choose from steel doors which require little maintenance, or fibreglass doors that require almost none. Going with steel or fibreglass can save you money over wood, and they won’t rot or warp; the more expensive ones look just like real wood. Window screen Using packing tape may be a quick remedy for a hole or tear in the screen, but it’s not a permanent fix. Small patch kits are sold at home improvement stores and a small hole can easily be repaired in just a few minutes with the patch and a hair dryer. Larger screen tears, like from your dog’s excitement over an online delivery, can be a DIY project too, as long as the frame is in good shape. The most popular replacement material for screens is fibreglass because of its flexibility. Since you’re replacing the screen anyway you may want to get the sun-shading fabric which blocks more sun and – bonus – is stronger than fibreglass and aluminium so it’s great for pets. Light fixtures and plumbing fixtures “As long as you familiarise yourself with the basics of proper safety procedures such as turning off electricity and water when working, these are DIY home improvements worth doing,” says Brian C. McHugh, owner of McHugh Construction. For lighting, the key is knowing how much space you have to house a new light fixture. For example, ceiling fans come in various blade sizes to suit the size of your room. If you’re replacing a bathroom tap, you’ll want to buy a tap that matches the existing holes in the sink. If you don’t feel confident in your DIY skills, though, it’s better to just do the choosing yourself and leave the installation to the professionals. Caulk it up Inspecting and repairing caulk is a project you should do yearly, according to Sassano. “Using caulk to seal cracks and gaps serves multiple purposes: It lowers heating and air conditioning bills by reducing air flow into and out of the home; it prevents moisture that can cause wood rot, mould, mildew and water damage, and it keeps insects and other pests out,” he says. The project will determine which type of caulk. For example, silicone is best for the bathtub and shower area. Start by removing the old caulk, cleaning the surface, and then apply new caulk. Caulk removal tools and solutions make the project even easier. Landscaping Creating a backyard oasis can be a great way to express your creativity. A raised garden bed, adding new paver stones, or creating a perennial flower garden involves more sweat equity than expertise. You can still get some help for the heavy lifting. “Ask your local landscape supply to deliver your materials instead of renting trucks or equipment,” says McHugh. “The tools for most jobs such as shovels, rakes and a wheelbarrow are things you probably already have in your garage.” Written by Lisa Marie Conklin. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/diy-projects/11-home-improvement-projects-you-can-do-yourself-instead-of-hiring-a-professional" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Getty Images

Home Hints & Tips

Returning to work after time off? 7 tips to get you back in the game

Returning to work after time off, planned or unplanned, can be extremely daunting and even a little unnerving. You find yourself having to prove your abilities again and brace yourself for potential rejection. Your vulnerabilities are on high alert! You might not realise it, but while you were out of the workforce, you most likely developed new habits, patterns, priorities, and even ways of thinking. You quite possibly even gained more clarity on your professional direction. The necessary readjustment and compromise are only the beginning of getting yourself workforce ready. However, it’s not as intimidating as it may seems, so set those alarm clocks and follow these seven tips to help make your transition that much easier! 1. Self-confidence This will be the lynchpin to your success. It will help you perform better at your interview, land your job, and adjust faster to your new environment. However, possessing the necessary self-confidence when returning to the workforce may be easier said than done. When feeling vulnerable, negative thoughts and self-doubt are likely to make themselves heard and loudly so. Don’t allow them to take any space in your mind! If you need a positivity boost, get excited! Consider all the things you have to look forward to: new colleagues, work social events, time to read on your commute, extra finances! Visualise yourself happy and successful in your new role and use positive affirmations about yourself and your future. It works! 2. Returnships Yes, it’s a thing! Depending upon the length of time you have been out of the workforce, this could assist with sharpening your skills, lifting your self-confidence and paving a gradual return back to work. Just like internships, they help you in being workforce ready. A lot of prominent organisations such as Ernst & Young, Deloitte, and Macquarie Group offer these programs. 3. Explain your career gap Address this in your cover letter (e.g. parental leave/sabbatical), and be sure to list all the benefits gained (new skills/knowledge acquired), and mention ‘where you are now’, i.e. readiness, commitment and enthusiasm in returning to work. In your CV, add a one-line explanation in the appropriate section where the gap is. 4. Technology Our world is changing rapidly, and understanding technology is becoming even more essential. We saw the importance of this during the pandemic. Moving meetings to ‘online platforms’, such as Zoom, became the preferred method of communication. Ensure you are familiar with the technology needed for your job and to interview remotely. 5. Your CV Have that ready to go! The job market moves fast. When you see an appealing job advertisement, send your application as soon as possible (i.e. the same day!). Waiting until you have freshened up your CV, reformatted, shown it to others etc., can cost you the job. Make sure your CV is a maximum of three pages, has all your contact details on it and has been proofread for any mistakes, spelling, grammar, formatting etc. 6. LinkedIn and social media LinkedIn is your professional bible. Ensure you have an ‘all-star rating’, meaning your profile is completed for maximum impact (LinkedIn provides free tutorials to help you). Reach out to your contacts and network to let them know you are looking and available for work. You would be surprised at the power of connection. Before applying for any role, conduct a social media audit on yourself. Make sure you are comfortable showing anything that is on public display. 7. Be organised If you need childcare, have this set up and ready to go. It would be a shame if you could not start your new job or have to delay your start because you cannot find suitable childcare arrangements. Be ready and available. Be aware when answering your phone. Answer with a professional voice, even if you are scrambling after your toddler or taking the dog for a run. First impressions count. If a hiring manager leaves a message for you, call back as soon as possible (the same day, but preferably within the hour). The same applies to email. If you are contacted via email, respond straight away and professionally. Remember, you are not messaging your friend. Take the time to construct a friendly and professional reply email. It may help you to stand out–for the right reasons. And, of course, be readily available to interview! Perhaps, most importantly, show your enthusiasm to return to work. Hiring managers want to see you are excited and motivated. This is the kind of employee that companies, managers, and teams want to have in their environment. Returning to work after time off is simply another ‘change’ we experience in the different cycles of our lives. By following these tips, you’ll give yourself the very best chance and opportunity to succeed! Roxanne Calder, author of ‘Employable – 7 Attributes to Assuring Your Working Future’ (Major Street $29.95), is the founder and managing director of EST10 – one of Sydney’s most successful administration recruitment agencies. Roxanne is passionate about uncovering people’s potential and watching their careers soar. For more information on how Roxanne can assist you in your career visit <a href="https://est10.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.est10.com.au</a>. Image: Shuttersttock

Money & Banking

20 things professional organisers would never do in their own homes

Never doing these things means less mess Clutter-busting habits make all the difference between a messy home and a tidy one. So the first thing a professional organiser does is find a place for every single thing – then keep it there. This doesn’t mean purchasing sets of matching bins or decanting all your pantry foods into clear glass containers with hand-printed labels. Rule of thumb, if an organisational system (like decanting) actually increases the time and effort you’ll have to spend keeping things tidy, ditch it. They don’t always alphabetise Instead of assuming you must always alphabetise for easy access, try storing things by frequency of use. For example, those nesting mixing bowls that you frequently reach for should be kept on a low shelf and that crystal vase that you break out every Valentine’s Day should go higher up. This goes for smaller things like spices, too. “I never alphabetise my spices, because I don’t use allspice as often as I use thyme,” explains workplace productivity expert Susie Hayman. They don’t mix dissimilar things Speaking of spices, Vicki Norris, organising expert and “life reclaimist” of Restoring Order tells us she never co-mingles sweet and savoury spices on the same shelf. Why? Because “on a bleary-eyed morning, no one wants to accidentally put chilli powder in their oatmeal instead of cinnamon!” They don’t hang onto donations To avoid letting unused things pile up, Tamah Vega of Tamah Vega Design has a rule we can all get on board with, “Never go without a donation bag in the house ready for items you no longer need.” This way the minute you decide you’re ready to donate the item, you can have it ready to go. They don’t leave computer files unnamed After downloading a file, Andrew Mellen, author of Unstuff Your Life! immediately renames it and saves it in the appropriate folder. This way you avoid wasting time trying to remember its name or where to look for it next time you need it. <div class="slide-image" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> They don’t let the mail pile up “I deal with it all as soon as I get it,” explains Jessica Dolan, owner of Room to Breathe. She sorts, tosses and shreds junk mail, then immediately deals with whatever remains. Better yet, eliminate junk mail before it even gets to you. They don't forget to run errands Move items – like those books to return to the library or returns you are taking back to the store – from house to your car trunk immediately, shares Amy Trager, certified professional organiser. “If they’re already in my car, I’m more likely to get them taken care of,” she says. Keep car clutter to a minimum too and you’ll always have room to store. They don't keep the old version Once you have made a decision to replace an item, let the original go, suggests Birdie with Birdie Brennan Custom Closets & Organising. Her rule, “never keep something that you have replaced.” That’s especially true for tech items you’ve upgraded – learn how to recycle or donate your outdated devices. They don't bunch up bags Instead of storing reusable bags in the house, Sheryl Hadley, president of Organisation & Relocation, puts them right back in her car after every use. This way you won’t forget them when you go to the store and you won’t have a messy pile of bags cluttering up your house. Win win. They don't unload handbags halfway When you switch handbags, empty the current one out completely, Vega advises. Otherwise, you might lose track of your favourite lipstick – or that licence or credit card that never made it back into your wallet. They don't use their chair as a closet “I never leave clothes lying or draped on the floor, chair, bed or treadmill,” says Betsy Fein, president of Clutterbusters. They can get wrinkled, coated in pet hair, or simply forgotten about when not stored properly. If you need space to hang gently used clothes for another wearing, try installing a few hooks on the back of your closet door. They don't clutter the bedside table Keep your bedroom clutter-free for a good night’s sleep. “I never clutter a nightstand because it’s next to where I sleep, and I need peaceful surroundings to get the best night’s rest,” says Ellen Delap, a certified professional organiser. They don't shop for organising products first When you’re preparing to organise an area of your home, don’t make buying organising products the first thing you do, says professional organiser Jodi Granok. Shop for an organising solution only after you’ve edited down and know how many and what size containers you need – or whether you already have one you can re-use. They don't just buy more containers “Never purchase a new organising bin just because the current one is full,” says Colleen Ashe, certified professional organiser. Make space in the current container by paring down what’s inside. They don't overcrowd One thing most of us don’t need help with is acquiring more stuff, so leave room for that eventuality. “Leave some room to grow in your cabinets, bins, drawers and shelves,” suggests Granok. Otherwise, you’ll outgrow your storage containers, find yourself storing stuff in random spots, and you’ll never be able to find things when you need them. They don't forget to plan for storage “I never buy anything unless I know where it’s going to live in my home,” says Standolyn Robertson, certified professional organiser and owner of Things in Place. This goes for everything from that new juicer you want to that item of clothing you’ve been eyeing. This rule of thumb will help you “buy one, let go of one” and avoid the problem of having something new and nowhere to store it. They don't forget to label “Never put unlabelled cables in a drawer or box,” says Sharon Lowenheim, a certified professional organiser. You’ll have no idea what devices they belong to when you come across them later. They don't make a mess in the pantry If you buy in bulk, take the individual items out of the giant bag. “Never leave bulk items, such as protein bars and snack foods, in large packages,” advises Laura Leist, author of Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organise Your Home & Life. She places often-used items into bins in the pantry for easy access. They don't let the dishes linger One sure way to get your day off to a bad start is to wake up to a pile of dirty dishes in the morning, says Gayle Goddard, certified professional organiser. Deal with the dishes before you go to bed, because “a spotless sink sets the tone for your house – and your day,” she says. They don't keep out of date things Don’t keep things that are past their prime; it could be unsafe to use them. This includes expired food, expired home goods, like batteries, and expired personal care items, says John Trosko, founder of OrganizingLA. This goes for expired medications, too. They don't skip the dividers Never toss things in a drawer without dividers. “By using dividers you’ll know what and how many you have,” says Kathi Burns, certified professional organiser of Add Space To Your Life. “This also saves you from going overboard buying excess items you already own but cannot find.” The dividers don’t have to be fancy – upcycled shoe boxes will do the trick. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/20-things-professional-organisers-would-never-do-in-their-own-homes?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </div>

Home & Garden

Barty reveals new major sporting career move

Ash Barty has announced a completely new career change after retiring from professional tennis. The former World No.1 <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/ash-barty-announces-retirement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced her retirement</a> in a video interview on Instagram on March 23, thanking those who supported her along the way. After announcing that she will be <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/ash-barty-reveals-surprise-career-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writing a book series</a> titled Little Ash as well as a memoir to be released later in the year, Ash revealed she will head to the US to play professional golf. The 25-year-old will head over to the US to play in the Icons Series which will take place at the Liberty National course in New Jersey. Ash has already been spoken highly of by Icons Series chief executive Thomas Brookes. “She’s absolutely terrific,” he told <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/sport/golf/what-ash-did-next-barty-to-play-in-global-golf-tournament-20220418-p5aeaa.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1650323600-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fairfax</a>. “She did a range session with Ian Poulter, who is one of our future captains in September when she was at the US Open, and she had not hit a golf ball for a while. Ian said, ‘just hit a few balls and we’ll see how you go’. “She hit this ball, I don’t know how far. And he turned around and said, ‘you’re having me on. Let’s just take it a bit deeper. Can you do me a high fade?’ And she did a high fade. Then he said, ‘can you do me a low draw?’ And she did a low draw. “He said, ‘oh my goodness, you are something else’. She’s got those skill sets within her locker. With a bit of practice she can get lower than a three or four handicap. I know she’s really, really excited to be playing in New York and she’s also really keen to bring the concept to Australia.” Ash will be captained by Ernie Els and will play in the inaugural nine-hole team match alongside boxer Carnelo Alvarez, Manchester City soccer manager Pep Guardiola and Tottenham striker Harry Kane. “I’m excited to be part of the Icons Series and I hope through my participation in the series that we can encourage more women and girls to participate in golf around the world,” Ash said. She hopes all Aussie fans in New York and New Jersey will come out and cheer her and her teammates on. Image: Instagram

News

Professional baby namer opens up about her unique career

A professional baby namer has opened up about her unique career, and how her clients pay up to $30,000 to find them the perfect baby names. Taylor A. Humphrey, aged 33 from New York, is the founder of 'What's in a Baby Name,' a boutique consultancy that offers everything from name lists based on parents’ answers to a questionnaire to a full-service baby naming concierge. Her services start at $1,500 for a bespoke list of options and can cost thousands more, depending on the job. For the price of $10,000, she will come up with a name that 'will be on-brand with a parent's business’. Humphrey, who doesn't have children of her own but also works as a doula, is willing to go to great lengths to help parents find the ideal name, including a genealogical investigation to find old family names. She has helped name more than 100 children last year, and part of her job is counselling parents through the process. The consultant offered a glimpse into how she finds new names, saying she scans everything from film credits to street signs for inspiration. She also follows trends using the Social Security database and notes the names that are in a sharp decline due to negative associations to things like natural disasters and certain brands. <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@whatsinababynamedoula/video/6989773817275059461" data-video-id="6989773817275059461"> <section><a title="@whatsinababynamedoula" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@whatsinababynamedoula" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@whatsinababynamedoula</a> Reply to @sastheobald 16 NYC-Inspired Baby Names! Comment Your Favorites below! <a title="babynames" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/babynames" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#babynames</a> <a title="babynameconsultant" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/babynameconsultant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#babynameconsultant</a> <a title="babynamer" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/babynamer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#babynamer</a> <a title="professionalbabynamer" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/professionalbabynamer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#professionalbabynamer</a> <a title="name" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/name" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#name</a> <a title="♬ New York New York (Instrumental) - Jack Ontario Soundorchestra" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/New-York-New-York-Instrumental-6969398451083675649" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ New York New York (Instrumental) - Jack Ontario Soundorchestra</a></section> </blockquote> The baby naming expert, who graduated from New York University, had tried other careers, including screenwriting, before she found her calling. 'The most exciting part of that entire venture was picking out the names of the characters,' she recalled. She fell into the baby naming business in 2015 when she launched her Instagram handle @whatsinababyname. She explained that she would share her favourite baby names and the numerology behind them. 'People were messaging me and asking me what they should name their babies,' she said. 'I think there was something about seeing the lists and people would see their names and they would think that I could help them find names for their children that could go with the ones of the other kids they had.' Humphrey said she was 'so flattered' at the time that she was 'giving out the advice for free.' It wasn't until she started studying to be a doula in 2018 that she realized she could turn the demand for her naming services into a niche business. She admitted there was some trial and error and 'a bit of ego involved' when she first started the business. Humphrey's personal services don't come cheap, but she has more than 46,700 followers on TikTok, where she gives baby naming advice for free. In one video, she responded to a follower who asked for a boy's name to go with Connor, suggesting Brady, Cooper, Foster, Greyson, and Lucas. Humphrey also gets plenty of questions from viewers who can't believe she names babies for a living. 'Believe it or not, this is my full-time job,' she said. Images: TikTok

Family & Pets

“I regained my confidence socially and professionally”: Why Hearing Australia is promising to make hearing easy this World Hearing Day

When Rachel, a music teacher and professional clarinet player, first noticed changes in her hearing it was pretty daunting. “Sound is everything to a musician,” she explains. Rachel had become increasingly aware of “difficulty in conversations, especially in crowded situations or noisy rooms. Professionally I had great difficulty hearing students speak.” New findings from Hearing Australia’s ‘Hearing Road Test’ survey of Australians indicate that Rachel is not alone. Older Australians have become more aware of changes and symptoms of hearing loss during the last 12 – 24 months of the pandemic. Despite this, only one in four respondents have had their hearing checked in the last year; 78% of older Australians agreed that they would be more inclined to seek help for their hearing if they knew they could trial their hearings aids at home before they made a purchase. However, most respondents didn’t know that this was possible. For Rachel, however, it was the way her Hearing Australia audiologist Kristen was in tune with her life from the very start that made her hearing easy. From her initial hearing assessment and fitting when “Kristen’s bright and cheery personality took the stress out of the situation”, to all of the ongoing support she has since received, Rachel says that Hearing Australia makes her “feel safe and secure”. For Kristen, an audiologist and fellow musician, that’s music to her ears: “As a musician, your hearing is a big deal and so for Rachel to entrust me with her care makes me feel very privileged.” Fellow Hearing Australia audiologist Marc Vandenberg agrees. “Managing your hearing can improve quality of life, and Hearing Australia promises to make hearing easy,” he says. “We know that choosing a hearing aid is a personal decision and not something you can do on the spot. To help find the right solution, Australians are now able to ‘try before you buy’ on any of our hearing devices for 14 days*. “This means you can take your device home and test drive it in your everyday life to see how it performs, when you are catching up with loved ones, going shopping or watching TV.” This World Hearing Day, it’s time to manage your hearing your way. Test drive your hearing aids today to find your fit. For more information and to book a hearing test, call Hearing Australia on 134 HEAR or visit <a href="https://www.hearing.com.au/We-make-hearing-easy?utm_source=fabulate&utm_medium=native&utm_campaign=world+hearing+day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hearing.com.au</a>. * ”Try before you buy” requires you to complete a hearing assessment (which may incur a fee) before fitting, and is subject to Hearing Australia’s "Try before you buy" conditions. Conditions apply under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program. Client statements are their own, Rachel received a thank you gift for her time. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://www.hearing.com.au/We-make-hearing-easy?utm_source=fabulate&utm_medium=native&utm_campaign=world+hearing+day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hearing Australia</a>.

Hearing

We are professional fire watchers, and we’re astounded by the scale of fires in remote Australia right now

While southern Australia experienced a wet winter and a soggy spring, northern Australia has seen the opposite. Extreme fire weather in October and November led to bushfires across <a href="https://firenorth.org.au/">120,000 square kilometres</a> of southern savanna regions. Significant fires continue to burn in the Kimberley, the Top End, Cape York and the northern deserts. And while recent rain across the central deserts has reduced the current fire risk, it will significantly increase fuel loads which creates the potential for large wildfires in summer. We are professional fire watchers. The lead author of this article, Rohan Fisher, <a href="https://firenorth.org.au/">maps and monitors</a> fires across the tropical savannas and rangelands that comprise 70% of the Australian continent. The scale of burning we’re now seeing astounds us – almost as much as the lack of interest they generate. This continent’s fire ecology is poorly understood by most Australians, despite recent significant bushfire events close to big cities. But as we enter the Pyrocene age under worsening climate change, good fire knowledge is vitally important. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435758/original/file-20211206-15-1szo1gh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Indigenous man and child walk on burnt landscape" /> On the Mitchell Plateau in Western Australia, a Kandiwal man and his child walk through country burnt by traditional fires. Such ancient methods must be expanded to help Australia survive the Pyrocene. Philip Schubert/Shutterstock <h2>In the desert, fire and water are linked</h2> Fires in arid Australia are extensive, largely unmanaged, often destructive and significantly under-reported. Improving their management involvement is crucial to both Traditional Owners and the ecological health of our continent. To improve pyro-literacy, we developed a <a href="https://savannafiremapping.com/nafi-mobile-app/">mobile app</a> to map fires across most of Australia in real-time. This year, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-30/extreme-heatwave-to-hit-kimberley-and-the-pilbara/100658568">Western Australia</a> and the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-19/nt-heatwave-conditions-peak-record-temperatures-bom/100549312">Northern Territory</a> experienced serious heatwaves late in the year and a late start to the wet season. This provided the perfect bushfire conditions. In contrast, central Australia has experienced rare flooding rains, including at Alice Springs which recorded the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-13/alice-springs-wettest-november-on-record/100616212">wettest November</a> on record. This creates dangerous fuel loads heading into summer. In the desert, water and fire is coupled in both space and time. Fire burns where water flows, because that’s where fuel – in the form of vegetation – is heaviest. The below satellite image from the Pilbara illustrates this point. It shows the path of an arid-zone fire flowing like water along dry creeks and drainage lines. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434382/original/file-20211129-15-q3vm4s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Arid-zone fire travelling along dry creeks and drainage lines. Where country is not managed for fire, it can lead to catastrophic outcomes. The incidence of previous fire also influences fire spread. Without the regular application of fire, large tracts of desert can accumulate heavy fuel loads, primed for ignition. Over a few months in 2011, our data show more than 400,000 square kilometres in central Australia burned – almost twice the size of Victoria. It was one of the <a href="https://austrangesoc.com.au/range-management-newsletter-12-2/#article_166">largest</a> single fire events in recent Australian history and coincided with the wet La Nina period in 2010-12. Watching from satellites in space, we mapped the spread of the fires in near-real time, as this video shows: <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yJJPm0cUTJ4?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> A hot spot animation of the 2011 fire season in central Australia. <h2>Fire management through time</h2> For many thousands of years, Australia’s Indigenous people have skilfully burned landscapes to manage country. <a href="https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management/fire/fire-and-the-environment/41-traditional-aboriginal-burning">Most fires</a> are relatively low-intensity or “cool” and do not burn large areas. This results in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-you-have-unfinished-business-its-time-to-let-our-fire-people-care-for-this-land-135196">fine-scale mosaic</a> of different vegetation types and fuel ages, reducing the chance of large fires. Researchers have <a href="https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/20063159465">looked back in time</a> to provide insight into fire management as it once was. This was done using aerial photography taken in the 1940s and 1950s in preparation for missile testing at Woomera in South Australia. The below aerial photo from 1953 reveals a complex mosaic of burn patterns and burn ages – a result of fine-scale land management by Traditional Owners. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434607/original/file-20211130-18-1x8y4pf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> A 1953 aerial photo of the Western Desert showing a complex fine scale fire mosaic resulting from Indigenous burning. But following the displacement of Indigenous people and the decline of traditional burning practices, fire regimes changed dramatically. The average fire size today is many orders of magnitude <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrew-Burbidge/publication/284776990_Evidence_of_altered_fire_regimes_in_the_Western_Desert_regime_of_Australia/links/565bca3508aeafc2aac62299/Evidence-of-altered-fire-regimes-in-the-Western-Desert-regime-of-Australia.pdf">greater</a> than those set under Aboriginal management. The change has been <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/wr/wr05032">implicated</a> in the decline and extinction of some mammals and plant species. One massive and fast-moving October fire in the Tanami desert – home to endangered bilbies – burned nearly 7,000 square kilometres over a few days, our data show. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434379/original/file-20211129-25-ilvsxy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> The massive and fast-moving Tanami desert fire burnt nearly 7,000 km2 over a few days. <h2>Back to desert burning</h2> Like everywhere on this continent, fire in our vast deserts must be well-managed. Getting people back on desert country to reintroduce complex fire mosaics is difficult work but will have <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/wf/wf20057">significant</a> benefits for both nature and Indigenous people. Challenges include building capacity amongst ranger groups and communities, overcoming legal and insurance hurdles and employing novel techniques to apply “cool” fires at a near-continental scale. The role of Indigenous ranger groups is critical here. Organisations such as <a href="https://10deserts.org/">10 Deserts</a> – a partnership between Indigenous and conservation organisations – are supporting desert fire work. <a href="https://10deserts.org/committee/peter_murray/">Peter Murray</a> is chair of the 10 Deserts project and a Ngurrara Traditional Owner from the Great Sandy Desert. On the importance of this work, he says: <blockquote> Right now, we’re working on Indigenous “right way” cultural burning as a means of preventing wildfires. We’re developing dedicated male and female ranger teams to look after the land and develop tourism. And we’re encouraging traditional owners to return to the desert to share and exchange knowledge as well as collecting and storing that knowledge to pass onto younger generations. </blockquote> <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434611/original/file-20211130-27-1i2yotw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Indigenous man burning country" /> Indigenous rangers are crucial when caring for fire-prone landscapes. Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa/Gareth Catt <h2>Living in the Pyrocene</h2> As climate change worsens, we’re now living in a global fire age dubbed <a href="https://www.stephenpyne.com/disc.htm">the Pyrocene</a>. This will bring challenges across the Australian continent. Throughout remote Australia, increasing extreme fire weather will see more severe bushfires. Good fire management in these landscapes is urgently needed. In the northern tropical savannas, Indigenous-led fire management at the landscape scale is already <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-worlds-best-fire-management-system-is-in-northern-australia-and-its-led-by-indigenous-land-managers-133071">producing</a> some of the worlds best fire management outcomes. The challenge is to introduce similar scales of fire management across our vast deserts. These regions are rich with nature and culture, and they deserve far more attention than they’ve received to date. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172773/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rohan-fisher-976329">Rohan Fisher</a>, Information Technology for Development Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/neil-burrows-1295249">Neil Burrows</a>, Adjunct professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western 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/we-are-professional-fire-watchers-and-were-astounded-by-the-scale-of-fires-in-remote-australia-right-now-172773">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Domestic Travel

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

Kersytn Walsh has made a business out of one of the happiest days of people’s lives - with a twist. Not only does she offer wedding planning, wedding day coordination, and MC services through her company, but she also offers <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hireabridesmaid.com.au/services" target="_blank">‘bridesmaid for hire’</a> services. As a professional bridesmaid, Kerstyn can perform her usual roles of planning, coordinating, or MCing, but can also just be by the bride’s side on the day. On her website, Kersytn explains the role of professional bridesmaids by writing, “We are the friend, the cheerleader, the hand-holder, and support system you need by your side throughout planning and preparing for your wedding! We offer the kind of support you'd expect from your bestie, AND we're not afraid of some heavy lifting!” Their services can cost as much as $9000 a ceremony, and Kerstyn has been a bridesmaid over 150 times since starting her business in 2015 after deciding a career in real estate wasn’t for her. She fell into the role after being made the host at her friend Annie’s wedding, which saw her coordinating many of the vendors and guests on the day. Kerstyn told the Daily Mail, “I've always loved performing, and I suddenly had an epiphany that I wasn't doing a job I loved.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLoRva3DPjD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLoRva3DPjD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by HIRE A BRIDESMAID (@hireabridesmaid_)</a> </div> </blockquote> Soon after, she handed in her notice and established her own business. While she volunteered her services to several friends to kickstart her business, “word spread towards the end of 2015, and it wasn't long before I was attending four weddings in two days and between 30 and 40 a year”. She estimates that she has been a professional bridesmaid at over 150 ceremonies, and she has a closet of more than 70 dresses she has saved from her numerous weddings. While the full bridesmaid package costs around $9000, on-the-day coordination is around $2000. Kerstyn explained that women often hire her to do the running around and coordination on the day so their friends and family can relax and enjoy the day. “Brides often need someone who is willing to do all the jobs - whether it's consult with the vendors or fix the speakers for the DJ. They want their friends and family to be fully present for the wedding, while I can help with chores.” Image: Instagram

Money & Banking

How tiny AJ Elfalak survived in the bush for three days

The Australian public has been amazed at the miraculous story of three-year-old AJ Elfalak who survived three days and three cold nights in rugged bushland near Putty, 150km north-west of Sydney. Specialist bush survival experts have stated one of the reasons 'miracle boy' AJ Elfalak coped so well while lost in bushland was because his autism kept him in a calm state of mind. Survival expert Bob Cooper, who works with the SAS, added AJ’s youth was also an advantage: “Children are better than adults at surviving sometimes because they haven't got the preconceived idea of what the bush is like.” “When they feel tired they sleep, when they're cold they seek shelter, when they're thirsty they drink,” Cooper said. “A human can survive for three weeks without food provided they can keep warm, drink water and stay safe from the elements,” he noted. AJ was found with minor injuries only Little AJ was found with some minor scratches and bruising to his body. He'd been bitten by ants and had a case of nappy rash, but he was otherwise in high spirits - all of which seems to point to the truth in what Cooper and other experts have said. Wild conspiracy theories continue to circulate on social media concerning AJ's disappearance saying it was staged and that a child could not survive alone with food or water in such rugged terrain - where overnight temperatures were as low as two degrees. But detectives on Strike Force Jaylang - which was set up to investigate the circumstances of the toddler's disappearance - said AJ's injuries and condition when he was found were all consistent with him being in the bush the entire time. Police have worked with bush survival experts to develop a full picture of AJ's time away from home - and they suggest his autism actually largely helped him maintain a calm state of mind. “The reality is he didn't know he was lost… so he wasn't scared, he didn't panic,” an investigator said. “If he was tired, he slept... he had access to water, which is a big thing for survival in the bush.” The toddler ate ravenously when rescued When AJ was rescued and loaded into a waiting ambulance, paramedics said he ravenously ate an entire pizza and “guzzled” water - typical traits of someone who hasn't eaten for days. “He was starving... it's all consistent with him being in the bush the entire time,” a paramedic said. The Child Mind Institute says children with autism often have 'a weaker sense of danger' than others and enjoy exploration. They're also more likely to 'wander off' or look to remove themselves from overwhelming sensory experiences. Epic family party to celebrate his rescue With AJ safe and sound - back in the arms of his mother - his family hosted an epic party to celebrate. The local store was cleared out of all booze in stock, a cow was freshly slaughtered and carved up for a BBQ and the music blared. Grey Gums Cafe owner Kim Grace watched on as all the alcohol she had left in stock - about $700 worth - was packed into a ute and taken back to the Elfalek's property. In the back seat was a freshly slaughtered sheep, which was being taken back to AJ's godfather Alan Hashem, who is renowned for his 'famous' lamb. Meanwhile back at the farm, two freshly-killed cows were already on the barbecue and AJ's elated dad had extended an invitation to the party to anybody back in locked-down Sydney who was prepared to make the journey. “See that hill back there,” he told media at his home. “There's going to be a big party on that hill. Anybody who wants to come on down from Sydney is welcome.” Celebrations were well underway on Tuesday afternoon at the Yengo Drive property in Putty - and the party lasted into the night. AJ returned from Maitland Hospital later that evening AJ and his mother returned home from Maitland Hospital later that night - telling the guests party time was over because the toddler needed to sleep. AJ, meanwhile, watched on from the safety of his home, clinging to his mother. Relatives say he is yet to leave her side. A professional tracker has been brought in to help The Elfalak family is relying on the opinion of a professional bush tracker to help them understand how the toddler spent three nights alone in the unforgiving terrain behind their home. Professional tracker Jake Cassar has been at the family home for some time, AJ was found sitting in a shallow, muddy creek at the base of what appeared to be a barely visible path, but the question remains as to how he made it down such a steep track safely. Cassar explained it was very possible that, even with hundreds of volunteers, little AJ avoided detection while in the bush. He said search parties tended to stay in straight lines and follow a near perfect trajectory from point A to point B, whereas somebody who is lost intuitively does the opposite. “When we're lost, we almost always walk at a slight curve to the right or left, therefore it's easy to travel in directions that might be missed by search parties,” Cassar said. He hoped to provide the family some further guidance as to whether AJ likely wandered off on his own or was abducted, which is what the family initially believed. Image: NSW Police

Family & Pets

Are your grandkids safe? It’s far too easy for abusers to exploit smart toys and trackers

The wearable technology market is booming, with <a href="https://news.strategyanalytics.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2021/Strategy-Analytics-Half-Billion-Wearables-Sold-Worldwide-in-2020/default.aspx">half a billion wearables</a> sold globally in 2020. Apps on these devices, or the devices themselves, often claim to monitor our health to spot illnesses, track our workouts to help us reach our fitness goals, or keep an eye on our children’s whereabouts to enhance their safety. But they’re also divisive. Supporters of wearable technology claim that health trackers should be <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-nhs-should-prescribe-wearable-fitness-trackers-60817">prescribed by the NHS</a> and could even deliver an <a href="https://theconversation.com/wearable-fitness-devices-deliver-early-warning-of-possible-covid-19-infection-143388">early warning</a> of a possible COVID-19 infection. GPS tracking devices designed to be worn by children, meanwhile, are seen as a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-04/digitally-tracking-kids-more-parents-use-devices/10957906">safety asset</a> for parents. Yet studies have found fitness trackers to be too <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-fitness-trackers-may-not-give-you-all-the-credit-you-hoped-for-128585">inaccurate</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-fitness-trackers-make-you-fitter-52404">misleading</a> to be used by <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/tech/2019/08/14/how-doctors-really-feel-data-your-apple-watch-fitbit/1900968001/">medical professionals</a>, and that, because they’ve been rushed to market, wearables of all kinds are an insecure “<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-health-apps-are-like-the-wild-west-with-apple-just-riding-into-town-103512">Wild West</a>” region of technology that requires urgent regulation. In <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/978692/The_UK_code_of_practice_for_consumer_IoT_security_-_PETRAS_UCL_research_report.pdf">a recent report</a>, we looked at the security risks associated with wearable devices, as well as “smart toys” that can record children in their homes. We found a concerning lack of security – especially for devices aimed at children – which lack even the most basic cybersecurity precautions, leaving them open to abuse. Fitness trackers and personal data One key issue with wearables is the data they generate and share. For instance, many fitness trackers rely on data on a person’s location to map their workouts. That’s great if you’re keen to track the distance of your jogs, but it’s not especially sensible if you’re embarking on those jogs <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42853072">from a military base</a> in hostile territory. Beyond that specific example, which caused some embarrassment for the US military in 2018, it’s clear that sharing your location publicly, even in a safe civilian setting, comes with significant risks. And it’s not just the real-time tracking of your running route that could expose your whereabouts. Because these trackers upload your workouts to an app and share them publicly, it’s possible for predators to use historic running, biking or hiking routes to predict where you might be at a given time. This safety issue isn’t only restricted to workouts. Even something as innocuous as <a href="https://www.wareable.com/wearable-tech/terms-and-conditions-privacy-policy-765">sharing a photo through your Apple watch</a> can give away your geolocation. Are trackers safe for children? Even more concerning are devices designed to be worn by children, sales of which are expected to reach <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/global-kids-smartwatch-market-valued-at-364-3-million-us-in-2018-and-will-reach-873-5-million-us-by-the-end-of-2025-at-a-cagr-of-13-19-between-2019-2025-valuates-reports-814713277.html">$875 million (£620 million)</a> by 2025. These watches are marketed as wearable tech to keep kids safe, tracking their location and alerting parents when the watch’s onboard “SOS” button is pressed – or if the child travels beyond a geofenced area. Smart watches as safety devices on children’s wrists may sound like a <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wearable-gps-tracking-for-children-to-ease-parents-minds/">boon for anxious parents</a>, but a <a href="https://fil.forbrukerradet.no/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/watchout-rapport-october-2017.pdf">2017 survey</a> of children’s smart watches found that the all-important “SOS” button either got stuck or didn’t work at all in most cases. Additionally, flaws in some smart watches’ accompanying apps have raised <a href="https://www.which.co.uk/news/2019/11/which-tests-for-security-flaws-in-kids-smartwatches/">serious safety concerns</a>. <a href="https://consumerfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/smart-watch-security-assessment.pdf">Security researchers</a> have found they could not only easily access children’s historical route data – like their path to and from school – and monitor their geolocation in real time, but they could also speak directly to the child, through the watch, without the call being reported in the parent’s app. Connected toys Fears that internet of things devices can give people unauthorised access to children also extend to <a href="https://theconversation.com/4-ways-internet-of-things-toys-endanger-children-94092">the “smart toy” market</a>. Some of these toys contain hidden cameras and microphones which, if hacked, could be used to record the interior of your home, including children’s rooms. In 2017, German regulators recognised this danger by <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39002142">banning the sale</a> of the Cayla “smart doll”, labelling it as the kind of “de facto espionage device” that Germany’s <a href="https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/EN/2017/17022017_cayla.html">Telecommunications Act</a> legislates against. In an unusual and unsettling move, the regulator went further by asking parents who’d bought one to <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/german-regulator-tells-parents-to-destroy-spy-doll-cayla/a-37601577">destroy the doll</a> to prevent illicit surveillance. Even if the manufacturers of smart toys and children’s smart watches can guarantee far better security than that which led to the Cayla ban, there remain other surveillance concerns. In 2019, a <a href="https://www.unicef.org/innovation/reports/memoAIchildrights">UNICEF-led report</a> highlighted how children’s rights – to creativity, freedom of choice and self-determination – are challenged by smart devices. Present in schools, at home, and on the wrist, this kind of round-the-clock surveillance, the report argues, restricts carefree childhood and hurts kids’ development. Making trackers safer Trackers and toys can be made safer. Before we allow these devices to flood the market, it’s essential <a href="https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10117734/">we standardise</a> the minimum security requirements that manufacturers must comply with – no matter where in the world these devices are made. Key among these standards should be the removal of <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/971440/Code_of_Practice_for_Consumer_IoT_Security_October_2018_V2.pdf">factory-default passwords</a> on devices – which, like “admin” or “1234”, are easily guessed or discovered by even the most novice hacker. Manufacturers should also publish a <a href="https://www.iotsecurityfoundation.org/expanding-the-view-of-consumer-vulnerability-disclosure-practice/">vulnerability disclosure</a> to help users understand risks, and make regular software updates in response to vulnerabilities unearthed by security researchers. Clearly, monitoring people’s health via wearable trackers has the potential to radically improve access to medical care. Likewise, every parent wants their child to be safe, and smart devices, like mobile phones before them, could be a reliable tool for checking in with them. But without safety standards, these devices have the potential to cause more harm than they offset. Regulators must act fast to stop this growing market from leading to significant harms. Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/saheli-datta-burton-1061974">Saheli Datta Burton</a>, UCL and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/madeline-carr-1148007">Madeline Carr</a>, UCL. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-far-too-easy-for-abusers-to-exploit-smart-toys-and-trackers-161946">The Conservation.</a>

Caring

Professional cleaner reveals her MAJOR shower cleaning tip

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A cleaner has shared her major secret tip to get her showers sparkling clean. Under the TikTok account <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thebigcleanco?lang=en" target="_blank">The Big Clean Co</a>, a Melbourne woman has showed her method of using dishwashing liquid to get shower tiles, shower screen and metal shower handles absolutely spotless. “This shower gets cleaned weekly, if it was a deep clean, we’d brush these bits,” she wrote. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841502/shower-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c9283a99d87146219aaecb6e7984a19c" /> After wiping all of the shower surfaces down, she then showed how she rinsed the shower before drying it with a towel. “When we use dishwashing liquid, we don’t even need a glass cleaner,” she said. The clip has been viewed by more than two million people and left viewers excited to try the new cleaning hack out on their own showers. “This is so impressive,” one person wrote. “I love the tip! Thank you,” wrote another. A third said: “Going to clean my shower right now! Looks brilliant!” </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-action-bar-component-wrapper"> <div class="post-actions-component"> <div class="upper-row"> <div class="right-box-container"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Home & Garden

10 things in your house that a professional organiser would throw out

An expert organiser shares her list of the top 26 things she’d throw out without a second thought. 1. Flimsy kitchen utensils The wine opener that never works well enough is just one of the tosses you can make from your utensil drawer. Professional organisers would also ditch the slotted spoons and pancake turners that bend under the weight of food. And add the garlic press that is too delicate to mince a clove of garlic to the toss pile. 2. Reference material You’ll rarely find a space-hogging phone book in a professional organiser’s home. They also let go of encyclopaedia sets and textbooks; consider donating those. And unless you need the thesaurus and dictionary for playing Scrabble, pass those on, too. 3. Expired things While frozen, fresh and canned foods come to mind, these are not the only things in your home that expire. Once they reach their best by date, it’s recommended to throw out medications, vitamins and supplements. 4. Storage solutions Professional organisers love storage solutions but not every container works well. If the bin, basket or box didn’t solve your problem, then throw it out; otherwise, it just adds to your clutter. Consider passing along storage containers to a teacher who might need them. 5. Outdated technology The VCR and boom box have been replaced with more up-to-date technology, so get rid of the old stuff. Recycle floppy disks and ancient laptops, obsolete phones, VHS tapes and more through an e-waste program. 6. Parts for discarded items Toss the accessories and instruction booklets that go with things you no longer own, like the tiny bag with a spare button for the blouse you donated and the owner’s manual for the television you had ten years ago. 7. Secret stash Even professional organisers keep odd things like those plastic clips from bags of bread or rinsed out glass jars. The key is to know when you are saving too many, and they are becoming clutter. For example, if you’ve kept every rubber band from every fresh produce purchase, then it is time to throw some away. 8. Awards and trophies Just because it has your name engraved on it does not mean you have to keep it forever. Professional organisers preserve the memory by taking a photo of the accolade, then they donate the trophies, plaques, or awards of excellence through sports medal recycling programs. 9. Fad clutter You could not resist that 2 a.m. infomercial and now you’re the owner of the latest craze in kitchen appliances, workshop tools, or some other must-have item that you never use. Professional organisers remind you that keeping the item won’t bring back the money you spent; so it’s best to pass it along to an organisation or friend that will accept it. 10. Clothes hangers You’ll rarely find empty hangers taking up space in a professional organiser’s closet. Clear the clutter by returning the wire ones to the dry cleaners. Then let go of the other unused hangers like the ones with weak clips and the small hangers that don’t slide on the closet bar. Written by Handyman. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.handyman.net.au/26-things-your-house-professional-organiser-would-throw-out">Handyman</a>.

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10 things in your house that a professional organiser would throw out

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