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Dashcam footage captures wild brawl on busy Queensland road

<p>Dramatic dashcam footage has captured the moment two men get involved in a wild brawl in the middle of traffic. </p> <p>The video taken in Chandler, Brisbane on Tuesday showed a white Ford Falcon utility overtaking multiple vehicles while changing lanes twice, before coming to a stop at a red light. </p> <p>As the male driver waits for the light to change, another man exits his Audi and rushes through the traffic to the Ford. </p> <p>The Ford driver opens his door before punches started flying, and they have it out in the middle of the road. </p> <p>The two men appeared unbothered by the dozens of vehicles around them punching and kicking and one point they even slammed into an orange ute, with the driver forced to use their horn to warn the duo off. </p> <p>The owner of the vehicle recording the dashcam was forced to move their car forward to avoid a collision as the Ford rocked forward during the fight. </p> <p>The altercation escalates, with another man attempting a karate-style kick before the lights changed and the men were forced to return to their car. </p> <p>While the cause of the altercation is unknown, Queensland Police said they have been made aware of the video. </p> <p>They said no formal complaints have been made. </p> <p><em>Image: Dash Cam Owners Australia/Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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Aldi's surprise new business move

<p>Aldi just keeps on giving, from being the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/australia-s-cheapest-supermarket-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cheapest supermarket</a>, to launching their own travel website, the German retailer has taken things to a whole new level. </p> <p>On Wednesday, the supermarket giant launched their Aldi Holidays online portal, so now Aussies can plan their next holiday with a bunch of exclusive Aldi escapes, cruises and tour deals, in a first for Aussie supermarkets. </p> <p>“We are excited to be taking off in a new direction to make planning and booking a holiday a more enjoyable experience for Australians and in our signature Good Different way with Aldi Holidays,” Rodney Balech, Group Director, Aldi Australia said in a statement. </p> <p>“This service, in partnership with Ignite Travel, will unlock incredible value and help all types of travellers create truly unforgettable experiences.</p> <p>“With Aldi Holidays we’re bringing our Special Buys to the skies, offering savvy travellers premium holiday options.”</p> <p>Aldi Holidays will have a similar concept to their bi-weekly special buys, where there will be a limited number of exclusive holiday deals, which will be available until sold out, and there are some pretty good deals on offer. </p> <p>Some of the Aldi holidays available include five nights in Daydream Island Resort, Whitsundays, from $899 per person twin share and seven nights in Novotel Phuket, Thailand from $599 per person twin share.</p> <p>They also offer a few other international packages including  seven nights in the Outrigger Resort, Fiji, from $1,799 per person twin share and six nights at the Grand Mirage in Bali from $1,199 per person twin share.</p> <p>Aussies keen for a cruise can also snag a few deals including nine nights on a Royal Caribbean Cruise through the Pacific Islands from $1,499 or 14 nights on Celebrity X Cruise through Japan, from $4,990. </p> <p>“Aldi Holiday customers can expect incredible savings with these exclusively curated holiday packages including flights, local experiences and more,” Ryan Thomas, the Ignite Travel Group CEO said.</p> <p>“We’re excited about the future of our partnership with Aldi,” he added. </p> <p>Holidays can be booked online or via the dedicated Aldi Holiday Sales Centre. </p> <p><em>Image: </em><em>Daria Nipot / Shutterstock.com</em></p>

Travel Tips

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The good, the bad and the awful – how businesses reacts to online reviews

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mina-tajvidi-1192090">Mina Tajvidi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queen-mary-university-of-london-1745">Queen Mary University of London</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-hajli-1426223">Nick Hajli</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/loughborough-university-1336">Loughborough University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tahir-m-nisar-1050021">Tahir M. Nisar</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southampton-1093">University of Southampton</a></em></p> <p>Every day travellers across the globe are flocking to popular destinations, eager to relax and create memories.</p> <p>Alongside packing and planning, many turn to online reviews to choose the perfect hotel, restaurant, or activity. These reviews, often shared enthusiastically or with a hint of frustration, play a key role in shaping our experiences. But what happens to these reviews once they are posted? Do businesses truly read them, and if so, do they make changes based on customer feedback?</p> <p>The short answer is yes, businesses do read reviews and often act on them. In fact, for many, it’s a crucial part of their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004016252100384X">customer engagement strategy</a>. Reviews offer a treasure trove of insights, from customer satisfaction and service quality to product usability and pricing perceptions. But beyond the numbers and star ratings, reviews provide a story of the customer experience that can highlight strengths and reveal weaknesses.</p> <p>Businesses, particularly in competitive industries like hospitality, often have dedicated teams or <a href="https://broadly.com/blog/reputation-management-tools/">software tools</a> to monitor reviews across platforms like Tripadvisor, Google, and Yelp. These tools can aggregate reviews, analyse sentiments, and even benchmark against competitors.</p> <p>For example, a hotel chain may use these insights to identify common themes in guest feedback, such as complaints about check-in delays or praises for room cleanliness. By doing so, they can prioritise issues and respond effectively.</p> <p>However, reading reviews is just the beginning. The real value lies in how businesses respond to them, and whether they take actionable steps to address the feedback. In many cases, customer reviews have become catalysts for change. For instance, a recurring complaint about outdated decor might prompt a hotel to refurbish its rooms. Similarly, consistent praise for a friendly staff member can lead to rewards or recognition programmes, boosting employee morale and enhancing the overall guest experience.</p> <p><a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10614398">Some businesses</a> go a step further by engaging directly with reviewers. This engagement can take various forms, from public responses thanking customers for their feedback to private messages addressing specific concerns. <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ITP-09-2018-0415/full/html">Such interactions</a> not only show that a business values its customers, but also humanises the brand, fostering trust and loyalty. A well-handled response to a negative review can even turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal advocate.</p> <h2>The role of negative reviews</h2> <p>Negative reviews, while often dreaded by businesses, are an essential component of the feedback process. They provide honest, often blunt insights into what went wrong and where improvements are needed. For instance, during the holiday season, a restaurant might receive complaints about long wait times or underwhelming festive menus. Instead of viewing these reviews as setbacks, savvy businesses see them as opportunities to refine their offerings and enhance customer satisfaction.</p> <p>In some cases, businesses have <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10614398">used negative reviews</a> as a springboard for innovation. A restaurant receiving feedback about limited vegetarian options might introduce new menu items, attracting a broader clientele and boosting sales. Similarly, a hotel criticised for lack of amenities might invest in additional facilities, improving its appeal and competitiveness.</p> <p>As technology evolves, the landscape of customer reviews and business responses is also changing. The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning that uses algorithms has made it easier for businesses to analyse vast amounts of feedback and identify trends quickly. This capability allows for more proactive responses, with businesses anticipating issues before they become widespread problems.</p> <p>Moreover, the increasing use of video and photo reviews adds a new dimension to customer feedback. <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JPBM-01-2019-2194/full/html?casa_token=adZDhhc3f0IAAAAA:7jPn1_y31gfB4BjJjLdl8QnnFixO3XCEOKbtemd0N2vhh_UCEHa1vjisRj3X3K1iw7UIRL1yylJGN6CCqPbW1Bs4CoSto1x0M1ntb_RtD7z-ZXHzj7Q">Visual reviews</a> can provide a more vivid portrayal of experiences, from showcasing a beautifully plated dish to highlighting a less-than-sparkling pool.</p> <p>Businesses are adapting to this trend by incorporating user-generated content into their marketing strategies, showcasing real-life customer experiences to attract new clients.</p> <p>However, the rise of fake reviews is a growing concern. In 2023, the popular travel website Tripadvisor <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/TransparencyReport2023#group-section-Fake-Reviews-HZjJZOxSZ4">saw an overwhelming influx</a> of user-generated content, with over 30 million reviews, however, amid this vast pool of feedback, 1.3 million reviews were flagged as fraudulent and subsequently removed.</p> <p>In the end, customer reviews are not just fleeting opinions left in the digital atmosphere. They are valuable conversations between businesses and their customers. For businesses, reviews offer an opportunity to understand their clients’ needs, address concerns, and celebrate successes. That is why businesses like <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/policy-news-views/how-ai-spots-fake-reviews-amazon">Amazon are using AI</a> to manage the reviews.</p> <p>By reading, responding, and, most importantly, acting on reviews, businesses can foster a loyal customer base and continually improve their offerings. So, the next time you leave a review, remember that someone is listening, and your words may just be the catalyst for positive change.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236194/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mina-tajvidi-1192090">Mina Tajvidi</a>, Lecturer in Digital Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queen-mary-university-of-london-1745">Queen Mary University of London</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-hajli-1426223">Nick Hajli</a>, AI Strategist and Professor of Digital Strategy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/loughborough-university-1336">Loughborough University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tahir-m-nisar-1050021">Tahir M. Nisar</a>, Professor of Strategy and Economic Organisation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southampton-1093">University of Southampton</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-good-the-bad-and-the-awful-how-business-reacts-to-online-reviews-236194">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Travel Trouble

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Mother furious after toddlers escape daycare onto busy road

<p>A young mother is demanding answers after her toddler managed to flee his daycare centre and walk onto a busy road. </p> <p>Adelaide mum Makayla Lill dropped her son Wyatt off at the Goodstart Early Learning Blair Athol on Monday, when only hours after, Wyatt and another toddler were seen climbing through a hole in a broken fence. </p> <p>The two children ran out towards the busy road, which is regarded as a notorious accident blackspot, forcing traffic to slow down to avoid hitting the children.</p> <p>The staff quickly realised the children had escaped and ran to retrieve them. </p> <p>"I am pretty furious. There’s no excuse,” Makayla said.</p> <p>After the children were secure, the staff rang Ms Lill to inform her of the incident, which is now under investigation. </p> <p>“The first thing she said was ‘I’m just letting you know Wyatt is safe’”, Ms Lill said. “That straight away makes you think ‘What’s happened?’”</p> <p>"They said he was there for a maximum, this is what makes me upset, 10 seconds," Lill said.</p> <p>The mother said staff told her the gap in the fence was missed on a routine perimeter check.</p> <p>George Mavromatis was nearby when the incident occurred and said he heard the staff's screams from across the road.</p> <p>"This is a very bad intersection. We've seen multiple car accidents, it was very lucky to come out of that lightly to tell you the truth," he told <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/two-children-found-wandering-near-busy-road-after-leaving-childcare-centre-adelaide/3c0164f9-d799-45e2-806b-1db00bc67e22" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Nine News</a></em>.</p> <p>Makayla Lill has made a formal complaint with the centre, as some parents have pledged to remove their children from the daycare centre, while others have said they hoped it was just an isolated incident.</p> <p>The incident is now under multiple investigations by the centre and the Education Standards Board of South Australia, as South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said SafeWork may have a role to play in the investigation. </p> <p>"I think any parent would be horrified when they see these images. They're pretty confronting. I think it begs the question of what went wrong in this circumstance," Malinauskas said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine</em></p>

Family & Pets

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

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

Money & Banking

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Anti-cellulite products are big business – but here’s what the science says

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-shepherd-423135">Rebecca Shepherd</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bristol-1211">University of Bristol</a></em></p> <p>Although <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jocd.14815">90% of women have cellulite</a>, we’re yet to see it represented as a normal anatomical characteristic in popular culture. In Greta Gerwig’s 2023 Hollywood blockbuster, for instance, Stereotypical Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, develops dimples on her upper thigh as part of her existential crisis – along with other human faults such as halitosis, flat feet and irrepressible thoughts of death.</p> <p>When Stereotypical Barbie asks doll sage Weird Barbie what the dimples are, she explains: “That’s cellulite. That’s going to spread everywhere. Then you’re going to start getting sad and mushy and complicated.” Barbie’s perfect smooth plastic perfection is marred.</p> <p>Despite its prevalence, then, cellulite has been constructed as a flaw in need of correction. Consumers, it seems, agree, especially when fed a diet of the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21604851.2021.1913827">photoshop smoothed skin</a> of models, social media influencers – and Hollywood stars.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rmThigh1i8s?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">“NO!” Barbie shouts when Weird Barbie tells her she has cellulite.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>Cellulite’s usually found in areas that have greater amounts of subcutaneous fat, when fat deposits push through the connective tissue beneath the skin, leading to a lumpy appearance. It is common, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738081X1300076X?via%3Dihub">usually painless</a> and harmless.</p> <p>The human skin is the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-skin-is-a-very-important-and-our-largest-organ-what-does-it-do-91515">body’s largest organ</a>, made up of three layers. At the surface, the epidermis acts as our first line of defence against the environment. This outermost, impermeable layer is made up of cells that are constantly renewed and shed, protecting our body from external elements.</p> <p>Beneath the epidermis lies the dermis, a robust layer containing fibroblasts, the cells responsible for producing essential proteins such as collagen and elastin. These proteins provide structure and elasticity, contributing to the skin’s strength and flexibility.</p> <p>Deeper still is the hypodermis, also known as the subcutaneous layer. This layer is rich in adipose tissue – mostly made up of fat, which plays a crucial role in cushioning and insulating the body, as well as storing fat that can be used when needed. Beneath these three layers of skin, there is muscle. Running from the muscle to the dermis are <a href="https://journals.lww.com/amjdermatopathology/fulltext/2000/02000/cellulite__from_standing_fat_herniation_to.7.aspx">bands of connective tissue</a>, that holds the adipose tissue in “pockets”.</p> <p>Cellulite does not affect health, although some people report that it affects their <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07853890.2018.1561731">self-esteem and body image</a> but that’s more to do with the social pressure on women to be physically perfect – or spend money, time and energy trying to be as close to perfect as possible.</p> <p>Cellulite, then, has become big business for the beauty industry. In the lead up to summer especially, companies will promote <a href="https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/weight-control-cellulite.html">all manner of products</a> from creams and serums to gadgets and pills, all aimed at creating perfectly smooth limbs. The most popular question seems to be, “Do these treatments work?” but as an anatomist I think the more pressing question is, “Why are healthy women’s bodies considered something to treat, cure or correct?”</p> <p>The beauty and wellness industry has long capitalised on societal standards of beauty. The idea that cellulite is undesirable and <a href="https://journals.lww.com/dermatologicsurgery/abstract/1978/03000/So_Called_Cellulite.9.aspx">should be corrected</a> has been perpetuated since Vogue magazine was the <a href="https://archive.vogue.com/article/1968/4/cellulite-the-new-word-for-fat-you-couldnt-lose-before">first English language magazine</a> to use the term “cellulite”, introducing the concept to thousands of women. This marketing strategy taps into the insecurities of consumers, particularly women, and promotes an endless pursuit of “perfection” for bodies that have normal anatomical variation.</p> <p>By framing cellulite as a condition that needs treatment, companies can sell a wide range of products and services, bolstered by celebrity endorsements, which lend credibility and aspirational value to pseudo-medical “smoothing” products. However, there is limited scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of these supplements in treating cellulite. In fact, the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1524-4725.1978.tb00416.x">first scientific paper</a> on cellulite, published in 1978, referred to it as “so called cellulite: the invented disease”.</p> <p>Recent product launches include, <a href="https://lemmelive.com/en-gb/products/lemme-smooth-capsules?variant=45597048111318">Lemme Smooth</a>, Kourtney Kardashian-Barker’s latest addition to her vitamin and supplement range. The product’s promotional materials claim that the capsule “visibly reduces cellulite in 28 days”. But what does the science tell us?</p> <p>Supplements like Lemme Smooth claim to improve skin texture and reduce cellulite from within. Kardashian-Barker’s supplement contains a mixture of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10298-015-0977-4">french cantaloupe melon</a>, hyaluronic acid, chromium and vitamin C among other ingredients. The body’s ability to absorb and utilise these ingredients in a way that would impact cellulite is still a subject of debate.</p> <p>There is evidence that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4110621/#:%7E:text=In%20a%20randomized%2C%20double%2Dblind,in%20part%2C%20to%20the%20skin.">ingested hyaluronic acid</a> can migrate into the skin, stimulating the production of collagens within the dermis – and vitamin C has been shown to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-72704-1">thicken the surface layer</a> of the skin. However, the lack of standardisation in testing for the use of these ingredients in the treatment of cellulite means it’s still not clear if they will have a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-2494.2006.00318.x">significant effect</a>.</p> <p>Other products marketed to reduce the appearance of cellulite include topical creams and lotions, containing ingredients like <a href="https://karger.com/books/book/763/chapter-abstract/5600478/Specific-Use-Cosmeceuticals-for-Body-Skin-Texture?redirectedFrom=fulltext">caffeine, retinol, and herbal extracts</a>. Cosmetic products are not able to penetrate the epidermis enough to significantly affect the underlying fat deposits and connective tissue.</p> <p>Some invasive treatments, such as <a href="https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/fat-removal/cellulite-treatments-what-really-works">laser therapy, subcision, and acoustic wave therapy</a> can offer more promising results. These procedures work by breaking down the connective tissue bands that cause dimpling and stimulating collagen production in the dermis to improve skin elasticity. While these methods <a href="https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/fat-removal/cellulite-treatments-what-really-works">may be more effective</a>, they are often expensive, require multiple sessions to achieve results – and aren’t without risk.</p> <p>Maintaining a healthy diet, drinking lots of water, and regular physical activity can help improve the overall appearance of the skin and reduce the visibility of cellulite. Losing weight and strengthening the muscles in the legs, buttocks and abdomen may make cellulite less noticeable, but it won’t make it <a href="https://jndc-chemistryarticles.info/ijn/article/318">disappear altogether</a>.</p> <p>The bottom line, though, is that cellulite does not need to be treated. It’s a normal anatomical variation that’s been transformed into a condition driving a lucrative market for cures <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40257-015-0129-5">that don’t exist</a>.</p> <p>My top expert advice in the run up to summer? Be wary of claims from cosmetic companies and save your money.</p> <hr /> <p><em>The Conversation has approached the Lemme Live brand for comment.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/232318/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-shepherd-423135">Rebecca Shepherd</a>, Senior Lecturer in Human Anatomy, School of Anatomy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bristol-1211">University of Bristol</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/anti-cellulite-products-are-big-business-but-heres-what-the-science-says-232318">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

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Woman’s “selfish” business class upgrade divides the internet

<p dir="ltr">A woman has divided the internet after telling how she snagged an upgrade on her way home from a holiday, leaving her partner and his child in economy. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 30-year-old woman shared the story of how she landed the controversial upgrade, but explained to her social media followers that there is more to the story than meets the eye. </p> <p dir="ltr">She began by explaining that she had booked a 10-day holiday with her partner, who she called Matt, who she had been dating for one year. </p> <p dir="ltr">The couple wanted to spend some time together, but were joined by Matt’s younger son, who she called Alex, from his previous relationship. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Every now and then I would look after Alex when Matt was at work — we don’t live together but they stay at mine every now and then,” the woman explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">Due to family circumstances, Alex had to join the couple on holiday, as she explained, “The flights were over eight hours long and I have booked the tickets for all of us.”  </p> <p dir="ltr">During the flight to their destination, and throughout their whole holiday, the woman explained that she spent most of the time looking after Alex while Matt had “the time of his life”. </p> <p dir="ltr">While the couple were on holiday, the woman discovered that Matt had been unfaithful, and had been cheating on her through most of their relationship. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Some things came to my attention — he was still seeing his ex — which resulted in us breaking up at the end of our stay,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">On the flight back home, the three were sitting together when a flight attendant approached her ex, asking if he wanted an upgrade to business class, but before he could respond, the woman interjected.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I mentioned it was me who bought the tickets and used my own account to pay for them, so an upgrade should go to me,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The flight attendant was trying to argue at first, as she assumed Alex was my child.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“But I told her that’s not the case, and ended up having an upgrade so I can relax after spending all this time looking after Alex.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When they landed, Matt made comments the woman had been “an a**hole” and “selfish”, while some passengers made similar comments. </p> <p dir="ltr">The woman shared the story to Reddit, asking social media users if she was in the wrong by taking the upgrade and was met with mixed responses. </p> <p dir="ltr">One person said, “Damn that sucks... paying for a flight, in a breakup, taking care of a child on YOUR vacation. You by no means are the a******, hell the audacity of the ex is unbelievable. It just p***es me off so much that I can’t even begin to imagine your frustration.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Another added, “I bet it was nice to put some space between you and your brand new ex with such a long flight, too. What was he going to do, take the upgrade and leave his young kid with the woman who he just broke up with? There’s no world in which that makes any kind of sense.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Others suggested the biggest culprit in the situation was actually the flight attendant.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why would it be ok to leave the mum with the kid but not the dad? Why did they not first offer it to the person who bought the tickets as that’s where the priority should’ve been?” one said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, one person pointed out: “Let this be a lesson."</p> <p dir="ltr">“Never take care of someone’s kid your whole holiday and let them have the time of their lives. You should have let him handle everything concerning his kid except some play time. I would be fuming.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Retiree threatened with $200,000 fine over home egg business

<p>A Queensland retiree has insisted that he will continue to sell eggs from the chooks in his backyard despite authorities threatening him with a fine up to $200,000. </p> <p>Murray Koina said that when he first received the email about his business he thought it was a scam and ignored it. </p> <p>It wasn't until they pushed for him to stop that he immediately realised things were getting serious.</p> <p>"They said it was a health issue, someone could get poisoned by an egg," Murray told <em>Today show</em> hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo.</p> <p>"Well my mother grew eggs from when I was a baby and we've eaten them and given them away and sold them and I don't think anyone's died yet - and I'm 73."</p> <p>Murray added that he could get a licence to avoid the fine and continue his little business, but that costs $630 upfront and then around $450 every year to renew it, so it's just not worth it. </p> <p>"I sell around a dozen cartons a week at $4 a dozen so that wouldn't make sense," he said.</p> <p>"I can't say what I really feel about it, but I'm really, you know, p---ed off."</p> <p><em>Image: Today</em></p>

Caring

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"You've been bumped": Vietnam vet slams Qantas for booting him from business class

<p dir="ltr">Qantas has come under fire for booting a Vietnam war veteran from his paid seat in business class so that a young Qantas "tech" – later revealed to be a pilot – could travel in the luxury seat in his place.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephen Jones, 78, and his wife were travelling home to Adelaide after a holiday in Christchurch. Their flight was passing through Melbourne on its way to their home in Adelaide, and the pair were enjoying coffee in the Melbourne airport lounge – just 30 minutes before they were set to continue their journey – when they were given the bad news by Qantas staff.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I went up to the desk and the Qantas employee there said, 'I've got some bad news for you, you've been bumped'," Mr Jones told Melbourne’s <em><a href="https://www.3aw.com.au/vietnam-war-veteran-booted-from-business-class-for-younger-qantas-employee/">3AW</a></em> radio program with Ross & Russ. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It didn't register at first," continued Mr Jones. "I wasn't quite sure what 'bumped' meant... I said, 'What?', and she said, 'Yes, I'll have to re-issue your ticket for economy class. We have a tech who's flying to Adelaide and his contract states that he must fly Business Class."</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Jones then explained that while he retreated to his economy seat, the Qantas employee was seated next to his wife up in business class, and that "he wouldn't even look at her".</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Jones went on to explain that, after filing a letter of complaint, he was offered 5000 Frequent Flyer points in return for the downgrade and an apology.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Jones, who served in Vietnam in a combat unit in the 1960s, claimed he turned down the offer of 5000 points, saying, “I don’t think anything is going to change until there’s ramifications for Qantas, or costs for Qantas when they upset their customers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Justin Lawrence, Partner at Henderson Ball Lawyers, later told the 3AW radio show hosts that there’s little customers can do about such a move by the airline and said it was “standard operating procedure”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Unfortunately, their terms of carriage allow them to do this sort of thing – this happens so often they’ve actually got a term for it, buckle up, they call this 'involuntary downgrading,'” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They’ll overprescribe business class or first class, they will need to bump someone out, and they’ll do it almost immediately prior to the flight – not just Qantas, they all do it."</p> <p dir="ltr">“Any time you go to a travel agent or online to Qantas to buy a seat, and we think we’re buying a seat in a particular class, there are no guarantees that when that plane takes off, you’ll be sitting in that class.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Jones said he understood that Qantas pilots were entitled to rest comfortably on their way to another flight, but the ordeal was “unsettling and made me a little irritable”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Kochie and Karl team up for a new business venture

<p>David Koch and Karl Stefanovic has reportedly put their differences aside after a long-running rivalry, as they contemplate embarking on a new business venture together. </p> <p>After hosting rival morning television shows for decades, Kochie and Karl have squashed their beef with each other after Kochie retired from <em>Sunrise</em> earlier this year after 21 years on the air. </p> <p>Kochie chatted candidly on a recent episode of the <em>Something to Talk About</em> podcast, sharing details of his complicated relationships with Karl.</p> <p>He said despite running in similar circles due to the nature of their careers, they were never close friends. </p> <p>However, after Kochie left <em>Sunrise</em>, the pair caught up for a lunch date, and were joined by Kochie's old co-host Nat Barr. </p> <p>"Would you believe the two weeks after finishing on <em>Sunrise</em>, Karl and I and Nat had lunch together?" he said. </p> <p>"I’ve come across Karl a number of times at different functions – really nice bloke, incredibly respectful, didn’t know him much at all."</p> <p>But, it appears the two have now hit it off, as they are contemplating starting a podcast together. </p> <p>Kochie continued, "So we had lunch together and he’s talking about wanting to do a podcast together, funnily enough, so something might come of it."</p> <p>The 67-year-old was the the longest-serving breakfast TV anchor in Australian history when he left <em>Sunrise</em> two months ago. </p> <p>He was replaced by former professional sprinter Matt 'Shirvo' Shirvington, who had been filling in for Kochie for several years.</p> <p>Karl has been the host of the <em>Today</em> show for 14 years, beginning his hosting journey alongside Tracy Grimshaw in 2005. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Today / Sunrise </em></p>

TV

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"The last male sanctuary": Barber shop campaigns to formally ban women

<p>An Adelaide barber shop which prides itself as "the last male sanctuary", has applied for an exemption to the Equal Opportunity Act, which, once approved, will allow it to formally ban women. </p> <p>The team behind Robbie's Chop Shop took to Instagram to ask over 42,800 of their followers to help with their application to Equal Opportunity SA. </p> <p>In their first pinned post on Instagram, the barber shop posted a photo of the letter explaining that they have applied for an exemption following a complaint made to the commission about their request for women to observe that it is a male-only business. </p> <p>"Unfortunately, this is not the first complaint of this type that we have received, so in order to deal with them once and for all, we have decided to make an application for an exemption to the Equal Opportunity Act," they wrote in the letter. </p> <p>They added that the business prides itself in being able to provide "a safe space for men to discuss their issues", so they applied for the exemption to deal with the complaints once and for all. </p> <p>The business believes that they are "not in breach of the act" if they are able to obtain this exemption. </p> <p>"As part of our application, we would like to include statements from you, our loyal and valued customers, that explain why you love Robbie's Chop Shop, and why you feel that is so important for Robbie's Chop Shop to be a safe space for men to come together and discuss their issues," they pleaded. </p> <p>Their plea has divided followers, while some men and women agreed with them, others seem to disagree with their stance. </p> <p>"I love that this exists and love the safe space you've created for men to unload their weights of the world without being judged and freedom speak up in a space with others that may be facing similar issues," one woman wrote. </p> <p>"I’ll never understand why this is an issue. There are so many women only places around. As a woman I’d much prefer to go to a hair salon than a barber," commented another woman. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvPYHawy18U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvPYHawy18U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 💈 Robbie's Chop Shop 💈 (@robbieschopshop)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"💯 support - Great idea to have a space for men. In the UK there are lots of ladies/women only spaces and events etc. Don’t see the issue for men having their own space in society as well. 👍" wrote one man. </p> <p>"The concept of the last male sanctuary is not to discriminate against women but to offer a place for men to come and discuss the issues in their lives, in comfort with other similar men," commented another. </p> <p>One person wrote that they hope the business is equally welcoming to non-binary or trans people. </p> <p>"I hope you would welcome trans men, non-binary people and folks of any gender wanting a masculine haircut. We all deserve to feel included and safe to approach businesses knowing we won’t be turned away based on personal attributes we can’t change."</p> <p>"More like Robbie's Mojo Dojo Casa House," another quipped in reference to Ryan Gosling's character Ken establishing the patriarchy in Barbie land in the 2023 <em>Barbie m</em>ovie. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

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Hero tradie’s daring move saves toddler who wandered onto busy street

<p>In an awe-inspiring act of bravery that will leave you breathless, shocking <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/tradie-scary-move-save-child-095600259.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dash cam footage</a> has captured a heart-pounding moment that will forever be etched in the annals of heroism. </p> <p>Laurie Owens, a true guardian angel who fearlessly soared into action on the Salisbury Highway in Adelaide, embarked on a heart-stopping mission to save a young child's life, giving no thought to his own safety or that of his vehicle</p> <p>It was just another day for working tradie Laurie Owens as he navigated the bustling roadways. But with eagle eyes and a heart tuned to protect, Laurie spotted a young boy, still adorned in his nappy, wandering innocently into the treacherous path of oncoming vehicles on a busy highway.</p> <p>In a surge of adrenalin-fuelled heroism, Owens sprang into action as – u<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">ndeterred by the imminent danger, he gallantly mounted the median strip and fearlessly directed his own vehicle into the path of the charging traffic, all in an effort to shield the toddler from harm's way. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">His words echo with undying determination: "I'd rather take the damage of a car running into me because I'm safe rather than the child be killed because what protection do they have?" he told 9News. </span></p> <p>In a dazzling display of divine intervention, the unsuspecting little boy, named Aaryan, instinctively turned and bolted towards the safety of his family driveway, under the watchful gaze of Owens.</p> <p>Owens then gathered the child in his arms, poised to reunite him with his worried parents, who confirmed that Aaryan was indeed their precious child. The driveway gates had been left ajar, allowing the child, who grapples with autism, to embark on an unplanned adventure onto the perilous road.</p> <p>In the tearful aftermath, Aaryan's mother, overwhelmed with gratitude, expressed her deepest appreciation, declaring, "Thank you, I'm really grateful that [he] saved my child."</p> <p>For Owens, the humble champion of this heart-stopping saga, the joy of knowing that the little boy made it home safely was an immeasurable reward. Bursting with pride, he triumphantly proclaimed, "I've saved a kid's life. He's got a future now!"</p> <p><em>Images: 9 News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Spoil yourself and your bestie": Jackie O announces new side hustle

<p dir="ltr">Jackie O Henderson has announced a new side hustle with her best friend of 20 years Gemma O’Neill.</p> <p dir="ltr">The radio star took to Instagram on Tuesday to announce her newest venture with O’Neill, a business fittingly named “Besties”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve been besties for over 20 years and have lived through terrible fashion choices, husbands, moving houses (again and again!), holidays, babies, novice tarot card readings, swimming with sharks, dancing around the living room to our favourite songs and of course lots of tears and lots more laughter,” she captioned the photo.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair were pictured sharing a laugh in a beautiful photoshoot by the beach, presumably to promote their upcoming business.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Like any best friend duo, we've always dreamed of starting our own side hustle, and we're so thrilled to share the news of our newest venture, Besties,” she added in the caption.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>KIIS</em> star claims that the business will allow people to spend more time and create more memories with their best friends.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu0IqHpyEOW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu0IqHpyEOW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jackie O (@jackieo_official)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The pair have thought out their mission well, vowing to bring friends closer to “extraordinary people” through their speaker events, provide trips to “breathtaking destinations” and offer a range of luxe products so you can “spoil yourself and your bestie”.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also revealed that this business venture was just an excuse for her to make more memories with her best friend.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We thought it was about time for a one-stop shop to celebrate each other,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also tagged an Instagram account for the business, which already boasts over 11 thousand followers.</p> <p dir="ltr">While both women are co-founders of the company, Jackie O will be the creative director while her best friend is the CEO.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Four-year-old entrepreneur wins out against council complaints

<p dir="ltr">Four-year-old Leo Tyres is the proud owner of his very own fruit and vegetable stand, better known as Leo’s Little Shop, but his enterprise hasn’t come without its share of struggle. </p> <p dir="ltr">He first had to overcome a hurdle most small business owners know an awful lot about - a slow start. And from there, things escalated, when a complaint made to the local council against his stand almost shut down business for good. </p> <p dir="ltr">Leo operates his pop-up store, selling discounted fruit and vegetables with slight defects from outside his home in Gatton, Queensland. </p> <p dir="ltr">And as Lockyer Valley Mayor Tanya Milligan told<em> 9News</em>, the complaint had been about “a business that was operating in a residential area. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Like most councils, we are complaint-driven, we have an obligation to go and check it out.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“If it’s a permanent structure, it becomes a shop,” she explained, before noting that if that were the case then the young family would have had a lot of hoops to jump through. </p> <p dir="ltr">Luckily for little Leo - and the 2000 locals who got behind a petition to save his venture - Milligan was of the opinion that “it’s no different to me than the old-fashioned lemonade stall or garage sale.” </p> <p dir="ltr">And so, the stand remains open for business, with Leo at the helm. </p> <p dir="ltr">As for how his regulars feel about the outcome, Leo was happy to report that “they say ‘good on ya’.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Leo’s mother, Barbra Sanchez, is delighted with the result as well, and shared some of the benefits of his experience, noting that “he is learning several life skills from interacting with people, [and he’s] saving money.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Those people are, of course, his customers, but also his suppliers. Local business is important to the youngster, who sources his produce from local farmers who are unable to sell the fruit and vegetables due to the ‘imperfections’ in their appearance.</p> <p dir="ltr">While he started out with just a bag of limes and two pumpkins, Leo’s empire has grown from there, and he now has his very own trailer to help with the crucial work of sourcing, carrying, and selling his wares. </p> <p dir="ltr">He was more than eager to share this proud achievement, too, declaring that he can now “take 10 pumpkins in the trailer! 10 pumpkins.” </p> <p dir="ltr">And for anyone wondering just what the four year old might be doing with his hard-earned savings, Leo was happy to explain, telling <em>9News</em>’ Cam Inglis, “I just buy toys.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 9News</em></p>

Food & Wine

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"Too busy marching": Debate rages over fiery Anzac Day post

<p>A man has shared a controversial claim on Twitter about Australia’s relationship to Anzac Day, sparking a fiery debate.</p> <p>Australians and New Zealanders gathered to commemorate the 108th anniversary of the landing of Anzac troops at Gallipoli in World War I on April 25th. Services were held all over both countries to mark the day of remembrance.</p> <p>On May 34th, Brad Turner, who says he is a former Navy submariner and AFP officer, took to Twitter to argue that the values of the annual celebration were “no longer reflected” by Australia.</p> <p>He notably called out Australia’s confrontation with China on behalf of the US.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Australia is a society that dutifully gets up early every April 25 to gather, Mach & remember our Dead. Speeches are made, politicians speak of sacrifice & honour whilst possessing or embodying neither. That same society that holds paramount ideals of egalitarianism, mateship &… <a href="https://t.co/sbHHbRiYAF">pic.twitter.com/sbHHbRiYAF</a></p> <p>— Brad Turner (@tur14865416) <a href="https://twitter.com/tur14865416/status/1650394428841037826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>“Australia is a society that dutifully gets up early every April 25 to gather, march and remember our dead,” he wrote in the post, which has been viewed more than 20,000 times.</p> <p>“Speeches are made, politicians speak of sacrifice and honour whilst possessing or embodying neither. That same society that holds paramount ideals of egalitarianism, mateship and sacrifice is forgotten on the other 364 days of the year.</p> <p>“On those days Australia marches right past veteran suicides, war crimes, illegal wars and widespread inequality and corruption. Is it really a day of remembrance? Or is it theatrics so society can pretend they care about victims of war or our conduct as a country with an aim to feel better about apathy and inaction as a nation towards these things.</p> <p>“We don’t notice any of these things because we are too busy marching. But this time it’s headlong into another pointless American war with China. The things we celebrate about our nation on Anzac Day are sadly no longer reflected in Australia’s actions. They have not been in some time.”</p> <p>Several people online took the same stance as Mr Turner.</p> <p>“I don’t like Anzac Day. It overlooks our follies in joining Britain and US wars. WWII was noble. The rest were con jobs to enrich the industrialists. Our people have all these solemn events only to assuage their ‘je ne c’est quoi’ because they don’t feel any guilt but should,” one wrote.</p> <p>“Our politicians spend more on memorial monuments and museums that they can put their name on a plaque on the wall than they do for the actual veterans who are suffering from PTSD or other ‘souvenirs’ they have brought back from their tours,” another said.</p> <p>“Flag waving patriotism has taken over Anzac Day. We are one step away from parades of military hardware while the populace salute. What should be a reflection on the horrors of war has become it‘s celebration. John Howard did this,” a third added.</p> <p>“Listening to the Labor government yesterday follow in the footsteps of the Coalition, justifying spending billions antagonising China at America’s request is not the ‘lest we forget’ I think about,” a fourth wrote.</p> <p>Others fired back and said Anzac Day was still important.</p> <p>“Mate … it’s about remembering the sacrifice and loss of our mates … lest we forget,” one wrote, adding, “I don’t worry about [politicians] anymore grandstanding on the day. It’s our day not theirs to remember our mates.”</p> <p>Another wrote, “It is tradition. It separates the fluff of ordinary living to reflect on sacrifice not only of the dead, of lives unlived, of the unfathomable grief but also of the living dealing with the trauma and moral injury of tooth and claw war. It is not a celebration which distracts.”</p> <p>“I understand this perspective, but at the same time I ask myself — is there any harm in this form national reflection? I agree there have been some military follies following the absolute necessity of WWII, but would add that there is no guarantee that the next engagement is such,” a third wrote.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Rod Stewart's ultimate surprise for like-minded hobbyists

<p>Rod Stewart has paid a surprise visit to a local business in Sydney's west, mingling with like-minded hobbyists. </p> <p>On Wednesday night, the 78-year-old rockstar took to the stage of Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena in front of 21,000 adoring fans, performing his classic hits in a signature leopard print jacket. </p> <p>But just hours before, he stopped in at Woodpecker Model Railways, a model train store located in Pendle Hill, in search of model trains to add to his vast collection.</p> <p>"Look who casually walked into our shop," the business shared on their Facebook page, alongside a photo of staff members smiling with the rock legend.</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwoodpeckermodelrailways%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0Nfb2LeEtR5yXAcfCiBW8g4GVLqncdVbNz9AKJnZVwFzB345DUXMDt3C6ZvcGpReyl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="504" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>"That's amazing!!!" one follower wrote on Facebook.</p> <p>"WOW how awesome !! Lucky you !!I think I would be in total admiration [and] shock if Rod walked into a shop I owned or was in lol," another said.</p> <p>"A very accomplished modeller..... sings a bit as well....." another wrote.</p> <p>Rod Stewart has long been known as a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/rod-stewart-s-hidden-track-inside-his-beverly-hills-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">keen model train builder</a>, revealing in a 2019 interview with Railway Modeller magazine that he had been working on a giant and intricate model of a United States city at home for the previous 23 years.</p> <p>Following his admission in the interview, BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine suggested Stewart did not build the model himself, to which Stewart rebutted as he called into Vine's show to set the record straight himself.</p> <p>"I would say 90 per cent of it I built myself," Stewart insisted to Vine. "The only thing I wasn't very good at and still am not is the electricals, so I had someone else do that."</p> <p>"A lot of people laugh at it being a silly hobby, but it's a wonderful hobby," he said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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No Pokies, no problems: The bowling club that never looked back

<p dir="ltr">Petersham Bowling Club was heading towards poverty, when the board’s decision to remove all of their pokies in 2007 changed their business for the better.</p> <p dir="ltr">Club president George Catsi said that the shift from pokies, a staple of many NSW bowling clubs, to live entertainment and other events has generated them more profit than the slots ever did, with a 700 per cent increase in turnover.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I came at it from a position of, this is a valuable space that’s here, the club owns the land. They could have developed it,” he told <em>news.com.au</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So I suppose we came in on a platform of engagement, and we were feeling that the club wasn’t engaging with its community.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Over the last calendar week alone, the club has hosted trivia, life drawing, poetry, two music gigs, Pinot and Picasso, a community radio show, and Sunday bowls.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You’ve got to create a place that people go. This place is such a great vibe, and it’s got such interesting things going. People will fight for that,” Catsi said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is what clubs should be – they should be hubs. My problem with a lot of other clubs is that they forgot that.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Catsi said that they took over the bowling club because it was struggling, and recognised that the pokies weren’t “saving them” or a “guaranteed lifeline”, as they still needed to get people through to the club.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also said that clubs relying on the slot machines for income are “doomed” because they are not open to welcoming and accommodating to the wider communities.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Is it lazy income now? Yes, it is. Absolutely. Because it’s just embedded as part of your income stream, and you don’t want to let go of it,” Catsi said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s also governments … they’re also addicted to the gambling money.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Pokies are going to be one of the major issues for the upcoming NSW election on March 25.</p> <p dir="ltr">Both parties have vowed to make considerable changes, but neither are going to remove the slots completely.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Salon owner loses $40,000 from one $60 deposit

<p dir="ltr">When beautician Thuy Le received a call from a supposed customer’s ‘husband’ regarding an accidental payment, she could never have foreseen the devastating turn her life would take from that point on. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mother of two, whose husband is living with Parkinsons and unable to work, recounted how her harrowing ordeal started with that one phone call, and the man on the other end requesting she return the $60 his wife had ‘accidentally’ paid. </p> <p dir="ltr">Le checked her bank statements to verify his story, and after noting one deposit that matched, she transferred the funds into the account he provided. </p> <p dir="ltr">She did not provide any of her own personal information, her passwords, or any critical numbers for her accounts. And yet, in the time to follow, Le could only watch in horror as more withdrawals were made from her account, into the very same one owned by the customer’s ‘husband’. </p> <p dir="ltr">The withdrawals totalled a devastating $41,600 stolen from Le’s life savings. </p> <p dir="ltr">Le also recounted how she was refused access to her business account, and that she got in touch with her bank as soon as she realised what had happened, suspecting she had been scammed. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her quest for support in her time of need was cut short, with the financial institution placing the blame solely on Le and ruling that they were not liable for the losses she had endured - this was despite the suspicious withdrawals raising no alarm with the bank, and the lack of personal information involved in the scam. </p> <p dir="ltr">Of their questionable red flag system, the bank claimed that it is “nearly impossible for an unauthorised third party to guess”, referencing the way that the logins for the costly transaction all succeeded on the very first try. </p> <p dir="ltr">Furthermore, as stated in a letter to Le, they declared that “the only reasonable explanation for these logins would be that your online banking credentials were known to the unauthorised third party, which would be in breach of the passcode security requirements.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am in financial hardship,” Le admitted of her dire situation, and the need to have the funds returned for her family and her husband’s crucial medication. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I have two little kids, I have a husband with Parkinson’s disease, he cannot work,” she continued. “We are still in the process of applying for government help and I have carried the financial burden on my shoulders.”</p> <p dir="ltr">While Le’s bank offered $200 to resolve her complaint, she was offered no further assistance, and took matters to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, hoping to have her money returned to her. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I can’t sleep,” she confessed. “I want to know why this happened to me and how it happened to me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m not a liar, not a criminal, not a fraud.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Supplied to 7News, Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Just 25% of businesses are insured against cyber attacks. Here’s why

<p>In the past financial year, the Australian Cyber Security Centre received <a href="https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/view-all-content/reports-and-statistics/acsc-annual-cyber-threat-report-july-2021-june-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">76,000 cyber-crime reports</a> – on average, one every seven minutes. The year before, it was a report every eight minutes. The year before that, every ten minutes.</p> <p>The growth of cyber crime means it is now arguably the <a href="https://www.aon.com/2021-global-risk-management-survey/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top risk facing any business</a> with an online presence. One successful cyber attack is all it takes to ruin an organisation’s reputation and bottom line. The estimated cost to the Australian economy in <a href="https://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/newsroom/news/cybercrime-estimated-42-billion-cost-australian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 was $42 billion</a>.</p> <p>To protect itself (and its customers), a business has three main options. It can limit the amount of sensitive data it stores. It can take greater care to protect the data it does store. And it can insure itself against the consequences of a cyber attack.</p> <p>Cyber-insurance is a broad term for insurance policies that address losses as a result of a computer-based attack or malfunction of a firm’s information technology systems. This can include costs associated with business interruptions, responding to the incident and paying relevant fines and penalties.</p> <p>The global cyber-insurance market is now worth an estimated US$9 billion (A$13.9 billion). It is tipped to grow to <a href="https://www.munichre.com/content/dam/munichre/contentlounge/website-pieces/documents/MunichRe-Topics-Cyber-Whitepaper-2022.pdf/_jcr_content/renditions/original./MunichRe-Topics-Cyber-Whitepaper-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US$22 billion by 2025</a>.</p> <p>But a big part of this growth reflects escalating premium costs – in Australia they increased more <a href="https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/au/news/cyber/whats-driving-up-cyber-insurance-premiums-in-australia-417542.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">than 80% in 2021</a> – rather than more business taking up insurance.</p> <p>So coverage rates are growing slowly, with about 75% of all businesses in Australia having no cyber-insurance, according to 2021 figures from the <a href="https://insurancecouncil.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Cyber-Insurance_March2022-final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insurance Council of Australia</a>.</p> <p><strong>Challenges in pricing cyber-insurance</strong></p> <p>With cyber-insurance still in its infancy, insurers face significant complexities in quantifying cyber risk pricing premiums accordingly – high enough for the insurers not to lose money, but as competitive as possible to encourage greater uptake.</p> <p>A 2018 assessment of the cyber-insurance market by the <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/20_0210_cisa_oce_cyber_insurance_market_assessment.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency</a> identified three major challenges: lack of data, methodological limitations, and lack of information sharing.</p> <p>Lack of historical loss data means insurers are hampered in accurately predicting risks and costs.</p> <p>Because of the relative newness of cyber crime, many insurers use risk-assessment methodologies derived from more established insurance markets <a href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP67850.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">such as for car, house and contents</a>. These markets, however, are not analogous to cyber crime.</p> <p>Companies may be hesitant to disclose information about cyber incidents, unless required to do so. Insurance carriers are reluctant to share data pertaining to damage and claims.</p> <p>This makes it hard to create effective risk models that can calculate and predict the likelihood and cost of future incidents.</p> <p><strong>So what needs to be done?</strong></p> <p>Deakin University’s <a href="https://cybercentre.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation</a> has been working with insurance companies to understand what must be done to improve premium and risks models pertaining to cyber insurance.</p> <p>Here is what we have found so far.</p> <p>First, greater transparency is needed around cyber-related incidents and insurance to help remedy the lack of data and information sharing.</p> <p>The federal government has taken two steps in the right direction on this.</p> <p>One is the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/focus-areas/consumer-data-right-cdr-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consumer Data Right</a>, which provides guidelines on how service providers must share data about customers. This came into effect in mid-2021.</p> <p>The other is the government’s proposal to amend <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6940" target="_blank" rel="noopener">privacy legislation</a> to increase penalties for breaches and give the Privacy Commissioner new powers.</p> <p>Second, insurers must find better ways to measure the financial value and worth of the data that organisations hold.</p> <p>The primary asset covered by cyber insurance is the data itself. But there is no concrete measure of how that data is worth.</p> <p>The recent Optus and Medibank Private data breaches provide clear examples. The Optus event affected millions more people than the Medibank Private hack, but the Medibank Private data includes <a href="https://www.afr.com/technology/privacy-fallout-from-medibank-hack-will-be-widespread-20221023-p5bs75" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sensitive medical data</a> that, in principle, is worth far more than data regarding just your personal identity.</p> <p>Without an accurate way to measure the financial value of data, it is difficult to determine the appropriate premium costs and coverage.</p> <p>Cyber insurance is a new, specialised market with significant uncertainty. Given the ever-increasing risks to individuals, organisations and society, it is imperative that insurers develop robust and reliable risk-based models as soon as possible.</p> <p>This will require a consolidated effort between cyber-security experts, accountants and actuaries, insurance professionals and policymakers.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193533/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em>Writen by Jongkil Jay Jeong and Robin Doss. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/just-25-of-businesses-are-insured-against-cyber-attacks-heres-why-193533" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Locals rally after 12-year-old has business shut down

<p dir="ltr">A 12-year-old boy has gained the support of his local community after his snack-selling business was shut down by council.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jesse Lane was earning some tidy profits from selling cold drinks, insect repellent, dog treats and sunscreen in a tent on the Bondi to Coogee walk in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite his success, the venture was shut down after two locals complained that he shouldn’t be making profits on public land.</p> <p dir="ltr">The complaints came after Randwick Council rejected Jesse’s trading application because he didn’t have insurance.</p> <p dir="ltr">But even when he acquired insurance months later, the application was rejected again.</p> <p dir="ltr">With his tent stall facing a forced closure, locals have rallied around Jesse.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Jessie is the hard-working kid who sets up and sells a number of things for hot and thirsty walkers and their pets,” one person shared on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The world needs more kids to drive to work hard for themselves and not sit around and play video games all day.</p> <p dir="ltr">“His parents must be so proud of him and people should mind their business, if the kid wants to make money and work on his weekends good on him.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Susan Ley, the deputy leader of the Liberal party, chimed in to support the youngster, saying he should be commended for “having a go”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We won’t have the small businesses and entrepreneurs of tomorrow if we don’t back them today,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is a foolish decision @RandwickCouncil and it should be reversed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Local community (equals) happy, 12-year-old kid having a go … what’s the problem?”</p> <p dir="ltr">In August, <em>Yahoo News</em> reported that Randwick Council confirmed that there had been a “number” of complaints about Jesse’s business.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He was initially selling drinks but has expanded to include a range of products including sunscreen, insect repellent and dog treats," a council spokesperson told <em>2GB </em>radio.</p> <p dir="ltr">“While we admire the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of the young man, there are restrictions on commercial operations in public parks.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Council received a number of complaints from people concerned about the precedent of commercialisation of the park as well as concern about the safety and welfare of a young boy trading and handling money in a public place.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Council has carefully considered the application. Unfortunately, it has determined that the activity is not consistent with the primary use of the land and it is not in the public interest for a proliferation of these types of activity along the length of the coastline.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4600703a-7fff-8fd5-8584-58c705a63219"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

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