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Kate Ritchie involved in multi-vehicle car crash

Kate Ritchie has been involved in a multi-vehicle car crash in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. The radio host was reportedly behind the wheel of her BMW when the incident unfolded in Randwick, with eye-witnesses claiming Ritchie's care collided with a parked Mitsubishi Pajero, forcefully pushing it off the road and into a parked Kia. The owner of the Kia, who wished to remain anonymous, identified Ritchie as the driver of the BMW and confirmed that Ritchie shared her details with him following the collision. After the exchange, Kate, 46, expressed her need to leave promptly to pick up her nine-year-old daughter, Mae. He added that Kate said her personal assistant would follow up on the matter, and that Ritchie did not appear under the influence of alcohol, although no roadside sobriety test was administered by police. All three vehicles involved suffered substantial damage and were later towed away from the suburban street. Daily Mail Australia reached out to NSW Police who provided the following statement. "About 5.10pm on Wednesday (6 November 2024) emergency services were called to Dudley Street, Randwick, following reports of a crash," the statement read. "Officers attached to Eastern Beaches Police Area Command commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Inquiries revealed a BMW SUV crashed into a parked car." "The 46-year-old female driver of the SUV and the owner of the parked car exchanged details. No injuries were reported. No police action was required." Image credits: Instagram - ABC

Legal

Freddy Krueger at 40 – the ultimate horror movie monster (and Halloween costume)

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-daniel-301018">Adam Daniel</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> Movie monsters have captivated audiences since the days of early cinema. They evoke fascination and terror, allowing audiences to confront their fears from the safety of the movie theatre or living room. Arguably one of the most enduring and captivating of these monsters is Freddy Krueger, the villain of the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087800/">A Nightmare on Elm Street</a> series who celebrates his 40th screen birthday this November. Memorably played by Robert Englund, Freddy quickly became a cultural icon of the 1980s and 1990s. Beyond his burned face and iconic bladed glove, Freddy’s dark humour and acidic personality set him apart from other silent, faceless killers of the era, such as Michael Myers in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077651/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2_tt_6_nm_0_in_0_q_halloween">Halloween</a> or Jason Vorhees in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080761/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Friday the 13th</a>. Written and directed by horror maven <a href="https://theconversation.com/wes-craven-the-scream-of-our-times-46915">Wes Craven</a>, 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street garnered positive reviews for its innovative concept: Freddy stalked and attacked his victims in their dreams, making him inescapable and allowing him to tap into their deepest fears. The series (seven films plus a 2010 remake and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329101/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Freddy vs. Jason</a> spin offs) blended supernatural horror and surrealism with a dark and twisted sense of humour. <h2>Scary … but funny</h2> Humour was key to Freddy’s “popularity”. Both sinister and strangely charismatic, Freddy’s psychological torture of his adolescent victims often oscillated between terrifying and amusing. A famous kill scene from 1987’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093629/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors</a> demonstrates this paradox. Aspiring actress Jennifer drifts off to sleep while watching a talk show on TV. In her dream, the host of the talk show suddenly transforms into Freddy, who attacks his guest before the TV blinks out. When Jennifer timidly approaches the TV set, Freddy’s head and clawed hands emerge from the device, snatching her while delivering an iconic one-liner: “This is it, Jennifer – your big break in TV!” Freddy turns his victims’ fears or aspirations – their dreams – against them. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dCVh4lBfW-c?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>‘Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep.’</figcaption></figure> <h2>Creating a monster</h2> Craven has shared how the character of Krueger came to life in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1510985/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy</a>, an oral history of the series. He described a childhood experience of seeing a strange mumbling man walking past his childhood home. The man stopped, he said, and looked directly at him “with a sick sense of malice”. This deeply unsettling experience helped shape Freddy’s menacing presence. The character’s creation also emerged from the filmmaker’s interest in <a href="https://www.iflscience.com/nightmare-on-elm-street-was-inspired-by-a-real-life-medical-mystery-60527">numerous reports of Southeast Asian refugees dying in their sleep</a> after experiencing vivid nightmares. In the film, Krueger’s origin story reveals him as a child murderer who was apprehended but released due to a technicality in his arrest. Seeking justice, the parents of his victims take matters into their own hands, and form a vigilante mob. They corner him in his boiler room and burn him alive. But Freddy’s spirit survives to haunt and kill the children of his executioners. <h2>Cultural repression, expressed on film</h2> Film critic and essayist <a href="https://www.cineaste.com/summer2019/robin-wood-on-horror-film-collected-essays-and-reviews#:%7E:text=Freudian%20theory%2C%20a%20crucial%20theoretical,the%20horror%20film%20perpetually%20enacts.">Robin Wood argued</a> horror films often bring to the surface elements society has repressed. These fears, desires, or cultural taboos are not openly acknowledged. But movie monsters act as manifestations of what society suppresses, such as sexuality, violence or deviant behaviour. American academic <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01956051.1995.9943696">Gary Heba</a> argues Freddy is: <blockquote> an example of America’s political unconscious violently unleashed upon itself, manifesting everything that is unspeakable and repressed in the master narrative (perversion, child abuse and murder, vigilantism, the breakdown of rationality, order, and the family, among others), but still always present in the collective unconscious of the dominant culture. </blockquote> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UBrl4H0Uzng?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Actor Robert Englund calls Freddy Krueger ‘the gift that keeps on giving’.</figcaption></figure> <h2>The monster decades</h2> The 1970s and 1980s marked a golden era for the creation of horror film nasties like Krueger, Myers, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072271/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3">The Texas Chainsaw Massacre</a>’s Leatherface and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094862/?ref_=fn_al_tt_19">killer doll Chucky</a>. Since then, the landscape of horror has shifted, with fewer singular monsters emerging. The diversification of horror sub-genres (zombie virus horror, anyone?), the rise of psychological horror (<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7784604/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2_tt_4_nm_2_in_0_q_heredi">Hereditary</a>), and an emphasis on human-driven terror (<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416315/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_0_in_0_q_wolf%2520creek">Wolf Creek</a>) or supernatural forces all contribute to this shift. While modern horror continues to thrive, few characters have achieved the same iconic status as Freddy – although some would argue Art the Clown from the recent <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4281724/">Terrifier</a> franchise and the reinvigorated Pennywise from <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1396484/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_6_nm_1_in_0_q_it">IT</a> could join this exclusive group. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZuYoEtEI_go?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>‘Five, six, grab your crucifix.’ A 2010 Nightmare on Elm St reboot failed to fire.</figcaption></figure> <h2>Happy Halloween!</h2> Despite a <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179056/">failed reboot in 2010</a>, the legacy of A Nightmare on Elm Street is strong, having influenced numerous filmmakers with its skilful mix of surrealism and slasher horror. However, it’s the orchestrator of the titular nightmares whose legacy is perhaps the strongest. With each Halloween, new fans choose Freddy for their costume. All it takes is a tattered striped sweater, a brown fedora hat, and a glove with sharp, finger-lengthening blades. Don’t forget makeup to re-create Krueger’s grisly facial burns. Sweet dreams!<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/240905/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-daniel-301018">Adam Daniel</a>, Associate Lecturer in Communications, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> Image credits: New Line Cinema - IMDB 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/freddy-krueger-at-40-the-ultimate-horror-movie-monster-and-halloween-costume-240905">original article</a>. </div>

Movies

Child dies after car crashes through school gate

One child has died and another four kids have been left injured after a car crash through a school gate in the east Melbourne suburb of Auburn. Emergency services were called to Auburn South Primary School in Hawthorn East on Tuesday afternoon after a car veered off the road and into the primary school's gate. The car collided with a table where five children were sitting. Two 11-year-old girls, one 10-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy were all taken to hospital with serious injuries. An 11-year-old boy was taken to hospital with critical injuries, and later died. The driver of the vehicle was identified as a 40-year-old woman who was local to the area, and was arrested at the scene. A primary school-aged was also in the car at the time of the crash but remained unharmed. Victoria Police Inspector Craig McEvoy said the driver was attempting a U-turn before veering off the road, and it appeared the crash was an accident. "It's tragic circumstances ... really tough for everyone involved," McEvoy said. "It's always a tough time when children are involved." "The ongoing investigation will take days, weeks, months," Inspector McEvoy added. Premier Jacinta Allan also commented on the incident, saying it should have been an "unremarkable sunny day" at the school. "Instead, a dark shadow has been cast over our city and state," she wrote on X. "I'm sending my love and thoughts to the students, their families and the whole school communityAnd my thanks to the first responders on the scene," she said. "I know tonight Victorians will be thinking of Auburn South Primary, and holding our kids even closer." Image credits: ABC News / Nine News

Caring

How to buy a good pair of sunglasses

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacobo-garcia-queiruga-1496353">Jacobo García Queiruga</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universidade-de-santiago-de-compostela-2533">Universidade de Santiago de Compostela</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/veronica-noya-padin-1529488">Verónica Noya Padín</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universidade-de-santiago-de-compostela-2533">Universidade de Santiago de Compostela</a> Nowadays you can buy a cheap pair of sunglasses just about anywhere – from supermarkets and petrol stations to corner shops and online fashion retailers, but such ubiquity may prompt doubts as to the protection they can offer. While their lenses usually meet certain minimum UV protection requirements, their quality in other respects, such as visual clarity, is dismal. Opticians, however, are governed by national health regulations, meaning that they have to meet higher standards such as the <a href="https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/ce-marking_en">CE</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-the-ukca-marking">UKCA</a> marks. Professional opticians are therefore much better equipped to help customers find sunglasses that not only meet their practical demands, but which are also comfortable and well suited to their facial features. <h2>Rules for protection</h2> <a href="https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/en/#iso:std:iso:12312:-1:ed-2:v1:en">European law</a> classifies sunglass lenses as “personal protective equipment”, outlining five levels of protection. Category 0 lenses allow 80-100% of light through, while those in category 4 only let 3-8% through, meaning they are not suitable for driving. Category 3 is the most commonly used, as they are appropriate for most situations, including driving. So, do darker lenses protect you better? The short answer is: not necessarily. The degree of light absorption depends on how and where they will be used: category 4 lenses are designed for extremely bright areas like high mountains or deserts, but may actually reduce your visibility in other situations. However, all sunglasses that meet the established standards will protect your eyes from UV radiation. <h2>Quality of vision</h2> Wearing sunglasses can give the feeling that your vision is impeded. This is because a tinted lens selectively filters light: it lets in one type of radiation and limits another. Three concepts can help us understand how this works, and why it matters. First up is visual acuity. This is the term used to measure how “sharply” we see, and it is tested by asking patients to read increasingly small letters that appear on a screen or wall chart, with an ideal result around 100%. However, this test is performed with black letters on a well lit white background, so it does not take into account how visual quality may vary in other lighting conditions. Contrast sensitivity is defined as the ability to differentiate objects from the surrounding background. It is, for instance, more difficult to distinguish black letters on grey backgrounds than on white backgrounds. Lastly, we have refractive errors, which affect both visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. These are what cause astigmatisms and make us long or short sighted. Wearing non-prescription sunglasses when suffering from any of these conditions can make vision even worse than it would be without them. <h2>Colour matters</h2> With all this in mind, we should also address the common question of lens colour. While colour does not affect protection, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11320153_Effect_of_variable_tinted_spectacle_lenses_on_visual_performance_in_control_subjects">it can affect contrast and the feeling of brightness</a>, because each colour filters out a different wavelength of light. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11320153_Effect_of_variable_tinted_spectacle_lenses_on_visual_performance_in_control_subjects">Grey lenses filter out all wavelengths of light</a>, while tints such as brown or green have a different effect on light absorption. This means that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10699545/">visual perception</a> tends to be brighter through a brown lens, very dark through grey ones, and more natural through green ones. <h2>Plastic or glass lenses?</h2> Colour isn’t the only thing that affects quality of vision: we also have to pay attention to what the lenses are made of. While they are most commonly made of specialised plastics – known as organic lenses – you can also find glass ones, known as mineral lenses. These two materials are not the same. Organic lenses are lighter and stronger, while mineral lenses are more scratch resistant and are less prone to colour distortion. This means that mineral lenses offer greater quality of vision. <h2>What about polarised lenses?</h2> Polarised lenses block light that reaches the eye at a certain angle after reflecting off a surface such as a road or water, thus reducing glare. They are particularly suited to driving or spending time around water. However, they can be unsuitable in certain situations. For example, they block light from screens, making them appear darker or even completely black, meaning devices often have to be rotated to improve visibility. They are also not ideal for certain winter sports: by eliminating glare they make it very easy to miss icy patches on the ground. <h2>Other features</h2> Lastly, there are certain design features that we cannot overlook when choosing a pair of sunglasses. Gradient lenses are darker at the top, and graduate down to a lighter tint at the bottom – they usually absorb around 85% of light in their darkest area, and 10% in the lightest. These lenses are stylish, but that does not affect their protection against UV rays. That said, they might be better suited to cloudy conditions, and on a bright summer day they may not be the best option. Reflective lenses have a layer on their outer surface that reflects light and enhances protection. Unfortunately, this treatment is easily damaged or scratched. Lenses with anti reflective coating on the inside of the lens provide greater clarity of vision by eliminating light reflected from behind the wearer. This treatment is usually applied to large sunglasses, or glasses with optically very high quality lenses. In the event of any doubt, the best possible advice is to speak to your optician or optometrist to find the sunglasses that best meet your needs.<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/229953/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacobo-garcia-queiruga-1496353">Jacobo García Queiruga</a>, Profesor Interino en el Área de Optometría (OD, MSc, PhD), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universidade-de-santiago-de-compostela-2533">Universidade de Santiago de Compostela</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/veronica-noya-padin-1529488">Verónica Noya Padín</a>, Investigadora predoctoral - Área de Optometría, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/universidade-de-santiago-de-compostela-2533">Universidade de Santiago de Compostela</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-buy-a-good-pair-of-sunglasses-229953">original article</a>. </div>

Beauty & Style

The surprising unknown road rule that is costing drivers

A woman has issued a warning to Aussie drivers after being threatened with a hefty fine for a common car decoration. Janelle McEvoy, a young woman from Perth, took to TikTok to recall the moment she learned that she could be facing a fine for having an air freshener hanging from her car’s rear view mirror. “I randomly got breath tested on the way to an event this morning and the police officer told me when I get home I need to remove this hanging from my car to avoid the $100 fine and the demerit point,” she said in her TikTok video, which has since had nearly 2 million views. “Doesn’t everyone have one of these hanging from their car? Where is it supposed to go?” Thousands of people flocked to the comments on the video to share their surprise over the obscure road rule, with one person writing, “The way my jaw dropped when you showed what it was cause I bought the exact same thing not too long ago.” Another added, “That’s crazy, I have like four air fresheners and two crystal chains hanging from my car.” The rule, which varies between states, can carry fines and possibly the loss of demerit points, if a police officer deems that the driver’s vision is obstructed from whatever is hanging from the mirror. In NSW, drivers without a clear view of the road can be fined $410 fine and have three demerit points issued. In other Aussie states, the fine for obstructed vision can range between $100 and $361. Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Jamie Oliver sells vintage Fiat with unique plate number

Jamie Oliver is putting up his 1955 Fiat 1100 pick-up for auction on Saturday September 28. The celebrity chef, who is an avid car enthusiast, has owned the vehicle since 2012, and it is still in its original and unrestored condition, with just 43,000 km on the clock. The ute was imported from Italy in 1973, and the celebrity chef is the third UK owner of the vintage vehicle. Not only does the ute still have its original steel wheels - with yellow highlights - it has a unique plate number that spells out '677 Yum'. The rear of the car has been embellished by the celebrity chef, with a sticker of a white hearts and the initials J.O which stands for both his name and his wife Juliette, known as Jools. The Fiat 1100 is painted green and has brown vinyl seats, with the spare wheel stowed behind them. It has a four-speed manual gearbox that connects the four-cylinder petrol engine to a live axle rear-end. Classic Car Auctions, the auctioneers selling the car, has assessed the vehicles condition and given it an overall grade of 80 out of 135, meaning that the car is still in 'good condition'. The ute is expected to sell for between £6000 and £8000 ($AU11,700 to $AU15,600). Images: Classic Car Auctions

Money & Banking

200-year-old message in a bottle unearthed

In a discovery that has the archaeology world buzzing (and possibly rolling its ancient eyes), a team of student volunteers in northern France has unearthed something rather unexpected during their dig at a Gaulish village. While they were hoping for the usual – ancient pottery shards, perhaps a coin or two – they instead stumbled upon what can only be described as the 19th-century equivalent of a DM in a bottle. The scene played out like a low-budget historical drama: volunteers painstakingly sifting through centuries-old dirt on the cliff-tops near Dieppe when, voilà! They found an earthenware pot containing a small glass vial, like something you might see in a vintage pharmacy, but with fewer essential oils and more existential surprises. Guillaume Blondel, the team leader and head of the archaeological service for the nearby town of Eu, was immediately intrigued. “It was the kind of vial that women used to wear around their necks containing smelling salts,” he explained, before casually dropping the bombshell: inside the vial was a note. Cue dramatic music. After what we can only assume was a long, suspenseful pause, Blondel and his team opened the note, which turned out to be written by none other than P.J. Féret, a 19th-century intellectual who clearly had a flair for both excavation and theatrics. The note, written with all the panache of a man who had just unearthed Caesar’s salad fork, read: "P.J. Féret, a native of Dieppe, member of various intellectual societies, carried out excavations here in January 1825. He continues his investigations in this vast area known as the Cité de Limes or Caesar’s Camp." Naturally, Blondel was floored. “It was an absolutely magic moment,” he said, no doubt imagining Féret winking at him from the beyond. “We knew there had been excavations here in the past, but to find this message from 200 years ago? It was a total surprise.” Local records confirm that P.J. Féret was indeed the real deal. He wasn’t just a dabbler in dirt – he was a notable dabbler in dirt who had conducted an earlier dig at the site in 1825. In a stroke of irony not lost on Blondel, he mused, “Most archaeologists prefer to think that there won’t be anyone coming after them because they’ve done all the work.” Féret, however, clearly believed in leaving a trail of breadcrumbs – or, in this case, a literal note in a bottle, just to remind future archaeologists that he got there first. Féret: 1, Modern Archaeology: 0. Of course, this whole affair raises some important questions: Did Féret expect someone to find this? Did he laugh to himself as he buried it, imagining Blondel’s reaction? Did Féret know how cliff erosion would eventually turn his humble Gaulish village into a treasure trove for future archaeologists? Or was he simply trolling them from the past? Whatever the case, Féret’s note may not have contained ancient secrets, but it certainly delivered some 19th-century sass. And if we’ve learned anything from this dig, it’s this: archaeology isn’t just about discovering the past – it’s also about being occasionally roasted by it. As Blondel and his team continue their emergency dig (which was ordered due to cliff erosion eating away at the site like a bad buffet), they’ve already uncovered a number of artefacts, mostly pottery, from around 2,000 years ago. But will any of them have the audacity to leave a note for the archaeologists of 2225? We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, Féret is probably laughing somewhere in the afterlife, shaking his head and muttering, “Amateurs”. Images: Guillaume Blondel / Facebook

International Travel

Farmer Wants a Wife star breaks silence after split

Farmer Wants a Wife fan favourite Farmer Andrew has confirmed his split from Claire Saunders after the pair cancelled their upcoming wedding. The pair, who met each other on the 2023 season of the show, initially shared that their wedding had been postponed in July for “reasons out of our control”. On Monday, Andrew confirmed that the relationship ended in a lengthy Instagram post. “It feels the right time to share what’s been happening in my life on the farm and beyond,” he began. “For someone who’s more used to being surrounded by sheep and nature than the buzz of social media, this is a bit out of the box. But here goes.” He explained that a few years ago he wanted to share the farm life with "someone special" so he decided to sign up for the show. “I never imagined meeting such an amazing group of women, each with their own spirit and story. It was exciting and humbling, reminding me of how important love and connection are,” he said. “Amidst it all, one extraordinary woman captured my heart, and we decided to give it a shot. “We moved in together, dreaming of a future where our love would grown alongside the farm. It was fast-paced, passionate and fun. He continued saying that life had other plans for them and despite their love and effort, "sometimes things just don’t work out." “Living together brought its own challenges, and we realised our paths weren’t meant to stay intertwined.” He said that while it was "sad" the relationship had to end, they gave it their all. “Though it didn’t lead us where we hoped, it helped us grow. It’s been a huge outlay of heart and soul. And while it’s painful to walk away, we’ve both emerged stronger, wiser, and more attuned to what really matters.” He then went on to thank his family, friends and followers who helped him through tough times, and shared his plan going forward. “As I move forward, I’m choosing to celebrate the love we shared, the lessons learned, and the strength gained. “No regrets, just gratitude. Now, it’s time to dive back into farm life. here’s never a dull moment with the challenges, adventures and pleasures that come from living and working on the land, and I look forward to sharing this journey, hoping we can all find inspiration," he ended the post. The former couple announced their engagement in March 2021, after Claire moved to Andrew's farm in Narromine, regional NSW. Images: Instagram

Relationships

Jessica Alba surprises dad by buying his childhood home

Jessica Alba has spent the past three years working towards buying her parents a house, but not just any house, she bought her father's childhood home. She took to Instagram to make the announcement, with a teaser video of her special home-renovation project. "Almost three years ago, I started the project of my dreams… I surprised my parents by buying them a house!!" she began. "Now, it wasn't just any house – it was extra sentimental as it was my grandparent's house that my father grew up in," she continued. "After my grandfather passed away, my parents were planning on selling the house in order to pay for my grandmother's medical bills. Well… I pretended like I was going to help them flip it before selling when in reality, I had planned to buy it for them all along." <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/reel/C_TWEyhPyy_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_TWEyhPyy_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jessica Alba (@jessicaalba)</a> </div> </blockquote> She published the first part of her renovation series on YouTube and in it explained the sentimental value of the house and how it was a symbol for her father, who was an immigrant from Mexico, that "he had made it". Her family initially planned to sell it to ease some of their financial burden, as her grandmother required "24/7 care" but Alba wanted to keep the house in the family and so her plan began. "Instead of it giving to a stranger, I wanted to keep this home in our family," she said in the YouTube series. The moment Alba surprised her parents was also captured in the video, with her father brought to tears as he was overcome with emotion. "That's so sweet Jessica. That's a big surprise," he said while embracing his daughter. "I'm very proud of you." Images: Instagram

Money & Banking

The important cause that brought Ally Langdon to tears

Ally Langdon teared up on Thursday's episode of A Current Affair during a heartfelt segment on organ donation. The host was discussing Jersey Day with Michael Gremmo, a father who had lost his 13-year-old son Nathan after he was critically injured when crossing the road in 2014. Nathan went on to become an organ donor - a decision that saved six lives, including a baby. Now his father is honouring his son's legacy by encouraging others to have the important conversation about organ and tissue donation with loved ones. "Nathan, as most organ donors are, are healthy, fit, young people and their lives are just taken from them," Michael said. "Dealing with Nathan not coming back, that's the hardest, but we wanted something positive to come out of a horrible situation." The A Current Affair host fought back tears as she recalled how her own sister's life was saved after receiving a pancreas-kidney transplant in 2014. "My sister is alive because of someone as special as Nathan and there’s not a day goes by that we don’t as a family think about them and think about their grief." “Thank you,” Langtold told Michael tearfully. Michael replied: “Nathan hasn’t died in vain. He’s given life. And you’ve got your sister here because of a generous donor. And it’s not just the donor, it’s their family too. When you’re in that situation it’s hard.” Langdon then encouraged viewers to "have the conversation" about organ donation with loved ones of all ages. "Tell your family your wishes, because the final decision is theirs," she said. Michael said despite his son's young age, Nathan had talked about organ donation and expressed his desire to be one before his passing. “It’s not a conversation you usually have or want to have with young children,” Michael said. "Nathan had actually had a conversation with us, he watched a program on TV and it was about organ recipients ... he sat us down and spoke to us about that. "And yeah, we just talked about what a wonderful gift that would be." Jersey Day falls on Friday August 30, during which students and employees at schools and workplaces across the country are encouraged to wear their favourite jersey and have the important conversation about organ donation with their loved ones. "It's not just the lives of the organ recipient [you save], it's the families behind that too that, you know, you don't realise how many people are affected," Michael said. "I suppose that's why Jersey Day is so special as it's about awareness and getting it out there and having that important conversation." To register as an organ and tissue donor, visit <a href="http://donatelife.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">donatelife.gov.au.</a> Images: A Current Affair/ Nine

Caring

Q+A viewers stunned by "blatantly racist" question

A controversial question about the value of multiculturalism in Australia sparked a wave of heated backlash during a recent episode of ABC’s Q+A, with many questioning how such a query was allowed to air in the first place. The incident occurred on Monday night when audience member Jenny Carrol voiced her skepticism about the benefits of multiculturalism. Carrol claimed that the culture of the "original British/Irish majority" in Australia had been "demonised" over the past three decades. She cited the frequent vandalism of Captain Cook memorials as an example, questioning how democracy could function in what she described as an environment of "beating up the white guy". “Case in point," said Carrol. "Frequent vandalism of memorials to Captain Cook. How does democracy fit into this atmosphere of beat up the white guy?” she asked, later adding Captain Cook was “just doing a job”. The question immediately drew strong reactions, including a firm rebuttal from Youth Minister Anne Aly. Aly, who responded that multiculturalism is "the character of our nation", stated that it is not a policy that was imposed but rather an intrinsic part of Australia's identity. "Take a look around you. We are multicultural. It’s who we are," Aly responded during the live broadcast, noting that multiculturalism has brought "immense benefits" to the country. Aly, who migrated to Australia from Egypt as a child, highlighted the resilience and strength that diversity brings to democracy, rejecting the notion that the contributions of the British heritage are being undermined. The exchange also ignited a firestorm on social media, with many criticising the show's producers for allowing what they viewed as a "blatantly racist" question to be aired. One user remarked, "Slow clap to the producers for allowing a blatantly racist question be aired," while another questioned the vetting process, stating, "If that question was vetted then I’d like to know who’s doing the vetting." Dr Aly's response was widely praised online, with many applauding her for addressing the underlying racism still present in Australia. Adding to the discussion, Australian National University Professor George Brandis KC, a former Attorney-General and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, asserted that it is possible to celebrate Australia’s multiculturalism without disrespecting its British heritage. Brandis expressed his frustration over the vandalism of Captain Cook statues, suggesting that rather than being ashamed of their British roots, Australians should take pride in them. “We want to be the best multicultural society that we can be," he said. "On the other hand, that doesn’t – at least to my mind – involve disrespecting the British heritage, which was a very important framing set of values for modern Australia. When we think of our legal system, our parliamentary institutions, our system of government, our commercial practices. “So many of the fundamental features of Australian society we owe to our British heritage. And rather than be ashamed of that, we should be proud of that ... It infuriates me when people vandalise statues of Captain Cook, and it angers me as much as I’m sure it angers you.” On the other hand, US author and New York Times best-seller Roxane Gay provided a different perspective, stating that Australia’s history is not complicated. Gay argued that acknowledging the injustices faced by First Nations people and immigrants does not equate to oppression of the British majority. She also criticised Carrol’s defence of Captain Cook, arguing that "doing a job" does not justify immoral actions. “Just because something is your job doesn’t mean you should do it," she said, “You have the power to say ‘No, perhaps I won’t steal this land’." The episode also featured a discussion on youth voting rights, with Professor of Politics at the University of Cambridge David Runciman advocating for lowering the voting age to as young as six years old. Runciman argued that if children are held to the same standards of responsibility as adults, they should also have the right to vote. This sparked a debate on the potential implications of such a move, with some panellists, including Minister Aly, noting the importance of engaging youth in politics through other means rather than solely focusing on lowering the voting age. The Q+A episode has since sparked a broader conversation on the state of multiculturalism in Australia, the legacy of British colonialism, and the role of youth in the country’s democratic processes. Image: ABC

How fear of missing out can lead to you paying more when buying a home

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/park-thaichon-175182">Park Thaichon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> The property market is a competitive space where finding a nice home, in the area you want, at a price you can afford is a hard ask. With buyers outnumbering available properties, the pressure is even greater causing some would-be buyers to develop <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/understanding-fomo">a fear of missing out</a> (FOMO) and to make irrational decisions. FOMO might make you worry others are finding nicer homes and getting better deals, or that prices will rise to the point where you are priced out of the market altogether. This could cause you to pay too much or to buy a property in an area unsuitable for your needs. Then there is <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/counseling-keys/202103/overcoming-fear-of-making-mistakes">fear of making a mistake</a> (FOMM), which can also cause problems if you’re a home hunter. You might be reluctant to bid or to negotiate because you are afraid of choosing the wrong property or paying more than it’s worth. <h2>Problems caused by FOMO and FOMM</h2> The principles of contagion theory, crowd psychology and the scarcity principle we identified in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ijcs.12649?casa_token=271MN72XdP8AAAAA%3AfhYF_2yUJtM7KGv5jvFdXn5UsXQLkMcIM_F6hffYa30QaSdRivjf2mhFX-cr5C7ttCuLl1-e2OFYXBA">our research</a> on panic-buying during the pandemic, can be applied to any purchasing decisions. In this instance we applied them to buying properties in a competitive housing market. <a href="https://www.communicationtheory.org/contagion-theory/">Contagion theory</a> applies when people act irrationally under the influence of a crowd. <a href="https://www.bestvalueschools.com/faq/what-is-crowd-psychology/">Crowd psychology</a> is similar but relates to how a crowd behaves in certain circumstances, while <a href="https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/scarcity-principle">scarcity principle</a> is the idea if there are fewer items available, their value increases. Each of these can increase the likelihood of several behaviours when purchasing a property. These include: <ul> <li>Underbidding and overbidding</li> </ul> Fearing other buyers might get the house, house hunters might get caught up in a bidding war and end up paying more than planned. Conversely, buyers with FOMM might fear spending too much so bid too low to start with and risk losing the house. <ul> <li>Following the crowd and peer pressure influence</li> </ul> Buyers might feel <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11403-021-00324-7">pressured to buy</a> in a certain area because it’s popular, even if it is not best fit for them. This can lead to paying more for a house just because others are doing the same. <ul> <li>Delaying decisions</li> </ul> FOMM can lead to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijcs.12990?casa_token=ZhJnLBOwVxUAAAAA%3AW5haHZKSA1rFQsRNdvw0liOoyvdxl0OrFR2phkhGfYC6TnWRv9EsnV-N8w52CmcnAVb8X2yU1obpIjKx">taking too long to decide</a>. This delay can mean missing out on good deals or being forced to rush into a decision and end up overpaying. <ul> <li>Avoiding negotiation</li> </ul> Some buyers might avoid negotiating the price or special conditions such as building and pest inspections and finance approval because they fear the seller will reject their offer. This can result in paying more than they need to if there are problems later. <ul> <li>Excessive inspections and appraisals</li> </ul> While inspections and appraisals are important, too many can suggest indecisiveness driven by fear, resulting in wasted money on unnecessary assessments, and more importantly, wasted time and delayed decisions. <h2>Removing fear from the buying process</h2> Start with thorough research and preparation by learning about different neighbourhoods and house prices. The history of properties and suburbs can be found for free on property websites and is a good place to start. Seek professional guidance from real estate agents or financial advisers to help you through the process. Get insights on market trends from an agent from a selling company or bank to help find homes that meet your criteria. Keep in mind these agents will get some form of incentive from your purchase. All the big banks or loan officers can provide free property reports on specific properties or suburbs. Don’t forget to check council mapping and water authority documents to check for potential future road projects and other developments and for an area’s flood rating. Perform due diligence by thoroughly inspecting properties and reviewing contracts to ensure they meet your needs and are a good investment. For example, it is a good idea to hire a home inspector to check for any hidden issues before making an offer. Another common mistake made by most buyers is not asking their <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/law/housing-and-neighbours/buying-and-selling-a-property/buying-a-home/before-you-start-looking/appointing-a-solicitor">solicitor</a> to check and give suggestions before signing a contract or offer. A solicitor can check the sale contract before you sign, review the disclosure documents, give advice on your mortgage contract, carry out title searches and explain the results and explain how the purchase may affect your liability for land tax. Do some contingency planning by preparing for unexpected price increases and for the presence of other strong bidders to reduce anxiety about making the wrong decision. Setting aside extra funds could help deal with higher than expected prices or unexpected repairs that need doing. In the end, plan well and make decisions without letting emotions take over. Taking your time to find the right home that fits your budget and goals, rather than rushing into a purchase due to fear of missing out or making a mistake.<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/233197/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/park-thaichon-175182">Park Thaichon</a>, Associate Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-fear-of-missing-out-can-lead-to-you-paying-more-when-buying-a-home-233197">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Brave bystanders praised after mass Sydney stabbing

New details have emerged after multiple people were stabbed following a car crash in Sydney's south, on Sunday. Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Princes Highway and Old Bush Road at about 9am after receiving several triple zero calls about a crash. A 58-year-old man, who was known to police for "a number of matters" and suspected of carrying out the wild attacks, was allegedly found running from the scene by officers. He was later pursued on foot, tasered and taken into custody, and remains in Liverpool Hospital in serious condition, as he appeared to have inflicted a number of injuries to himself before the police arrived. A policeman was also injured during the arrest after the alleged offender stabbed him on his arm. A woman in her 40s, was allegedly being assaulted by the man as he drove, and is believed to be the partner of the alleged offender. “They were in a domestic relationship, there is no history that we are aware of, there is no apprehended violence orders between the two but definitely domestic related,” Superintendent Donald Faulds told a press conference on Sunday afternoon. “We believe the female was being assaulted in the car while the male was driving the vehicle at the same time. “A number of witnesses mentioned the car was driving quite erratically at the time and we believe that’s when the assault was occurring in the car and as result they then collided with another vehicle.” The female passenger was transported to hospital and is in a critical condition. Three other people were also injured, after they had rushed over to the accident to help. It is alleged that he had a box-cutter. “A number of members of the community stopped to assist occupants from both those vehicles,” the Superintendent said. “As community members were assisting one of the females out of one vehicle, a male got out of that vehicle. He was armed with what we believe to be a box cutter.” One witness reportedly told radio station 2GB that he saw a man get out of the car appearing to be armed with a box cutter, yelling “I’m going to kill you”. A NSW spokesman said of those injured, one male patient had sustained slash wounds to his arms and his neck and has been taken to Liverpool Hospital and is now in a serious but stable condition. A woman in her 40s was taken to St George Hospital with multiple stab wounds and is in critical condition. Another woman was hospitalised in a serious condition with a stab wound to the abdomen. The police officer sustained a large laceration to his arm and is in a stable condition. Superintendent Faulds praised the brave bystanders who went to assist those in the crash, without knowing what was about to unfold. “Amazing work, they’ve just turned up thinking it was a normal motor vehicle accident so they’ve obviously have gone to render assistance to both people and then they were faced with a male armed with a box cutter, quite frightening but very brave on those peoples’ behalf,” he said. He has asked the community to reach out to Crime Stoppers or Sutherland Police if they have any information about the incident. Images: Nine News

Caring

Aussie mum with no licence or car fined thousands for traffic offences

An Aussie mum has copped thousands of dollars worth of traffic fines, despite not owning a car or holding a valid driver's licence. Victorian woman Tamara, 32, claims that she has received 16 different infringement notices this year alone in relation to 14 different licence plate numbers, and none of them are hers. The incorrect fines have been sent to her from as far back as 2022. Several of the alleged offences captured on road safety cameras show bearded men behind the wheel. "Clearly, I don't have a beard. The person in the picture is a male. Anyone with eyes can see it's not me," she told A Current Affair. The saga has badly impacted her mental health and she has called on both the police and road officials in the state to overhaul the system to prevent other people from ending up in the same situation as her. The mum fears that her identity or her expired licence number may have been compromised during Optus' mass data breach two years ago. "I am not the driver. I don't drive a vehicle, I don't even have a licence. I have no idea what to think actually because it is unexplainable." "It doesn't make any sense and it shouldn't make any sense in anyone's eyes. It doesn't add up and it's clearly fraudulent." Lawyer Justin Lawrence agrees with the 32-year-old and said that she is entitled to challenge the fines. "There is a system glitch there somewhere and she's entitled to challenge those fines. The system relies on the information that it has. If the information is inaccurate, then the system can't work," he said. Tamara has made a formal complaint to Victoria Police in a bid to clear her name, and they are now working with Fines Victoria to "investigate the circumstances around these incidents and resolve these matters". "Members of the public who believe they have been falsely nominated for a traffic infringement should contact Fines Victoria," a statement from the police read. Images: A Current Affair/ Nine

Legal

Can money buy you happiness? It’s complicated

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cathrine-jansson-boyd-237916">Cathrine Jansson-Boyd</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> Consumer society is growing fast around the globe. In 2011 it was estimated that 1.7 billion people were living in what is considered to be the <a href="http://www.worldwatch.org/node/810">“consumer class”</a> – and nearly half of them are in the developing world. Consumption of goods and services has <a href="http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NE.CON.PRVT.CD">grown at a staggering rate over the past few decades</a> and prompts us to ask: does it makes us happy? The answer’s not as simple as you might think. As a starting point, it is useful to look at <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1A2siA19hKYC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false">reported life satisfaction</a> across the globe. In richer nations, people usually buy more products and services. Hence if consumption genuinely made people happier, one would expect people to be happier in wealthy countries. It is true that people in rich nations report greater levels of life satisfaction (one measure of determining <a href="http://worldhappiness.report/">happiness</a>) than those in poor ones. However, the picture looks a little different when comparing moderately and very wealthy countries as there is no difference between the two. This indicates that money and increased material wealth does not necessarily equal higher levels of happiness. <h2>Being materialistic</h2> In the past few decades, people in richer industrialised societies have become increasingly materialistic. There are two key reasons for this – first, because we learn by observing others, it has become acceptable. And second, because people use products as a means to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-psychology-behind-retail-therapy-2012-11?IR=T">fill a psychological void</a> in their life. The latter is, at least partially, affected by marketing messages consistently telling us that consumption is the path to happiness. So when people feel they are lacking something in their lives they try to replace it with material possessions. But this often fails, as people usually misjudge what will make them happy. So what often happens is that people get a temporary boost from a particular purchase, but the pleasure tends to fade with time as they adapt to having it, leaving them unsatisfied. They then search for another product that can provide an even stronger pleasurable feeling – but, as before, it will again fade away. This continues as if we are on a forever spinning wheel of consumption. With <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/B:JOHS.0000005719.56211.fd">every search for a new pleasing purchase</a>, expectations subconsciously rise – and the result is that we often feel a need to increase the number of purchases made or to spend more money. <h2>Feelings of insecurity</h2> How consumers feel about themselves also dictate consumption patterns. Highly materialistic individuals tend to value possessions that are expensive, seen as high status and are easily spotted and recognised by other people. This is because materialism is related to <a href="http://ase.tufts.edu/gdae/cs/personal%20well-being.pdf">a lack of self-esteem</a>. Hence, feelings of insecurity lead to a concern about what others think about them – which in turn leads to attempts to gain approval from others by owning desirable products. This lack of confidence often originates from what kind of toys we played with in childhood. Many girls, for example, are exposed to unrealistic views of what women should look like when they are given toys like <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35670446">Barbie dolls</a>. This unrealistic view is then internalised and can be carried over into adulthood. A <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-37543769">recent report</a> suggests that approximately 40% of girls and young women lack confidence in how they look. To alleviate the disappointment with their appearance, they are likely to embark on a quest to purchase products they believe will make them more attractive. The media also plays a big role in stripping people of self-esteem. Women’s magazines are designed to encourage them to consume expensive clothes, make-up and lifestyle objects to mitigate the insecurities they feel by comparing themselves and their lives to the models and celebrities inside. Men can be affected by the media in similar ways – an increasing number of <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/mens-grooming-is-now-a-multi-billion-pound-worldwide-industry-a6813196.html">men are influenced by magazines to consume clothes and beauty items</a>. When such insecurities are established, the appeal of consumption tends to increase – people are sold the message that they can buy “the very thing” that will help alleviate their insecure feelings. <h2>Not all doom and gloom</h2> Even though it seems that consumption is not synonymous with happiness it is not quite as straightforward as that. One key component for good mental health is to have a solid social support network. A constant pursuit of material possessions makes people disregard aspects of life that can contribute to general well-being, such as a healthy friendship network. It may therefore seem like a paradox that purchasing experiences can be the way to generate better social connections. Purchases made with the intention of <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/gpr/9/2/132/">having an experience</a>, such as a ski holiday or possibly <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37550679">something more unusual</a> – such as “being” a celebrity for the day – can boost a person’s sense of happiness. This is often not because of the gratification caused by the thing itself but because it provides people with an opportunity to discuss their experiences with others. The joy of such an experience is that its benefits are subjective and thus not easy to compare – unlike a new mobile phone – which may not be as fancy as someone else’s. Consequently, you are not as likely to feel negative by having a “worse” experience than someone else. Perhaps the question that needs asking is not if consumption leads to happiness, but whether what we consume leads to happiness. As we are approaching the time of year when consuming often reaches an all-time high (<a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/shopping-deals/black-friday-best-deals-2016-6630912">Black Friday</a>, <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/cyber-monday-2016-big-deals-6825898">Cyber Monday</a> and Christmas), it is worth reflecting on whether the purchases you make are going to genuinely fulfil your desires. Ask yourself if you should be buying more products, or whether it may be the time to buy theatre tickets for your friends to foster stronger social relationships. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cathrine-jansson-boyd-237916">Cathrine Jansson-Boyd</a>, Reader in Consumer Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-money-buy-you-happiness-its-complicated-66307">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Aussie Olympian arrested in Paris after trying to buy drugs

An Aussie Olympian has been arrested after he was caught on the streets of Paris trying to buy a gram of cocaine. Hockey superstar Tom Craig tried to outrun police when he was caught, before realising he couldn't evade the authorities and surrendered. He and teammates had been at a family and friends celebration at the Hotel Maison in Montmartre in the 9th arrondissement after both his team and the Hockeyroos team of girlfriend Alice Arnott lost in the quarter finals. The 28-year-old had spent nearly 18 hours in custody after being arrested at midnight on Tuesday before being released with “a probationary criminal warning for drug use”. As a result of his indiscretion, the Kookaburras veteran has had his Olympic rights stripped from him, been banned from the athletes village and told he does not have the right to march in the closing ceremony. Craig, who is a qualified solicitor, fronted the media in central Paris hours before an AOC press conference, in which he apologised for his behaviour. “I would firstly like to apologise for what has occurred over the last 24 hours,” the Tokyo silver medallist said. “I made a terrible mistake and I take full responsibility for my actions." “My actions are my own and by no way reflect the values of my family, my teammates, my friends, the sport and the Australian Olympic team. I have embarrassed you all and I’m truly sorry.” In the AOC press conference, Australian Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares said she was adamant Kookaburras star Tom Craig was acting alone when trying to purchase the drugs. “We do feel very confident that this is an isolated incident,” Meares said. “I would rather be here talking about the three gold medals that we have won today. But here we are first." “I cannot condone what Tom has done. He is a good person who made a bad decision. But there are consequences that come with decisions like this." “Our team has been exemplary at these Games and his actions do not reflect the values of this team, nor do they diminish this team’s performances. He has apologised, shown remorse and he has owned up to his mistake and we will support him if he needs help." Image credits: X (Twitter)/DAVE HUNT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial

Legal

Man arrested over horror crash that left 11-year-old orphaned

A British man has been arrested over a horror crash that left an 11-year-old girl orphaned. Shannen Morgan and Shane Roller have died alongside their two young daughters Rubie, 9, and Lillie, four, when their car collided with a motorbike as the family were travelling home from a walk on Sunday. Christopher Barton, 56, and his wife Janine, 48, who were on the motorbike were also both killed. The couple's son, Lewis, 21 has now been left without his parents, along with Shane and Shannen's 11-year-old daughter Poppie. Shocking pictures taken after the horror crash between Barnsley and Wakefield in northern England, showed the burnt out wreckage of the family's car, who were all declared dead at the scene. Police have confirmed a man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, according to The Sun. Poppie managed to escape the tragic accident because she had gone to a friend's house for dinner, and Lewis was on holiday in Thailand when he found out about his parents death. The 11-year-old was being looked after by family friend, Paul Hepple, at the time, and he said that they were just tucking into a roast dinner when the phone rang with the devastating news. “Her mum actually contacted us and asked if we could watch her because she didn’t want to go on the walk that they went on,” he told Mail Online. “She was with our daughter having fun. And on their way home, that’s when the accident happened. “We were having Sunday dinner as a family, and Poppie's aunty was with us and obviously, Poppie was as well. And then she got a phone call and she ended up leaving really quickly to go and see what happened.” Hepple, has set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-poppie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page for Poppie and has raised almost £380,000 (about $745,000 Australian dollars) to put towards her education, emotional support and future care. The family friend has described Poppie as a “bright and resilient young girl” who has turned to Taylor Swift’s music to find comfort after she “lost her whole world in an instant”. “Despite her unimaginable loss, she shows incredible strength every day,” he wrote on the fundraiser. “Poppie now faces an uncertain future. With her immediate family gone, she needs support to ensure she has a stable, loving environment where she can heal and grow.” Shannen and Shane's devastated friends and family have shared their tributes on social media, vowing to look after Poppie. Shane’s brother Callum said he was “lost for words”, adding: “I’m absolutely heartbroken. I’m gonna miss all of you! You all had a heart of gold. My heart is ripped into a million pieces!” Shannen's friend Chelsea Element wrote: “You are and always will be one of my closest friends. “There are no words to describe the utter loss this has created for family/friends and the community around us. I hope you’re at peace Shannen Morgan and Shane Roller, with your beautiful girls. “Everyone will always look after Poppie, she will never want for anything she has the love of everyone.” Her cousin Beth Brittain said: “My heart just hurts my brain won’t accept what’s happened. “Shannen you were always my extra sister not just my cousin, we grew together. I just can’t speak. No words. Sleep tight my little Roller family your memory will live on for eternity.” Christopher and Janine’s son Lewis, is believed to have flown home immediately after finding out about his parents death. The couple had recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, according to West Yorkshire Police, and they were just 20 minutes from home when the devastating accident occurred. In a tribute released through the police, the couple were described by their son as “a loving, caring mum and dad who always put me before everything else”. Superintendent Alan Travis of Wakefield District Police has urged anyone who has dashcam, doorbell or CCTV footage of the car to contact them and assist with their investigation. They have also issued a public plea for anyone who saw a grey coloured Porsche 911 at the time of the crash to come forward. “This is an absolutely tragic incident which has resulted in the loss of six lives," the Superintendent said. “Our thoughts go out to the families of those who have died who we are working with to provide support at this time.” Images: news.com.au

Caring

"They lied": Kerri-Anne Kennerley blasts I’m A Celeb

Kerri-Anne Kennerley has opened up on her dramatic appearance on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! last year, claiming that she was "lied to" ahead of her decision to sign up. Speaking to Tammin Sursok on her podcast, The Sh*t Show, Kennerly alleged that Network Ten made promises they couldn't keep. “[Ten] came to me and promised me this, this and this … and I had nothing else to do at the time,” the TV veteran claimed. “I got promised a bunch of stuff and they lied. And so instead of being in there, the three weeks I committed to, I got out in three days. They lied.” Sursok asked her to elaborate on the promises they made, but Kennerley refused. “I don’t want to go into it now. History. And I’m even dumbfounded that I said to myself after I’ve gone, oh my God. I avoided exactly what happened for 10 years. “ … If I had thought about it for one more nanosecond and the things that were said to me were not said to me, I wouldn’t have done it in a heartbeat.” Kennerley tearfully quit I'm A Celebrity last year after clashing with MAFS star Domenica Calarco, who she claimed called her "the most self-centred b***h” she’d ever met during an eating challenge. The TV veteran added that going on the show was the "dumbest" decision she has ever made. “Comes out as absolutely number one dumb and as backed by several of my friends – especially straight after [I left IAC], them going, ‘You didn’t tell us, we would’ve locked you in a room if you had said you were going’,” she admitted. “But I don’t know … I’ve always thought I was pretty bulletproof, and then you get wounded and move on. But no … dumb, dumb, dumb – and lies. That’s what I put it down to.” Images: Ten

Can you change your mind after you buy a house?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rosemary-gibson-1544081">Rosemary Gibson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> In the Bluey episode “<a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/bluey-the-sign">The Sign</a>”, the Heeler family enters a contract to sell their family home to a pair of English Sheepdogs, or as Bluey calls them, “the dogs with no eyes”. But towards the end of the episode, the Sheepdogs spy another house that they prefer. Unlike Bluey’s house, the new place has a pool. They telephone Bandit and tell him that they have changed their mind. Happily for Bluey’s family – and let’s face it, most of Australia – Bandit decides not to press ahead with the sale and the Heelers end up staying put in their family home. But aside from the fact that the contracting parties are all cartoon dogs – how realistic is this scenario? Is it possible to end a contract to purchase or sell a house simply because you’ve changed your mind? The reality is that once a contract of sale is signed, there are only limited circumstances in which buyers and sellers can bring the contract to an end. <h2>What do you sign when buying or selling a house?</h2> In Australia, each state and territory has its own standard form contract for the sale of land that buyers and sellers must sign. The terms of these contracts mirror relevant state or territory laws, meaning they differ throughout Australia. It is important for parties to obtain advice from a property lawyer with experience in a particular jurisdiction’s contract. <h2>Can you change your mind after signing?</h2> Once a contract has been signed, a buyer may only end it for a “change of mind” during the “cooling off period”. The cooling off period is a short period of time – usually between two and five business days – after the contract is signed. During this time, the buyer can end the contract, “no questions asked”. But there are usually financial consequences for terminating during the cooling off period. For example, in New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT, a buyer who ends the contract during the cooling off period must pay the seller 0.25% of the purchase price. For a house purchase of A$1 million, this termination penalty would be $2,500. But not all states and territories guarantee a cooling off period for buyers. And in such a hot property market, an individual seller may be unlikely to agree to include such a term in a contract. <h2>What if something goes wrong down the track?</h2> When negotiating the contract terms, the parties may agree that the sale is subject to certain conditions. Typically, these conditions are in the purchaser’s favour. If one of the conditions is not satisfied in time, then the contract can be brought to an end. It is up to the parties to negotiate which conditions (if any) are included in the contract, and the time by which the conditions must be satisfied. The most common conditions of sale are: <ul> <li>the buyer obtains finance by a certain date (a finance clause)</li> <li>the buyer obtains satisfactory building and pest inspection reports by a certain date (a building and pest clause).</li> </ul> The buyer may also want the sale to be subject to the buyer first selling an existing property. Once all of the conditions of sale are satisfied, the contract is said to be “unconditional”. From this time, there are no express circumstances in which either party may bring the contract to an end. When the Sheepdogs telephoned Bandit, the Heelers had already moved all their furniture out of the house. Clearly, the sale had already gone unconditional. There was no express basis on which the Sheepdogs could have terminated the contract. <h2>Could the Heelers have sued for breach of contact?</h2> A party who ends a contract without justification is liable to pay compensation to the other party. A house purchaser who wrongly terminates a contract would almost certainly lose their deposit. They may also be liable for additional losses the seller suffers as a result of the breach, including any deficiency in price on a resale of the property. But a buyer and seller may bring a contract to an end by “mutual agreement”, which seems to be what happened in Bluey. The Sheepdogs sought to end the contract and – to the relief of all Australians – the Heelers agreed. This is, however, unlikely to occur “in real life”, especially in today’s highly competitive property market. At the very least, the seller would be entitled to retain the purchaser’s deposit. There would also be the issue of who bears the costs incurred in advertising and agency fees. It seems Bandit followed his heart rather than the strict terms of the contract — and Australia is the better for it.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/234659/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rosemary-gibson-1544081">Rosemary Gibson</a>, Lecturer in Contract Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-change-your-mind-after-you-buy-a-house-234659">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Think you’ve decided what to buy? Actually, your brain is still deciding – even as you put it in your basket

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tijl-grootswagers-954175">Tijl Grootswagers</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/genevieve-l-quek-1447582">Genevieve L Quek</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/manuel-varlet-156210">Manuel Varlet</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> You are standing in the cereal aisle, weighing up whether to buy a healthy bran or a sugary chocolate-flavoured alternative. Your hand hovers momentarily before you make the final grab. But did you know that during those last few seconds, while you’re reaching out, your brain is still evaluating the pros and cons – influenced by everything from your last meal, the health star rating, the catchy jingle in the ad, and the colours of the letters on the box? Our recently published <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-62135-7">research</a> shows our brains do not just think first and then act. Even while you are reaching for a product on a supermarket shelf, your brain is still evaluating whether you are making the right choice. Further, we found measuring hand movements offers an accurate window into the brain’s ongoing evaluation of the decision – you don’t have to hook people up to expensive brain scanners. What does this say about our decision-making? And what does it mean for consumers and the people marketing to them? <h2>What hand movements tell us about decision-making</h2> There has been <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-051053">debate within neuroscience</a> on whether a person’s movements to enact a decision can be modified once the brain’s “motor plan” has been made. Our research revealed not only that movements can be changed after a decision – “in flight” – but also the changes matched incoming information from a person’s senses. To study <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-62135-7">how our decisions unfold over time</a>, we tracked people’s hand movements as they reached for different options shown in pictures – for example, in response to the question “is this picture a face or an object?” When choices were easy, their hands moved straight to the right option. But when choices were harder, new information made the brain change its mind, and this was reflected in the trajectory of their hand movements. When we compared these hand movement trajectories to brain activity recorded using neuroimaging, we found that the timing and amount of evidence of the brain’s evaluation matched the movement pattern. Put simply, reaching movements are shaped by ongoing thinking and decision-making. By showing that brain patterns match movement trajectories, our research also highlights that large, expensive brain scanners may not always be required to study the brain’s decision evaluation processes, as movement tracking is much more cost-effective and much easier to test on a large scale. <h2>What does this mean for consumers and marketers?</h2> For consumers, knowing our brains are always reevaluating decisions we might think of as “final” can help us be more aware of our choices. For simple decisions such as choosing a breakfast cereal, the impact may be small. Even if you have preemptively decided on a healthy option, you might be tempted at the last minute by the flashy packaging of a less healthy choice. But for important long-term decisions such as choosing a mortgage, it can have serious effects. On the other side of the coin, marketers have long known that many purchase decisions are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698912000781">made on the spot</a>. They use strategies such as attractive packaging and strategic product placement to influence people’s decisions. New ways of studying how people’s brains process information – right up to the last minute – can help marketers design more effective strategies. <h2>Opportunities for further research</h2> Further research in this area could explore how different types of information, such as environmental cues or memories, affect this continuous decision evaluation process in different groups of people. For example, how do people of different ages process information while making decisions? Our finding – that hand movements reflect the inner workings of the brain’s decision making process – could make future studies cheaper and more efficient. The ability to fine-tune marketing in this way has implications beyond just selling products. It can also make public strategic messaging far more effective. This could include tailoring a public health campaign on vaping specifically for people aged under 30, or targeting messaging about superannuation scams more effectively at those of retirement age. The act of reaching for a product is not a simple consequence of a decision already made; it’s a highly dynamic process. Being aware of what influences our last-minute decision-making can help us make better choices that have better outcomes.<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/234167/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tijl-grootswagers-954175">Tijl Grootswagers</a>, Senior Research Fellow in Cognitive Neuroscience, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/genevieve-l-quek-1447582">Genevieve L Quek</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/manuel-varlet-156210">Manuel Varlet</a>, Associate Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/think-youve-decided-what-to-buy-actually-your-brain-is-still-deciding-even-as-you-put-it-in-your-basket-234167">original article</a>. </div>

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Can you change your mind after you buy a house?

Think you’ve decided what to buy? Actually, your brain is still deciding – even as you put it in your basket

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