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Hospitalised driver cops fine after dodging flying couch

A driver has been handed a hefty fine after he reportedly swerved his car because a couch fell from a truck travelling in front of him. Jake Singer was driving with his girlfriend from Boca Raton, in the US state of Florida, on February 20 when a couch from a truck fell in front of him, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. Mr Singer swerved and flipped his car to avoid the couch. He and his girlfriend were both hospitalised as a result of the accident. Mr Singer told the Sun-Sentinel. People "could not believe" he and his partner were okay. However Mr Singer is not happy after he copped a fine over the crash. He told reporters a police officer arrived at the hospital to give him the ticket. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840155/driver.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/eda143eb9d7a4df3970552ec552ad352" /> Image: Twitter “TIL (today I learned) that if you swerve to avoid a flying couch on I-95N in FL [Florida], make sure not to change lanes or you’ll get a citation for improper lane change from FL Hwy Patrol [Florida Highway Patrol],” he tweeted. “Even if your car crashes into the median and flips over, totalled. (We’re both fine, somehow).” According to the paper, a police officer gave Mr Singer a US$166 (A$213) ticket for “failing to drive in a single lane”. Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Yanko Reyes said the ticket had to be issued. “Remember, in Florida it is recommended to have at least a two-vehicle length between your vehicle and the vehicles in front of you because that way you have enough time to react in case something like this happens, in case somebody brakes, in case debris falls on the roadway, you’re able to avoid any and all difficulties,” he told the Sun-Sentinel. The explanation didn’t sit well with Mr Singer, who took to Twitter to write: “I hereby challenge Lt Reyes to drive two car lengths behind a flying couch at 80mph (128k/h) and avoid it without leaving your lane. “Hope you have enough time to look at the totality of the circumstances.”

Legal

Give yourself some power: Why you should upgrade your recliners and sofas

Whether you’re returning home after a long day of work, or you’re sitting back and enjoying the fruits of your labour in retirement – you want to be as comfortable as possible, right? If you’re sitting on a couch that you’ve had for 20 years and you find yourself sinking into the spot you’ve been claiming as yours over that time, you might be in need of an upgrade. Or perhaps the sofa you bought last year just doesn’t seem to sit right in your living area anymore. Whatever the case, upgrading your current lounge to a <a href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/">new recliner or sofa</a> will not only enhance your comfort, it’ll change the aesthetics of your home. Here’s our tips on why you should upgrade, and what to consider: A mood enhancer If your old lounges and sofas are starting to look a little drab, it can really impact your mood when you’re trying to relax. It’s difficult to lie back and watch Netflix when in the back of your mind, all you can think about is how uncomfortable you feel. By upgrading to a new recliner or sofa, you will enhance your viewing pleasure, and you’ll feel much better for it. At the end of the day, your personal style and comfort are reflections of how you feel on the inside, and that upgrade might just hit the mark in feeling your best. Change is as good as a holiday You might have heard the saying that “a change is as good as a holiday”. So, when you can’t hit the airways and take off overseas, or you’re counting down the days when you can skip over the border to visit your family, making your home brighter and fresher can make a huge difference to the aesthetics of your home. Think bright colours, if life is feeling a little bit gloomy, or choose a design that’s sleek, elegant and sophisticated to match the person inside you want others to see shine through. Choosing the right upgrade – Power, Traditional, Contemporary and more! When upgrading your sofa, you want to make sure you’re getting something that is not only going to be the epitome of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/comfort-guides-au" target="_blank">comfort</a>, but also one that’s going to go the distance. Although you’ll find there are plenty of options on the market, a <a href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/recliners/power">power recliner</a> is by far one of the most popular, allowing you to have full control over your seating position with the simple push of a button. Conventional style recliners, on the other hand, have a lever that you can pull, and it pulls the leg rest up, allowing you to lie back and relax. Either option is going to enhance your ultimate relaxation preferences. Traditional recliners, such as the <a href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/eden-rocker-recliner">Eden</a> and <a href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/serenity-rocker-recliner">Serenity</a> Rocker with La-Z-Boy, are guaranteed to suit any home design. They’re built to last, comfortable and affordable. Step things up a notch with the stylish Scandinavian-inspired designs, such as the <a href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/recliners/rolf-nordic-recliner">Rolf Nordic</a> or <a href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/recliners/asta-nordic-recliner">Asta Nordic</a>; or opt for something more contemporary to maximise your home’s space and aesthetics, with the <a href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/anika-onyx-rocker-recliner">Anika Onyx</a> or <a href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/duor-colorado-power-recliner">Duo® Colorado</a>. Or even a power option such as the <a href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/sofas-modulars/taylor-2-seater-twin-power-recliner">Taylor Twin 2 Seater Power Recliner</a>. If you want to upgrade even further, upgrade to leather from fabric, or customise any of your favourites with dozens of colours and textures, arms and bases for free. Bring out your internal designer, and give yourself some power, by making the choice that’s right for you and your personal style. The best option There’s no single best option – it really depends on your own comfort and style preferences. Power recliners come with various positions and settings, and the value in comfort and support you get is worth the extra upgrade. Both are easy to maintain provided they are looked after, and the fabric chosen is one that’s easy to clean. Regardless of which type of recliner or sofa you buy, if you choose one from a reputable brand like La-Z-Boy with generous warranties, you’ll have it for many years to come. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://www.la-z-boy.com.au/">La-Z-Boy</a>.

Home & Garden

Woman rescues $3000 couch using a $3 ALDI find

A woman has revealed how she made an incredible “$2549 saving” using a $3 product from ALDI. Alex Oates, from Melbourne, purchased an expensive second-hand couch online for $450, but when she went to pick it up she discovered it was in a “much worse state than the pictures showed”. Originally costing $2999 from Freedom Furniture, Alex was adamant that she could return it back to its original condition. “I probably searched Facebook Marketplace for two months until I found the couch I wanted,” the 30-year-old mum told news.com.au. “But when I picked it up it had heaps of stains that you couldn’t see in the photos. There were spot stains, pen scribbles and rub marks from their dog. It looked terrible.” <img style="width: 382.53968253968253px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837301/screen-shot-2020-08-11-at-121757-pm.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c9c62c6797d14681b84d09fc6533f5c2" /> Luckily for Alex, she previously invested in a Bissel machine - a popular upholstery cleaner - and decided to use Di San, a $3 stain remover from ALDI, to deep clean the couch. “I couldn’t guarantee it was going to work but it was worth a shot for a couple of hours of my time and a $2500 saving off buying it brand new,” she said. “I sprayed the spot stains with the Di San and let them sit while I removed the cushion covers and sprayed them before running them through the washing machine,” she explained. “I then got the Bissell machine and put the Di San solution into the tank and filled with water and cleaned the couch.” After two hours of hard work, Alex managed to remove all the stains except one, which was located at the bottom of the couch. “We are 100% happy with the results, hubby was very weary about it when I first said we would go second-hand but he’s now very happy with the couch.” The post quickly gained people’s attention, with many praising Alex for restoring the piece of furniture rather than buying it brand new. “OMG I love hearing stuff like this. Well done. You give me hope as I’m currently looking for a new couch myself and probably the same budget as well,” one woman wrote. “Looks fabulous … great score,” another said. “You did a great job, well done,” some added.

Home Hints & Tips

Couch culture: 6 months’ worth of expert picks for what to watch, read and listen to in isolation

We need ways of getting our culture hit from home - whether we’re sick, caring for others, playing it safe or just facing limited external options. We asked our experts for recommendations to help arts lovers stay connected. <h2>Listen</h2> I switch between big audio books I’ll struggle to find time to read (hello <a href="https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Middlemarch-Audiobook/B00FEZKJ5M">Middlemarch</a>) and new titles. Rachel Cusk’s collection of essays, <a href="https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Coventry-Audiobook/0571360610?qid=1584500317&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=771c6463-05d7-4981-9b47-920dc34a70f1&pf_rd_r=Q3SSQV28CHTEZE21837M">Coventry</a>, shows she is one of the most interesting writers around. <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/musicshow/">The Music Show</a> on Radio National and podcast is hosted by Andrew Ford. The show’s range and eclecticism is matched by the wit and expertise of its incomparable host. - David McCooey, Deakin University Chill on the couch and listen to songs in Indigenous languages – the Australian Indigenous <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1AGsr7ME2iID9e2b6sBJU0?nd=1">playlist</a> compiled by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. There are some great audiobooks by Indigenous authors. Claire Coleman’s <a href="https://www.audible.com.au/pd/The-Old-Lie-Audiobook/0733643132?qid=1584500364&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=771c6463-05d7-4981-9b47-920dc34a70f1&pf_rd_r=VM2HAW7HSXKGNHY61FX8">The Old Lie</a> is a great start or the award winning novel by Melissa Lucashenko, <a href="https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Too-Much-Lip-Audiobook/1528885678?qid=1584500469&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=771c6463-05d7-4981-9b47-920dc34a70f1&pf_rd_r=8470PYBNQ824M1GYXBBD">Too Much Lip</a>. To learn more about what it is like to be an Aboriginal person in contemporary Australia listen to the short stories compiled by Anita Heiss, <a href="https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Growing-up-Aboriginal-in-Australia-Audiobook/1528815084?qid=1584500575&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=771c6463-05d7-4981-9b47-920dc34a70f1&pf_rd_r=SX3BKK34YCEA4X111890">Growing up Aboriginal</a>. (Meanwhile, let <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/jarjums">Little J and Big Cuzz</a> occupy the kids.) - Bronwyn Carlson, Macquarie University <h2>Read</h2> <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Disquiet-Penguin-Modern-Classics/dp/024120013X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1WYAUSM0AG2YL&keywords=the+book+of+disquiet&qid=1584076892&s=books&sprefix=the+book+of+dis%2Caps%2C427&sr=1-1">The Book of Disquiet</a> is written as a fragmentary diary, tracing the struggle of an office worker to find meaning and beauty in his life. <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Discourses-Fragments-Handbook-Oxford-Classics/dp/0199595186/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=epictetus&qid=1584076909&s=books&sr=1-6">The Handbook of Epictetus</a>, written by a former slave in Ancient Rome, is a short, powerful example of our capacity to resist life’s difficulties. For Epictetus, we shouldn’t waste time and energy on that which we can’t significantly control, a wise approach indeed. - Jamie Parr, Australian Catholic University In George Eliot’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19089.Middlemarch">Middlemarch</a> (1871), Dorothea Brooke is young, charismatic, and intense. She wants to make the world a better place for everyone around her, and to devote her life to a great man. Unfortunately, she chooses the deeply mediocre Edward Casaubon, a clergyman who has been battling on into dusty middle age while not finishing his Key to All Mythologies. Dorothea’s moral and intellectual trajectory is compelling, but is only part of the wider tapestry of the middle English town of Middlemarch. - Robert Phiddian, Flinders University <a href="https://www.charlottewood.com.au/">Charlotte Wood</a> is one of Australia’s best novelists (I am resisting that horrifying urge to put the qualifier “best female” in, because she is one of our best novelists full stop). Her cunning new novel <a href="https://www.charlottewood.com.au/the-weekend.html">The Weekend</a> will tell you things about yourself and your friendships that you’d probably prefer not to know! Wood also launched <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-writers-room-with-charlotte-wood/id1489223383">The Writers Room</a> podcast in December. She talks to a bunch of intriguing writers and readers about their life and work. - Camilla Nelson, The University of Notre Dame Australia <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14201.Jonathan_Strange_Mr_Norrell">Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell</a>, by Susanna Clarke, is a sweeping tale of two magicians aiming to bring magic back into the modern world. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, with a beautiful languid style, the compelling plotlines are suited to a slow read. Also good preparation for Clarke’s next novel, <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/piranesi-9781526622426/">Piranesi</a>, due out later this year. For something different, <a href="https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/lore-olympus/list?title_no=1320&page=1">Lore Olympus</a> is a web comic based on the story of Persephone and Hades, with more than 100 episodes. Dreamy, funny, powerful – read in snippets, or dive in for a while. - Elizabeth Hale, University of New England <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9712.Love_in_the_Time_of_Cholera">Love in the Time of Cholera</a> (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) – a tale of obsessive love that lasts a lifetime – is not really about being sick, at least not with cholera. The disease metaphor draws together the lovesick central character Florentino Ariza and his elusive childhood sweetheart, Fermina Daza. It’s a charming escape into the old world of Latin America with plenty of irrational behaviour, such as Florentino eating flowers and drinking cologne so he can be surrounded by the scent of Fermina. By the end of the novel, the lovers are trapped on a riverboat bearing the yellow flag signalling the “plague” of cholera. Truly, a story for our times. - Donna Mazza, Edith Cowan University <h2>Look</h2> Even though the Louvre has closed, it is possible to take a <a href="https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne">virtual tour</a> of some of its exhibitions. Closer to home, Newcastle Art Gallery in the Hunter Valley also has a virtual tours of the collection and an exhibition of the work of <a href="https://www.nag.org.au/virtual-tour">Tim Maguire</a>. Galleries like the <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/">Art Gallery of New South Wales</a> suggest both thematic views and artist searches. Online visitors can create their own <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/artsets/">virtual exhibitions</a> and see what others have made. And <a href="https://artuk.org">Art UK</a> includes the digitalised art from 3200 British public collections. - Joanna Mendelssohn, University of Melbourne <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XOgCQu0pNHQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Curate your own exhibition with AGNSW Art Sets. When the Google Cultural Institute introduced its <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com">Arts & Culture App</a> in 2016, it became possible to visit Ivan Durrant’s portrait of Johnny O’Keefe, A little bit louder now, in the National Portrait Gallery, and examine it in extraordinary detail through the Art Projector function. Using the Art Zoom feature you could even engage with the entire life work of Johannes Vermeer in a virtual museum or take a selfie and check for your doppelganger in museums and galleries around the world. It’s a technology now used by many museums, including the <a href="http://www.lwgallery.uwa.edu.au/exhibitions/past/2019-exhibitions-archive/nikulinskynaturally">Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery</a> at the University of Western Australia, enabling visits to past exhibitions like Nikulinsky Naturally and <a href="http://www.lwgallery.uwa.edu.au/exhibitions/past/2019-exhibitions-archive/sculpturalsilver">Philip Noakes: Sculptural Silver</a> or current exhibitions through our website. - Professor Ted Snell, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery UWA <h2>Watch</h2> I’ve been recommending <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4378376/">Babylon Berlin</a> to everyone who will listen since the first season was released on Netflix in 2018. If you’re impatient with formulaic “golden age of TV” American productions, this, one of the most lavish non-English productions ever made, provides something quite different while still satiating that moreish television appetite. Set in a similar period, but a very different geopolitical context, is Park Chan-wook’s film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4016934/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0">The Handmaiden</a>. Parasite has drawn interest to South Korean film but I’m not sure this 2016 film gets enough love. Sex, betrayal, con men, and a beautiful soundtrack. - Dan Golding, Swinburne University of Technology Watching <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7660850/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Succession</a>, I am so thrilled not to be irrationally rich. This stunning work connects the disease of a society with those inherent in family structures. With every episode, I think of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” And go buy the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hammer-Horror-Box-Set-Blu-ray/dp/B0193749RA">Hammer Horror</a> Blu-Ray Collection. The polished horror of 80s and 90s started with Hammer’s weirdly gothic hijinks. - Bruce Isaacs, University of Sydney The BBC’s 26-part epic 1974 TV costume drama <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075557/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">The Pallisers</a> is the perfect escape from our distraught present. Based on Anthony Trollope’s six novels, this is all about sex, ambition, and greed among the grandees of Victorian England. The costumes are fabulous and the acting is glorious. Here are classic English luvvies acting. A glittering Susan Hampshire fills the screen as Lady Glencora while Philip Latham’s Plantagenet Palliser oozes Victorian repression while hinting at explosive passion with a raised eyebrow. - Peter Hoar, Auckland University of Technology <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/channels/sbs-world-movies">SBS World Movies</a> is a treasure trove of world cinema with a high concentration of French, Japanese, Australian and American cult classics plus some quirky fresh(ish) offerings. The revolving door format means it’s worth checking regularly to see what’s new. My current picks are Martin Provost’s biopic <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2976920/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0">Violette</a> on French author Violette Leduc and David Lynch’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166896/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">The Straight Story</a> about a man who crosses the US on a lawnmower. The ultimate coronavirus film could be Patricia’s Rozema’s end-of-the-world survival guide <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2625810/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0">Into the Forest</a> with Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood. Finally, one cannot survive on streaming alone. You can’t run from the zombies with a face full of Doritos and blue light. The husband and wife team behind <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiP6wD_tYlYLYh3agzbByWQ">Fitness Blender</a> on YouTube are refreshingly normal - no high tech tights or steroid-induced bulk - just real and able to get you moving. - Sally Breen, Griffith University<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133632/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/0ypRouzcfsM2JhPmqjef8K" width="100%" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/team#lucy-beaumont">Lucy Beaumont</a>, Deputy Section Editor: Arts + Culture, <a href="http://www.theconversation.com/">The Conversation</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/couch-culture-six-months-worth-of-expert-picks-for-what-to-watch-read-and-listen-to-in-isolation-133632">original article</a>.

Movies

Why ALDI’s latest Special Buy will be worth queuing for

Fans of ALDI have learnt to love most of the items that come out of the grocery chain’s bi-weekly Special Buys range, and its latest release may just have ticked a few boxes for those looking to expand their furniture range. Among the chaos of waiting in line and rushing to find a good bargain, customers can invest in an item never-before-seen at ALDI – a $299 sofa bed. The affordable price means it may fly off shelves faster than anticipated so it's better to get in quickly. “The competitive retail, on-trend design and quality construction will make this a popular Special Buy,” an ALDI spokesperson told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/interiors/aldi-to-sell-affordable-sofa-bed-in-special-buys-deal-this-saturday/news-story/64760df1995d26e3851cbbf15e61b7c7" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. The couch comes with a solid wood frame and legs, durable fabric upholstery, and two bolster cushions with removable covers. To turn the sofa into bed, it comes with a click-clack mechanism. The item comes in two colours – grey and cream – and if you are planning to get your hands on one, the German retailer is urging shoppers to ensure they have someone to help them. “Product is likely to cause injury to customer if risk controls are not utilised,” it specifically states on the ALDI website. Only some stores across the country will stock this Special Buys deal, including: <ul> <li> Aurora </li> <li> Bell Park </li> <li> Bentleigh </li> <li> Bondi </li> <li> Brunswick </li> <li> Carnegie </li> <li> Charlestown </li> <li> Doncaster East </li> <li> Forster </li> <li> Gosford </li> <li> Highton </li> <li> Joondalup </li> <li> Kelvin Grove </li> <li> Lower Templestowe </li> <li> Manly </li> <li> Miranda </li> <li> Moonee Ponds </li> <li> Northcote </li> <li> Plenty Valley </li> <li> Preston </li> <li> Taree </li> <li> Tarneit Central </li> </ul> “Despite our careful planning, we apologise if selected items may sell out on the first day due to unexpected high demand,” ALDI warns on its site. The item will be available from Saturday, August 7. Scroll through the gallery above to see the ALDI sofa bed available from August 7.

Money & Banking

"They're still going overseas and buying leather couches": Kochie and Sam hit out at millennials on home ownership

David Koch and Samantha Armytage have taken a dig at millennials, suggesting they do not need any help to buy their own houses. The two presenters hit out at young people during a discussion about whether it is harder to buy a first house now than in the past on Sunrise Tuesday morning. In the segment, where the hosts talked with social commentator Jane Caro and Seven broadcaster Ben Davis, Armytage questioned whether the Coalition’s first homebuyer relief policy is necessary. “I’m not sure about this assumption that all 20-year-olds need their own houses,” said Armytage. “I didn't own a house at 20. You’re kind of meant to be a little bit broke at 20 if you’re at uni or you’re working your first job.” Caro explained that growing HECS debts and high rents make it “much more expensive now to be a young person”. She said, “It takes 10 years to save [for a house deposit] whereas it took our generation six years.” Koch responded, “They’re still going overseas and buying leather couches.” Armytage agreed, saying, “When I was 20 to 24, I was broke and paying off a HECS debt and paying rent … I paid my student debt, and it took me to my 30s.” She added, “It worries me when I agree with Kochie.” According to the morning show, 43 per cent of Aussies aged 20 to 24 and 17 per cent of those aged 25 to 29 are still living at their parents’ home. “It’s no surprise that some people are voting for first homebuyer relief, part of the Coalition policy,” said Davis. “It is harder to get ahead, whether you’re in your 20s or 30s or even 40s.” Ahead of the federal election on Saturday, the Coalition and Labor have promised to help out 10,000 first home buyers by guaranteeing a 15 per cent loan deposit from the government, making it easier for prospective buyers to reach the usual minimum of 20 per cent deposit. In the Liberal campaign launch on Sunday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the program is not “free money” and that “they would still do all the normal checks on the borrowers to make sure they can meet their repayments”. Morrison told Channel Nine, “What I know is it will help first-home buyers into the market. Having to get only as little as a 5 per cent deposit rather than 20 per cent deposit, particularly for low- and middle-income earners, is a great assistance. “What it does is makes it that bit easier, ensures they can get into the market and once they do that they’re off and away.” Some commentators said the scheme would be <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-13/federal-election-2019-morrison-government-labor-first-home-buyer/11105806">ease the financial burden</a> for many first-home buyers, while others were more wary that debt would grow due to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/may/13/first-homebuyers-scheme-who-gets-it-and-will-it-work-explainer">bigger interest payments</a> over time.

How much do sedentary people really need to move? It’s less than you think

People who spend much of their day sitting may need to move around less than we thought to counteract their sedentary lifestyle, new research shows. Our research, published today in the <a href="http://www.onlinejacc.org/content/73/16/2062">Journal of the American College of Cardiology</a>, found about 20-40 minutes of physical activity a day seems to eliminate most health risks associated with sitting. That’s substantially lower than the one hour a day <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2018/06/05/bjsports-2017-098963">a previous study</a> has found. We spend almost all our waking day sitting, standing, or moving. The health impact of each one of these can be complex. For example, too much standing can lead to <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/3/176">lower back problems</a> and even a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/187/1/27/4081581">higher risk of heart disease</a>. But sitting for too long and not moving enough <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2712935">can harm our health</a>. Then there are people who sit for many hours and also get in reasonable amounts of physical activity. For example, someone who has an office job but walks to and from work for 20 minutes each way and runs two to three times a week easily meets <a href="http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ti-18-64years">the recommended level of physical activity</a>. While we know moving is better than sitting, what is far less clear is how much of a good thing (moving) can offset the harms of a bad thing (sitting). That’s what we wanted to find out in our study of almost 150,000 Australian middle-aged and older adults. We followed people enrolled in the <a href="https://www.saxinstitute.org.au/our-work/45-up-study/">45 and Up Study</a> for nearly nine years. We looked at links between sitting and physical activity with deaths from any cause, and deaths from cardiovascular disease such as heart disease and stroke, over that time. We then estimated what level of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity might offset the health risks of sitting. This kind of activity is strenuous enough to get you at least slightly out of breath if sustained for a few minutes. It includes brisk walking, cycling, playing sports or running. What we found People who did no physical activity and sat for more than eight hours a day had more than twice (107%) the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to people who did at least one hour of physical activity and sat less than four hours a day (the “optimal group”). But it wasn’t enough just to sit less. People who did less than 150 minutes of physical activity a week and sat less than four hours a day still had a 44-60% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than the optimal group. We also calculated the effect of replacing one hour of sitting with standing, walking, and moderate and vigorous physical activity. Among people who sit a lot (more than six hours a day) replacing one hour of sitting with equal amounts of moderate physical activity like strenuous gardening and housework, but not standing, was associated with a 20% reduction in dying from cardiovascular disease. Replacing one hour of sitting with one hour of vigorous activity such as <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/10/812">swimming, aerobics and tennis</a>, the benefits were much greater, with a 64% reduction in the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. What does it all mean? The great news for people who sit a lot, including sedentary office workers, is that the amount of physical activity needed to offset the health risks of sitting risks was substantially lower than the one hour a day <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2018/06/05/bjsports-2017-098963">a previous study</a> found. Even around 20-40 minutes of physical activity a day - the equivalent of meeting the <a href="http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ti-18-64years">physical activity guidelines</a> of 150 to 300 minutes a week – seemed to eliminate most risks associated with sitting. For people who sat a lot, replacing sitting with vigorous physical activity was better than replacing it with moderate activity; and replacing sitting with moderate activity or walking was better than replacing it with standing. What’s the take-home message? Our study supports the idea that sitting and exercise are two sides of the same <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2018/07/10/bjsports-2018-099640">health “coin”</a>. In other words, enough physical activity can offset the health risks of sitting. Should we worry about sitting too much? Yes, because sitting takes up valuable time we could spend moving. So too much sitting is an important part of the physical inactivity problem. We also know only <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-016-2736-3">a minority of adults</a> get enough physical activity to offset the risks of sitting. For those who sit a lot, finding ways to reduce sitting would be a good start but it is not enough. The most important lifestyle change would be to look for or create opportunities to include physical activity <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2019/02/15/bjsports-2018-100397">into our daily routine</a> whenever possible. How to widen our activity “menu” Not everyone has a supportive environment and the capacity to create opportunities to be active. For example, lack of time and physical activity being low on people’s list of priorities are the main reasons <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/5/3/47">why inactive adults</a> don’t exercise. Also, many do not have the motivation to power through a strenuous workout when they are juggling many other life challenges. There are no known remedies to a lack of time or low motivation. So, perhaps we need to add new approaches, beyond exercising and playing sport for leisure, to the “menu” of physical activity options. Incidental physical activity like active transportation – think <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/12/761">walking fast</a> or cycling part or all of the way to work – or <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2019/02/15/bjsports-2018-100397">taking stairs</a> are great ways to become or stay active without taking much extra time. Written by Emmanuel Stamatakis, Joanne Gale and Melody Ding. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-do-sedentary-people-really-need-to-move-its-less-than-you-think-114824">The Conversation</a>.

Body

Why active people put on more weight than couch potatoes

Governments are always telling us to eat less and exercise more to be healthier, but this presents an obvious problem. Being active is liable to make you hungrier, so there’s a risk you end up eating extra to compensate and putting on more weight than if you’d never got off the sofa in the first place. Dieticians dream of the day when they can design diets for people where they are more active but don’t get hungry in the process. Unfortunately, it’s trickier than you might think: We’re still searching for the mechanism that governs how the energy we expend translates into our level of appetite. And as we shall see, that’s by no means the only thing that makes this area complicated. In an ideal world, the human body would be wired to immediately detect changes in the amount of energy we use and then give us the appetite to eat the right amount to balance it out. Alas not: we all get hungry two or three times a day, sometimes more, regardless of what we are getting up to. Our bodies also release far stronger signals about our appetite when we haven’t eaten enough than when we’ve eaten too much. This poor daily feedback relationship helps to explain why obese people still experience strong feelings of hunger – that and all the cheap calorie-dense food that is widely available, of course. Mysteries of appetite There is much that we don’t understand about the effect of increased activity. Most of us burn different amounts of calories on different days – gym-goers have days off, while everyone has days where they walk round more shops, do more housework or whatever. Studies don’t find any clear relationship between these variations and the amount of food that the average person consumes on the day in question. But neither is it easy to say anything definitive. Most research has focused on people doing aerobic exercise, and has found, for instance, that while some highly trained and lean people tend to eat the right amount to compensate for the extra calories they burn, overweight people are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30777142">more prone</a> to over-eat. What could lie behind this difference? One possibility is that physiological processes change in people who do more exercise – for instance, their gut hormones might be released in different concentrations when they eat, potentially with a bearing on how much food they need. One longstanding question, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3055144">dating back</a> some <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13250128">60 years</a>, is where metabolism fits into the picture. Some <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23193010">important work</a> published in 2013 by a team in Leeds found that overweight people were hungrier and consumed more calories than thinner people. Since overweight people have a higher <a href="https://www.verywellfit.com/metabolism-facts-101-3495605">resting metabolic rate</a> – the rate at which the body burns energy while at rest – the group proposed that there was a correlation between this rate and the size of meals that people eat. The fact that people’s resting metabolic rates are stable, regardless of fluctuations in daily exercise, might help explain why exercise levels often have no bearing on how much we eat on the same day. Yet this doesn’t mean that resting metabolic rate actually determines how much food we eat. The team proposed that a person’s body composition, specifically their amount of muscle mass, might be governing their metabolic rate. If so, the metabolic rate might just be acting as an intermediary – routing the information about body composition through hypothalamic networks in the brain, which are believed to control appetite. Either way, this still needs further research. Our study To examine what happens in the real-life situation, rather than the lab setting, I’ve co-authored a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30659256">new study</a> that looks at what happens to people’s calorie intake on days when they are more active without deliberately taking exercise – this could be anything from a trip to the dentist to a day out at the beach with the children. We looked at 242 individuals – 114 men and 128 women. We found that their amount of activity did have a bearing on how much they ate, but that their resting metabolic rates influenced their appetites as well – in other words, overweight people tended to eat more. This is another step forward in understanding the relationship between activity and the calories we consume. But don’t expect this to translate into a magic formula for optimising everyone’s relationship with activity and food any time soon. There are many variables that have barely been taken into account by researchers. Most work has tended to focus on white men aged 20-30, for instance, yet there is evidence that women are more prone to compensate for extra physical activity by eating. Equally, different genetic characteristics are likely to be important – some people are more fidgety, for instance. Then there are differences in people’s psychology and to what extent they use food as a reward. People who have been losing or gaining weight will have different appetite signals to people whose weight is stable. The time of the activity in the course of the day is likely to make a difference, too. I doubt that in my lifetime we will reach a point where we can look at any person’s entire genetic make-up and tell them exactly what will work for them. What we can say from our study is that many people are liable to eat more when they are more active. Just moving more will not lead to spontaneously losing weight - people should be aware of this and watch how much extra they eat as a result. Written by Alex Johnstone. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-exercise-conundrum-sometimes-active-people-put-on-more-weight-than-couch-potatoes-heres-why-114251">The Conversation</a>.

Body

This $3 Kmart hack to never lose anything under your couch again

Is there anything as frustrating as searching for something underneath the couch? From keys to coins to the remote control, there are quite of few important items around the house that have an annoying tendency of finding their way in the gap between your sofa and the floor. But thanks to this $3 Kmart product, those days might be over. A clever woman in the <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-tips/2017/10/mums-genius-3-dollar-kmart-hack/" target="_blank">Kmart Hack Facebook group</a> has shared the secret trick she uses to ensure she never loses anything underneath the couch. And as with most clever Kmart hacks, the <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/2017/10/why-kmart-is-under-fire-for-this-popular-product/" target="_blank">genius in this solution is due to its simplicity</a>. <img width="499" height="500" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44939/pool-noodle_499x500.jpg" alt="Pool -noodle"/> Image credit: Facebook / Kmart Hack Simply slide a pool noodle underneath your couch. Instead of getting lost forever, the item will collide with the noodle and you’ll be able to retrieve it easily. At $3 a noodle, this hack certainly won’t break the bank either. What are your thoughts? Think you’ll give this hack a try?

Home & Garden

Deer naps on couch on side of the road

Sometimes it’s nice to have a camera handy, because if you told someone about this they’d have a hard time believing you! In this video a driver in the US happens across a deer napping on a couch on the side of the road. After what has obviously been a busy day, this deer is taking the opportunity to get some well-earned shut eye and who could blame it? Video credit: Facebook / Deborah Broadway Russell Related links: <a href="/news/news/2016/03/last-official-interview-with-jon-english/">Watch the last interview Jon English gave</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/03/penguin-5000-miles-reunite-71-year-old-man/">Penguin swims 5,000 miles every year to reunite with 71-year-old man</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/03/85-year-old-man-finds-lost-wallet-71-years-later/">85-year-old man finds lost wallet, 71 years later</a>

News

How to give your couch an instant facelift

As the comfiest spot in the house for rest and relaxation, it comes as no surprise that the couch gets saggy and old quickly. But there’s no need to shell out money for a new couch if your one is looking worse for wear, you can give it a new life with just a needle, thread, and a few minutes of your time. Watch the video above to see how to give your couch an instant facelift. Video source: Home Depot Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/01/how-to-snake-proof-home/">How to snake-proof your house and garden</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/01/companion-planting-garden-infographic/">Great infographic explains companion planting</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/01/popular-food-myths-busted/">21 popular food myths busted</a>

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