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ALDI's epic snow gear sale is back!

Planning a ski trip or a family getaway in the Snowy Mountains? Aldi has got you covered with the return of its popular Snow Gear Special Buys sale set to hit the shelves on May 18. The highly anticipated sale will see more than 70 products on offer with prices starting from just $4.99 and nothing over $100. Rodney Balech, group director for National Buying at Aldi said this year's range is back and “better than ever”. “Whether you’re planning a solo ski trip or a friendly snowball fight with the family, Aldi’s Snow Gear range offers everything you need at an affordable price, without compromising on quality.” “We’re the also introducing more unisex options for kids, making it easier than ever for parents to hand down outfits to save on buying new sizes year after year.”  “While price and affordability are on everyone’s minds this year, we have also ensured that every item in our range meets the highest benchmarks.” He also said that they have worked with their partners across the globe to ensure that they create “high quality products across every layer”. “[And] now in more sizes than ever. Each item is embedded with innovative technology that is built to provide top-of-the-line durability and comfort in all conditions, so you can feel assured that both you and your budget will feel great carving down the slopes in this year’s range.” A lot is on offer this year, including Adult’s Premium Ski Jackets for just $99.99 and Ski Pants for $79.99, which can often cost more at other retailers. They have also dropped affordable new snow hoodie for $49.99, which they say is highly waterproof and "perfect for newcomers to the snow looking to set themselves up with the right gear without having to blow the budget." Gloves, goggles, helmets, thermoboots and kids knitted accessories are also on offer. For those with younger children, Toddler’s Snow Suit will be up for sale for just $34.99 with a few “mini-me” designs on offer for parents who want to match with their kids. The sizing for teens and young adults have also been extended to give more options for those who are growing up or in between sizes. Images: Aldi/ news.com.au

Travel Tips

What is negative gearing and what is it doing to housing affordability?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-cull-340911">Michelle Cull</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> Australia’s housing crisis is putting the <a href="https://www.mortgagechoice.com.au/guides/what-is-the-great-australian-dream/">Australian dream</a> to own one’s home out of reach for many. But it’s not just <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/home-ownership-and-housing-tenure">home ownership</a> that has been affected. Rental affordability has also become a serious issue. This has reignited the debate about negative gearing; whether or not it is fair and whether it holds the key to fixing the housing crisis. <h2>What is negative gearing?</h2> <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/review/tax-white-paper/negative-gearing">Negative gearing</a> refers to using borrowed money to invest in an asset so it results in a loss which can be claimed as a tax deduction against other income. For example, a property investment is negatively geared if the net rental income received is lower than the mortgage interest. The loss is then offset against other income, such as wages and salaries, which reduces the amount of income tax payable. Negative gearing is commonly used for property investments but also applies to other investments (such as shares). Investments can also be positively geared when net income from the investment is more than the interest on borrowings. The attractiveness of negative gearing in Australia is mainly due to its ability to reduce the amount of income tax. For this reason, it can be more beneficial to individuals who are on higher marginal tax rates. However, capital gains tax must be paid on any gain when the asset is sold. <h2>How does negative gearing work?</h2> Let’s look at a simple example of negative gearing. Say an investment property was rented to tenants at A$500 a week ($26,000 a year), and associated expenses (such as agent fees, rates, mortgage interest, maintenance) were $40,000 for the year. This leaves a shortfall of $14,000. The property owner can deduct the $14,000 from their taxable income to reduce their liability. For example if they received $100,000 from wages, they would pay tax on only $86,000 (saving $4,550 in income tax). Individuals on higher incomes and therefore higher marginal tax rates would receive larger tax deductions (for example, someone earning over $180,001 would pay $6,300 less tax). While negative gearing an investment property can reduce tax while it is being rented, it can also result in a large <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/investments-and-assets/capital-gains-tax/what-is-capital-gains-tax">capital gains tax</a> bill once the property is sold (even though capital gains tax is halved for assets held for more than 12 months). For example, if the cost base for a property purchased ten years ago was $400,000 and it sells for $900,000 today, capital gains tax would be calculated on half of the $500,000 difference. At a marginal rate of 45%, the tax bill would be $112,500. <h2>How widespread is it in Australia?</h2> According to the <a href="https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/taxation-statistics-2020-21">Australian Taxation Office</a>, about 2.25 million individual tax payers (21% of all individual tax payers) claimed deductions against rental income for a total 3.25 million properties in 2020-21 financial year. Of these, 47% negatively geared their properties, claiming a net rental loss. This is equivalent to just less than 10% of all taxpayers. Investors with fewer properties were more likely to be using negative gearing with over 71% of property investors having only one investment property. <hr /> <iframe id="Wv9lV" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Wv9lV/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> The largest group of property investors (524,220) had one investment property and a total annual taxable income between $50,001 and $100,000. The chart above shows the proportion of property investors by age group. From 2016-2017 to 2020-2021, the total net rental income on property investments in Australia went from a loss of $3.3 billion to a gain of $3.1 billion (as you can see from the chart below). For the same period, the proportion of investors negatively gearing their properties dropped from 58% to 47%, as lower interest rates reduced losses. <hr /> <iframe id="fXnoe" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/fXnoe/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> Negative gearing is also becoming less attractive with the government’s recent changes to <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/tax-cuts">tax brackets and marginal tax rates</a>. According to a study conducted by <a href="https://www.pexa.com.au/staticly-media/2023/03/Whitepaper-2-Private-renting-in-Australia-a-broken-system_compressed-sm-1679450145.pdf">LongView and PEXA</a>, 60% of property investors would be financially better off if they instead put their money into a superannuation fund. <h2>When was it introduced?</h2> Negative gearing has been allowed under tax laws since 1936. It was thought it would encourage investment in housing and increase supply. However, debate around its impact on housing affordability led the government to partially abolish it in 1985 by not allowing rental property losses to reduce tax on other sources of income. There was a shortage of housing and rents rose during the two years it was abolished. As a result, in 1987, negative gearing was reinstated and capital gains tax legislation was introduced. <h2>Is it used in other countries?</h2> Canada, Germany, Japan and Norway use negative gearing. In Finland, France and the United States, rental losses can offset future rental income only. In the US, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/publications/p936#en_US_2023_publink1000229891">home owners are entitled</a> to claim a tax deduction for mortgage interest on their own home. The use and benefit of negative gearing depends upon all aspects of a country’s tax system. So although it may be attractive in countries with high marginal tax rates, other taxes such as capital gains tax, land tax and stamp duties may reduce its appeal. <h2>Negative gearing’s impact on housing affordability</h2> Many factors affect the cost of housing, including interest rates, inflation, employment, the overall taxation system and population growth, making housing affordability a complex issue. <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nz-kills-tax-loophole-on-property-to-slow-soaring-house-prices-20210323-p57d9s.html">In New Zealand, negative gearing is being phased out</a> due to its impact on housing prices. However, unlike Australia, New Zealand does not have capital gains tax, making negative gearing more popular and more likely to impact housing prices. In addition to phasing out negative gearing, the New Zealand government <a href="https://www.hud.govt.nz/our-work/public-housing-plan/">increased the supply of public housing</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-25/nz-auckland-house-supply-experiment-results-in-dramatic-change/102846126">relaxed zoning regulations</a> to provide more affordable housing. In Australia, however, there are concerns abolishing negative gearing will cause rents to rise, as they did in the 1980s. More innovative approaches to housing affordability are needed to ensure ample supply of property for first home buyers and tenants. Some consideration could be given to allowing first home buyers to claim a tax deduction for mortgage interest, increasing capital gains tax, limiting the number or type of investment properties held, capping rent increases, or more infrastructure investment from the government for first home buyers and social housing. One or more of these measures would be a step in the right direction. Negative gearing on its own is not the answer to housing affordability. The whole system needs an overhaul, with a combination of measures needed to adequately address affordability, for now and for future generations. Taking no action will put home ownership out of reach for even more Australians.<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/223823/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-cull-340911">Michelle Cull</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-negative-gearing-and-what-is-it-doing-to-housing-affordability-223823">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

"It was a pretty nasty bang": Freddie Flintoff airlifted to hospital

Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff is recovering from a "nasty" accident while filming for Top Gear, according to his friend Piers Morgan. The former English cricketer, 45, was airlifted to hospital on Tuesday after receiving medical care at the scene, following a crash at an aerodrome in Surrey. Piers said he had spoken to Freddie's family, and said the TV host is remaining in good spirits. “I’m told it was a pretty serious crash and that Freddie’s going to be OK, but it might be a little bit more serious than first appreciated,” he told talkSPORT. “I’m told he’s going to be OK, which is great news, but I’m also told it was a pretty nasty bang and that he’s had surgery and is recovering now and we’ll have to wait and see." “I’ve been in contact with them privately but I just want to wish him and his family – Rachael, his wife – all the very best and I think we’re all just keeping our fingers crossed that the big man comes through all right.” It is understood that the crash did not happen at high speed, with all health and safety precautions said to have been in place. The health and safety watchdog said it was “aware and making inquiries” after the BBC reported the incident, as was standard procedure. A BBC spokesperson said at the time, “Freddie was injured in an accident at the Top Gear test track this morning, with crew medics attending the scene immediately. He has been taken to hospital for further treatment and we will confirm more details in due course.” Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

740,000km of fishing line and 14 billion hooks: we reveal just how much fishing gear is lost at sea each year

Two per cent of all fishing gear used worldwide ends up polluting the oceans, our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abq0135" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new research</a> finds. To put that into perspective, the amount of longline fishing gear littering the ocean each year can circle the Earth more than 18 times. We interviewed 450 fishers from seven of the world’s biggest fishing countries including Peru, Indonesia, Morocco and the United States, to find out just how much gear enters the global ocean. We found at current loss rates, in 65 years there would be enough fishing nets littering the sea to cover the entire planet. This lost fishing equipment, known as ghost gear, can cause heavy social, economic and environmental damage. Hundreds of thousands of animals <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11160-018-9520-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are estimated to die</a> each year from unintentional capture in fishing nets. Derelict nets can continue to fish indiscriminately for decades. Our research findings help highlight where to focus efforts to stem the tide of fishing pollution. It can also help inform fisheries management and policy interventions from local to global scales. <h2>14 billion longline hooks litter the sea each year</h2> The data we collected came directly from fishers themselves. They experience this issue firsthand and are best poised to inform our understanding of fishing gear losses. We surveyed fishers using five major gear types: gillnets, longlines, purse seine nets, trawl nets, and pots and traps. We asked how much fishing gear they used and lost annually, and what gear and vessel characteristics could be making the problem worse. This included vessel and gear size, whether the gear contacts the seafloor, and the total amount of gear used by the vessel. We coupled these surveys with information on global fishing effort data from commercial fisheries. Fishers use different types of nets to catch different types of fish. Our research found the amount of nets littering the ocean each year include: <ul> <li>740,000 kilometres of longline mainlines</li> <li>nearly 3,000 square kilometres of gill nets</li> <li>218 square kilometres of trawl nets</li> <li>75,000 square kilometres of purse seine nets</li> </ul> In addition, fishers lose over 25 million pots and traps and nearly 14 billion longline hooks each year. These estimates cover only commercial fisheries, and don’t include <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-97758-4_15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the amount</a> of fishing line and other gear lost by recreational fishers. We also estimate that between 1.7% and 4.6% of all land-based plastic waste travels into the sea. This amount likely exceeds lost fishing gear. However, fishing gear is designed to catch animals and so is generally understood as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X15002985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the most environmentally damaging</a> type of plastic pollution in research to date. <h2>Harming fishers and marine life</h2> Nearly 700 species of marine life <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X14008571?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are known to</a> interact with marine debris, many of which are near threatened. Australian and US <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X15002985#bib6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research in 2016</a> found fishing gear poses the biggest entanglement threats to marine fauna such as sea turtles, marine mammals, seabirds and whales. Other marine wildlife including sawfish, dugong, hammerhead sharks and crocodiles are also known to get <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1442-8903.2010.00525.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entangled in fishing gear</a>. Other <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12781" target="_blank" rel="noopener">key problematic items</a> include balloons and plastic bags. Lost fishing gear is not only an environmental risk, but it also has an economic impact for the fishers themselves. Every metre of lost net or line is a cost to the fisher – not only to replace the gear but also in its potential catch. Additionally, many fisheries have already gone through significant reforms to reduce their environmental impact and improve the sustainability of their operations. Some losses are attributable to how gear is operated. For instance, bottom trawl nets – which can get caught on reefs – are lost more often that nets that don’t make contact with the sea floor. The conditions of the ocean can also make a significant difference. For example, fishers commonly reported that bad weather and overcrowding contributes to gear losses. Conflicts between gears coming into contact can also result in gear losses, such as when towed nets cross drifting longlines or gillnets. Where fish are depleted, fishers must expend more effort, operate in worse conditions or locations, and are more likely to come in contact with others’ gear. All these features increase losses. <h2>What do we do about it?</h2> We actually found lower levels of fishing gear losses in our current study than in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12407" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a previous review</a> of the historical literature on the topic. Technological improvements, such as better weather forecasts and improved marking and tracking of fishing gear may be reducing loss rates. Incentives can further reduce losses resulting in ghost gear. This could include buyback programs for end-of-life fishing gear, reduced cost loans for net replacement, and waste receptacles in ports to encourage fishers to return used fishing gear. Technological improvements and management interventions could also make a difference, such as requirements to mark and track gear, as well as regular gear maintenance and repairs. Developing effective fishing management systems can improve food security, leave us with a healthier environment, and create more profitable businesses for the fishers who operate in it. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/740-000km-of-fishing-line-and-14-billion-hooks-we-reveal-just-how-much-fishing-gear-is-lost-at-sea-each-year-192024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: CSIRO

Travel Trouble

Kyle Sandilands' lavish baby gear

Kyle Sandilands has been surprised with lavish baby products, arriving not long after the announcement of his expected son. "I've never seen anything like this" Kyle said, after being presented with a gold cot, the same high-chair as the Kardashians', a baby basket, and a pram among the many gifts given to prepare him for the birth of his son. As <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/kyle-sandilands-reveals-big-news-on-air" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced in February,</a> Kyle and fiancee Tegan Kynaston are expecting a baby boy together in August. This will be the 50-year-old's first baby. The other gifts include a hand-knitted baby blanket, the same one that is presented to The Royal Family and a stylish baby bag for mum-to-be Tegan. Kyle is half-way to fatherhood and seems to be very excited for the arrival of his first child. Images: Facebook

Family & Pets

ALDI shoppers furious after retailer cancels its annual snow gear sale

It’s an event that shoppers look forward to each year, as they rush to their nearest ALDI for the annual Snow Gear Special Buys sale. The highly anticipated sale has people “working in teams” as they attempt to score a bargain. But unfortunately, the German retailer has had to cancel the snow sale for 2020, forcing shoppers to put that excitement on hold till 2021. Once a year, the supermarket releases items such as jackets, goggles, boots and thermal wear, helping Aussies stay warm as they hit the slopes. But with the coronavirus pandemic stopping people from travelling, the retailer found that it was inappropriate to continue with the sale. Taking to Facebook, ALDI revealed they are shifting their priorities to the grocery sector, forcing them to make the difficult decision of withdrawing its 2020 Snow Gear Special Buys event. “We’ll be back with our best-ever collection next year,” the post read. “We’re looking forward to sharing our best-ever collection with you in 2021. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.” The post garnered over 1000 comments and shares, but people were torn over the decision. Majority of comments came from those who live in colder areas, saying they rely on the sale to stock up on winter clothing. “Pity about the people who live in the colder areas. I was waiting for this to stock up on clothes to work in the paddocks etc. Typical that they only think people who will go on holidays buy this stuff,” one person commented. “Considering not everyone travels to snowy regions; there are thousands of people who actually live in these areas,” added another. “Winter is still coming – would be great if they still brought out the thermals, boots, gloves, & beanies.” In normal circumstances, the sale occurs each year in May and attracts thousands of shoppers around the country as they hope to snap up a cool saving on snow gear.

Domestic Travel

Bunnings to the rescue!

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> An emergency doctor has said that a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) has led to senior doctors sourcing supplies from hardware store Bunnings. Dr Stephen Parnis said that the lack of PPE is the “number one concern” for Australian healthcare workers on Q&A on Monday night. Dr Parnis is an emergency doctor and former Vice President of the Australian Medical Association and is aware of “department directors” going to Bunnings to get PPE for their staff. He said that others are trying to source the vital equipment from overseas contacts. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> What is the government doing to supply health workers with ample hand sanitizer and PPE? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QandA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QandA</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ykx91yOg0E">pic.twitter.com/Ykx91yOg0E</a> — QandA (@QandA) <a href="https://twitter.com/QandA/status/1247130244361777152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2020</a></blockquote> “It's probably the number one concern for health workers around the country at the moment,” Dr Parnis said. Q&A host Hamish MacDonald was shocked and asked Dr Parnis to clarify what he meant. “Can I clarify? Department heads are going to Bunnings to try and find personal protective equipment,” MacDonald asked. “I've seen examples of that. Yes,” Dr Parnis said. General practitioner Dr Vyom Sharma said that the lack of PPE is “affecting the nature and care” being given to patients. “It’s correct what Steven said, we're very worried about the lack of personal protective equipment and it's been affecting the care we've been offering patients throughout,” Dr Sharma said. “When the criteria for COVID-19 had been changing gradually through February and March, a huge percentage of my (patients) were overseas students and travellers and tourists. “And you're rationing masks even then. And there are people coughing and sneezing one day who come from South Korea or Italy and a few day later the criteria changes and it says these people are high risk and you wonder should I have used a mask on them and I would have if I had enough.” Dr Sharma said that in his own practice, they were rationing out PPE and the number of masks has dwindled to about ten. “We are trying to save them for when we really need them.” The stress of the pandemic has resulted in doctors not being able to sleep. “It's a stressful time for us all … because we're making enormous numbers of changes in our hospitals, but also we've seen what's happened overseas,” he said. “And that's the sort of scenario that really worries us, the risk of being overwhelmed.” </div> </div> </div>

Home & Garden

Jetstar pilots forgot to lower landing gear on approach

Pilots of a Jetstar flight forgot to lower the plane’s landing gear on approach to a NSW airport due to “a series of distractions”, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found. The pilots of a Jetstar A320 aircraft were approaching Ballina-Byron Gateway Airport on May 18, 2018 when they were forced to abort two landings due to the oversight, a report by the bureau found. It was found that on the first attempt, the flight crew “<a href="https://7news.com.au/travel/air-aviation/pilot-of-jetstar-flight-forgot-to-lower-landing-gear-on-approach-to-ballina-airport-report-c-599719">conducted a go-around</a>” because the captain found the plane’s airspeed and altitude were higher than normal for an approach. The crew realised the landing gear was not down on the second attempt, and the flight landed safely on its third attempt. The ATSB found the crew did not follow Jetstar’s standard procedures during the first go-around, resulting in distractions that contributed to the landing gear oversight. “During the downwind leg following the first go-around, the flight crew did not select the landing gear down as they had commenced the configuration sequence for landing at the Flaps 3 setting,” the report said. “Furthermore the flight crew incorrectly actioned the landing checklist, which prevented the incorrect configuration for landing being identified and corrected.” Dr Stuart Godley, ATSB Director Transport Safety Director, said the incident showed how “<a href="https://10daily.com.au/news/australia/a191210fmrex/distracted-jetstar-pilots-forgot-to-lower-landing-gear-20191211">unexpected events during approach and landing</a>” can “substantially” increase the flight crew’s workload. “Following standard procedures mitigates the risk of the selection of inappropriate auto-flight modes, unexpected developments, or confusion about roles or procedures that can contribute to decisions and actions that increase the safety risk to the aircraft and its passengers,” Godley said. Following the incident, Jetstar Airways said the flight crew members involved attended debriefings with flight operations management and were provided with related simulator and line flying training.

Travel Trouble

Lowest act: Thieves steal gear to pose as firefighters and beg for fake donations

A NSW fire station has warned residents to keep an eye out as thieves stole firefighter gear from the station and could be posing as fireys to get donations from unaware locals. Wyong Fire Station, on the Central Coast of NSW, was broken into on Saturday night and alerted locals to what had been stolen in a Facebook post. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ffrnsw505%2Fposts%2F1990863537726068&width=500" width="500" height="745" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> Yellow fire helmets, bushfire jackets and gloves, ID cards, goggles, shirts and trousers as well as white flash hoods resembling balaclavas were stolen. “All of these items are clearly marked or branded with FRNSW logos and some of these will have firefighters names on them,” the post read. The post ended by saying that FRNSW “do not door knock or go around asking for monetary donations or discounts”. Hundreds have since commented on the post, condemning the thieves’ actions. “What is wrong with these people?” one woman said. “This is just the lowest act,” another person said. “This is horrible, hard to believe that someone could be this low or do something like this. Hope they find the grub!” another wrote. A man commented saying that they saw a ‘solo door knocker’ when driving. “Saw a ‘solo door knocker’ in Gorokan, Dudley St about an hour ago when driving. Was a man, dressed in RFS and holding a bucket. “I have notified the station, maybe keep an eye out if in Gorokan.”

Travel Trouble

High-tech fishing gear could help save endangered right whales

Many fish, marine mammals and seabirds that inhabit the world’s oceans are critically endangered, but few are as close to the brink as the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis). <a href="https://www.narwc.org/uploads/1/1/6/6/116623219/2018report_cardfinal.pdf">Only about 411 of these whales exist today</a>, and at their current rate of decline, they could become extinct within our lifetimes. From 1980 through about 2010, conservation efforts focused mainly on protecting whales from being struck by ships. Federal regulations helped <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/endangered-species-conservation/reducing-ship-strikes-north-atlantic-right-whales">reduce vessel collisions</a> and supported a slight rebound in right whale numbers. But at the same time, growing numbers of right whales died after becoming entangled in lobster and crab fishing gear, and the population has taken a significant downward turn. This may have happened because fishing ropes became stronger, and both whales and fishermen shifted their ranges so that areas of overlap increased. In research that is <a href="https://www.int-res.com/prepress/d03376.html">currently in press</a>, we show that 72% of diagnosed mortalities between 2010-2018 occurred due to entanglements. This comes after a millennium of whaling that decimated the right whale population, reducing it from perhaps between <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12664">10,000 to 20,000</a> to a few hundred animals today. And entanglement deaths are <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/230653">much more inhumane</a> than harpoons. A whaler’s explosive harpoon kills quickly, compared to months of drawn-out pain and debilitation caused by seemingly harmless fishing lines. We believe these deaths can be prevented by working with the trap fishing industries to adopt <a href="https://ropeless.org/">ropeless fishing gear</a> – but North Atlantic right whales are running out of time. Deadly encounters Whalers pursued right whales for centuries because this species swam relatively slowly and floated when dead, so it was easier to kill and retrieve than other whales. By the mid-20th century, scientists assumed they had been hunted to extinction. But in 1980, researchers from the New England Aquarium who were studying marine mammal distribution in the Bay of Fundy off eastern Canada were stunned when they <a href="https://www.canadianwhaleinstitute.ca/habitats">sighted 26 right whales</a>. Conservation efforts led to the enactment of regulations that required commercial ships to <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/endangered-species-conservation/reducing-ship-strikes-north-atlantic-right-whales">slow down</a> in zones along the U.S. Atlantic coast where they were highly likely to encounter whales, reducing boat strikes. But this victory has been offset by rising numbers of entanglements. Adult right whales can produce up to an estimated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12230">8,000 pounds of force</a> with a single stroke of their flukes. When they become tangled in fishing gear, they often break it and swim off trailing ropes and sometimes crab or lobster traps. Lines and gear can wrap around a whale’s body, flukes, flippers and mouth. They impede swimming and feeding, and cause chronic infection, emaciation and damage to blubber, muscle and bone. Ultimately these injuries weaken the animal until it dies, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsu008">which can take months to years</a>. One of us, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=DQ-fD1QAAAAJ">Michael Moore</a>, is trained as a veterinarian and has examined many entangled dead whales. Moore has seen fishing rope embedded inches deep into a whale’s lip, and a juvenile whale whose spine had been deformed by the strain of dragging fishing gear. Other animals had flippers nearly severed by swimming wrapped in inexorably constricting ropes. Entanglement injuries to right whales are the worst animal trauma Moore has seen in his career. Even if whales are able to wriggle free and live, the extreme stress and energy demands of entanglement, along with inadequate nutrition, are thought to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2615">preventing females from getting pregnant</a> and contributing to record low calving rates in recent years. Solutions for whales and fishermen The greatest entanglement risk is from ropes that lobster and crab fishermen use to attach buoys to traps they set on the ocean floor. Humpback and minke whales and leatherback sea turtles, all of which are federally protected, also become entangled. Conservationists are looking for ways to modify or eliminate these ropes. Rock lobster fishermen in Australia already use <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeeieRr7sTw">pop-up buoys</a> that ascend when they receive sound signals from fishing boats. The buoys trail out ropes as they rise, which fishermen retrieve and use to pull up their traps. Other technologies are <a href="https://www.wnpr.org/post/innovations-fishing-gear-could-change-lobster-industry-help-endangered-right-whale">in development</a>, including systems that <a href="https://ropeless.org/november-6th-2018-presentations/">acoustically identify traps on the seafloor</a> and mark them with “virtual buoys” on fishermen’s chart plotters, eliminating the need for surface buoys. Fishermen also routinely use a customized hook on the end of a rope to catch the line between traps and haul them to the surface when the buoy line goes missing. Transitioning to ropeless technology will require a sea change in some of North America’s most valuable fisheries. The 2016 U.S. lobster catch was worth <a href="https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/commercial-fisheries/commercial-landings/annual-landings/index">US$670 million</a>. Canadian fishermen landed <a href="http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/commercial/land-debarq/sea-maritimes/s2016av-eng.htm">CA$1.3 billion</a> worth of lobster and <a href="http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/commercial/land-debarq/sea-maritimes/s2016av-eng.htm">CA$590 million</a> worth of snow crab. Just as no fisherman wants to catch a whale, researchers and conservationists don’t want to put fishermen out of business. In our view, ropeless technologies offer a genuine opportunity for whales and the fishing industry to co-exist if they can be made functional, affordable and safe to use. Switching to ropeless gear is <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/lobster-trap-aims-protect-endangered-whalesand-fishers-livelihoods-180971208/">unlikely to be cheap</a>. But as systems evolve and simplify, and production scales up, they will become more affordable. And government support could help fishermen make the shift. In Canada, the federal and New Brunswick provincial governments recently awarded CA$2 million to Canadian snow crab fishermen to <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/snow-crab-right-whale-fishing-gear-research-1.5143321">test two ropeless trap designs</a>. Converting could save fishermen money in the long run. For example, California Dungeness crab fishermen closed their 2019 season three months ahead of schedule on April 15 to settle a lawsuit over whale entanglements, leaving crab they could have caught still in the water. Under the agreement, fishermen using ropeless gear will be <a href="https://www.nationalfisherman.com/west-coast-pacific/dungeness-drag/">exempt from future early closures</a>. A rebound is possible The <a href="https://www.fws.gov/endangered/laws-policies/">Endangered Species Act</a> and <a href="https://www.fws.gov/international/laws-treaties-agreements/us-conservation-laws/marine-mammal-protection-act.html">Marine Mammal Protection Act</a> require the U.S. government to conserve endangered species. In Congress, the pending <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1568/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22H.R.+3729%22%5D%7D">SAVE Right Whales Act of 2019</a> would provide $5 million annually for collaborative research into preventing mortalities caused by the fishing and shipping industries. And an advisory committee to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently recommended <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/team-reaches-nearly-unanimous-consensus-right-whale-survival-measures">significant fishing protections</a>, focused primarily on reducing the number of ropes in the water column and the strength of the remaining lines. Consumers can also help. Public outcry over dolphin bycatch in tuna fisheries spurred passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and led to <a href="https://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx?Division=PRD&ParentMenuId=228&id=1408">dolphin-safe tuna labeling</a>, which ultimately reduced dolphin mortalities from half a million to about 1,000 animals annually. Choosing lobster and crab products <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsy194">caught without endangering whales</a> could accelerate a similar transition. North Atlantic right whales can still thrive if humans make it possible. The closely related southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), which has faced few human threats since the end of commercial whaling, has rebounded from just 300 animals in the early 20th century to an <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/southern-right-whale-eubalaena-australis-5-year-review-summary-and-evaluation">estimated 15,000 in 2010</a>. There are real ways to save North Atlantic right whales. If they go extinct, it will be on this generation’s watch. Editor’s note: This article was updated on May 28, 2019 to correct the number of North Atlantic right whale deaths in recent years that were caused by entanglements.<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/115974/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-moore-652534">Michael Moore</a>, Senior Scientist, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/woods-hole-oceanographic-institution-954">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hannah-myers-726400">Hannah Myers</a>, Guest Investigator, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/woods-hole-oceanographic-institution-954">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/high-tech-fishing-gear-could-help-save-critically-endangered-right-whales-115974">original article</a>.

Family & Pets

Prince Charles gears up for showdown with Prince Andrew

Prince Charles is reportedly furious with his brother Prince Andrew as the scandals surrounding the Duke of York continue to grow. As the Prince of Wales is flying back to the United Kingdom after his tour of New Zealand and the Solomon Islands, he is reportedly furious about his brother’s disastrous BBC interview. According to insiders, the Prince of Wales is furious that the BBC interview overshadowed his royal tour and is planning to speak to the Duke of York when he returns on Tuesday. This comes after Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Andrew would be “standing back” from all his patronages as well as his royal duties. “The Duke has over 230 patronages. He will be stepping back from public duty and temporarily standing back from all his patronages,” a spokeswoman told the PA news agency. However, Prince Andrew will continue to work on his Pitch@Palace program, which is a program designed to help young entrepreneurs. The program was dropped by several Australian universities last week after the interview. “(The Duke) will look at how he takes this forward outside of his public duties, and outside of Buckingham Palace. We recognise there will be a period of time while this transition takes place,” the spokeswoman said. A royal insider told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/prince-andrew-election-fears-made-charles-call-for-duke-to-be-removed-39xfn0ntn" target="_blank">The Times</a> that questioning whether or not Prince Andrew was “fit for purpose” on IITV was the final straw for Prince Charles. The questions were posed to Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn during their first election debate. “Prince Charles and his private secretary were determined that this should not be allowed to drag on and on. The question of the election was critical,” they said. Former BBC correspondent Peter Hunt says that the Queen had no choice but to make her son step down after the scandal. “After her error of judgment when she let Andrew do the interview, the palace are keen to show a decisive Queen,” former BBC correspondent Peter Hunt said on Twitter. “But it’s Charles and his people who are increasingly pulling the strings.”

International Travel

“You spoilt brat”: Ex-Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson lashes out at Greta Thunberg

Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has made his thoughts about climate change activist Greta Thunberg known, saying that she is a “spoilt brat” and that she should “shut up and get back to school”. Greta Thunberg, 16, made headlines after speaking at the United Nations Climate Action summit summit, saying to leaders and politicians that they “stole her childhood”. “I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us for hope. How dare you. You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” the Swedish activist thundered in her speech at the Climate Action Summit 2019 in New York. Clarkson didn’t take too kindly to those words and branded her a “spoilt brat” in his column for <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10022396/greta-thunberg-meltdown-wont-help-world/" target="_blank">The Sun</a>. “How dare you sail to America on a carbon fibre yacht that you didn’t build which cost £15million, that you didn’t earn, and which has a back-up diesel engine that you didn’t mention,” Clarkson wrote. “We gave you mobile phones and laptops and the internet. We created the social media you use every day and we run the banks that pay for it all. So how dare you stand there and lecture us, you spoilt brat.” Clarkson continued with his rant, saying that Thunberg should “get back to school”. “Something needs to be done about that. So how’s this for an idea. Get back to school as quickly as possible and work hard in your science lectures. Because science is what will solve the problem eventually. Not scowling and having screaming ab-dabs every five minutes.” Clarkson finished his rant by saying that Thunberg should “shut up”. “Many thousands of people who you had the temerity to blame this week are trying to do exactly what you want. So be a good girl, shut up and let them get on with it.” Clarkson’s own daughter Emily has hit back on Twitter, voicing her anger over “middle age blokes” not speaking kindly about Thunberg. Emily Clarkson retweeted a comment from Comedian John Bishop directed at Greta Thunberg which read: “You are an inspirational person. You have breathed life into the climate debate that was failing to get the attention it deserved. Whatever happens with the world it is a better place with you in it.” Emily shared the post with the comment aimed at her father: “Wouldn’t it be nice if all middle aged blokes could talk to and about Greta, the ballsy af teenager out there changing the world, like this.” Jeremy replied: “Wouldn’t it be nice if she learned some manners.” To which Emily hit back: “A woman doesn’t need to be polite to make a point.”

News

The new $15 item from ALDI that's walked out the store

ALDI has quickly carved out a name for itself amongst Australia for its cheap groceries and famous “Special Buys” promotions. While ALDI is well known for its budget furniture, luxury beauty products and cookware, as well as the bargain-priced groceries it offers, there is one item in particular that has caught people’s attention in its latest “Special Buys” promotion. ALDI has brought back its activewear range, and although a grocery store would be the last place many would think of to buy workout gear, many headed there on the weekend to pick up some activewear bargains. In particular, a $15 pair of leggings sent ALDI lovers into a spin, with one woman stocking up on two pairs during last year’s sale and wearing them while she trained for the New York Marathon. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Byt__Pjn9ze/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Byt__Pjn9ze/" target="_blank">I cannot stress enough how much I love @aldiaustralia’s fitness tights. I’ve spent many hundreds of dollars over the years on various brand name ‘performance’ running tights, but none has ever come close to fitting as well, lasting as long or being as comfortable as these. They never get saggy or shapeless, the designs are cool, and the high waist is 👌🏻. They’re perfect for #teamthickthighs runners like moi. And the best bit: THEY’RE ONLY FIFTEEN BUCKS! I bought two pairs last year and wore them exclusively throughout my @nycmarathon training and the marathon itself. This year’s fitness gear has just gone on sale at Aldi today and I snapped up these beauties. This isn’t an ad or anything, I just really genuinely love them! If you’re an Aussie runner, do yourself a favour and give these a try! . . . #aldifinds #aldiaustralia #aldi #aldiloversau #runner #running #runninggear #runchat #runningmumsaustralia #runningmum #rundownunder #runningmom #instarunner #sydneyinstarunners #marathoner #marathonmum #nycmarathon #marathonmom #runhappy #runnerscommunity #inkedrunner #womenwhorun #womensrunningcommunity #runlikeagirl #igrunners #womenrunning #hibiscus #thickthighsthinpatience</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/lauragreavesauthor/" target="_blank"> Laura Greaves</a> (@lauragreavesauthor) on Jun 14, 2019 at 10:30pm PDT </div> </blockquote> There is a range of activewear on sale, which includes a jacket, long sleeved top, singlet, compression leggings, running tights and socks. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Byt53Oqhf1Z/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Byt53Oqhf1Z/" target="_blank">Who headed to Aldi for todays Special Buy items? Full catalogue available at www.aldilovers.com (link in profile too) ⭐️⭐️ #aldicatalogue #aldiloversau #aldispecialbuys #aldiaustralia</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/aldiloversau/" target="_blank"> Tammy - Aldi Lovers Australia</a> (@aldiloversau) on Jun 14, 2019 at 9:38pm PDT </div> </blockquote> You can also get a range of drink bottles for $6.99, a rowing machine, trainers for just $19.99 and a gym bag. ALDI Australia spoke to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/fitness/aldis-15-gym-tights-are-so-good-people-are-calling-them-perfect/news-story/81a2f285bf993072d06ee2159c8445fa" target="_blank">news.com.au</a> and said that there were still tights available across the country, you’ll just need to contact your local store to see if there’s availability.

Money & Banking

Experts reveal: What you SHOULD and SHOULDN’T buy from ALDI

Over the years, ALDI has built a cult following for its affordable prices and various specials which offers massive savings to shoppers. However, as the supermarket chain continues to grow in popularity in Australia, leading consumer advocacy group Choice has found out what products are worth spending your money on – and which aren’t. While there are many gems to be found at the beloved ALDI, there are a few items you can skip out on throwing into your shopping trolley. Here is what you should and shouldn’t buy from ALDI. What to buy 1. Stain remover and dishwasher tablets ALDI has a number of top performing cleaning products, and the Di-San Oxy Action alongside the Enzymes Pre-Wash have proven to be two effective sprays that will get the job done. At $1.25, what can go wrong? Alongside those items, you can throw in ALDI’s Logix dishwasher tablets. 2. Nappies If you’ve got a tiny tot you’re babysitting anytime soon, then it is best to stock up on the Mamia range of nappies – not only are they some of the most affordable on the market, they are very popular based on Choice reviews. The reviews completed by experts tested each nappy brand for absorbency, leakage and strength. 3. Ski gear ALDI’s annual ski gear sale is coming up on May 18, and so many fans of the German supermarket are thrilled to be able to get the opportunity to get their hands on some bargain-priced, well-made snow goodies. 4. Premium ice-cream If you’re looking for a reason to treat yourself, let the fact ALDI’s Monarc Indulge Vanilla Opulence gourmet ice-cream be the one. For just $4.49, the sweet item is one of the cheapest gourmet ice-creams on the market, and according to Choice customer reviews – it will NOT disappoint. What to avoid 1. Televisions Denis Gallagher, TV expert for <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.choice.com.au/shopping/everyday-shopping/supermarkets/articles/aldi-best-buys-and-things-to-avoid" target="_blank">Choice</a>, said despite the reasonable prices for the electronic item, there may be better options out there. “ALDI has offered pretty good value on TVs over the years, but these days there's more competition and prices are coming down across the board. “You're better off going with a branded product – the ALDI TVs we've tested in the past have had variable results,” he explained. 2. Capsule coffee machine It may have sold extremely well and is a popular product among shoppers, but Choice experts say satisfaction based on taste was at just 45 per cent. If you’re looking for a cheap alternative for a coffee machine, the $120 ALDI Expressi multi-Beverage Capsule Machine 595 could be a good option but may not fulfil all your coffee-loving desires. 3. Liquid laundry detergent for top loaders If you have been shopping for laundry detergent from ALDI, it may be best to think again, as items such as Trimat Advanced Laundry Liquid Sensitive, and Almat Laundry Liquid Concentrate did not perform well based on customer reviews. If looking for a better alternative, try Trimat Advanced Laundry Liquid Regular, although keep in mind it did not perform much better than its competitors.

Money & Banking

Richard Hammond and family “gassed” and robbed on Saint Tropez holiday

The Grand Tour’s host Richard Hammond and his wife were gassed and robbed in their holiday villa in the South of France. The former Top Gear host and his wife Mindy, along with 15 guests who were staying together in a San Tropez villa, were stunned with anaesthetic gas before a team of thieves stole from them. Mindy, 53, described how she woke up as a group of burglars pilfered cash and jewellery. “I went downstairs and into the hallway. The door into the living room was shut but I heard a male voice behind the door,” the columnist said. “I thought it was another couple staying up and went back to bed. “Actually, it was the burglars.” She said the burglars searched the rooms of all of their 15 guests. “That just makes my blood run cold,” she said. “I could have easily walked in and it could have been unpleasant.” Guests at the villa had been enjoying a 1920s themed cocktail party the night before. Gas raids have been on the rise in the region where the rich and famous holiday. “You have got to have some kind of confidence to do that and to be quite satisfied that people aren’t going to wake up,” Mindy added. “That morning I slept in until eight. I didn’t even wake to Richard’s snoring! Nobody woke up. “It turned out they had burgled the neighbouring property as well in the same night.” The robbers also targeted neighbouring villas on the same night.

Caring

Shoppers complain about "unfair" tactics at Aldi's chaotic snow gear sale

Customers who braved Aldi on Saturday morning encountered the chaos and frenzy of the annual snow gear sale. Customers ready for a jaw-dropping bargain lined up in the cold in the early hours of the morning just to get a chance to buy one of the slashed products. At an Aldi supermarket in Melbourne’s northern fringe, just before the doors opened an employee announced that there was enough stock for all those lined up, encouraging them to “be respectful and patient”. However, when the doors opened, all politeness was forgotten as customers frantically dashed around the store to get the hands on the sizes they were after. Customers were not keen to relive the disappointment of last year, when some left the store empty-handed and frustrated. In the middle of every store, giant baskets filled with jackets, pants, goggles, boots and underlayers were up for grabs. Men’s and women’s snow jackets were sold for an affordable $40, goggles from $14.99 and gloves for only $5. “This is nuts,” a customer told <a href="http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/long-lines-and-bargains-at-typically-chaotic-aldi-snow-gear-sale/news-story/6df5af41916d658fae74393bc5779739" target="_blank">news.com.au</a> about the special buys sale. “I’ve never been in a line like this for anything before.” Another customer said, “It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. I was worried about the line so got here super early.” Customers at the Aldi store in Preston South raved about the organisation of the store and the controlled crowd. “Well done to the Mornington Peninsula store,” Mishie Ivy wrote on Aldi’s Facebook page. “They were fantastic ... shop was set out in an easy to find way. No issues. No fighting. Especially dealing with a crowd that was over 100 people.” But not all customers had a similar experience. Emily Wood and her mum arrived at the Aldi store in Maroochydore in Queensland hoping to purchase snow gear for their trip to New Zealand. “We arrived at Aldi at 7.45 and the line had already filled the car park,” she said. “We sat in the car for a while debating whether we should even bother trying and decided we may as well. We saw lots of kids and mothers with trolleys looking ready to fight it out to the death. “There was at least 100 people in front of us and when the doors opened we were expecting to hear running and screaming but it was so relaxed. “My mum and I managed to score everything we wanted which included thermals, boots, gloves and ski jackets. We decided to try them on in the different aisles with a bit of space. “I started to notice a lot of trolleys being filled to the brim with things and I saw people going through their trolleys, trying things on and dumping stuff they didn’t want. “They had clearly gone in with a trolley, scooped up an armful of the same thing and hoped that their size was there. I found this a tad unfair for people that were really trying to find their size but these other people had dumped their unwanted clothes in different aisles.” Ski and snowboard industry expert Glenn Cullen described the sale as a “sh*t show” on his blog <a href="http://thesnowgauge.net/" target="_blank">The Snow Gauge.</a> “I’m calling for an end to (the Aldi snow sale) in its current set-up and here’s why,” he said. “Not because Aldi gear isn’t at least passably good ... to me it still seems like a great entry point for the casual to semi-regular snow enthusiast. And if it gets more people skiing or snowboarding — great. “No, the problem I have with the Aldi sale is the feeding frenzy concept that it very deliberately creates. I do geddit, you know. It’s economics 101. Create a limited supply and then, if your product and the word of mouth is good, develop extraordinary demand. Aldi do it and do it well. “In the early 2000s you had the major brands and the major stores with their major prices. The casual enthusiast either had to hire or shell out the big bucks. Sure, you might be able to get a cheap winter parka at Kmart — but what about some proper ski pants, a helmet and a dozen other ski-specific things you might need? “Aldi filled that void and kudos to them. But I reckon it has now turned into a bit of a sh*t show and an unnecessary one at that.” Have you ever been to the annual snow gear sale at Aldi? If so, share your experience in the comments below.

Money & Banking

Jeremy Clarkson rushed to hospital

Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has been rushed to hospital during a family holiday in Spain, where the 57-year-old television personality is being treated for pneumonia. Clarkson confirmed the news in a photograph posted to his Instagram account, writing the captions, “Not the sort of bangles I usually choose on holiday.” <img width="500" height="498" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/40699/jeremy-clarkson_500x498.jpg" alt="Jeremy -Clarkson"/> Image credit: Instagram / Jeremy Clarkson Clarkson, who now hosts The Grand Tour with Richard Hammond and James May, was reportedly on a break in Spain with his family when he first fell ill. “Jeremy Clarkson was admitted to hospital on Friday morning during a family holiday in Spain and is being treated for pneumonia," a spokesperson for The Grand Tour said. This latest setback for the program comes just two months after Hammond was airlifted to the hospital, when his vehicle had crashed while filming a segment. Here’s hoping he gets well soon.

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Jeremy Clarkson rushed to hospital

Jeremy Clarkson rushed to hospital

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