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Russell Crowe lists harbourfront apartment for sale

Russell Crowe looks set to bid farewell to his stunning harbourfront apartment in Sydney. Sources have confirmed the 60-year-old actor will sell his 1000sqm property "if the price is right". The Gladiator star has reportedly listed the apartment off-market with a price guide ranging from $42 million to $45 million, however McGrath Double Bay agents William Manning and Luke Hogan, who are in charge of selling the property have refused to comment. The waterfront property is located on Finger Wharf in the upscale Woolloomooloo area, just 2km from Sydney's CBD. Initially designed to accommodate four separate private apartments, the property features 11 bedrooms, and has its own 35-metre marina berth. The property itself is rare as the new owner will get the entire floor that's north-facing to themselves, with buyers reportedly "lining up" to take a look, according to<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/russell-crowe-to-farewell-42m-wharf-apartment-if-price-is-right/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> realestate.com.au</a>. However, the new owner might also need to do a makeover of the residence before moving in as the actor hasn't renovated the property since buying it from Nutrimetrics founder Imelda Roche and her late husband, Bill Roche, in 2003. Crowe bought the lavish property for $14.35 million in 2003 and considered listing it for $25 million eight years ago. It was the highest priced apartment sale in Sydney at the time, and now prices for a penthouse at One Sydney Harbour in Barangaroo can go up from $140 million. Images: realestate.com.au/ Getty

Money & Banking

"This can't be real": Couple's unbelievable op-shop find

An Australian man has made an epic discovery in his local op shop. Rob Klaric was browsing Lifeline's Mosman store on Sydney's north shore when he spotted two framed photos of himself and his wife, which they had lost while moving house more than 30 years ago. The photos were taken in 1988 when he and Leonie, his wife of 35 years, were backpacking across Europe. But turns out luck was on their side and they were reunited with their prized possession more than three decades later. "I'm still buzzing with this. I mean, what's the chances?" he told 2GB's Ben Fordham. "I've walked into a store and I see these pictures and I thought I was hallucinating." The photos hold special meaning for the couple, as it was taken in his mum's backyard when they went to visit her in Europe. "We backpacked across Europe, [went] to my mother's place in the north of Italy – so the photos are iconic because it's [taken] in my mother's backyard and Mum's just passed away a few years ago now." A year later, the couple got married, and the year following they had these images framed before they lost them in a move in 1993, when a removal company misplaced the boxes they were packed in. "I still tremble because I thought, 'this can't be real'." "The ironic thing is that my picture, apologies Leonie, mine was more expensive. It was $12 and hers was $8," he said. Klaric wondered if his late mother had something to do with the special find. "But look, it's got my mum, my beautiful old Italian mum, it's got her fingerprints all over it," he said. "Because those pictures were right in the middle [of the shop], on the floor, you would have never seen it unless you walked through the store. And if it was on the left or the right you wouldn't have seen it. "I think she's looking down from Heaven." Images: DailyMail

Family & Pets

Coles launches new AI-powered shopping trolley

Coles is set to become the "first Australian retailer" to introduce AI shopping trolleys, letting shoppers pick, weigh and pay for their groceries without having to visit a checkout. The supermarket giant said its smart trolley uses advanced AI technology, sensors and an in-built scale to scan groceries, including fresh produce, directly into shopping bags. Shoppers can also use an interactive digital screen to identify and locate in-store specials as well as keep track the running total of their shop to help manage their budget and ensure “there are no surprises” when they go to pay. The trolleys are also designed to "streamline the checkout process" as each smart trolley comes with an EFTPOS machine attached. Coles Chief Digital Officer, Ben Hassing, said the introduction of its Smart Trolley showcases Coles’ commitment to delivering value and convenience to customers through innovative digital solutions. “As the first retailer in Australia to introduce AI-powered trolleys, we’re excited to offer our customers a convenient and engaging way to shop in-store, helping them save time, manage their budget and checkout faster – or at their own pace,” Ben said. “The Coles Smart Trolley illustrates our omnichannel approach, leveraging digital capabilities to enrich the in-store experience. “We are committed to testing and learning through innovative solutions to make sure we are delivering on customer needs, increasing convenience, and helping customers discover more value through their shop at Coles.” Coles’ smart trolley was created by New York-based software developers Instacart, which rolled out its AI-powered grocery carts in several supermarkets overseas earlier this year. However, not everyone is onboard with the smart trolleys, as many shoppers said they would "refuse" to use the AI-powered carts, blasting them as “lazy” and expressing fears supermarkets would also store personal data. “I don’t work for them, scan my products and pack my bags, as per your job description,” one raged on Facebook after Instacart launched in US supermarket ShopRite. “Not a chance I will use an AI trolley, I want a human to scan my groceries,” another added. Coles will trial the “all-in-one” shopping device at its Coles Richmond Traders store in Melbourne from January next year. The announcement comes after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/woolies-trial-bold-new-scan-as-you-go-trolleys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Woolworths</a> also announced the launch of "scan as you go" trolleys, although the Woolies carts don't use AI technology to read what is being placed into the trolley, instead enabling shoppers to manually scan each item as they go. Image credits: Coles

Technology

No credit score? A grocery list could be the next best thing

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joonhyuk-yang-1548700">Joonhyuk Yang</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-990">University of Notre Dame</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jung-youn-lee-1548702">Jung Youn Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/jones-graduate-school-of-business-at-rice-university-5411">Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University</a> How you shop and what you buy at the grocery store can predict whether you pay your credit card bills on time, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02364">our new research shows</a>. As <a href="https://mendoza.nd.edu/mendoza-directory/profile/joonhyuk-yang/">marketing</a> <a href="https://business.rice.edu/person/jung-youn-lee">professors</a>, we wanted to learn about alternatives to traditional credit scores. So we teamed up with a multinational conglomerate that, among other things, runs a large supermarket chain and a credit card issuer. By analyzing consumer-level data from those two business units, we were able to see how 30,089 individuals shop and manage their finances. We found that people with more consistent grocery shopping habits are more likely to pay their credit card bills on time. These are people who tend to shop on the same day of the week, spend about the same amount each month, buy similar items across trips and take advantage of deals regularly. We also found that what people buy predicts how they manage their finances. For example, shoppers who frequently purchase cigarettes or energy drinks are more likely to miss credit card payments. Those who often buy fresh milk or salad dressing tend to be more diligent about paying their bills. In general, buying healthier but less convenient food predicted responsible payment behaviors. This was true even when we held consumer characteristics such as income, occupation, credit score and family size constant. Building on those findings, we developed a credit scoring algorithm that scores people based on their grocery shopping habits along with traditional credit risk indicators. When we simulated approval decisions with this algorithm, we found that using grocery data could help lenders predict defaults more accurately while boosting their per-customer profits. <h2>Why it matters</h2> According to the World Bank, <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/globalfindex">more than 1 billion people</a> worldwide lack access to formal financial systems and, as a result, have no credit scores. In the U.S. alone, <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/who-are-credit-invisibles/">about 45 million adults</a> have no credit history or not enough of one to generate a score. This makes it hard for them to access credit, even if they are responsible borrowers. And without credit, it’s harder to get a car, a job or even a place to live. It’s a problem that disproportionately affects <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/globalfindex">underprivileged groups</a>, including people of color and women. In response, policymakers and researchers are increasingly interested in using alternative data sources to assess creditworthiness. For instance, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/17/how-on-time-rent-payments-help-credit-invisible-consumers.html">Fannie Mae now considers</a> mortgage applicants’ rent payment histories, allowing those without traditional credit histories to demonstrate their creditworthiness. Grocery data is especially promising because there’s so much of it. Pretty much everybody buys groceries, and not just once. Information about consumer preferences is continuously being generated in every aisle of grocery stores around the globe. Our study shows that this data has value far beyond the grocery industry. <h2>What’s next</h2> We believe that our study serves as a proof of concept, offering insights for the design and implementation of future research. However, several key questions remain. For example, what if this approach affects different groups unequally? And what about privacy concerns? Our follow-up research aims to address these issues. We’re collaborating with a conglomerate in Peru, a cash-reliant country with a significant unbanked population. Building upon our current findings, we’re working closely with that company to test the impact of our approach on low-income populations. We’ll be helping to evaluate credit applicants using retail transaction data, aiming not just to improve profitability but also to boost social inclusion in the region. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take on interesting academic work.<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/234887/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joonhyuk-yang-1548700">Joonhyuk Yang</a>, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Mendoza College of Business, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-990">University of Notre Dame</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jung-youn-lee-1548702">Jung Youn Lee</a>, Assistant Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/jones-graduate-school-of-business-at-rice-university-5411">Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-credit-score-a-grocery-list-could-be-the-next-best-thing-234887">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

"What a score": Woman finds rare gems in Vinnie's op shop

One lucky thrift shopper has stumbled upon a rare find in her local charity shop, spotting stunning opal earrings on sale for just $2. The shopper took to Facebook to share her find, posting a photo of the gold earrings adorned with a series of blue opals that she got from a Vinnie's op-shop in Queensland. Many were quick to agree that they were "such a rare find" because of the low price, as admirers described the jewellery as "Pretty", "amazing" and "beautiful". "Holy moly," one person exclaimed. "I can't breathe," one other said. "What a score," another agreed. While some people were skeptical that the gems weren't real, others said, "There's no way someone would set that many beautiful opals into costume jewellery so I'd say you have found a unicorn there." "They most certainly look genuine opal and diamond," another agreed — and so do the experts. Sebastian Heffernan from Lightning Ridge Opal mines told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/womans-rare-2-find-at-vinnies-op-shop-worth-1000-absolute-steal-042951545.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News</a> that while it's difficult to determine based on photos alone, the opals "don't appear to be fake". "It's normally pretty obvious when they are," he explained. "They would look a little bit too perfect a lot of the time. Whereas these ones, you can see that some of them have little dots of colour, some have medium flashes." Assuming the opals are real but the diamonds are fake and the gold is plated, rather than solid, Sebastian guessed the earrings could sell for just couple of hundred. However, Wayne Sedawie, who owns Opal and Gem Stone Auctions, reckons the lucky thrifter could fetch close to $1,000 for the earrings, if resold or cashed in to a reseller, and suggested she get them valued. "It's definitely good to maybe get them looked at by someone in person because they do look quite nice from the photo, and the metal itself could be worth a little bit if it is actual gold," Sebastian added. "But either way, two bucks is an absolute steal". "That's such a great find. They're beautiful," Wayne agreed. "Just clean them up and they'll last a thousand years." Image credits: Facebook

Money & Banking

Ian Thorpe lists luxury home at a discount

Ian Thorpe has returned his luxury Woollahra townhouse to the market for a price of $3.5 million. The Olympic gold medallist previously listed it on the market for $3.7 million in September last year but failed to find a buyer at that price. The townhouse boasts four-bedrooms and three-bathrooms and sits on 250sqm of land. It also has an outdoor swimming pool and a beautiful outdoor tropical garden. Thorpe purchased the home in December 2017 for $2.75 million and has since done extensive renovation work to the property. He remodelled the terrace and added in stylish sliding doors. It also features open plan living areas perfect for families. "It's completely private and secluded," letting agent Courtney Wong told The Sydney Morning Herald in 2023. A description for the property reads: "For those seeking a private escape with all the comforts of a luxury home, this is everything you could have dreamed of and more. "A true gem tucked away at the quiet rear of a boutique block of only six, this residence represents the perfect mix of modernity and the natural world with its contemporary architectural design in a tranquil leafy setting." Images: Ray White Double Bay/ Instagram

Home & Garden

Kate Middleton helps teen with cancer fulfill "bucket list" dream

Kate Middleton has taken another step back to public duties after inviting a teenage girl with a rare form of cancer to Windsor Castle. The Prince and Princess of Wales invited 16-year-old Liz, a budding photographer from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, to Windsor Castle after the teen was told by doctors earlier this year that she only had between six months and three years to live. “A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today,” the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote in a social media post shared on Wednesday, with a photo of Kate hugging the teenager. “A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both. Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DAoPPEMNX6F/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DAoPPEMNX6F/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a> </div> </blockquote> Liz had a photography bucket list "to create a lifetime of memories" after being diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour in January. The cancer has no form of standard treatment. She first took up photography in Year 6 after saving up to buy her first camera. Liz was given the opportunity to take photos of cyclist Mark Cavendish and ex-footballer Ally McCoist's investiture ceremony, after Prince William heard about her through his patronage of London Air Ambulance Charity. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “Following the investiture both the Prince and Princess of Wales met Liz privately with her family to hear about her day and journey." Liz said she was "over the moon" after meeting the couple at the castle. “Such lovely, genuine and kind people, I’m over the moon that my family and I had this experience,” she recalled on social media. The event is a rare appearance for the Princess who has been out of the public eye for most of the year following her own cancer diagnosis earlier this year. While the meeting is not being treated as an official engagement for the Prince and Princess, it was their first joint appearance this year. Images: Instagram

Caring

Shock over op shop item listed for $2,000

An Aussie charity shop has come under fire after a shopper spotted a luxury item with a hefty four-figure price tag. A woman was browsing the shelves at the Vinnies Op Shop in Tamworth where she spotted a forest green handbag by luxury brand Balenciaga for sale for a whopping $2,000. While the handbag retails at roughly $4,000, the eye-watering "sale" price has infuriated many after a customer spotted it isolated on a shelf in-store. "How in the world would a normal everyday person be able to afford that? At the stage now it’s cheaper to go to Kmart," a local woman hit out on social media. Others agreed, saying it's a "slap in the face when everything is donated in first place". "It’s ridiculous these days, all the op shops are so overpriced. Very much so in the suburb I live in because it’s a wealthy area, they think everyone who walks in is loaded," another said, commenting on the designer bag. Vinnies was quick to respond to the backlash over the expensive item, Vinnies North West area manager Julie Crosby reiterated that Vinnies shops are charity stores. "We're raising funds," she told the <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/tagged/social-media/" data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:ABC;cpos:8;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="18" data-v9y="1">ABC</a>. "We can spend that money on helping out homeless people, domestic violence issues where we're relocating families". Store manager Megan Moffat added, "It's a beautiful little handbag" implying the $2,000 is justified. Image credits: Shutterstock / Facebook

Money & Banking

Readers response: How do you feel about online shopping compared to traditional in-store shopping?

When it comes to shopping for things we want and need, many people have a preference over whether they shop in a physical store or online. We asked our readers which they prefer when shopping for food, clothes or anything else their hearts desire, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Ellen Polsen - Why would one buy online? I like to feel and see the things I purchase, particularly garments, as fabrics today are mostly rubbish. Jennie Craven - I do a little of each. But usually use stores that I know or brands where the sizing is correct for me. I always use a payment system that I understand. Gail Ladds - I love online shopping! I often forget that I’ve bought something then get a nice surprise when it arrives lol. Debra Coats - Online is okay when you cant go to the store. I did online shopping for about 8 months after open heart surgery but when i was given the all clear to shop and drive, I was in my element as its a moment of getting out of the house and seeing others around me. Karen Peardon - I have done some online shopping (mainly craft supplies) only because I have been very ill for months but I love in-store shopping more. Retail therapy!! Christine Whyte - Have not and will not ever do it, very old school and too wary of the dangers out there, besides I like getting out and choosing for myself. Helga Bonello - I like to see feel and touch products before I buy. Online scammers are a worry, besides we need a reason to go out and be sociable. Olimpia Palumbo - My family does on line shopping and usually end up with the worst fruit and sometimes the wrong items. Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Aussies top global list for biggest gambling losses

A new report has revealed that Australians are the biggest gambling losers in the world, with the average Australian adult gambling away $1635 per year according to the Grattan Institute think tank. That is more than most households pay for power and exceeds the average spend in similar countries like the US and New Zealand. Collectively, Australians lost $24 billion to gambling in 2020-21, with half of that amount lost through poker machines. The rest was lost on sports or race betting, in casinos, and on lotteries and Keno. The report also claims that there are more pokies than post boxes and public toilets across Australia, bringing light to the "lax approach" that has let the industry "run wild". "Gambling products are designed to be addictive, and the consequences can be catastrophic: job loss, bankruptcy, relationship breakdown, family violence, even suicide," the report's authors wrote. People in the Northern Territory and NSW lost the most amount of money, with the two states having the highest concentration of polies in their jurisdiction. The report recommended the federal government ban all gambling advertisements and urged them to cut the number of pokies in each state over time. They also suggested a mandatory pre-commitment system for online gambling and pokies, which would put a limit on daily losses. There are many different ways to get help and information about gambling. Call the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858; use <a href="https://www.gamblinghelponline.org.au/tools-resources/chat-counselling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online counselling</a>. Images: SNEHIT PHOTO / Shutterstock.com

Money & Banking

Oasis issue urgent warning after scalpers list tickets for $42,000

Oasis have been forced to issue a warning to music fans who are searching for tickets to their highly-anticipated reunion tour, after resale tickets have been listed for thousands of dollars. Tickets to the UK and Irelands reunion show went on sale on Saturday, with tickets to the 17 shows selling out in a matter of hours. Tickets were originally posted on Ticketmaster with prices ranging from $190 AUD to $500 AUD, before prices were bumped up by the ticket merchant as being "in demand", with the cheapest tickets then priced at $475 AUD. Since all shows were officially sold out, some tickets have since been posted on resale sites such as StubHub and Viagogo, with prices ranging from $1,100 AUD to a whopping $42,000 AUD. After all the tickets were sold, ticket scalpers shared their tickets on the resale websites to turn a profit, with music fans sharing photos of the outrageous prices on social media. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The highest price I've seen so far is £22,045. It's ridiculous. I know no one is likely to pay that, but why are these companies allowing it? <a href="https://t.co/uMSt0TS6K9">pic.twitter.com/uMSt0TS6K9</a> — Jordan (@grahamjordan_) <a href="https://twitter.com/grahamjordan_/status/1829647325901570230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2024</a></blockquote> "And it’s begun," one fan wrote alongside a screenshot of the resale websites. "Viagogo and StubHub all trying to rip off Oasis fans, with the highest priced ticket being on StubHub for £6,347 ($12,323 AUD). Hang your heads in shame." The music fan then added another photo of the $42,000 AUD ticket for sale, writing, "The highest price I've seen so far is £22,045. It's ridiculous. I know no one is likely to pay that, but why are these companies allowing it?" Oasis themselves then stepped in to warn fans about paying the extortionate fees for tickets, saying according to the terms and conditions, tickets could only be resold at face value via Ticketmaster and Twickets. "Tickets sold in breach of terms and conditions will be cancelled by the promoters," they wrote in a post to X. Oasis promoters had previously issued a similar warning, telling fans tickets sold through "unauthorised resale platforms" would be in breach of terms and conditions and "may be cancelled". Image credits: Instagram/Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock Editorial

Money & Banking

5 foods to add to your shopping list to save money – and they’re good for you too

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clare-collins-7316">Clare Collins</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> Food prices are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-13/anglicare-cost-living-unemployment-groceries-fuel-rent-prices/103972166?utm_medium=social&utm_content=sf273549397&utm_campaign=abc&utm_source=linkedin.com&sf273549397=1">adding pressure on household budgets</a>, especially for Australians on the lowest incomes. To help save money on the weekly groceries, consider adding these five staples to your shopping trolley: eggs, oats, carrots, UHT milk and apples. These foods rate highly on the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20181811/">nutrient-rich foods index</a> and on cost, meaning they represent good value for money when it comes to buying nutritious food. Loading up on these items helps push more expensive, less nutritious foods out of your trolley. Keeping a supply at your place will also save extra trips to the shops, which saves petrol and time. <h2>1. Eggs</h2> Eggs are extremely good value at around A$6 a dozen (50 cents an egg). Meat, chicken and fish prices vary from $12 a kilo for mince, $12–$20 a kilo for chicken, to $20–$50 a kilo for steak and fish depending on cut or type. Selecting the cheapest cuts still costs $2–$3 a serve, compared to two eggs at a $1 serve. When you swap a red meat meal for an eggy dish, this can add up to a big saving. Try our egg recipes on the <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/filter/meals--dinner,lunch/superfoods--eggs">No Money No Time website</a>, from <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/sweetcorn-and-zucchini-fritters">fritters</a>, to <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/mushroom-omelette">omelettes</a>, or <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/clares-rainbow-rice">fried rice</a>. These recipes also help use up other items you have in the pantry, fridge and veggie crisper. Eggs are a good <a href="https://www.australianeggs.org.au/nutrition/nutrients-and-vitamins">source</a> of protein and also contain choline, lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamins A, B2, B12, D, E and folate, and minerals iron, zinc, iodine and selenium. For people concerned about eggs raising cholesterol, a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38370115/">recent review of research evidence</a> concluded there wasn’t likely to be any adverse effect on overall disease risk when consuming up to one egg a day. <h2>2. Rolled oats</h2> Rolled oats vary a lot in price from about $2 a kilogram for “own brand”, up to $9 for premium varieties. Oats are really <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/filter/keywords--Oats">versatile</a>. For breakfast you can make <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/microwave-porridge">porridge</a>, <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/easy-overnight-oats">overnight oats,</a> DIY muesli or <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/gingerbread-granola">granola</a>. Oats make a pastry substitute for a <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/clares-rolled-oats-quiche">quick and easy quiche base</a>. Or blitz them in a food processor and use as a breadcrumb substitute. For dessert, you can use them to top a comforting <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/wholegrain-apple-crumble">apple crumble</a>. <a href="https://www.glnc.org.au/resource/oats-2/">Oats are a wholegrain</a>, meaning they retain every part of the original grain – the germ, bran and outer layers – and hence more fibre and nutrients. Oats are a rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34236436/">helps lower blood cholesterol levels</a> by binding with bile acids in the gut, meaning they can’t be converted into LDL (bad) cholesterol. They <a href="https://www.glnc.org.au/resource/oats-2/">also contain</a> B vitamins of thiamin (b1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), pantothenic acid (B5) and folate (B9), as well as vitamin E and the minerals iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. <h2>3. Carrots</h2> It’s hard to get better value than a bag of carrots at about $2.50 a kilo. They last for ages in the fridge and can be eaten raw, as carrot sticks or with <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/moroccan-carrot-dip">carrot dip</a>, or baked to make carrot veggie “<a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/vegetable-chips">chips</a>”. Try grating carrot as an extra on a salad roll or <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/basic-beef-burgers">burger</a>, or mixed into grated cheese to extend it when topping tacos, pasta or pizza, or even a dish like <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/carrot-and-cauliflower-macaroni-cheese">mac and cheese</a>. Other versatile uses include soup, <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/carrot-puree">carrot mash</a>, <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/baked-carrots-with-honey-thyme">roasted carrots</a> or, for something sweet, carrot muffins or <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/easy-carrot-cake-bliss-balls">bliss balls</a>. Carrots are rich in the carotenoids <a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/">alpha-carotene and beta-carotene</a>, which get converted into vitamin A in the body and used in antibody production and to maintain <a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-Consumer/">healthy functioning</a> of your eyes, skin, lungs and gut. <h2>4. Longlife skim milk</h2> Longlife skim milk costs about $1.60 a litre. While some fresh varieties are around the same price, the value of longlife milk is that you can keep a store of it in the cupboard, meaning you never run out and it has a long shelf life. Milk makes great <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/banana-breakfast-smoothie">smoothies</a> and is an essential ingredient in dishes from quiche to <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/cauliflower-cheese-bake">cauliflower cheese</a> to <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/clares-lemon-orange-delicious">lemon delicious</a> pudding. <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/milk#nutrients-in-milk">Milk contains</a> protein, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium and vitamins A, B2 and B12. Research shows regular milk consumption is <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/milk#milk-and-health-conditions">associated with</a> a lower risk of developing osteoporosis, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and colon cancer. <h2>5. Apples</h2> A bag of apples costs about $4 or 60 cents an apple and $4–$5 for a large can of stewed apple. Apples make a portable snack. Add <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/comforting-apple-porridge">them to porridge</a>, serve <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/pork-loin-rolls">with pork</a>, <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/carrot-and-apple-coleslaw-with-mustard-vinaigrette">in coleslaw</a> or in <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/wholegrain-apple-crumble">apple crumble</a>. Apples <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35502671/">contain</a> dietary fibre and pectin, vitamin B6 and C, and the minerals potassium, calcium, nitrogen, magnesium and traces of zinc, iron and copper. In <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31667463/">observational studies</a>, people who ate more apples had a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and death from any cause. For easy, tasty, economical meals that are quick to prepare, without too much effort, along with our food budget tips, visit our team’s <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/">No Money No Time</a> website.<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/229903/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clare-collins-7316">Clare Collins</a>, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-foods-to-add-to-your-shopping-list-to-save-money-and-theyre-good-for-you-too-229903">original article</a>. </div>

Food & Wine

“Insufferable” bride rinsed over her list of “wild demands”

A bride-to-be has been slammed online after her list of “wild demands” was posted by one of her bridesmaids, who were expected to spend thousands of dollars to be part of the “wedding of the century”. The bride wasn’t afraid to set her sights high ahead of her nuptials, and wasn’t shy in asking for a mixture of friends and sponsors to pay for it. One of her bridesmaids shared the exhaustive list of non-negotiable demands to Reddit, in which she asked her bridal party to “step up their game” months before the wedding. “Welcome to the beginning of my wedding journey, I'm thrilled to have you all along for the ride, but let's be clear, this is my day and everything needs to be perfect,” the bride began. “I know what I want and I won't settle for anything less, get ready to follow my lead and make this the most fabulous day ever - this isn't just a wedding, it's basically the met gala.” She first demanded weekly one hour zoom progress meetings, in addition to everyone meeting at a private member's club every Tuesday. Then there was a weekend of luxury dress fittings with “no skips allowed”, followed by demands for everyone to spend approximately $700 on champagne brunches, hotel rooms and travel. The expenses didn’t stop there, with bridesmaids expected to shell out $1,200 for beauty treatments, and $500 accommodation for her 'safari barbie' themed engagement party. The packed and pricey itinerary continued with the girls then jetting off to Ibiza for “bachelorette party number one”. “Mother in law is leading the charge and will send Venmo requests soon so you guys can budget,” the bride said. The bridesmaids were also expected to buy the bride a gift, which she felt she deserved for all her hard planning, and expected her bridal party to throw her the “perfect” bridal shower. “It needs to be elegant, chic and totally Instagrammable; think designer decorations and gourmet catering, make sure it's perfect, this is your responsibility to handle and make amazing,'” she said. There was one last trip for final dress fittings and then a reminder to set aside another $1,000 for the wedding weekend itself, which promised to be amazing. The post was quickly met with a wave of backlash with many commenting on the bride’s “entitled and narcissistic” behaviour, with one saying the list should be titled “how to lose friends in one page”. Some people said the hefty cost was one thing, but that it was “horrible” how much time the bridesmaids were expected to give up for planning every week, for months leading up to the big day. “The minute I read ‘weekly one hour check in meeting’ I would have been out. I don't do that s*** for my actual job, let alone this bankruptcy in the making,” one woman said. Image credits: Shutterstock

Relationships

Readers response: What is on your anti travel bucket list?

When it comes to travelling, lots of people have a bucket list of places they would love to go and things they would love to experience. But in a similar vain, many travellers have a strict list of places they don't wish to go, and things they can do without ever experiencing. We asked our readers what's on their anti travel bucket lists, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Deedee Cullum - Large, busy airports where your connecting flight is at the other end of the building. Colleen Burgess - The middle seat on every airline! Karen Ambrose - We won’t go to America due to the gun culture there. Too dangerous. Sue Bailey - Any travel without comprehensive travel insurance - a 'must have'. If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. Sarah Archie - USA, China, war countries, countries renowned for civil unrest. Faye Grave - Bali. Pam Coppock - Anywhere outside Australia for me. Russell Drury - Cruise. Carol O'Brien - Dealing with unruly passengers on planes & long haul flights. Judi Tracey - Dubai. A dear friend of mine was spat in the face there. Vincent Cole - Qantas! Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

How sustainable is your weekly grocery shop? These small changes can have big benefits

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michalis-hadjikakou-129930">Michalis Hadjikakou</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carla-archibald-283811">Carla Archibald</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ozge-geyik-1402545">Özge Geyik</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/pankti-shah-1547393">Pankti Shah</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> You might think eating more sustainably requires drastic changes, such as shifting to a <a href="https://theconversation.com/vegan-diet-has-just-30-of-the-environmental-impact-of-a-high-meat-diet-major-study-finds-210152">vegan diet</a>. While a plant-based diet is <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-023-00795-w">undeniably</a> good for the Earth, our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550924001945#f0025">new research</a> shows modest changes to your eating habits can also have significant environmental benefits. We assessed how food products on Australian supermarket shelves stack up against key environmental indicators, such as carbon emissions and water use. We found swapping the most environmentally harmful foods for more sustainable options within the same food group, such as switching from beef burgers to chicken burgers, can significantly reduce carbon emissions – by up to 96% in some instances. The last thing we want to do is take the pleasure away from eating. Instead, we want to help consumers make realistic dietary changes that also help ensure a sustainable future. So read on to find out which simple food swaps can best achieve this. <h2>Informing sustainable diets</h2> The environmental impact of foods can be estimated using an approach known as a <a href="https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(19)30128-9#:%7E:text=In%20this%20Primer%2C%20we%20introduce,cycle%20of%20a%20product%20system.">life-cycle assessment</a>. This involves identifying the “inputs” required along the food supply chain, such as fertiliser, energy, water and land, and tracking them from farm to fork. From this we can calculate a product’s “footprint” – or environmental impact per kilogram of product – and compare it to other foods. Most studies of environmental footprints focus on the raw ingredients that make up food products (such as beef, wheat or rice) rather than the packaged products people see on shelves (such as beef sausages, pasta or rice crackers). Of the studies that do focus on packaged foods, most only consider a fraction of the products available to consumers. What’s more, a lot of research considers only the carbon emissions of food products, excluding other important measures such as water use. And some studies use global average environmental footprints, which <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaq0216">vary significantly</a> between countries. Our research set out to overcome these limitations. We aligned environmental footprints with the products people find on supermarket shelves, and covered a huge range of food and beverage products available in Australia. We also included many environmental indicators, to allow a <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2120584119">more complete picture</a> of the sustainability of different foods. <h2>What we did</h2> Key to our research was the <a href="https://www.georgeinstitute.org.au/projects/foodswitch">FoodSwitch database</a>, which compiles food labelling and ingredient data from images of packaged food and beverages. It covers more than 90% of the Australian packaged food market. We combined the database with a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652623029748">mathematical method</a> that sums the environmental impact of ingredients, to quantify the footprint of the product as a whole. From this, we estimated the environmental footprint of 63,926 food products available in Australian supermarkets. We then simulated the potential benefits of making “realistic” switches between products – that is, switches within the same food category. <h2>Our findings</h2> The results show how making a small dietary change can have big environmental consequences. For a shopping basket composed of items from eight food groups, we simulate the benefits of swapping from high-impact towards medium- or low-impact food products. Our analysis assumes a starting point from the most environmentally harmful products in each food group – for example, sweet biscuits, cheese and beef burger patties. A shift to the medium-impact foods for all eight items – such as a muffin, yoghurt and sliced meat – can lead to at least a 62% reduction in environmental impact. Shifts towards the most sustainable choice for all items – bread, soy milk or raw poultry – can achieve a minimum 77% reduction. This analysis ends at the supermarket shelves and does not include additional food processing by the consumer. For example, raw meat will usually be cooked before human consumption, which will expand its environmental footprint to varying degrees, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-020-00200-w">depending on the method used</a>. See the below info-graphic for more detail. The full results are available in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550924001945">our study</a>. <hr /> <iframe id="sR5yB" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/sR5yB/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <hr /> <h2>What next?</h2> Many people are looking for ways to live more sustainably. Insufficient or complex information can fuel confusion and anxiety in consumers, <a href="https://theconversation.com/reducing-eco-anxiety-is-a-critical-step-in-achieving-any-climate-action-210327">leading to inaction or paralysis</a>. Consumers need more information and support to choose more sustainable foods. Supermarkets and retailers also have an important role to play – for example, by giving sustainable products <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07439156211008898">prominent shelf placement</a>. Attractive pricing is also crucial – particularly in the midst of a <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/cost-of-living-crisis-115238">cost-of-living crisis</a> when it can be difficult to prioritise sustainability over cost. Government interventions, such as information campaigns and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07439156211008898">taxing high-impact products</a>, can also help. Food labelling is also important. The European Union <a href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/eu-ecolabel/product-groups-and-criteria_en">is leading the way</a> with measures such as the <a href="https://docs.score-environnemental.com/v/en">eco-score</a>, which integrates 14 environmental indicators into a single score from A to E. Apps such as <a href="https://www.georgeinstitute.org/projects/ecoswitch">ecoSwitch</a> can also <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020024000268?via%3Dihub">empower consumers</a>. The diets of people in developed nations such as Australia <a href="https://theconversation.com/sustainable-shopping-want-to-eat-healthy-try-an-eco-friendly-diet-89086">exert a high toll on our planet</a>. More sustainable food choices are vital to achieving a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/EAT">sustainable future for humanity</a>. We hope our research helps kick-start positive change.<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/234367/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michalis-hadjikakou-129930">Michalis Hadjikakou</a>, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Sustainability, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Built Environment, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carla-archibald-283811">Carla Archibald</a>, Research Fellow, Conservation Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ozge-geyik-1402545">Özge Geyik</a>, Visitor, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/pankti-shah-1547393">Pankti Shah</a>, PhD student, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-sustainable-is-your-weekly-grocery-shop-these-small-changes-can-have-big-benefits-234367">original article</a>. </div>

Food & Wine

Sombre Aussie site tops global list of most unusual abandoned places

Each year, thousands of people travel to famous abandoned buildings and hotspots to explore what were once important landmarks. Some deserted sites are more popular than others, as these ten sites received tens of thousands of visitors each year. Buzludzha, Bulgaria The Buzludzha Monument in central Bulgaria has been dubbed the tenth most famous abandoned place in the world, each year welcoming over 18,000 people. The site was constructed in 1981 and used by the Bulgarian communist government, and was in use until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989. Ohio State Reformatory, USA After first opening in 1898, the goal of the Ohio State Reformatory was to truly "reform" and rehabilitate its inmates. The facility was closed in 1990, and each year attracts more than 21,000 visitors. Gereja Ayam, Indonesia The uniquely shaped house of prayer in Central Java continues to be a popular tourist attraction in Indonesia, welcoming more than 50,000 travellers each year. Construction on the church was never completed after work was halted in 2000. Lago di Resia Bell Tower, Italy The 14-century sunken bell tower can be found near the border of Switzerland, emerging from the water from a sunken village where travellers claim they can hear bells tolling, even though there are no bells in the tower. The lonely (and probably haunted) tower receives more than 54,000 tourists each year. Canfranc, Spain The abandoned railway station is located in the Spanish municipality of Canfranc, close to the French border and once was a major hub for cross-border railway traffic. It first opened in 1928, but closed its doors by 1970 before it was reimagined as a hotel. Beelitz Military Hospital, Germany The large hospital complex was first built in 1898 as a sanatorium, but was transformed into a hospital at the beginning of WWI and has been abandoned since 1990. It's understood Hitler was treated here after being wounded in the Battle of Somme, which could be the reason more than 64,000 travellers flock there each year. Eastern State Penitentiary, USA The prison in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is described as one of the country's most historic prisons and has housed some famous prisoners such as Al Capone. The prison was closed in 1971 and is tagged on social media by more than 79,000 every year. Croix-Rouge, Paris Also known as the Red Cross, this Paris train station has been abandoned since 1939 after France entered WWII. The station was only functional for 16 years, and welcomes more than 95,000 curious travellers each year. Teufelsberg, Germany Teufelsberg was one of the largest listening towers in the world during the Cold war. The site was closed in 1972, but still receives around 128,000 every year. Port Arthur, Australia More than a quarter of a million visitors travel to Port Arthur in Tasmania each year. The site itself was first opened as a timber station in 1830 and is known as a symbol of the country's convict past. Image credits: Shutterstock

International Travel

Woman seeks advice over family member’s list of “stupid” baby names

A woman has asked for advice after seeing her cousin’s list of potential baby names, with many of them being classed as “just stupid”. The woman took to Reddit to explain how her cousin sent her baby name list to her family group chat, and no one has yet replied. "This was all sent in a family group chat and no-one has replied yet. I feel bad because at least she has put some thought into these names, especially compared to how most of us were named. On the other hand, well, you saw the names," the woman posted on Reddit. The names her cousin has shared and her logic behind them include: <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Urf (Earth..because no matter where the child lives in life, it will always be on Earth. Can't fault the logic on that one – Elon Musk might take umbrage though.) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Seaeoh (CEO. Apparently names dictate destiny and this name will cosmically transform the child into a successful business magnate.) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Stamp (She was in a long distance relationship with the father for a while and they used to send each other letters with...stamps. Sounds like what a caveman character in a film would be called.) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Biotic (Connected to antibiotic. This will protect the child from disease. Antibiotic would be and I quote, 'Ridiculous because it would sound like 'Aunty' which would cultivate bullying because she would sound old.') </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Ayeai (AI. In the future AI will take over and if it turns nasty it will go easy on her kid because they share a name.) </li> </ol> The woman explained that her cousin's logic for going with something very different for a name is "so many children nowadays have unique names that it will eventually become normal and people with 'standard' names will be the ones looking foolish." She also added that her cousin's husband isn't "brave enough" to say anything about the names and hopes she will lose interest. The people of Reddit had a lot to say about the choices, with one person commenting, “Those are all just terrible." "I say this in the kindest way possible. She is delusional and I dare say, stupid. That poor future child deserves better," wrote another user. Another suggested a normal name might actually be unique now and wrote, "Having a 'standard' name is what is unique now. How many kids are being named David and Lisa?" Image credits: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

Shopping centre locked down after violent altercation

Two teenage boys have been arrested after a violent altercation broke out in South Australia's largest shopping centre. On Sunday afternoon, three boys allegedly confronted another group of teens at the Westfield Marion centre’s food court armed with “expandable batons”, with reports one of the boys was also armed with a knife. The violent altercation triggered Westfield’s emergency lockdown and evacuation procedures, with alarms blaring throughout the centre and major storefronts locking their doors to keep shoppers safe. Heavily armed specialist police officers stormed the centre in search of the teens, but they were unable to be found. Following hours of investigating, two boys, aged 15 and 16, were found, arrested and charged with assault, affray and aggravated robbery. The two teens will appear in the Adelaide Youth Court on Monday afternoon, and police continue to search for any outstanding suspects. Assistant Commissioner Duval said police knew the identity of a third offender, and encouraged him to turn himself in. “His identity is known, and at some point we will catch up with him,” he told Today. Duval said police believe the boys knew each other and it was "not a random attack". He also confirmed that police had seized two expandable batons from the teens, explaining, "It's a baton that effectively expands, not dissimilar to what police would use." "Certainly the possession of them is very concerning, that formed part of the allegation of what these boys were charged with." Following the incident, a spokesperson for Westfield issued a statement saying the safety of customers, business partners and people is their "highest priority". Image credits: Nine News

Legal

To-do list got you down? Understanding the psychology of goals can help tick things off – and keep you on track

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-m-caudwell-1258935">Kim M Caudwell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a> It feels like we are living in busy times. According to the <a href="https://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/topics/work-life-balance/">OECD Better Life Index</a>, 12.5% of Australians report working at least 50 hours a week, higher than the OECD average. Many Australians are also <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-03/multiple-job-holders-hit-record-high-abs/102679190">working more than one job to buffer against cost-of-living pressures</a>. Psychology has long been interested in our goals – our mental representations of desirable outcomes. Much of this research is on how we form, pursue and attain goals, plus how goals make us feel. Across studies, we see a consistent pattern of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-013-9493-0#Sec34">successful goal pursuit and wellbeing</a>. So, having time to work toward our goals is important. With this in mind, what is the best way to get things done – and how can we get better at achieving our goals, especially when we feel time poor? <h2>Make a list</h2> Most of us approach multiple goals with the age-old “to-do” list. First, you write down everything you need to do. Then you “check” or tick things off as you do them. One reason to-do lists are useful is because we are more likely to remember things we haven’t completed, rather than things we have. This is known as the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-F1U4bV2m8">Zeigarnik effect</a>. While to-do lists are easy to write, they don’t always work. There are however <a href="https://hbr.org/2021/01/i-tried-4-to-do-list-methods-heres-what-worked">various approaches for to-do lists</a> that may improve their effectiveness. Another thing to consider is the wide range of apps, tools and platforms that can make tasks more fun and outsource mental load. Adding elements of game play like point scoring or competition – called “<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-gamification-could-revolutionise-creative-thinking-in-the-workplace-122852">gamification</a>” – can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563221002867">help people work toward goals in educational and work settings</a>. Similarly, app-based reminders can help people reach <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487320905717">physical rehabilitation goals and form good exercise habits</a>. <h2>Finding your why</h2> Researchers have focused a lot on the psychology of why people pursue goals – and how this affects their approach to tasks. For example, some people want to complete a university degree because they want to get a job. Others may be more interested in developing skills or knowledge. In both cases, there is a desired outcome – albeit with differing reasons. Our goals can be differentiated by who or what is driving them. Goals that feel like our own, and for which we experience a sense of intrinsic motivation, are known as “self-concordant”. These goals represent enduring personal interests, are aligned with values and are positively <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-020-01156-7">linked to wellbeing</a>. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10648-006-9012-5">Goal orientation theory</a> offers a similar perspective. Using the same example, you may study so you score well on a test (a performance goal) or because you want to be sure you develop your knowledge (a mastery goal). Mastery goals tend to lead to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10869-010-9201-6">better results and self-regulation</a>. <h2>Juggling goals – 4 to-do tips</h2> So, what happens when we have multiple – perhaps even competing – goals, or goals that aren’t so enjoyable? We might want to finish writing a report or assignment, then read a few chapters of a textbook – but also go to the gym and binge a few episodes of our favourite TV show. In such scenarios, psychological science offers some insights into how we might stay task-focused, and on track to tick more items off our to-do list. 1. Beware the <a href="https://www.pwc.pl/en/articles/planning-fallacy-part-I-cognitive-traps.html">planning fallacy</a>. This happens when we underestimate the amount of resources (such as time) it will take to reach a goal. As writer and religious thinker William Penn put it: “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst”. Think through the all the steps and time required to complete your goal. 2. Monitor your progress. <a href="https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/91437/8/3_PDFsam_Does%20monitoring%20goal.pdf">Incorporating goal monitoring</a> into an activity can boost progress. And reviewing your estimations and expectations against your actual times and achievements can be used to calculate a “<a href="https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/estimating-time-for-tasks">fudge ratio</a>” to aid future planning. For instance, you could multiply your expected time on tasks by 1.5 to help buffer against the planning fallacy. 3. Focus on mastery. Self-concordant goals and tasks feel easier, and their underlying tasks may be <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0146167215575730">less subject to forgetting</a>. Tedious but necessary goals (such as doing the dishes or filling out forms) are less intrinsically motivating. This means <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/EBHRM-04-2014-0013/full/html#idm45933122746592">planning, reminders and support become more important to goal progress</a>. 4. Plan for derailments. People vary in their ability to plan and might forget to take a goal-directed action at an appropriate time (this could be one reason the <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-streaming-services-winning-the-battle-for-attention-and-the-feature-australians-want/9crrpafgd">average Australian streams 27 hours of video each week</a>). <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10463283.2024.2334563">Implementation intentions</a> bring our attention back toward our goals by linking them to an environmental marker. These simple “if-then” plans are shown to <a href="https://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/brp/research/constructs/implementation-intentions#:%7E:text=Implementation%20intentions%20are%20formed%20for,might%20otherwise%20undermine%20goal%20striving.">help overcome issues with self-regulation</a>. Such a statement might be “if I see the ‘next episode’ icon appear, I will get up and turn off the TV so I can read a chapter of my textbook”. With time being frustratingly finite, it is inevitable we will run out of time to do all of the things on our to-do list. Finding an approach that works for us will take time and effort. But it’s probably a worthy goal in itself.<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/230399/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-m-caudwell-1258935">Kim M Caudwell</a>, Senior Lecturer - Psychology | Chair, Researchers in Behavioural Addictions, Alcohol and Drugs (BAAD), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-do-list-got-you-down-understanding-the-psychology-of-goals-can-help-tick-things-off-and-keep-you-on-track-230399">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

Miss World Australia attacked outside shopping centre

Miss World Australia has taken aim at the lack of police response after she called Triple Zero for urgent assistance when she was attacked. Jasmine Stringer was running a workshop with a group of aspiring young pageant contestants at a Gold Coast shopping centre on Friday night, when a woman lunged towards the group in a random attack. "This person was hurling abuse at the young girls and then charged at me from across the road and punched me straight in the face," Jasmine told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/miss-world-australia-and-children-attacked-during-gold-coast-shopping-centre-event/cf15799c-99e7-45ee-b143-519bcff1114f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Today</a>. "I fended her off and then she turned her sights to a 14-year-old girl." While doing her best to protect herself and the young girls, Jasmine called Triple Zero for assistance. As the young girls fled from the scene, Jasmine waited for police - or members of the public - to help, and was met with no response. "I guess the most concerning part of this whole story for me is that I called Triple Zero, we are in the Southport CBD of the Gold Coast, less than three kilometres from the police station and in a 15-minute time frame when women and children are being assaulted, there was no one turning up to help," the 27-year-old said. "I stayed there for 20 minutes on the call with the dispatcher and I was starting to get stressed, this woman was still physically attacking these children as they're trying to get into cars and taxis and it was escalating and I asked 'is someone coming?' and they were quite dismissive to me." As part of her Miss World Australia advocacy work, Jasmine has devoted a lot of time and effort into preventing violence against women, and says this attack is the second time within a month that she's called for help from police after witnessing a violent incident and there's been nobody there to help. 'I'm going to go to the police station today just make sure that the report is made and hopefully have the person who attacked us charged," she said. "But at this point in time, I've received no follow up from the police and it's been a really distressing situation." Image credits: Today

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Miss World Australia attacked outside shopping centre

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