Month: December 2023

Blowing out birthday candles: this is what really ends up on the cake

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For many people, blowing out the candles on the birthday cake to the invited guests’ cheers is simply part of the fun. But anyone who thinks the act is completely harmless is mistaken. At most birthday parties, a piece of cake is served. Under certain circumstances, however, these can be teeming with viruses and bacteria. Up to 1400% more bacteria are possibleAccording to the study Bacterial Transfer Associated with Blowing Out Candles on a Birthday Cake, published in the Journal of Food Research, there are sometimes a few not-so-nice surprises…

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Austria: What 2024 will bring for salaries

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The public sector and the metalworkers will be scratching at the 10 percent mark. Pensioners are also in this range. In the retail sector, salary increases are still being debated. According to WIFO, inflation could fall to 3.2 percent in 2024. This is how salaries will look in 2024Salaries in the public sector will rise by 9.15 percent on January 1, at least by 192 euros. For the lowest salaries, this means an increase of 9.71 percent. Bonuses and allowances will also be increased by 9.15 percent. Directly affected are…

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Higher CO2 tax makes refueling more expensive as of 1.1.

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The CO2 tax will be raised at the turn of the year, with 45 euros to be paid for one ton of carbon dioxide in the future. This will also affect refuelling, so ARBÖ recommends filling up your car before January 1st. Driving will be more expensive in 2024 due to climate protection measuresFrom January 1, 2024, a liter of diesel will be 3.7 cents more expensive, and a liter of petrol will cost 3.4 cents more, ARBÖ President Peter Rezar calculated today. However, he is concerned that there could…

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Beware of this travel booking scam

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Criminals are increasingly trying to rip off holidaymakers on the internet. There is now a particularly dangerous scam on one booking platform.Booking.com is one of the largest travel portals on the internet, offering a wide range of accommodations and flights. However, caution is advised on such booking platforms, as fraudsters are trying to rip off holidaymakers with a new scam. Shortly after the accommodation has been booked, the supposed host gets in touch via WhatsApp and writes that something went wrong with the booking and that the credit card details…

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Home loan savings, pensions, transfers | Money and finance: What will change in 2024

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The premiums for home loan savings and state-subsidized retirement provision (“Zukunftsvorsorge”) will remain unchanged in 2024. The home loan and savings premium will again be 1.5 percent, while the premium for future provisions will remain 4.25 percent. In the coming year, a maximum deposit of 1,200 euros per year will also be subsidized for building society savings, with a maximum premium of 18 euros. The maximum possible subsidy for future provisions, on the other hand, will increase slightly. The upper limit for subsidized payments is linked to the ASVG maximum…

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Pope Francis’s traditional Christmas message on Christmas Day focused on the war in the Middle East

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In his traditional Christmas message on Christmas Day, Pope Francis focused this year on the war in the Middle East. The head of the Catholic Church called for a quick and lasting solution at the negotiating table. The Pope also called for peace in other conflict regions and compared abortions as a “massacre of innocents” to the suffering of children in war. Francis called on Christians to say “no” to war and weapons. “For if a man whose heart is unsteady and wounded has the instruments of death in his…

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Spicy food: What it says about your personality

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Do you like chilli? Or other spices? Or does the mere thought of such food make you feel uncomfortably hot? Your preference in terms of spiciness may say more about you than you think. If you’re the kind of person who puts eight tons of chilli sauce on their pizza – kudos to you! And to your guts, too. Your digestive system must be toughened to the max. The palate and the headBut apart from the physical consequences of eating spicy foods, your taste has a greater psychological impact than…

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Sleeping with socks: this is why you should never do it

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Socks make it easier to fall asleep, but it’s better not to wear them when you sleep so that your body can regulate its temperature. Find out why here! Should you sleep with socks on your feet? This question divides opinion and leads to differences of opinion among experts. Each side has its own arguments. The benefits of wearing socks when sleepingAccording to a study conducted by two South Korean academics, wearing socks, which can be easily cleaned with a trick, leads to better sleep at night. The study on…

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Pope Francis gives the blessing “Urbi et Orbi”

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Pope Francis reads the traditional Christmas message in the Vatican on Christmas Day (Monday, 12:00). From the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the head of the approximately 1.3 billion Catholics will bless Urbi et Orbi, i.e., the city and the world. It is expected that Francis will condemn the wars in the world. This year’s feast is particularly marked by the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Tens of thousands of believers are expected to gather in St. Peter’s Square. In his Christmas message last year, Francis called in…

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