FAST FACTS – Interesting trivia for your next dinner party.

When Len Richards found a joey whose mother had been hit by a car, he brought her home and named her Lulu. The Richards family raised her as a pet on their large farm. In 2003, Mr Richards was knocked unconscious by a falling branch, and Lulu stayed by him, loudly ‘yapping’ until his family could find him. Mr Richards survived his injuries, and animal experts remarked on how unlikely the loyal behaviour was for a kangaroo.

Quote of the week.

“You can get excited and feel unstoppable, but every week presents a new challenge. Each week, you have to work and get better.” – Antonio Brown

Word of the day.

The gesture of one person slapping another’s palm in victory is relatively new. At a pro baseball game in 1977, Dodger player Dusty Baker hit a home run. As he rounded home and passed his teammate Glenn Burke, Mr Burke raised his hand in an excited greeting. On instinct, Mr Baker reached up and slapped it because, he said, “it seemed like the thing to do”. Thus the high-five was born.

By the numbers

A hair accessory that ruled the 1980s almost as much as the neon scrunchie, the banana clip was a precursor to the later-popular claw clips and butterfly clips and were widely used to pull hair (feathered fringes included) into ponytails and loose updos. The brighter, the better.

100 million 93,000 Litres

The number of books Dolly Parton has donated to children since 1995. 93 thousand litres of beer are lost to beards yearly in the UK alone.

300 million

That’s how many olfactory receptors dogs have compared to our measly 6 million. In fact, the part of the brain dedicated to smell is 40 times larger in dogs than in humans.

Today in history – February 24

1582 – Pope Gregory XIII orders the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. Luigi Lilio’s reform of the Julian calendar was first introduced in some European countries and is now the world’s most widely used calendar. 1607 – The world’s first opera premieres. Claudio Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo is still performed regularly today. 1920 – The German Nazi party is founded. Adolf Hitler became the party’s leader in 1921. 2010 – Sachin Tendulkar becomes the first cricket player to score a double-century in the One Day International format. The Indian sportsman is widely recognised as one of the greatest batsmen in cricket.

Billet-doux

A love letter.

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ADVERTISEMENT BEDDING INDUSTRY EXPOSED

The sneaky tricks big bedding stores use to get you to pay way too much for your next mattresses

Are you looking for a mattress but not sure what to buy? Do you see ‘Bedding Sale’ ads and wonder if you really can save 40%, 50% and even 60% on a new mattress ... or if it’s just ONE BIG RIP OFF? You’re about to discover the sneaky tricks big department and bedding stores use to get you to pay way too much for a mattress. And how you can get a better mattress for way less money.

The Truth About Prices

With queen mattresses ranging from $200-$5,000 (and even $10,000 and more), you may wonder if higher priced mattresses are really worth it? Will they last longer? And will they give you a better night’s sleep? What if I told you, apart from the label and the price, many $3,000 mattresses are exactly the same as mattresses half their price? In some cases, the outer fabric may be diff erent (but not necessarily better). And the retailer may try to use made-up terminology to make their mattress sound better. But giving a spring a fancy name doesn’t make it better. And calling a fabric ‘Smart’ doesn’t change the way it looks or works (but it may fool people into paying more).

Unfair Mark Ups

Th ere is oft en no rhyme or reason to mattress prices. For example, we once saw a mattress on sale for $4,000 that we know we can import from China for $400. No wonder they can aff ord to sell them at 50% off .

Not Able To Compare

Comparison shopping mattresses is impossible. Th at’s because manufacturers take the exact same mattress and sell it to diff erent stores under diff erent brand and model names. Th at means, if you fi nd a mattress you like in one store, you can’t comparison shop the price in another store because their mattresses will have completely diff erent names. We’ve seen two identical mattresses (apart from the names) selling in two diff erent stores with prices that diff er by more than $2,000. No wonder customers are so confused.

You Don’t Know What You’re Getting

Th e reason mattress retailers can get away with these sneaky tricks is simply because you can’t see what’s inside the mattress you’re buying. And chances are, the retailer won’t tell you. Or they’ II bamboozle you with made-up terminology. Wouldn’t it be nice if somebody really told you ...

What’s In A Mattress?

Springs

Unless a mattress is made entirely of foam or latex, it will contain a core of springs. Th ese springs are made by a handful of companies (usually in China) and imported into Australia fl attened. Traditionally mattresses contained Bonnel Springs (a cylindrical coil of wire attached between guide wires and hoops on the top and bottom). Th ese springs are tried and tested. And they are aff ordable. But because they are made of continuous wire and attached at the top and bottom, they can easily transfer movement across the bed. Pocket Springs are also imported into Australia fl attened. Th ey are wrapped individually in cylinders of fabric and work independently of each other which minimises partner disturbance. Pocket Springs are slightly more

expensive than Bonnel Springs but lvell worth it. Side Supports

Cheap Bonnel Spring mattress don’t have any side supports. More expensive ones have a single butterfl y side support (looks like half a butterfl y). Here at Simply Beds we use double butterfl y side supports (looks like a full butterfl y) which gives double the support so the edge of the bed remains fi rm when you sit on it. Cheaper Pocket Spring mattresses either have no side supports or use a simple metal hoop at the top and bottom. Th e best way to give side support is to encase the springs in a quality high density foam box. Th at’s what we do here at Simply Beds.

Comfort Layers

Th is refers to the foam / latex layers that sit on the springs. Th is is a major part of the mattress and makes a big diff erence to the comfort, longevity and cost. Not all foams are the same quality. Foam is graded by density (or weight) and soft ness. Th e higher the density (heavier) the longer the foam will last. Density has nothing to do with soft ness. You can get high density foam (heavy foam) in soft , medium, and fi rm. Th e problem is, most retailers won’t tell you the density of the foam in each mattress (most probably don’t even know). Memory or Gel Foam is also sometimes used as a comfort layer. Both foams have slow release qualities which enable them to hug your body and relieve pressure points. But this can make them warmer to sleep on. Gel Foam is injected with a special substance to increase air circulation and keep your mattress cooler. Latex can also be used as a comfort layer. Like foam, not all latex is the same. Genuine latex is highly elastic and will last for many years. Synthetic and hybrid latex becomes brittle over time. Th e top comfort layer is in the quilting. Beds with a cloudlike feel usually have a lot of polyester in the quilting. While this may be lovely at fi rst, it will quickly fl atten (within weeks). To prevent this we include foam in our quilting.

Pillowtop

Th is is usually an extra layer/s of foam attached to one side of the mattress. While this may add to the comfort of a mattress, depending on the density of the foam, it will contour to your body over time. We use high quality (i.e. high density) foam to minimise this. Pillowtop mattresses are usually single-sided (non fl ip) which eff ectively halves their life (although many of our mattresses are still guaranteed for I0 years).

Why Choose Simply Beds

Unbeatable Wholesale Prices: Overall, our standard prices are around 70% cheaper than other stores because we manufacture ourselves - right here in Brisbane. Every Mattress Is Diff erent: Our cheaper mattresses cost less because they are more basic with Bonnel Springs, no side supports and limited foam. Our more expensive mattresses cost more because they have pocket springs, foam box side supports and include more foam and higher quality foam or latex. But all cost around 70% less than other retailers. Easy to Compare: We’re happy to show you what’s inside each mattress so you know exactly what you’re getting and you can compare mattresses across our range. Genuine Guarantee: While most retailers simply refer you to the manufacturer who may give you the rnn-around and force you to pay for freight to examine the mattress, we stand behind our products. If there is a problem, we will come to your home, inspect your mattress, and make things right straight away.

Free Expert Advice

For more information and personal assistance from a Factory Trained Mattress Specialist, visit one of our showrooms, click onto our website www.simplybeds.com.au or call one of our outlets. Also see some of the display mattresses we are selling for even less than our usual low wholesale prices.

SUMNER PARK 80 Jijaws Street • Ph: 3279 4444 BRENDALE Cnr Kremzow & Leitchs Rd, (next to Lifeline) Ph: 3889 9001 KUNDA PARK 4 Pike Street • Ph: 5444 4531 UNDERWOOD C1, 10 Compton Road, Underwood Ph: 3416 3368 www.simplybeds.com.au