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Entire town bans annoying influencers from entering its borders

In the serene hamlet of Pomfret, Vermont, an extraordinary decision has been reached to combat the overwhelming presence of influencers and tourists who have inundated the town's peaceful streets. This picturesque countryside haven, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, has taken the audacious step of barring entry to all influencers and tourists. Pomfret, nestled in the heart of New England, has long been a magnet for visitors seeking to capture the exquisite autumnal tapestry that paints the town in warm, rustic hues – a perfect setting for their coveted "fall" photographs. Vermont, as a whole, typically draws more than 13 million tourists annually, and Pomfret, with its population of a mere 916, has witnessed a significant influx during the autumn months, particularly September and October. While the town has a history of welcoming tourists, the character of these visitors has undergone a profound transformation in the last half-decade. Gone are the days of nature enthusiasts and out-of-town guests staying at cozy local bed-and-breakfasts. Pomfret is now attracting a new breed of visitor: the social media luminaries eagerly hunting for content to grace their online profiles. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> ‘Christian Girl Autumn’ influencer Caitlin Covington announces she is going to Vermont in October to take her annual Fall photos. 🍂 <a href="https://t.co/nZjRCWvPIE">pic.twitter.com/nZjRCWvPIE</a> — Pop Crave (@PopCrave) <a href="https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/1703840317907021849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2023</a></blockquote> Mike Doten, a resident whose family has deep roots in the area, humorously dubs this emerging group "TikTockers" and cites them as the catalyst behind this drastic measure. Cloudland Road, a narrow, unpaved stretch renowned for its spectacular views of picturesque farms, rolling hills and vibrant foliage, was once a tranquil destination for nature enthusiasts. However, it has now become an internet sensation and a must-visit spot for "leaf-peepers" across the state. Unfortunately, this newfound fame has brought a series of issues in its wake. The new wave of tourists is often described as rude, disrespectful, impatient and selfish. They go to great lengths to capture the perfect photograph or video, often disregarding the impact on those around them. Local farmer Cathy Emmons recounted an incident where an influencer trespassed onto private property, erecting a makeshift changing booth and emerging in different outfits for her selfies. There have also been reports of tourists casually invading farms and helping themselves to produce, with one individual spotted plucking tomatoes from Cathy's farm. Another resident recalled a particularly unsettling incident when a drone hovered just feet above his head during an evening dinner with his family. In a separate incident, a tourist parked illegally in a resident's driveway and, astonishingly, used the garden shed as a makeshift toilet. The surge in tour buses and cars has caused gridlock on Pomfret's narrow roads, rendering them impassable and obstructing the movement of emergency vehicles. In response, the local council issued a memo announcing road closures to motor vehicle traffic from September 23rd to October 15th, specifically targeting Cloudland Road in Pomfret and the entire length of Cloudland Road in Woodstock, both heavily frequented tourist areas. Furthermore, the town has implemented temporary parking restrictions, signage and barriers. The memo cited concerns related to safety, environmental impact, aesthetics, and overall quality of life, emphasising a comprehensive effort to address these issues in collaboration with residents, local government partners and through communication on various information platforms. These traffic mitigation measures will also restrict access to the famed Sleepy Hollow Farm, a private residence that has become a hotspot for influencers seeking the perfect selfie backdrop. In response to these challenges, local residents have launched a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-cloudland-road" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe campaign titled "Save Cloudland Road"</a> to raise funds for road closures and traffic enforcement during the autumn season. The campaign's description highlights the surge of Instagram and TikTok-driven tourists, many of whom derive income from sponsorships and have transformed a private residence on Cloudland Road into a sought-after social media photo destination. The influx has led to overcrowding, accidents, damage to roads, gardens, and private property, as well as confrontations with residents. Can the community surrounding Cloudland Road, in partnership with the towns of Pomfret and Woodstock, restore tranquility, safety and civility to their cherished enclave? Their plea is clear: to regain peace for the families who call this idyllic corner of Vermont home. Images: GoFundMe / Instagram

Travel Trouble

Annoying chores with unexpected scientific health benefits

Wash dishes: Reduce anxiety People who cleaned their plates mindfully (they focused on smelling the soap, feeling the water temperature, and touching the dishes) lowered their nervousness levels by 27%, found a recent study of 51 people out of Florida State University’s psychology department. People who didn’t take as thoughtful approach to their dish washing did not experience a similar calming benefit. Clean with a lemon scented cleaner: Be happier A citrusy scent is a potent mood booster, according to a 2014 Japanese study. When participants spent as little as ten minutes inhaling yuzu (a super-tart and citrusy Japanese fruit), they saw a significant decrease in their overall mood disturbance, a measure of tension, anxiety, depression, confusion, fatigue and anger, PureWow recently reported. Make your bed every morning: Boost productivity Your nagging mum was right: starting your day with a freshly made bed is what Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, calls a “keystone habit”; one that has a ripple effect to create other good behaviour. In his book, Duhigg notes that making your bed every morning is linked to better productivity, a greater sense of wellbeing, and stronger skills at sticking to a budget. Bedmakers also report getting a better night’s sleep than those who leave their covers messy in the morning, per a National Sleep Foundation poll reported by WebMD. Clean up your yard: Prevent a heart attack Need motivation to clean up? People who did the most yard work, housecleaning, and DIY projects had a nearly 30% lower risk of a first-time cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke compared with those who were the most sedentary, according to a new Swedish study of 3800 older adults. Banish kitchen clutter: Lose weight A recent study showed that people with super-cluttered homes were 77% more likely to be overweight or obese. The likely reason: it’s harder to make healthy food choices in a chaotic kitchen. Organising guru Peter Walsh, author of Cut the Clutter, Drop the Pounds, has been inside of hundreds of people’s homes. He says once people finally get organised, they tend to experience a number of other unexpected perks, including weight loss, without strict dieting. Mow the lawn: Feel more joyful There’s something to that grassy scent. Australian researchers discovered that a chemical released by freshly cut grass makes people feel more relaxed and more joyful. Grow flowers and vegetables: Lower depression risk In a study out of Norway, people diagnosed with different forms of depression spent six hours a week gardening; after a few months, they experienced a notable improvement in their depression symptoms, and their good moods continued for months after the study ended. Doing a new activity and being outside in nature can certainly help, but some experts believe that dirt itself might be a depression fighter, according to Health.com. Christopher Lowry, PhD, a professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, has been injected mice with a common, harmless bacteria found in the soil. He’s found that they experience an increase in the “release and metabolism of serotonin in parts of the brain that control cognitive function and mood, much like serotonin-boosting antidepressant drugs do,” the site reported. Share chores with your spouse: Have a better sex life When men perceived their contribution to household chores as fair, couples have more frequent and satisfying sex, according to a 2015 study from the University of Alberta. “If a partner isn’t pulling their weight in housework, either one will have to pick up the slack, or the chores will remain undone. This will develop tension and bitterness in the relationship, which will transfer into the bedroom,” according to MedicalDaily. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/8-annoying-chores-with-unexpected-scientific-health-benefits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Body

9 habits that secretly annoy your dentist

<h2>The importance of maintaining dental health</h2> Maintaining good dental health does more than just keep your pearly whites bright. Recent research – such as one 2020 study – has found that poor oral hygiene is connected with other physical conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. A recent report from the American Heart Association also found a link between poor dental care and declining brain health. But even if you’re brushing, flossing, and up-to-date with professional cleanings, dentists say many of us are guilty of some lifestyle and oral health habits that could be doing our mouths more harm than good. <h2>Your love for citrus</h2> Most people are aware that soft drinks are damaging to teeth, says dentist, Dr Arthur Jeske. “Others may be less obvious,” Dr Jeske says, like your morning smoothie with a squirt of lime juice or the lemon wedge you add to a beer or cocktail. This is because the high acidity levels in many fruits (even grapes and peaches are quite acidic) can cause demineralisation, “which means [they] can literally dissolve your tooth enamel over time.” Dr Jeske’s recommendation: drinking plain water after eating or drinking can help reduce fruits’ impact on your teeth. <h2>That firm toothbrush</h2> “Many people believe brushing with firmer toothbrush bristles and abrasive toothpaste will make their teeth cleaner and whiter,” says dental surgeon, Dr James Galati. But these products (and heavy-handed brushing in general) can actually damage teeth by taking off the protective enamel and traumatising gum tissue around the teeth – leading to receding gums and root exposure. Instead, aim for soft-bristle brushes and toothpastes with fluoride. <h2>Overusing whitening toothpastes</h2> Toothpastes vary widely in their abrasiveness, Dr Jeske explains. A product’s Relative Dentin Abrasion Value (RDA) is categorised by low, medium, and high abrasiveness. If you brush frequently, for instance, you may want to stick with a product on the lower end of the spectrum (this ranges from zero to 250, and Dr Jeske says you can look up the RDA for specific products online). But he points out that most whitening toothpastes tend to be among the more abrasive. That doesn’t mean you have to avoid them altogether, but he recommends using them less frequently in your routine and swapping in a gentler toothpaste to avoid excessive wear. <h2>Brushing right after eating</h2> It’s important to wait 15 to 30 minutes after eating or drinking before brushing your teeth, says dentist, Dr Jacquelyn Schieck. “[This time] allows the pH of the mouth to revert to neutral, which prevents brushing away enamel that’s been softened by acids in foods or beverages.” <h2>Improper flossing</h2> If you floss daily, you’re already ahead of the curve when it comes to your dental health. Population research is limited, but according to the Australian Dental Association only 25 per cent of Australian adults floss their teeth every day. So three quarters of Australian adults don’t floss daily. Still, “while flossing is considered a ‘gold standard’ for cleaning between the teeth and promoting gum health, it may not be as effective if used improperly,” Dr Jeske explains. For example, interdental cleaners – tiny, round brushes with handles – are recommended over string floss for certain people, such as those with more advanced gum disease. Your dentist and dental hygienist can advise you on what type of floss is best for you and how to use it effectively. Flossing technique is important, too: you want to be sure to thread your floss into your gums to make sure you’re effectively loosening food and other debris. <h2>Charcoal toothpaste</h2> Dr Galati says that one of the more potentially harmful internet fads he’s seen is charcoal-based toothpaste, powders, or tabs. These products are often promoted as eco-friendly, ‘natural’ teeth cleaners that can remove surface stains to whiten teeth and absorb bacteria that cause bad breath. But Dr Galati says that most charcoal-based toothpastes are very abrasive and can cause damage that makes your teeth more susceptible to decay and bone loss. Plus, “there are no studies showing they whiten teeth any better than standard toothpastes,” he says. <h2>Your high stress levels</h2> High stress levels and a demanding work or life environment have been linked to increased dental health problems, Dr Galati says. Stress can make you more prone to grinding and clenching your teeth, for example, which leads to excessive wear. Unconscious nervous habits like chewing on fingernails, hairpins, pen caps, or ice can cause similar damage, Dr Shieck adds. <h2>Lying to your dentist</h2> Medical professionals are there to help you, not judge your habits. Accurate information – including your lifestyle habits like smoking, vaping, diet, and alcohol use, dental habits, and medications or supplements you take – is crucial for your dentist to properly identify dental problems and design the optimal treatment plan. “Some misrepresentations are easy to detect,” Dr Jeske says, like if someone says they brush and floss twice a day but their gums bleed during a dental exam. “But others may confuse the diagnosis or delay it, resulting in additional harm,” (and often, financial costs.) <h2>DIY orthodontics</h2> “[This] is one of the most dangerous and concerning fads I’ve seen online,” says Dr Schieck. The movement of teeth is a complex biological process that requires a highly-trained doctor’s oversight to avoid harmful consequences. “It’s amazing what people will try,” she says. “But trying at-home aligner systems in the absence of orthodontic guidance, using elastics or other household items to move teeth, or even attempting to 3D-print appliances yourself is not safe or effective.” This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/9-habits-that-secretly-annoy-your-dentist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. Images: Getty

Body

Why do people tailgate? A psychologist explains what’s behind this common (and annoying) driving habit

It’s hot, you’ve had a battle to get the kids in the car, and now you’re going to be late for the family lunch. You turn onto the freeway only to get stuck behind a slow driver in the fast lane. You want them to move over or speed up, so you drive a little closer. Then closer. Then so close it would be difficult to avoid hitting them if they stopped suddenly. When that doesn’t work you honk the horn. Nothing. Finally, frustrated, you dart into the left lane and speed past them. Today was one of those days where many small annoyances have led to you being aggressive on the road. This isn’t how you usually drive. So why was today different? <h2>Aren’t holidays supposed to be relaxing?</h2> Holiday driving may look a lot different to your usual commute. It may involve driving longer distances, or involve more frequent driving with more passengers than usual in the car. Holiday driving comes with <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/road_deaths_australia_monthly_bulletins">increased risk</a> (road deaths tend to spike during the holidays). That’s why news bulletins often carry the latest “road toll” figures around public holidays. But whether you drive differently to normal comes down to the value you place on your <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-4575(03)00037-X">time</a>, rather than when you drive. If you are in a rush, your time becomes more precious because you have less of it. If something, or someone, infringes on that time, you may become frustrated and aggressive. This is basic human psychology. You can get angry when someone gets in the way of what you are trying to achieve. You get angrier when you think they are acting <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.106.1.59">unfairly or inappropriately</a>. Usually before you respond, you evaluate what has happened, asking who is at fault and if they could have done things differently. But when you are driving, you have less time and resources to make detailed evaluations. Instead, you make quick judgements of the situation and how best to deal with it. These judgements can be based on how you are <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-3514.81.1.146">feeling</a> at the time. If you are frustrated before getting in the car, you are likely to be easily frustrated while driving, blame other drivers more for your circumstances, and express this through aggressive driving. Tailgating and speeding <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(01)00063-8">are examples</a> of this aggression. A driver frustrated by the perception that someone is driving too slowly, or in the wrong lane, might speed past the offending driver, and maintain this speed for some time <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2010.551184">after the event</a>. Aggressive tailgating may be seen as reprimanding the driver for their perceived slow speeds, or to encourage them to move out of the way. The problem is, when you are angry, you underestimate the risk of these behaviours, while <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-3514.81.1.146">over-estimating</a> how much control you have of the situation. It’s not worth the risk. A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1513271113">study of real-world driving</a> shows both tailgating and speeding increase the odds of being in a crash more than if driving while holding or dialling a mobile phone. Drivers who are tailgating or speeding have a 13 to 14-fold increase in odds of being in a crash, compared to when they are driving more safely. <h2>Here’s what you can do</h2> One way to stay safe on the roads these holidays is to recognise the situations that may lead to your own dangerous behaviours. The Monash University Accident Research Centre has <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2022.07.011">developed a program</a> to help drivers reduce their aggressive driving. This helps drivers develop their own strategies to stay calm while driving, recognising that one strategy is unlikely to suit every driver. Almost 100 self-identified aggressive drivers <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437522000998?via%3Dihub">developed</a> four types of tips to remain calm while driving: <ol> <li> before driving: tips include better journey planning, allowing enough time for the trip and recognising how you are feeling before you get in the car </li> <li> while driving: this includes travelling in the left lane to avoid slow drivers in the right lane, or pulling over when feeling angry </li> <li> in your vehicle: such as deep breathing or listening to music </li> <li> ‘rethinking’ the situation: acknowledge that in some situations, the only thing you can change is how you think about it. For example, ask yourself is it worth the risk? Or personalise the other driver. What if that was your loved one in the car in front? </li> </ol> Four months after completing the program, drivers reported less anger and aggression while driving than before the program. The strategies that worked best for these drivers were listening to music, focusing on staying calm and rethinking the problem. A favourite rethink was a 5x5x5 strategy. This involved asking yourself whether the cause of your anger will matter in five minutes, five hours or five days. If it is unlikely to matter after this time, it is best to let go. The holidays are meant to be relaxing and joyous. Let’s not jeopardise that through reactions to other drivers. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-people-tailgate-a-psychologist-explains-whats-behind-this-common-and-annoying-driving-habit-193462" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Trouble

6 fixes for the most annoying beauty issues

When beauty blunders pop up – think flat hair, pigmentation issues or yellow teeth – it’s likely that your first instinct is to try to get a handle on the issue immediately. Taking matters into your own hands can be quite effective – but only if you know how to do it correctly. Here we tell you exactly what to do. The issue: Smudged lipstick The fix: The reason for smudged lipstick usually stems from your lips being dry or flakey before you apply your lippie. You need an ideal surface to start with. So, how do you get one? First, grab your toothbrush and lightly rub it over your lips to gently exfoliate any flakes. Then, apply a thin layer of hydrating primer – the one you use on your face will do the trick – to remove moisture and flatten fine lines so the surface of your lips is smooth and ready for colour. Fill in your lips with liner in the same shade as your lipstick, and dab on a couple thin coats of your lipstick. Finally, set your look by blotting lightly with a tissue and using a large make-up brush to lightly dust a thin layer of powder over your lips. The issue: Flat hair The fix: Whether you have thick or thin hair, at one point or another I am sure we can all say we’ve suffered from hair that just doesn’t sit how you want to it too. Furthermore, a do that just looks lifeless. If flat hair is a concern for you, you’ll want to try a root-lifting blow-drying trick. First, work a palm full of mousse from your roots through to the ends, then flip your head over and dry your hair upside down and away from the scalp. Hair should be slightly damp before you flip it back up. Voila, volume! The issue: Hair breakage The fix: Try as you might to care for your hair with the right products and washing it every two days or so, there are some other factors that can wreak havoc to your locks – like hair breakage. To avoid this, there are a few things you can do. For instance, after a shower, gently squeeze and blot the hair (rather than rubbing) with an old cotton T-shirt instead of a towel. It'll still soak up excess moisture, but won't cause breakage. When its time to comb, remember this: Being rough can cause the cuticle of the hair to fray, exposing the fragile inner shaft and making it more likely to snap. Detangle with a wide-tooth comb, working your way up from the end of your hair, using the least amount of strokes as possible. And if you like to tie your hair back, use a gentle tie, like a smooth, all-fabric one. The pressure of a super-tight band around a ponytail can wear away at your hair’s cuticle and cause the strands to break. The issue: Fading hair color The fix: If you splash out and get your hair colour done at the salon, chances are you’ll want to ensure it lasts as long as possible. Annoyingly, there are some factors that are out of your control. For instance, the water that comes out of your showerhead often contains minerals like copper and chemicals like chlorine that can alter your hair’s hue. Some people like to have a purifying showerhead filter installed. Failing that, use an at-home glaze or gloss like John Frieda's Colour Refreshing Gloss to add high-wattage shine and boost the hue, like a topcoat does for nail polish. The Issue: Brown spots The fix: Skin pigmentation is an extremely pesky beauty concerns. And getting rid of brown spots entirely is a long-term project that calls for diligent use of brightening products. But if you're looking for quick a fix, artfully applied make-up is your best option. First, dab concealer that's one or two shades lighter than your foundation onto the spot with a concealer brush, then follow with a dot of foundation that exactly matches your skin tone, and blend it well for a seamless look. The issue: Yellow teeth The fix: Luckily, booking in for teeth whitening with your dentist isn’t your only option when it comes to teeth whitening. Brushing with a paste made of baking soda and water a few times a month removes superficial staining and whitens teeth by a shade or two. Just don't do it more frequently than that, as baking soda is too abrasive for your everyday brush. For an immediate fix, lipsticks with blue undertones can also make teeth appear brighter. Image credits: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

How flight attendants deal with super annoying passengers

A flight attendant has revealed the sneaky way he annoys difficult passengers on his flight that he doesn’t like. Former cabin crew member James revealed that the main thing he would do to avoid talking to irritating passengers is hold a sick bag. He told KIIS FM’s <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/radio/furious-kyle-storms-out-after-onair-fight-with-jackie-o/news-story/511e0ac37bf9aaaf180e39409883d778">Kyle & Jackie O</a>, “Every time I used to go from one end of the plane to the other to eat my lunch, someone would always ask me something.” “So I used to put a can of coke in a sick bag, put a rubber glove on, and walk through the cabin so it looked like I am holding vomit – no one would ask me for anything.” He would also flat out lie to passengers he didn’t like, saying he would be back to help them with a request… and then never return. He said, “If a flight attendant ever says to you, ‘I’ll be right back,’ we don’t like you.” Another former flight attendant, who runs the Passenger Shaming Instagram account, said that she would often put more ice in drinks for people who annoyed her. In an interview with Yahoo, she said that she would “take a cup and scoop in a lot of ice, and when I pour the soda or juice in, there’s, like, two tablespoons.” This watered down cocktail is what she calls “The ‘A***hole Special”, and it’s one that she thinks other flight attendants make as well as a sneaky way to combat difficult passengers. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

Readers respond: As you get older, what's something that becomes increasingly annoying?

We asked our readers what is one thing that gets increasingly annoying with age, and the response was overwhelming.From bad manners and respect issues, to general ailments and the state of the world, here's what grinds your gears as you age. Barbara Carroll - Having lunch with friends when families with small children let them run around and others sit smiling while the children scream.What makes them think we want to listen to them? Just take them home until they can behave.Aileen May - People who, when I tell them I am hard of hearing and ask them please to speak slowly and clearly, get annoyed and gabble more quickly, but very loudly. Grrrr.Glenda Crowley - That l am constantly tired so easily when l once had heaps of get up and go.Sue Jaynes - Knocking down our beautiful original bungalows and replacing them with 2 or more soulless, common-looking boxes (houses), with no room for their cars or yards for their kids. Jodie Barras - My lack of energy. I could tackle the world, but get very tired now.Lucy Dix - People who know you are deaf but speak behind your back and then get annoyed because you ask them to repeat themselves!Josephine Johnston - Self serve checkouts!! Hate them!Kath Hughes - Affected and inauthentic speaking voices on TV and radio. It seems that if somebody is unfortunate enough to have poor diction, phoney accent and an unpleasant timbre to their voice, they’ve got a gig as a commentator or reporter.Jennie Rennie - The only thing I can think of that annoys me as I get older is people complaining when they have so many wonderful advantages in their life that younger people don't.Also people who prefer to complain rather than comment on positive things and show gratitude and compassion for others.Vicki Mundy - Celebrates who think they are experts on everything.They should stick to entertainment.Jan Burt - People who only do text messages, what happened to a human voice on the end of the line?Julia Metcalfe - Having to take off my glasses off and on hundred times a day.Christine Bache - Being addressed by my christian name, by people on the phone who have never met me. Especially if they're trying to sell something.David Birkett - People in general. Matthew Welsh - To me the most annoying thing is missing conversations,I know I'm half deaf, frustrating for all.Lesley Jemesen - Bad grammar! I can understand the odd slip up when speaking but not when it is written.Jack Robertson - Walking into the shed too get something & when I get there, not remembering what it was.Garda Cummins Ne Kroes - Not being able to speak directly to people in business any more. Press 1 for this 2 for this etc then put your password and user number in then being put on on hold for ever.Jan Bradley - Everything being online, not all older people either don’t have a computer or if they do are not up with the technology.Lee Blanchard - Grumpy old people who can't see the fun side of things.Les Eather - When the neighbours play music loud and it’s lousy music I can’t dance to.Jennifer Pearen - When I forget to put another bottle of wine in the fridge to chill for 5pm.Image credits: Getty Images

Retirement Life

Annoying things movies always get wrong about real life

Meals and how human beings eat them If screenwriters write what they know, then they all must have the luxury of time to eat a full breakfast buffet every morning.Film characters have no problem sitting down to a table of eggs, toast, pancakes and orange juice on a regular Tuesday morning, while real-life moviegoers settle for a muesli bar to-go.But don’t expect them to eat the whole spread. It doesn’t matter if they eat at home or at a restaurant; no one finishes an entire meal in the movies.At best, they get a few bites in before being called away to some emergency. Perhaps industry execs think audiences would be bored watching characters eat a full meal like normal people.But I want to see Ryan Reynolds finishing off a plate of spaghetti, dang it!Normal work lifeIf a scene takes place in someone’s office, work is rarely being done. The characters are planning pranks, planning to quit, planning to take over the company, planning how to get their work done – but they’re never actually doing their jobs.And this trait isn’t just found in movies. How Ross, Rachel, and company could spend so much time at Central Perk without getting fired, I’ll never know.Addressing other peopleHow often do you say someone’s name during a conversation? Possibly once at the beginning when you greet each other and maybe once at the end, right?You may just make eye contact, start talking, and then say, “Alright, see ya.” But if you’re talking to Ashley in a movie, you need to let Ashley know that you’re here for her if she ever needs anything, Ashley, and that she is going to survive this breakup because you know what, Ashley?She is one tough cookie, Ashley is, and her friends love her, Ashley. OK? OK. Bye, Ashley.People reacting to explosionsAh yes, the cinematic staple of every action-packed blockbuster that gets stolen by every action-packed wannabe.Film stars dramatically walk away as an explosion bursts forth behind them, and they carry on without so much as turning around to see what damage has been done.They don’t care whether they’re about to be hit by flying debris. They don’t fall down from the shock waves. It’s not how any normal person would react. But dang, does it look cool.Women's hair in action moviesEvery woman shares the common struggle of trying to keep her hair in place. We use bobby pins, hair clips and hairspray, but even then, there’s always that one strand that pops back up.And that’s all before we leave the house. Yet when Scarlett Johansson or any other female action hero gets caught in an intense combat with the bad guys, she walks away with not only a win, but her perfect, in-place hair. It’s just not fair.Women running in heelsThe same strong female leads can, and do, perform all of their heroic stunts in heels because, well, I’m not really sure.Even in scenes where hordes of people are running away from a disaster, odds are the women are in heels because women wear them exclusively.Of course, the coup de grâce for female viewers is watching a stone-faced woman run away from an explosion in heels without looking behind her as her perfect hair blows in the wind.Air ventsBack in the day, one screenwriter decided that a character needed to make a getaway. The doors and windows weren’t options, so the only available exit was an air vent.And so began the trend of making characters wiggle through air vents as an alternate means of moving between locations, even though real air vent openings are about the size of a toddler.And they would definitely collapse under a grown person’s weight.What people watch on TVWhen film characters watch TV, they are almost always watching the news, because the news anchor is making some revelation about the zombie apocalypse or a murderer on the loose or whatever catastrophe is advancing the plot.Why can’t they just turn on Spongebob Squarepants and unwind for a change?New York CityMany films, including the majority of all rom coms ever made, are set in the Big Apple – but not the real one. Actual New York City apartments are about half the size of the ones you see on screen.Green scaffolding covers most buildings, while the film industry’s alternate NYC has conveniently gotten rid of this eyesore.And real New Yorkers rarely talk or interact with their neighbours, much less turn to them for sage advice or a cleverly written punchline.Ordering drinksIf I walked into a bar and said, “I’ll have a beer,” the bartender would lean forward slightly, raise his eyebrow, and wait for me to specify which of the many beers on tap I want.In the movies, you can order “a beer” and the bartender will give you your brew of choice without asking any follow-up questions, even if you’ve never met.Granted, if film characters were to use actual brands of beer, the studio could get hit with a defamation lawsuit, HuffPost explains, but the least characters could do is order a lager or pale ale instead of “a beer.”SchoolTeachers have an excellent time perception. They meticulously plan out how much material they can fit into one class period and adjust those estimates as necessary.In fact, that’s their job. So it’s unclear why the film industry has the impression that professors are always cut off by the bell right in the middle of their lectures.Then, to make things even more confusing, the profs shout that day’s assignments to their students, who are obviously not paying attention and most likely already out the door.If school were like that in real life, graduation rates would decrease significantly.Image credits: Getty ImagesThis article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/annoying-things-movies-always-get-wrong-about-real-life?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Movies

Dr Katrina unleashes on annoying dog owners

Dr Katrina Warren, beloved veterinarian and television personality, took to Instagram on Monday to vent about her frustrations with irresponsible dog owners. Shared as a caption to a photo of her with her Border Collie Chill, Dr Warren criticised owners who let their dogs run wild without leashes, writing, “I really love dogs but PLEASE PUT YOUR DOG ON A LEAD 🐶🐶🐶 Why has this become so difficult? Do people now buy a dog and forget to buy a lead? “Your dog should be on a lead at cafes, walking on the footpath and at parks that are NOT designated off-leash. It’s for your dog's safety, as well as the safety of other dogs and people. It has become impossible for me to walk around my local area without off-leash dogs running up to us. I don't understand it - your dog may be friendly, but the dog they run up to may not be. “And, why is it OK for your dog to be annoying to others? I've witnessed some dangerous things with fights, knocked-down tables, terrified kids and boiling coffee going all directions, as well as timid dogs and puppies being terrified. Your dog doesn’t need to “SAY HELLO" What if the other dog (or owner) doesn't want to "say hello" back? "My dog just wants to say hello" is usually the excuse people give when their dog has no recall, but why would you let your dog jump in the face of a dog on a lead that you don't know? “It’s so dangerous and I’ve witnessed some dreadful dog fights as a result of this. Please work on your recall or just don't let them off the lead. I just want to walk my dog in peace and I know I speak for many others. I’m thankful that Chill is not a reactive dog but he has still been randomly attacked by off lead dogs on the street, and it’s not OK. “I can’t imagine how stressful it is for people with reactive dogs who are trying to avoid dogs! Thank you for reading 🐕🦮🐩🐕‍🦺” <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVMXNhYPqoS/?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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVMXNhYPqoS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by DR KATRINA WARREN (@drkatrina)</a> </div> </blockquote> In addition, she added to the rant on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/drkatrinawarren/posts/446770713472492?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZWuhGZ9v3q9YH_4zqixb7AAfOO0fPll6bXj2k2BVokNAtDsHR3GTLOqpo5UsN7YHFzDWiMQXrtQyi5IDENulrVvrSfzMbSiPX8Cy1jGGmxjVMT1RFCU6qEMreh7i736l9ewavK0vz0tsq7L5Mokvjol&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, complaining about what she calls the ‘poodemic’, writing, “Finally, about the current POODEMIC - yes, dog poo is unpleasant, but you need to pick it up! If your dog does a poo on a footpath at night, it might be a shock to learn that you still need to pick it up, even if there were no witnesses! “I know it's hard to get your head around, but I'm getting sick of giant piles of poo on the footpath waiting in the morning!” People were thankful to Dr Warren for identifying and calling out these widespread problems, with some sharing their own horror stories of what can happen when dogs are allowed to run around off-leash. One woman wrote, “We lost our beautiful golden retriever following a dog attack just 4 weeks ago. She was being walked on lead when an off lead wandering dog attacked her out of nowhere, didn’t even see it coming.” Another commented, “I have had my shepherd attacked by a toy poodle off lead. If he had reacted we know which dog would have got the blame. It is just wrong.” Celebrity supporters included Megan Gale, who commented a string of clapping emoji, and Dr Danni Dusek, of Bondi Vet fame, who wrote, “I couldn’t agree more 🙌❤️ Bear is one that is reactive to certain over confident dogs that get in her face and it is so hard to avoid for this exact reason…” Image: Dr Katrina Warren/Instagram

Family & Pets

REVEALED: The most annoying accents in the world

The results you didn’t know you needed are in, with a global survey revealing which accents are considered the most appealing and most annoying to men and women. 300 men and women were asked by The Knowledge Academy to listen to five minutes of the same script recorded by English-speakers. The researchers were able to determine which accents were preferred or disliked based off how long each participant were able to listen to the audio before they turned it off. Whether it comes as a surprise to you or not, American accents were deemed the most annoying by men and women with men turning the recording off after just one minute and 26 seconds and women choosing to switch off after one minute and 17 seconds. Irish accents were interestingly enough voted the most appealing among women, with the female participants choosing to listen for four minutes and 30 seconds. Men however preferred a Scottish accent by choosing to listen for around four minutes and 35 seconds. Women ruled South African accents as the second most annoying, with an average of one minute and 44 seconds listening time. Canadian accents among men came second with a listening time of one minute and 42 seconds. Women seemed to find Kiwi accents annoying as well, landing third with a listening time of two minutes and seven seconds. Wales come in at second place on the most annoying. Unfortunately, it seems the world does not deem Australian accents as appealing as we may have though, coming fourth on the women's list. The results are as follows: Most Annoying Women's English Accents <ol> <li>USA – one minute and 26 seconds</li> <li>South Africa –one minute and 44 seconds</li> <li>New Zealand – two minutes and seven seconds</li> <li>Australia – two minutes and 29 seconds</li> <li>Wales – two minutes and 44 seconds</li> <li>England – two minutes and 56 seconds</li> <li>Canada – three minutes and 12 seconds</li> <li>Scotland – three minutes and 38 seconds</li> <li>Northern Ireland – four minutes and two seconds</li> <li>Ireland – four minutes, 32 seconds</li> </ol> Most Annoying Men's English Accents <ol> <li>USA – one minute and 17 seconds</li> <li>Canada – one minute and 42 seconds</li> <li>Wales – two minutes and 11 seconds</li> <li>South Africa – two minutes and 27 seconds</li> <li>Northern Ireland – two minutes and 43 seconds</li> <li>England – two minutes and 51 seconds</li> <li>New Zealand – three minutes and 15 seconds</li> <li>Australia – three minutes and 34 seconds</li> <li>Ireland – four minutes and 27 seconds</li> <li>Scotland – 4 minutes, 35 seconds</li> </ol>

Cruising

Woman develops new accent overnight

Though Angie Yen has never been to Ireland or any immediate family from there, the Brisbane dentist claims to have woken up one day with an Irish accent. The 27-year-old believes she has foreign accent syndrome, a isolating and uncommon speech disorder. What is foreign accent syndrome? The condition, typically triggered by a head injury, stroke, or brain damage, impairs a person’s ability to control the muscles used to produce speech. The result of this is that people can appear to develop what sounds like a foreign accent overnight - despite never speaking with that accent before, nor mixing with people who do or spending time abroad. But, Angie hasn’t suffered a stroke, head injury, or brain damage, so experts say her case isn’t so simple. Instead, the accent change came about following tonsil surgery. “I didn’t have any issues with talking or eating or anything like that, if anything the throat was ust very, very sore,” she told 7NEWS.com.au. “Everything was normal, I was just on painkillers, so I was living life normally. There was nothing out of the ordinary.” Ten days after the surgery, while singing in the shower hours before a job interview, she noticed something strange. “I was singing notes that I didn’t think I could hit before, even though my throat was quite sore. I knew something wasn’t right.” When she spoke, her voice didn’t sound like hers either. “I was very shocked … I called up one of my friends who had travelled all over the world and asked where my accent is from. He said - you sound like you’re Irish,” she said. While she hasn’t been formally diagnosed with the condition, her primary doctor says her symptoms sound like they match. “He referred me to get some scans for an MRI and also some blood tests to rule out anything underlying that could be going on,” Angie said. The thing that has Angie, her doctors, and experts baffled is that the change didn’t occur until 10 days after surgery. Spreading awareness Though Angie has led a very private life, she has decided to document her journey spreading awareness about the condition on TikTok. “I felt that somewhere in the world someone might wake up with this one day and just feel as lost, alone, and isolated as I am,” she said. “I hope by spreading awareness and letting people know that this is a serious health issue, that eventually we can encourage people to get the help they need and take it seriously.” Mixed accents While most commenters said Angie sounds Irish, there has been a mixed response. “I’ve also gotten Canadian, American, Jamaican, British, New Zealand - all over the world,” she said. “And most countries I’ve never been to. It’s very, very bizarre.” That’s not too uncommon for those with foreign accent syndrome, according to Lyndsey Nickels, a Professor of Cognitive Science at Macquarie University. “People with foreign accent syndrome don’t speak with all the features of a foreign accent, but there are enough things about the way they speak to make it seem as though they have a different accent,” Nickels told 7NEWS.com.au. “Different listeners may have different opinions about what the accent is because the features usually don’t clearly match a single accent.” Nickels confirmed the disorder is thought to be caused by brain damage which can make “moving or coordinating the muscles that we use to produce speech” more difficult. “This causes inaccuracies in the speech, sounds with vowels being particularly vulnerable,” she said. Since the condition is so rare, many people - including some doctors - accuse sufferers of faking it. Speech pathologists can help those with the condition to improve speech muscle movement and coordination to regain accuracy in their speech. Image credit: 7NEWS

Mind

Don’t be afraid to pass your first language, and accent, to your kids. It could be their superpower

Australia is a multicultural society. There are different traditions, cultures, accents and languages all over the country. The latest Census data show almost 30% of Australians speak a language other than English, or English and another language, at home. In our latest survey, we have had responses from 281 multilingual families across Australia, who speak a variety of languages at home. They include Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Teo Chew and Spanish. We found many first-generation migrant parents are hesitant to pass on their first language to their children. This is because they believe a different language at home will give their children a foreign accent. Yet some parents also feel if they speak English to their children, their children will pick up their own accented English. This can leave some parents in somewhat of a catch-22, feeling that no matter what, their children will be faced with the same discrimination as them. But it’s important to speak to your children in your own language, and your own accent. By being exposed to multiple ways of communicating, children learn multiple ways of thinking. They learn to understand that everyone plays different roles, has different identities; and that others may speak or look different. Bias against foreign languages Research suggests people are highly biased in their preferences for certain accents and languages. According to the linguistic stereotyping hypothesis, hearing just a few seconds of an accent associated with a lower-prestige group can activate a host of associations. Hearing a stereotypical “foreign accent”, for example, can lead people to immediately think of that person as being uneducated, inarticulate or untrustworthy. These kinds of biases develop early in life. In a 2009 study, five-year-old children chose to be friends with native speakers of their native language rather than those who spoke a foreign language or had an accent. One hypothesis is that this is due to our broader survival mechanism. Babies learn early to tune in more to the voice of their caregiver rather than a stranger’s voice. This means they are better able to detect when they are in a dangerous situation. However, over time, these stranger-danger associations become stereotypes, which can lead us to hear or see what we expect. When we get older, we need to unlearn our biases that once kept us safe to become more accepting of others.In Australia, there is systematic discrimination towards speakers of Australian Aboriginal English, as well as towards speakers of “ethnolects”, which are a way of speaking characteristic of a particular ethnic group — such as Greek, Italian or Lebanese. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/arabian-family-portrait-park-792334939" class="source"></a>When people hear these accents, they may think that person does not speak English well. But having an accent is special: it signals you are multilingual and you have the experience of having grown up with multiple cultural influences. Accentuate the positive Many of the parents we surveyed felt hesitant to speak multiple languages at home, or felt their efforts were not being supported at school. One parent told us: <blockquote> Instead of helping her (my daughter) develop the language, all primary teachers assessed her language in comparison with the monolinguals and demanded to cut the other languages “to improve” the school language. I would not have dared to experiment here in Australia with the kid’s second language. The peer pressure, the teacher’s pressure and the lack of language schools are main factors. </blockquote> But over the centuries, some of the world’s brightest people, such as author Joseph Conrad spoke with a strong accent. Many others, such as Vladimir Nabokov, Gustavo Pérez-Firmat and Eva Hoffman (who wrote Lost in Translation in her second language) harnessed the benefits of being bilingual to produce astounding literary works, drawing on the different “voices” in their heads to act out different characters. In this way, a second language can be a superpower. Children who can speak several languages tend to have higher levels of empathy. They also find it easier to learn languages later in life. Multilingual exposure facilitates interpersonal understanding among babies and young children. This social advantage appears to emerge from merely being exposed to multiple languages, rather than being bilingual per se. Being multilingual is also an amazing workout for the brain: speaking multiple languages throughout your life can help delay the onset of dementia and cognitive decline. Parents’ confidence translates to children Research shows migrant parents who feel pressured to speak to their children in their non-native language feel less secure in their role as parents. But if they feel supported in using their first language, they feel more confident as parents, which in turn has a positive effect on children’s well-being. We found migrant parents who do raise their children in more than one language report feeling good about passing on their culture to their children, and feel they have given them an advantage in life. They also feel as though their children are more connected to their extended family. So, what could you do? Here are some ways you could help your children keep their native language, and accent, alive: <ul> <li> check out your local library or BorrowBox for books or audiobooks in different languages </li> <li> connect with other multilingual families on social media for virtual or face-to-face playdates </li> <li> schedule video chats with grandparents and extended family members. Encourage them to speak their language with your child </li> <li> find out if your child’s preschool has a program for learning a new language, or check out Little Multilingual Minds. If your child is older, encourage them to take up a language in primary or high school. It’s never too late. </li> </ul> One parent shared their strategy for helping their child speak in different languages and accents: <blockquote> I play games with accents, one child is learning French, the other Italian, so I play games with them about the pronunciation of words and get them to teach me words in the language they are learning and emphasise the accent. </blockquote> We hope linguistic diversity becomes the status quo. This way, all children will gain cultural awareness and sensitivity. They will become more attuned to their evolving identities, and accept others may have identities different to their own. Written by Chloé Diskin-Holdaway and Paola Escudero. This article first appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-be-afraid-to-pass-your-first-language-and-accent-to-your-kids-it-could-be-their-superpower-143093">The Conversation</a>.

Mind

Jackie O reveals how she annoyed Masked Singer producers

Jackie O has revealed what she did to upset producers on The Mask Singer. The radio star is a judge on the Channel 10 show alongside Dannii Minogue, Hughesy and Urzila Carlson. Speaking to <a rel="noopener" href="http://news.com.au/" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>, Jackie said producers prefer the judges to guess incorrectly when it comes to the identity of the masked singers. “They really don’t want us to guess,” she said. “Producers are so terrified of us guessing, so they do make it hard for us.” Last week, Jackie figured out that it was tennis star Mark Philippoussis hiding behind the echidna mask, and producers were not happy about it. “I did get a call the next day saying, ‘Tell me honestly, did you somehow know he was on the show?’ I said, ‘No! I swear to you. I knew from the clue package it would be a sportsperson and what I did is I googled famous Australian sportspeople and I saw his picture come up and I looked into him.’ “I think they were a little thrown that I got that one,” she said. But one person Jackie and the rest of the judging panel didn’t guess correctly was Michael Bevan who was unveiled as the Hammerhead on Tuesday night. Viewers couldn’t believe their eyes when the cricket champ pulled off his mask and Jackie was just as surprised. “I’m not big on cricket, so I’m never going to be name checking cricket people unless it’s Shane Warne,” she told news.com.au. “They’re my favourite reveals though, the ones that no one has name checked once.” But did Jackie actually recognise who he was once he removed his costume? “Yeah, I did,” she said. “I know Michael Bevan, well, I know his face, but I don’t really know much else about him,” she laughed.

Music

What Barack Obama’s team did whenever they were "really annoyed” at Tony Abbott

Barack Obama’s team watched Julia Gillard’s misogyny speech whenever they were “<a href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/obama-white-house-watched-julia-gillards-misogyny-speech-when-annoyed-at-tony-abbott/ar-BB13ofrJ?li=AAgfYrC">really annoyed</a>” with Tony Abbott, one of the former president’s senior advisers has shared. Former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said his team had often been frustrated at Abbott’s “tone-deafness” on the climate issue. In an interview with news and politics comedy podcast <a href="https://arationalfear.substack.com/p/what-obama-thought-of-tony-abbott">A Rational Fear</a>, Rhodes said he and others at the White House had regularly watched the 2012 clip of Gillard declaring she would “not be lectured about sexism and misogyny” by Abbott. “I will tell you that whenever we were really annoyed with Tony Abbott, we would watch the video of that speech by Julia Gillard,” Rhodes said. “That speech got watched a lot in the Obama White House, let me just put it that way.” Rhodes said Obama had been able to work well with other centre-right leaders, including Germany’s Angela Merkel and Britain’s David Cameron, but Abbott was “far from his favourite leader to begin with”. “What was frustrating with Abbott, you know, is he was kind of very sure of himself without really knowing what he was talking about,” Rhodes said. Rhodes revealed Obama “went way off the script” to criticise the Abbott government for climate inaction at the 2014 G20 Brisbane summit after Australia reportedly resisted including the message encouraging countries to make pledges to the UN-backed Green Climate Fund. In his speech, Obama abandoned a prepared paragraph about climate change and “went way off the text, and was just basically blasting the Abbott government in ways that he almost never did on foreign soil and pointing out the Great Barrier Reef disappearing”, Rhodes said. “Abbott was upset,” Rhodes said. “You know, this was supposed to be this big stage for him hosting the G20. “But it’s like, well, look, if you want to host a G20, you’ve got to step up and be an international leader. And we’ve got everybody else kind of rallying around this effort to get to an ambitious climate agreement the next year in Paris, and Abbott was really one of the last holdouts dragging his feet.” Abbott <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-17/carbon-tax-repealed-by-senate/5604246?nw=0">repealed the carbon tax legislation</a> in the same year, a move <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/world/asia/environmentalists-decry-repeal-of-australias-carbon-tax.html">denounced by environmental groups</a>.

News

Why we should love our Aussie accent

Earlier this year, a US contestant on TV’s The Bachelor <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/the-bachelor/us-bachelor-contestant-send-sparks-internet-lunacy-with-fake-aussie-accent/news-story/3b03d573c31c435c4869ae00cdfa4067">faked</a> an Australian accent to stand out. It wasn’t a great accent. Yanks aren’t great at doing Australian English. But to be fair, when it comes to Americans and the Australian accent, we can, and do, draw on the words of “Australia’s nightingale” Dame Nellie Melba: “<a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1143363">sing’em muck</a>”. A steady media diet of Paul Hogan and Steve Irwin types has left them with some funny ideas about how we Aussies talk. Stone the crows, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrimp_on_the_barbie">Paul</a>, you want me to throw another “what” on the barbie? We say it’s time we educate our Yank mates. First step, let’s stop spreading nonsense about how lazy our accents are and all these cultural cringe-tinged myths. <h2>Flies, booze and linguistic turncoats: public figures and our ‘lazy’ accent</h2> In the opening years of the colony, it might surprise you to know that many saw the Aussie accent as a good thing — “pure” in the words of a few observers (and purity here doesn’t mean the absence of “foul language”, but rather the lack of regional characteristics). A Tasmanian correspondent, Sam McBurney, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07268602.2014.875454?src=recsys&journalCode=cajl20">wrote</a> in the Argus in April 1886: <blockquote> There were no peculiarities in the colonies, but a general tendency to speak a pure English. </blockquote> Alas, it was also around this time that the commentary started to change — enter those fanciful tales that <a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1988059">link</a> our accent to our half-open mouths, the flies, the climate, the pollen, our dental hygiene, alcohol consumption, and even our day-to-day conversations with Chinese migrants. Sadly, Australian public figures are often the purveyors of these furphies. In the early 20th-century, Dame Nellie Melba <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28080863">lambasted</a> the accent, referring to our “twisted vowels” and “distortions”, and claimed the <blockquote> …general tendency to dawdle and slouch along … lies at the heart of the Australian accent. </blockquote> In his 1939 contribution to the book <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/27473790?selectedversion=NBD2536590">Some Australians Take Stock</a>, T.S. Dorsch suggested the Australian accent might arise from “a species of national sloth”. And at the end of last year, Australian New York Times columnist Julia Baird <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/15/opinion/australian-accents-the-good-place.html">joined</a> the public chorus lamenting the “laziness” of the accent. “Lazy” and “slovenly” have long been the go-to adjectives for haters of the Australian accent. Language researcher Janice Reeve <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Australian_English.html?id=TDTWAAAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y">found</a> them to be the two most common adjectives used in letters to the ABC Weekly from 1939-1959. Public figures aren’t helping our image by spreading this nonsense about the Aussie accent overseas. The ideas don’t stand up to scrutiny. <h2>What does it even mean to have a ‘lazy’ accent?</h2> Our views of accents are arbitrary social evaluations rather than intrinsic facts, and we base them on our knowledge and experience of the people who lie behind the accents. So, when you call an accent lazy, what you’re really saying is that someone is lazy. But who? The answer is often racist, classist, sexist, and, well, lazy. Want proof? Britons <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/6092074">asked</a> to evaluate British accents rated the posh accents (those closer to the Queen’s English) as the most prestigious, and the urban accents as least prestigious. When Americans rated the same accents, the results got confusing. Among other things, urban dialects no longer came in at the bottom of the list, and Americans in these studies even suggested that a Glasgow English speaker was from Mexico, and a Welsh English speaker was Norwegian. And what about these sounds often cited as “lazy”? Baird (among others) mentions “t” becoming “d” (“impordant”) and the disappearance of “l” in the iconic “Straya”. The first thing to point out is that the modification and disappearance of these sounds aren’t distinctively Australian. They’re not even just an English thing but make up the potpourri of linguistic changes that have been going on for centuries — in all languages. Next, to be technical, the “t” isn’t becoming a “d” but rather a short, rapid touching of the tongue against the bump behind the teeth, known as a “tap”. It’s rather like an “r” sound. This change is widespread in global English, including British and American varieties. If you condemn it, you must also condemn those early English speakers who turned “pottage” into “poddash” and finally into modern English “porridge”. And don’t these “disappearing” sounds like the “l” get up people’s noses? They certainly did in the 17th century, when “l” dropped from words like “walk” and “talk”. “Negligentius” is how Wallis described the modern pronunciations “wawk” and “tawk”. He would have written “slovenly” but he chose to write his 1653 book on the <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=tEEVAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA74&dq=wallis++Grammatica+linguae+Anglicanae+negligentius&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-0-zMrrTgAhXVWisKHaznDawQ6AEIOjAD#v=onepage&q=negligentius&f=false">grammar</a> of English in Latin because English wasn’t up to the task. Are such sound deletions “lazy”? A more honest approach to such “laziness” might see us <a href="https://theconversation.com/haitch-or-aitch-how-a-humble-letter-was-held-hostage-by-historical-haughtiness-97184">reinsert</a> the “k” in words like “knight”, “knee” and “knot” (lost sometime during the 17th-century). But why stop there? We might reinstate “r” throughout Australian English in “word”, “part” and “far”. But then we’d be opening ourselves up to complaints about the Americanisation of Australian English. After all, the Americans maintained the “r” in these words where the British and Australian varieties lost them in the 17th and 18th centuries. <h2>Learning to love the Aussie accent</h2> If you’d like to “improve” the pronunciation of others, research shows this is the wrong way to do it. In the first instance, it implies people aren’t aware that some accents are more valued than others in different contexts. And it downplays our dynamic ability to change our accents to suit our circumstances and goals. For instance, much gets made of Bob Hawke’s “broad” Australian accent, whereas a closer <a href="https://benjamins.com/catalog/veaw.g26">examination</a> of his accent sees him speaking “general” or even “cultivated” in formal contexts (his Boyer lectures). In the US, Barack Obama is also a dynamic accent shifter, but his standard English accent has been met with snide observations that he is “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378216609001465">well-spoken</a>” (leaving one to wonder, well, why shouldn’t he be?). In the second instance, openly negative attitudes toward less socially valued accents in the classroom often lead to shame, resentment, and even hostility toward language activities. The outcomes can be <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/second-dialect-acquisition/E5C875B45376713E39FA2B5C18FD2382">catastrophic</a>, with consequences well beyond poor school performance. In fact, this led the Norwegian Ministry of Education to <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/6092074">ban</a> classroom attempts to change accents in 1878. So, there’s no substance to the view the Australian accent is “lazy”. If you’re promoting it, then in the wise words of American “philosopher” Jeffrey Lebowski, “that’s just, like, your opinion, man”. And it’s an opinion that is neither helping the view of Aussies overseas nor is it helping the people it proposes to help. So let’s learn to love our Aussie accents in 2019 in all forms, posh, broad, ethnic, Aboriginal — and by this we mean love the people who use them.<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/111753/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Howard Manns, Lecturer in Linguistics, Monash University and Kate Burridge, Professor of Linguistics, Monash University. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/oi-were-not-lazy-yarners-so-lets-kill-the-cringe-and-love-our-aussie-accent-s-111753" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Mind

“Annoying little brat”: Controversial football figure Sam Newman rips into Greta Thunberg

Controversial football personality Sam Newman has taken to Twitter to voice his thoughts about climate change activist Greta Thunberg. He’s labelled her an “annoying little brat”. “This annoying little brat addressed the UN on the so-called climate crisis. Who lets this s*** have a platform? Mendacious, inbred sycophants, that who,” Newman tweeted. His tweet comes after the sixteen-year-old gave a passionate speech that was directed at politicians and officials for their lack of action around climate change. “I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean,” she said. “Yet you all come to us for hope. How dare you. You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. “We are in a mass extinction. And all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!” Twitter users were divided on Newman’s words, with one saying he was a “sad excuse of a man”. “You're a sad excuse of a man, picking on a 16-year-old girl with aspergers, all because she and millions of her peers care about the future of our planet,” one wrote. “Climate change won't bother you, you'll be long gone!” another wrote. One added: “You can't object to someone's thinking without being vitriolic, can you? Particularly if they are female.” Some of his Twitter followers agreed with him. “What happened to ‘children should be seen and not heard’? Please bring that back,” replied one. Another agreed, saying “well done Sam.. her ridiculous speech and ugliness has haunted me all day. What a disgraceful human to sail to USA to save her carbon print flying on a plane with others and lecture them about this hoax!”

News

7 annoying habits and the fascinating scientific reasons for them

Why does your co-worker constantly clear her throat? What's behind your best friend's Facebook oversharing? Science has the answers to these annoying habits. 1. Constantly clearing throat Ahem, ahem! Someone who constantly clears his or her throat could have a nose and sinuses problem, called chronic rhinitis, which results in excessive mucus production. It occurs when an irritant (typically allergies) inflames the membrane in the upper respiratory tract. People with year-round allergies, like house dust mites, may have a constant build-up of mucus in their throat, which leads to that non-stop clearing. It can usually be treated with a few weeks of a strong anti-allergy medication. Another potential cause: acid reflux. When acid passes from the stomach upward into the esophagus, the throat swells. Mucus sticks to the swollen tissues, causing hoarseness and a cough. If over-the-counter heartburn medications don't resolve the issue, a doctor may be able to prescribe stronger treatment. 2. Always saying, "you know" or "like" There's always, like, one not-so-brilliant movie character who talks this way, you know? Don't write off their intelligence: Research suggests that those who often say "like" and "you know" may be especially thoughtful. In a study published in the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, researchers examined more than 260 transcriptions of normal conversations. They discovered people who used these "filler words" tend to be more conscientious than people who don't. Researchers say discourse markers imply a desire to thoughtfully share opinions with others, and may give someone more time to phrase something just right. 3. Oversharing on Facebook A minute into checking social media, you find out your high school lab partner is potty training her 6-week-old Labradoodle puppy ... unsuccessfully. You may roll your eyes when you get too much detail, but these oversharers reap a neurological reward when they spill their TMI news. Harvard researchers used an MRI machine to track 212 participants' brain activity as they answered questions about their own opinions or others' opinions. Researchers found that talking about oneself activates brain regions associated with reward (the nucleus accumbens and the ventral tegmental area). Only about 60 percent of real-life conversations typically revolve around an individual's personal thoughts and stories, compared to 80 percent of social media communication. 4. Biting nails Distracted by a pal who just can't sit still? Perfectionism may be an underlying cause of nail biting, skin picking, or eyelash pulling, according to a study published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry. Researchers asked 48 participants questions about how often they experienced certain emotions, including boredom, anger, and anxiety, and put them in situations meant to trigger feelings such as boredom or relaxation. People with fidgety habits reported greater urges to pick at themselves when bored compared to when in relaxing scenarios. Researchers say perfectionists are more likely than others to become bored easily, and that behaviors like picking at nails deliver a form of reward in unsatisfying situations. 5. Complaining about ailments It may be tiresome to comfort a hypochondriac (they have a sore stomach on Monday, a swollen lymph node on Tuesday, an achy back on Wednesday) but your pal could truly believe these abnormalities are serious. This condition may be a sign of what medical experts call illness anxiety disorder (IAD), which involves excessive worry about contracting a serious illness even when no (or only mild) symptoms are present. Even doctors usually cannot calm an affected person's fears. Though it's uncertain what causes IAD, people with major life stress, a history of childhood abuse, or another mental disorder such as depression are at higher risk. The disorder typically appears between the ages of 25 to 35; therapy and certain antidepressant or antianxiety medications may help treat IAD. 6. An ear-shattering sneeze Know someone with a trumpeting sneeze? Blame their anatomy. Irritants, such as bright light or an allergen, stimulate the nasal cavity's trigeminal nerve and trigger a coordinated reflex from the diaphragm to the brain. Many different muscles are involved in building the pressure needed to expel the irritant via a sneeze. Individual differences in anatomy such as abdominal strength, trachea size, and lung volume may cause some sneezers to be especially loud; others may naturally use more muscles in sneezing. Suspect this is you? When you feel a sneeze coming, put your index finger at the base of your nose and slightly push up. This will reduce the severity of a sneeze, or perhaps even completely suppress it. 7. Aggressive driving Road ragers may be prone to making themselves highly visible in other ways, too. In a Colorado State University study, researchers found that drivers of cars with window decals, personalized license plates, and bumper stickers are far more likely that those without personalized cars to use their vehicles to express rage, such as by tailgating or honking. Researchers say both road rage and car markers are signs of territorialism, and that the more markers a car has, the more aggressively someone drives when provoked. The effect remained whether the messages were, for example, "Visualize World Peace," or "My Kid Beat Up Your Honor Student." Territorial people see a car as an extension of themselves, and have a difficult time viewing public property differently from private property ("our road" is "my road" in their minds.) Written by Kelsey Kloss. This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/think-your-sex-life-over-after-40-hardly">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN93V"></a> <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Caring

The world's sexiest accent has been revealed

When it comes to accents, is Aussie among the world’s sexiest? Apparently so, according to a new global survey. Travel media company Big 7 Travel polled its readers across the globe on the world’s sexiest accent – and an unexpected candidate has come out on top of the list. The “outrageously charming” New Zealand has taken the crown as the world’s sexiest accent, beating out other accents from over 7,000 languages. “The ‘Newzild’ dialect is outrageously charming. The sexiest accent in the world? It’s official,” said the website. “To a novice ear, the New Zealand accent might sound just like the Australian accent.” Despite this, Australian only came in fifth. “Pronouncing words long and slow – and often skipping the ends of them completely – is a real turn on apparently.” Other accents that made the top ten were South African, Irish, Italian, Scottish, French, Spanish, South USA and Brazilian Portuguese. Different variations of the British accent also made the top 50, including Queen’s English at number 12, Mancunian at #18, Geordie at #41 and Welsh at #45. A number of American accents were also found to be popular, with the Boston accent taking the 28th spot and the “fast and hypernasal” New York coming in at number 44. See the full list of the top 50 sexiest accents <a href="https://bigseventravel.com/2019/04/worlds-sexiest-accent/">here</a>.

Mind

Don’t get fooled by this annoying airport prank

Most travellers are familiar with the urgent scan in an airport for an available power outlet, so that you can charge up a dying device before boarding a flight. Now, airport pranksters are preying on traveller’s desperation for battery power with a new trick. The jokesters are placing stickers of fake power outlets at airport gates and then watching with amusement as people unknowingly attempt to plug their charger into a sticker. The stickers look realistic, causing even the savviest to fall victim to the stunt. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Whoever put up this fake sticker of an open outlet at the airport, you are now my enemy for life. <a href="https://t.co/TYEJKmY6Zg">pic.twitter.com/TYEJKmY6Zg</a> — Brandon #BeForTheGame (@Atrioc) <a href="https://twitter.com/Atrioc/status/1026327505072869376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2018</a></blockquote> Sadly, the prank has gained a lot of traction and has started occurring in airports all over the world. “Whoever put up this fake sticker of an open outlet at the airport, you are now my enemy for life,” one person said on Twitter. The stickers have been placed in various places around the airport, including on garbage bins. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Will the person who’s putting fake outlet stickers all over the airport please die already thanks <a href="https://t.co/zamnWgQMlh">pic.twitter.com/zamnWgQMlh</a> — Alish Erman (@alishisthebest) <a href="https://twitter.com/alishisthebest/status/1019787984583847936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2018</a></blockquote> According to The Sun, the pranksters are getting their hands on these fake power point stickers by purchasing them online. Have you seen one of these power outlet stickers while travelling? Let us know in the comments below.

Travel Trouble

Good news: Annoying airport carry-on rule could soon be a thing of the past

Before embarking on an international flight, it is important to be aware of all the rules regarding what you can and can’t pack. Current rules require liquids, aerosols and gel items to be in containers of 100 millimetres or less and packed in a transparent resealable bag. Passengers are then required to remove all of these items when going through security as well as any electronic products. However, new technology means this strict rule may be a little easier to navigate in the future. London’s Heathrow Airport is trialling the use of 3D X-ray scanners, which allows security to see objects inside bags from all angles. The UK Department of Transport said the scanners can also detect explosive devices and would ease the strict packing restrictions on passengers. “If successful, this could lead in future to passengers no longer needing to remove items from hand luggage for screening,” the department said. Similar 3D scanners are also being trialled in New York’s John F Kennedy Airport and Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. In the airports trialling the new technology, passengers are still required to remove items from their luggage upon request from security staff. If the technology comes to Australia, it could alter the recently introduced restrictions on powders on flights. Last month, a new rule was enforced about how much powder product can be packed in carry-on baggage on international flights. Items such as baby formula, protein powders, makeup and talcum powder have to be presented separately when going through security. The rule was made in response to a thwarted bomb plot on an Etihad flight from Sydney last year.

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