There are few gauntlets more trying and rewarding than being a parent. Being someone who is able to guide a child through decades of life whilst attaining that elusive ‘cool dad’ status? That’s damn near impossible.

Nearly. We believe that balance is everything when it comes to parenting, so being the cool dad that your kids’ friends want to have is a matter of making sure you’re putting the effort into the right things, while learning to take a step back and focus on yourself when the time comes to do so.

How? Here’s four tips to keep you sharp and on top of your game, old man.

Think Young, But Act Your Age

The key reason we think our generation is fit to be the best set of dads yet is our ability to relate to the youth of today.

We don’t have massive technological gaps or major differences in values to overcome these days, so being a relatable cool dad is probably easier than it’s ever been.

That being said, nothing works like teaching from experience, so being able to empathise with your kids while displaying the maturity of those who came before you will make you the ideal role model.

Give Lessons For The Real World

The second any of us leave high school and enter the working world, one of the first things we realise is how insignificant school actually is in the development of young adults.

While most parents obsess around their kid’s education, the coolest parents teach their children how to make it in the real world.

They’ll figure out the social stuff, make mistakes and learn romance all by themselves, themselves, so your best chance is to guide them on the path to becoming a man or woman that people want to have around.

Image Is A Big Thing

It’s okay if the stress and strain of parenthood has left you looking a little soft around the edges, but the key to being a well-dressed dad is to stay current while dressing your age at the same time.

Generally, that means keeping things simpler as you get on more in years, but also making sure you’re not trying to squeeze into anything you shouldn’t. Stick with timeless brands, basics and styles that never go out of fashion, while choosing cuts that flatter.

After all, while your kids’ opinion of you is the only thing that really matters, your coolness as a parent is something that’s judged by everyone.

Keep Yourself In Shape

At D’Marge we’re firm believers that exercise is key to health above all else. Nothing else relaxes the mind, tunes the body and helps the brain make better decisions, so why is it the first thing that goes out the window as soon as people have kids? 

RELATED: What To Wear When You Suffer From Dad Bod

Multiple studies have shown that those who regularly exercise have more positive moods as well as reduced levels of stress and fatigue, all of which are vital ingredients for any cool parent.

Be the dad with energy to spare, and your own body will thank you once they’re all grown up and it’s time for you to hit the golf course.

Check out the best Father’s Day gifts

The post Cool Dads: The Secret To Attaining ‘Cool Dad’ Status appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Every time we step foot on a plane, we’re always reminded of the same rules: don’t get out of your seat until the seatbelt sign turns off; stow away your tray table for take off and landing; and absolutely no smoking anywhere on the aircraft, including the use of e-cigarettes.That last one continues to take many by surprise. The rule was introduced more than 30 years ago, so how could anyone possibly still think they’d be allowed to smoke when jetting off to some far-flung destination? But, as they say, all signs – and announcements – are there for a reason, as a recent video that found its way onto popular video sharing site TikTok, shows.What, precisely, does it show? A female passenger sparking up her cigarette on a plane as soon as it touches down. Watch it below.

The mind boggles.The video, captured by TikTok user heyalexa_nah – real name Alex Majdawali – shows passengers onboard the Spirit Airlines flight – heading, Traveller reports, from Detroit to Fort Lauderdale – not being able to contain their laughter over the incident, especially with the running commentary being provided by one particularly bothered passenger.Claiming the smoking incident had “messed everybody’s day up,” the annoyed passenger was eventually told to relax by police and informed, “we can actually do this [police the smoker] without your assistance.”Yahoo! News adds that the Broward Sheriff’s Deputies Office released a statement relating to the incident, which claimed that “Deputies made contact with the request, and no arrest was made.”It remains unclear whether the cigarette-eager passenger was actually fined or not. If she was though, according to The Points Guy, the maximum penalty is US$4,000.Alex Majdawali, told Fox News the woman was sitting directly in front of her, adding, “She literally took out a cigarette and just started smoking”, and claiming the woman was “turning around to blow it [in my face].”Bringing the incident to the flight attendant’s attention, Alex added they initially “refused to do anything” and only offered for her to move to a different seat.A Spirit Airlines spokesperson told Fox News “Flight Attendants noticed the odor and the other Guests were quick to point out who was responsible and hand over what remained of the extinguished cigarette.”

“Our crew summoned law enforcement officers to have them waiting at the gate to remove the passenger.”

Truly bizarre.

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The post Woman Sparks Uproar ‘Doing The Unthinkable’ On Spirit Airlines Flight appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

What’s old is new.On that frayed note… there’s a ‘new’ fitness trend sweeping the celebrity landscape. American popstar Joe Jonas busted out a skipping rope just last week (before beginning an international tour with his band) and now the Internet’s favourite butcher and owner of one of the lowest body fat percentage’s we’ve ever seen is jumping in on the act.Introducing: Salt Bae.Posting some videos to his Instagram account recently, the Turkish restauranteur can be seen reaping the full benefits of jumping rope, with some of the clips being slowed down to help show off the correct technique. And it’s a workout we implore you to give a go too.Who needs cryotherapy or Gianluca Vacchi’s Death Ray Treadmill?Not only can skipping be done practically anywhere, as it requires only a small amount of space and a piece of incredibly affordable equipment, but it brings with it numerous benefits for your health.

Watch Salt Bae jump rope in the video below

According to Crossrope, which calls skipping “one of the best-kept secrets in fitness right now,” spending just a small amount of time with a jump rope can help “support any fitness goal,” including fat loss, endurance, strength and performance.There is plenty of research to support its benefits too. Science Dailycites studies that claim skipping brings the potential to burn up to 1,300 calories per hour. So if you’re looking for a simple way to shed some body fat, skipping could be the easiest route.Skipping can also be seen as a ‘safer’ alternative to running, since your body’s weight is absorbed by both legs on each jump, putting less pressure on your knees compared to running in the process.RELATED: Salt Bae Reveals ‘Spartan’ Diet Secret For Ultimate ShreddingYou may also be surprised to learn that jumping rope is effectively a full-body workout, since it requires the use of pretty much all the major muscle groups in your body: your legs, your arms, your back and even your core and obliques. Switch out your regular rope for a weighted jump rope and you can expect to build up those muscles in no time at all.RELATED: Cardio Strongman Explains Forgotten Training Technique Everyone Should TryJumping rope can also be likened to plyometric training to some degree, because you jump, land, and immediately jump again, which can cause beneficial ‘shock’ to the muscles. This, again, helps to build their size and strength, and eventually you’ll find you’re able to jump higher and with more explosive power.It quite literally could be the only workout you ever need to do.

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• Learn To Jump Rope Like An Expert From The Man Who Trains The US Olympic Team
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The post Salt Bae Shows Off Forgotten Training Technique Everyone Should Try appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

2021 has truly been a bizarre year. Not only have we had to contend with a global pandemic, but we’ve also seen the first flickerings of a new space race – this time between venture capitalists instead of competing superpowers.Of course, space exploration and the history of high-end horology go hand in hand. An essential part of an astronaut’s toolkit has always been their timepiece, especially in the early days of spaceflight. Some watchmakers have forever secured their place in the annals of history thanks to their appearance on astronaut’s wrists: Bulova, Rolex, G-SHOCK, and of course, OMEGA – the Speedmaster Professional holding that lofty title of ‘first watch in space’.Now, IWC Schaffhausen can join that illustrious company. The storied Swiss watchmaker, which has long had an association with aviation, has unveiled a new and rather beautiful mechanical chronograph that’s destined to be the next watch in space.To support Inspiration4, the world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit, IWC has designed and donated a series of unique, space-themed Pilot’s Watch Chronographs. The watches will be worn by the four crew members on their journey into space, before being auctioned as part of the mission’s aim to raise funds for and promote the life-saving work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Inspiration4” (ref. IW389110) features a case made of stunning white ceramic and a dark blue lacquered dial decorated with dozens of stars, to resemble the night’s sky. On each of the four watches, the titanium case back has been engraved with the name and mission value represented by the respective crew member. Additionally, the small seconds counter features the Inspiration4 logo, and the unique white rubber/leather strap features Inspiration4 branding.It’s a stunning and historically significant watch that we hope will help Inspiration4 raise even more money for St. Jude’s, a significant contributor to medical research, especially around the treatment of children’s catastrophic diseases, particularly cancers.RELATED: Jeff Bezos’ Astronomical Watch Fail Proves Money Can’t Buy StyleInspiration4 will be the first human spaceflight to orbit Earth with exclusively private citizens on board. The brainchild of Jared Isaacman, a pilot and the billionaire CEO of Shift4 Payments, Issacman will be joined by Hayley Arceneaux, a St. Jude’s employee and bone cancer survivor; Christopher Sembroski, a data engineer and US Air Force veteran; and Sian Proctor, a geology professor and science communicator. Inspiration4 will fly on board the SpaceX Resilience capsule on the 15th of September.We just wonder what the next watch in space will be…

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The post IWC Schaffhausen's Latest Chronograph Watch Sparks Another Space Race appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We’d all like to kick it at the pointy end. It’s usually very expensive to buy your way in though. Either that or very time consuming to amass enough frequent flyer points (and play the system) in a way that sees you get into business or first class for free, on a popular route that you actually want to fly. Right? Wrong.According to points hacker (and founder of Flight Hacks) Immanuel Debeer, it’s way easier than you think.Taking to Instagram recently, the Australia-based points hacker shared a video in which he claimed he pays less for first class than what most people pay for economy.Watch Immanuel explain how to get a first-class seat for a super cheap price in the video below

“Normally this [All Nippon Airways] ticket costs $27,000 one way,” Debeer explains. “But here’s how you can get it for just $540 (plus $59 tax).”

“First join Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Then buy 60,000 miles before August the 14th.”

“You only need 60,000 miles to fly first class from Haneda to London (one way). This is only possible because there is a bonus promotion until August 14th.”And that’s how you do it.While this particular promotion is now over (today is August the 27th), ones like it crop up fairly regularly. You just have to keep your eyes peeled (and then set up alerts for availability).As Immanuel told one follower who commented “It doesn’t work if there isn’t availability,” there is a fine art to travel hacking.When Instagram user @mbjaure wrote: “I had look and there were only 2 days for LON-HND” Immanuel responded: “Set an alert using Expert flyer. ANA release seats pretty randomly but frequently.”Other frequent flyers and aspiring points hackers expressed their appreciation for the tip next to the video.One wrote: “Only fool actually pays the cash rate.”Another said: “This is amazing! Thank you!! Can’t wait to be able to travel again!”Others brought up another couple of challenges.“You have to make a purchase before hand,” various people pointed out.

“Doesn’t work unless you can make a transaction first.”

There is a solution to this. Immanuel said: “Either get 100 points free by signing up to their newsletter or use the shopping portal when buying something online from another retail.”

“Open your computer, head to VA website, sign in, browse around and wait for the email newsletter pop up. It gives you 100 points free which is all you need.”

Got it? Good. Now start praying for vaccination rates to get up and for those borders to open so you can put your skills to the test.

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• Hedonistic New Business Class Trend Sparks Outrage At 40,000ft
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The post How To Score A $27,000 First Class Seat For $600, According To A Points Hacker appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

David Beckham is normally pretty dapper, but his latest fashion move has us scratching our heads.The 46-year-old football legend is arguably one of the best-dressed men on the planet – although you could argue that much of his impeccable style is thanks to the influence of his wife Victoria, an accomplished fashion designer who’s no doubt helped him hone his sartorial chops.But when the cat’s away, the mice will play – or rather, ‘Golden Balls’ makes some worrying fashion choices. In Dubai to star in yet another campaign shoot for Maserati, Beckham posed alongside the muscular Italian sports car in a simple long-sleeve shirt, pleated trousers… And a pair of white vented loafers.This comes just days after he was dicking around at an Inter Miami game, juggling a football while wearing a pair of $1,000 Christian Louboutin loafers (although to be fair, that was quite impressive).

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A post shared by Maserati (@maserati)

White loafers are hard to pull off – but that doesn’t stop scores of men from trying. In Australia, white loafers are an icon of spring racing carnival general admission areas and nightclubs, and have some rather pejorative nicknames. They’re the kind of thing you find on the sales rack at Tarocash.RELATED: Australia’s Most Ridiculed Menswear Brand May Have The Last Laugh In 2021Still, you could just make the argument that he’s just trying to sartorially appeal to the average Maserati driver. Loafers are great for brake stands…Beckham’s currently on a high, with Inter Miami (the American football team he co-owns), having just picked up back-to-back wins against Chicago and Toronto FCs in this 2021 MLS season. Founded only three years ago, Inter Miami has had somewhat of a rocky start, so it’s pleasing to see them pick up some momentum.

Watch some of David Beckham’s best workouts

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The post David Beckham’s Latest Footwear Choice May Be His Most Controversial Ever appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Here in Australia, gyms are currently closed, in-studio yoga is a no go and even Byron Bay locals are having to make-do without their beloved drum circles. It’s a tough situation for many, with routines being disrupted more than the stock market during the 2008 financial crisis.But for all their alleged benefits, there are some far simpler ways to improve our health and wellbeing that don’t involve using an Instagram influencer discount code or committing yourself to some space-age therapy, many of which have recently been pointed out by fitness coach and nutritionist Ryan Carter.Taking to Instagram, Ryan has revealed a number of easy swaps we can make to do without the high tech gadgets. If we don’t have access to a pair of blue light blocking glasses for example, he says you can just light some candles instead of switching on the main lights in the room. Likewise, if we can’t put ourselves through cryotherapy, he suggests we take a cold shower or dip in the ocean instead.RELATED: Melbourne Man’s Unusual Shower Ritual Every Australian Can Learn From

 

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A post shared by Ryan Carter | Nutritionist (@livevitae)

Ryan captions the post:“You might think getting healthy is hard. That health and wellness are for privileged folk. That’s not the case. It would help if you started thinking for yourself and out of the box. Don’t subscribe to the influencer wellness model of health. You don’t need elaborate functional medicine testing, the green juices, the cleansing supplements, the fancy gizmos and gadgets.”

“I work with my clients in reality. Some of these gadgets are helpful, but they’re not a prerequisite for automatic health.”

“It would be best if you still did the shadow work. Go to bed and rise with the sun. Eat nutritional foods which agree with you. Feed your microbiome appropriately. Move often. Enjoy life, have a community, laugh and have sex.”

“Instead of spending money, the first question is, have you got the fundamentals nailed. This is where common sense prevails. Why worry about artificial blue light glasses if you can automatically control the light in the environment with candles.”

Other simple swaps include ditching massages – as great as they may be – for a foam roller to relieve any muscular pain and tension and getting a healthy dose of time in the sun in place of vitamin D supplements. The sun provides numerous benefits to the human body, and health hacker Dave Asprey has previously spoken about the benefits you’ll notice from getting as little as five minutes of sunshine before 10 a.m. Your quality of sleep stands to improve as your circadian rhythm – a 24-hour biological process that regulates your individual sleep-wake cycle (your daily sleep pattern that should ideally consist of 8 hours of sleep and 16 hours of wakefulness).RELATED: Health Hacker Shares Circadian Rhythm Trick That Could Give You Hours More SleepLight plays a hugely important role in the maintenance of your body clock, as when your eyes become exposed to natural light, your body suppresses melatonin (and releases it during darkness).  If you expose your eyes and body to light soon after you wake up in the morning, it means you will be more likely to wake up similarly early the following day, because the light ‘resets’ your rhythm to this new practice of early starts.And, while we can’t necessarily head to the gym right now in Australia, we can still get outside to exercise in the morning sun.Try some of Ryan’s simple swaps for yourself whilst you’re in lockdown. You’ll feel more positive in no time.

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The post Simple Health Hacks Everyone Should Know About, According To A Nutritionist appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

First date conversation etiquette can be tricky. You need to be polite and considerate, but you also want to be upfront about your expectations and what you’re looking for. Do you talk politics or religion, or talk about the most contentious issue – whether or not they like pineapple on their pizza? (That’s a joke by the way. I’m personally tired of people putting that in their dating profiles.)

But something that’s becoming increasingly less taboo among young singles is talking about money – and we’re not talking about who picks up the check.

Research conducted by leading Australian investment platform Stake suggests that not only do three in four young people (defined as 18-29-year-olds) no longer think money is a taboo subject anymore, but almost half (48%) would be happy talking about money on a first date.

“The research demonstrates a generational shift in the attitudes, values, and demands of the next generation of investors,” Stake Chief Marketing Officer Bryan Wilmot relates.

Beyond simple first date etiquette, other interesting findings from Stake’s research reveal how young Australians have an increasingly progressive attitude towards money within relationships.

Almost three-quarters (70%) don’t want to be financially codependent with anyone, and 45% of couples think they should have completely separate bank accounts – with this trend this more prevalent among 18–29-year-olds at 59%. Another generational gap revealed by the research suggests that 18–29-year-olds also feel much more comfortable (64%) talking about their salary and wages with their close/best friends than those aged 30–40 (58%).

RELATED: Australian Wage Growth Statistics Suggest We’re Even More F*cked Than We Thought In 2021

How can we explain this paradigm shift? While no doubt as society has become more open and progressive, the taboo around money has shrunk – but we’d also suggest that it has a lot to do with how popular investing has become among the general public.

The explosive rise of cryptocurrency, casual day trading and micro-investing – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic – has made casually talking about money and investing normal; cool, even. It’s become a part of the public discourse, vernacular and pop culture in a way that would have been unbelievable even two or three years ago.

It might also be reflective of how the way Australians work has changed, with the decline of the traditional 9-5 salaried job as the standard career situation (for better or for worse). Indeed, another element of Stake’s findings was the revelation that less than half (44%) of young people intend to follow a traditional career path. At a time when casualisation and under-employment are rife and interest rates are so low, no wonder people are more open about the hustle.

 

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A post shared by Samantha Rothenberg (@violetclair)

That’s not to say that it’s necessarily a good idea to bombard your date with your current coin picks, money-making schemes or monthly gains… Especially as a dude. There’s nothing worse than coming off as some dorky crypto bro or someone who’s overly superficial.

RELATED: World’s Most Mocked ‘Alt Coin’ Could Drag Crypto Out Of The Dark Ages, Elon Musk Claims

No matter your gender expression or sexual preference, there’s nothing sexier than quiet confidence and success – and you can take that to the bank.

Regardless of your approach to talking money on a first date, you ought to check out our expert’s guide to the best Australian and international shares to buy right now.

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The post The First Date Taboo Young Australians Are Abandoning In Droves appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Australians have been inundated with images of hotel quarantine from cities like Sydney, Perth and Melbourne over the last 16 months.

Travellers have shared reels, photos and boomerangs of their two week’s imprisonment, showcasing what it’s like in the (in many cases) windowless high rise buildings they have had to wait out their fortnight in.

But what does hotel quarantine look like in the desert?

If you’re curious, take a look at the following photos Australian Olympic swimmer Mack Horton recently posted to Instagram, which provide a snapshot of Darwin’s Howard Springs facility.

As part of the Australian Olympic swim team, Horton, on his return from Japan, found himself undergoing two week’s quarantine in a defence base in Darwin.

As his photos show, Howard Springs, which is 27 kilometres from Darwin, is different to the other hotel quarantines you will have seen from hotels in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

 

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A post shared by uoʇɹoɥ ʞɔɐɯ (@mackhorton)

The photos show Horton taking photos in the mirror, hanging out on the verandah, sunbathing, eating, and sitting (socially distanced) from fellow athletes.

He also claims jokingly (we presume) that fellow athlete “@jackmcloughlin and I ran a half marathon on our balconies. We had fun.”

Jack McLoughlin responded: “Can confirm. Had fun.”

Some Instagram users called the photos “iconic” while another said: “Gettin the hang of this photography shenanigans …! I’m in a room in melbourne. No fresh air.”

Reflecting on the Tokyo Olympics in a recent radio interview with Samantha Armytage on omny.fm, Horton, who plans to swim at Paris 2024, shared a few more insights about Darwin.

The 25-year-old said the beds are better than the cardboard ones they had in Tokyo. He also said the starts can be early (the nurses come early in the morning for temperature checks) and “it’s strange but not too bad, to be honest.”

Horton said: “Food’s been good and [there has] been a lot of it” and that the room is “a bit bleak” but “it’s fine – school camp-y.”

He also said that, though he was proud to be part of the team that got Bronze in the Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay, he aspires to achieve more in the future.

The Daily Mail reports, “The swimmers will need to abide by strict rules, including three meals per day and no alcohol.”

“Cooking equipment including, microwaves, electric fryers, rice cookers, sandwich presses and toasters are banned, as are recreational items such as scooters, skateboards, bikes, balls and roller blades.”

Unlike the hotels like in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, “The delivery of care packages, personal goods and meals ordered from externally are also off limits” in Darwin’s Howard Springs quarantine facility, The Daily Mail reports.

“Each bedroom consists of a single bed, an ensuite bathroom, a television and a desk with a chair along with towels, and bed linen to last two weeks.”

Howard Springs was rejigged for quarantine in October 2020 and can house up to 650 returned travellers.

A two-week stay at Howard Springs usually costs $2,500 per person, or $5,000 for a family.

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The post Australian Olympian Gives Rare Insight Into Life In Darwin’s Quarantine Outpost appeared first on DMARGE Australia.