We won’t bore you again with how much of an effect the pandemic has had on travel, both internationally and domestically. It’s apparent now that it will be some time before things get back to ‘normal’.

What we should now be thinking about is what will happen when travel resumes. In virtually all states around Australia – Queensland is still being stubborn – Premiers have announced their residents are now free to roam around their own region at their leisure (and we can remain hopeful that some international flight corridors will open before the year’s end).

It’s a welcome boost for the economy, both in terms of individual businesses and the nation on a wider scale, and if a recent survey is anything to go by, Australians aren’t in the least bit worried about a second wave of the virus, but instead are focusing on booking their next getaway.

Conducted by Anne Wild & Associates (AWA), the travel and lifestyle communications agency recruited 357 Australian residents, aged between 18 to 65, to ask them about their travel plans post-pandemic. A resounding 69 per cent of participants were hopeful they would be able to go on a trip before the end of 2020, with 76 per cent saying they would holiday in Australia.

 

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Queensland topped the list of destinations Aussies would like to go, although right now that will have to remain a pipedream for residents in the other five states as QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is standing firm on keeping its interstate borders shut.

Somewhat surprisingly, many respondents (74%) either haven’t had to tighten the purse strings in the wake of the pandemic, or are just keen to splurge, as they said they would happily spend the same on a holiday after restrictions are lifted as they would have done before the virus struck.

The survey group also proved to be the stereotypical, tough Australian, as 24 per cent said they would travel internationally for their first post-COVID break (clearly not being deterred by the situation in other countries) with 58 per cent earmarking Europe as being the destination of choice.

Just how long they will have to wait to be allowed to leave Australia for an international break remains to be seen. Considering a trans-Tasman bubble with New Zealand hasn’t surfaced yet, we can’t see European travel being on the cards until at least 2021.

Oceania ranked a close second, with 53 per cent of respondents claiming they would happily holiday closer to home.

 

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Some good vibes from @huntervalley that looks so peaceful! @visitnsw Follow @enrico.onthewine and discover our wine adventures

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The pandemic has made one thing clear: the need for travel insurance and to look more closely at cancellation policies is greater than ever before. In this regard, 49 per cent of participants claimed insurance would be a key factor in future bookings, and 67 per cent cited cancellation policies as being a major influencer.

The results of the survey are certainly food for thought and a clear indication that Australia is chomping at the bit to travel.

Read Next

• Every Traveller Will Have To Answer This Thorny Question In 2021
• The Only Way Australia’s Tourism Industry Can Save Itself, According To Experts

The post Australian Travel Statistics Reveal Plenty In 2022 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Timex re-launched the Q Reissue 1979 toward the end of 2019 with a Pepsi-coloured bezel. The watch proved so popular that the watch company launched another model, the M79, inspired by the ‘Batman’ black and blue bezel, again, to much acclaim. Knowing it’s best to keep going while they’re riding high, Timex has now dropped three, yes three, brand new colours of the iconic timepiece.

Timex says the new watches are “a natural evolution of our much-loved Q Timex 1979 Reissue. These watches add bright pops of colour to all the heritage-inspired features of the original.” As with the previously released models, this new trio runs on a quartz movement (except the ‘Batman’ which is automatic) and all feature a day/date window at 3 o’clock.

The trio is available now direct from Todd Snyder for $179, but given the popularity of the previous models, we don’t expect these to be around for long. So be sure to get in quick.

Shop The Timex Q US$179

The post Limited Edition Timex Could Be Their Best Looking Reissue Men's Watch appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

While many cocktails have their fair share of mixers included to help dilute the taste of alcohol (and to look pretty), there is a whole bunch of cocktails that are made purely from a combination of spirits. They include the outright classics such as the Negroni and the Old Fashioned, but another that deserves mention is the vodka martini.

The drink of choice for none other than British secret agent James Bond (unless you count the Vesper Martini from Casino Royale, of course), the vodka martini, like other spirit-only cocktails is ‘meant’ to be stirred down, as opposed to being shaken. Our James was never a stickler for the rules.

But because the end result is a spirit-based one, getting the vodka martini right isn’t as easy as just mixing some ingredients together. There’s a preferred method, and getting it right will make you the guy to know at your next dinner party.

Origin Of The Vodka Martini

The vodka martini is, as its name suggests, based on the martini, a cocktail traditionally made with gin. This variation clearly substitutes the gin for vodka. The exact origins of the drink are a little hazy, but Proximo’s Tequila Specialist Hayley Dixon tells us “the earliest known reference to the Vodka Martini was in Ted Saucier’s ‘Bottoms Up’ in 1951 but it wasn’t until the rise of Vodka in the 1980s and 1990s that Vodka became the popular Martini choice.”

That popularity was in no doubt helped by Ian Fleming’s James Bond character, where it first made its appearance in the 1956 novel, Diamonds Are Forever, along with the famous phrase “shaken, not stirred”, although James doesn’t say it himself until the 1958 novel Dr. No.

Vodka Martini Ingredients

A classic vodka martini will consist of just two ingredients, as well as a garnish. However, how you order your vodka martini will determine which garnish you get:

• Vodka (As it’s the main ingredient, you’ll want to go premium. Russian Standard Platinum, Crystal Head Aurora and Reyka are all good vodkas to start with)
• Dry Vermouth (Dolin, Noilly Prat, Maidenii)
• Lemon Twist Garnish
• Olive Brine (dirty)
• Olive Garnish (dirty)
• Cocktail Glass
• Cocktail Mixing Glass

Classic Vodka Martini Recipe Measurements

There are three main variations of the vodka martini: dry, wet and dirty. The measurements of your ingredients will be determined by which variant of the vodka martini you prefer. Dry and wet vodka martinis use the exact same ingredients but varying amounts of dry vermouth, while a dirty vodka martini will introduce olive brine into the mix.

The official vodka martini recipe calls for the following (this would be considered a dry vodka martini):

• 60ml vodka
• 10ml dry vermouth

Wet Vodka Martini

To make your vodka martini wet, simply add more dry vermouth. The more you add, the ‘wetter’ it becomes, 20ml should be good.

Dirty Vodka Martini

To make a dirty vodka martini, use the above measurements, but add a small amount of olive brine, around 10ml, before stirring down.

How To Make The Vodka Martini

Being a spirit-only drink, the vodka martini is traditionally stirred down, although if you really want to be like James Bond and shake one up, we can’t really stop you. Here is the traditional way of making a vodka martini.

1. Pour ice into a cocktail glass to chill
2. Pour ingredients into a cocktail mixing glass (and decide if you want it dry, wet or dirty)
3. Add plenty of ice to the mixing glass, you want your vodka martini to be expertly chilled.
4. Stir with a stirring spoon until the cocktail is cold
5. Remove ice from the cocktail glass and strain in cocktail from mixing glass
6. Garnish with a lemon peel twist (with little pith) if dry or wet, or a couple of olives on a cocktail stick if dirty

Expert Twist On The Vodka Martini

Hayley Dixon is once again on hand to provide her devilishly delicious twist on the classic vodka martini, she tells us “While the vodka martini is typically made wet, dry or dirty, it hasn’t stopped bartenders from getting creative with their spirit, vermouth and garnish choice. This twist is just a very simple elevation of that.”

Martini Sahara

Ingredients

• 60ml Vodka
• 20ml Fino Sherry
• 10ml Elderflower Liqueur
• 2 Dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
• Garnish Lime Twist

Method

• If you have some large ice cube moulds make sure you get them in the freezer in advance, large ice is best for this one
• Get your Coupe Glass or Nick & Nora Glass and put it in the freezer. This cocktail will be served up with no ice so it is best to have your glassware as cold as possible
• Grab your Mixing Glass, Barspoon, Strainer and Jigger or another measuring device
• Measure all your ingredients into a Mixing Glass, a large glass or into one half of a Cocktail Tin
• Cut your lime twist, ensuring you remove as much pith as possible from the zest
• Add ice to your mixing glass and stir your cocktail down for approximately 45 seconds. Keep tasting as you go. The idea is to get your drink as cold as possible and to start introducing dilution. If you feel the cocktail still tastes a little ‘boozy’ keep on stirring
• Once your cocktail is nice and cold, get your glass out of the freezer and strain your cocktail into the glass straight away
• Garnish with your lime twist by expressing the lime oil from the peel over the top of the drink and then dropping the twist in

How To Drink A Vodka Martini

Similar to the Vesper Martini, the vodka martini should be had only when wearing your finest tuxedo, either out at a bar or formal event, or when hosting your own dinner party. As with any other spirit-only drink, the spirit needs to be great to really shine, so plenty of fun can be found in experimenting with different vodkas and dry vermouth variations.

Of course, if a spirit-only drink is a little too much for your tastebuds right now, you can always rely on sweeter variations such as the Porn Star Martini or Espresso Martini.

Vodka Martini FAQ

Read Next

• How To Make A Tantalisingly Tasty Sidecar Al Capone Would Be Proud Of
• Vodkas Of The World Every Man Needs To Try

The post How To Make A Vodka Martini James Bond Would Be Proud Of appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The Cold War never truly ended. The USSR might be a thing of the past and there's a Gucci location just off Tiananmen Square but friction between ideologically opposed global superpowers still defines international politics in the 21st century.

The US and China frequently butt heads and there's a...

↬ Click here to view the full article/gallery on D'Marge

 

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Siren calls are great until you crash into the rocks. They also have a basis in truth – there are many downsides to being chained to your desk, and let’s be honest, Mermaids can be sizzling sexy – in theory.

Speaking of theory, if there is one thing this pandemic has taught us, it’s that it’s more feasible for a greater deal of Australia’s workforce to work from home than previously assumed.

Not convinced? Check out the with many Australians turning their living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms into makeshift home offices.

For many, there is a good chance their offices will switch to a ‘working from home’ model on a permanent or semi-permanent basis, post-pandemic. The Sydney Morning Herald says “three out of four managers believe their staff will do more remote work after the pandemic than before it.”

This could be music to ears of parents, new dog owners and those who like to slack off, as they can spend more time with their family and reduce household expenses such as childminding, they can relax knowing they’re not under the watchful eye of their manager, or as seems to be the case for most of the ‘wfh’ brigade, the biggest benefit will be to “no longer commute.”

It’s entirely feasible for workers to continue their careers from the comfort of their own home, as the reliance on a digital-first strategy means all we need as a bare necessity to work is a computer, an internet connection and a readily available supply of caffeine.

 

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A recent The Economist article by Catherine Nixey entitled “Death of the Office” suggests the humble workplace we as a working population have accepted to be the only place where ‘work’ can happen, has always, as a concept, been flawed.

“Even before coronavirus struck, the reign of the office had started to look a little shaky. A combination of rising rents, the digital revolution and increased demands for flexible working meant its population was slowly emigrating to different milieux.”

“Offices have always been profoundly flawed spaces” Catherine continues, “Created to ensure efficiency, offices immediately institutionalised idleness. A genteel arms race arose as managers tried to make their minions work, and the minions tried their damnedest to avoid it.”

She suggests that offices are in fact counterproductive, “Office-work takes up not merely the bulk of our time but the best part of it, the hours when we are alert and alive.”

“Most managers spend at least 20 hours a week in meetings, according to a study by Bain & Company in 2014. Over the course of a lifetime that amounts to nearly five full years. Many of these meetings, in wistful retrospect, might have profitably been skipped.”

This point is backed up by French psychoanalyst Corinne Maier (who Nixey makes reference to) who published a book that “critiqued corporate culture.” Maier argues that we “lose a lot of time going to meetings and speaking the jargon and doing in fact very little work” when in the office and that she could “do everything I had to do in just two hours in the morning” when working from home.

Great, but how realistic is it to have a genuinely fruitful working life when you never need to leave the house? After all, being at home during working hours brings with it a multitude of potential distractions. The children you need to take care of will appreciate having their parents around, reinforced with cries of “Mum! Dad! Look at me!”; the weekly load of washing you need to get done will no doubt take precedence over transcribing a set of minutes from Monday’s meeting, and just how easy is it to take an extended lunch break?

So for all the benefits of being able to remain in your sweats, the grass may not always be greener.

Should we, therefore, pray for a future where we can work from home on a permanent basis? While the ‘working from home’ brigade will be in full support of a life of lounging around on a laptop, we’d wager they haven’t considered all of the cons.

Not only will it bring the distractions mentioned earlier, but as The SMH says in a separate article,

“If your job can be done from anywhere, that doesn’t necessarily mean you get to keep your job with the city salary and have a sea change. It also means you are competing for that job in an international labour market.”

After all, businesses will have had their finances affected in a hugely negative way because of the pandemic, if they can hire a more affordable workforce further away from home but still function as normal, it’s not illogical to assume they’ll at least consider it.

It may not be the case for some time of course, as economist Tim Harcourt, of the UNSW Business School, says the “pandemic is accelerating the decline of outsourcing because coronavirus is a global problem and contact centres in Manila or Bangalore are finding it hard to operate safely.”

But once the “curve” is flattened or a vaccine is introduced, there will be nothing to stop businesses employing offshore workers. An enthusiast army of backpackers and foreign nationals would jump at the chance to gain Australian employment without the hassle of obtaining a visa.

Maybe we shouldn’t wish for a future of working from home, and we should consider ourselves fortunate for having a career that those outside Australia would love. Perhaps instead of petitions in favour of working from home should be substituted with messages encouraging the use of office space.

We certainly champion the office environment, and we’re in full agreement with Catherine when she says further into her article that heading out the door each morning gives “each day its own architecture.”

It also, as Lucy Kellaway of the Financial Times says, “allows us to be a different person. And we’re all so fed up with who we are, the opportunity to be someone else, someone a little bit more impressive, is just so tempting.”

Read Next

• Exactly Which ‘WFH’ Expenses Australians Can Claim This Year, Broken Down By An Accountant
• Industry Insider Reveals How The Pandemic Could Change The Way We Work Forever

The post Presenteeism: Pros & Cons Employers Need To Know appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It’s no secret we have a soft spot for the odd Porsche. Exquisite German engineering, gorgeous looks and enough potency to guarantee you’ll need a change of pants with every journey.However, while we’re well-versed with its traditional sportscar offerings – having tested the new Taycan in Finland and being given the keys to the entry-level 992 a couple of weeks ago – we’re not so familiar with the company’s SUV range – although we have been able to hoon around in the immensely fun Macan S.So when we were offered to take delivery of the new Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupé – a mouthful, granted – for a week, what did you imagine our response to be?Not only is it always nice to indulge yourself every once in a while (we deserve it), but we were keen to find out just how well Porsche’s crossover SUV compared to its fellow German compatriots, the BMW X6 and Mercedes-GLE. On paper, it offers so much more in terms of technology and design, but that doesn’t always translate when transferred to the tarmac.Well, without giving too much away, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupé was one of the most impressive SUVs we’ve driven in years and is perfectly suited to life in the Eastern Suburbs.

Fast Facts

Model: Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid CoupéEngine: 4.0-litre V8 Biturbo + E0-100 km/h Performance: 3.8-seconds (with Performance Start)Efficiency: 4.4-litres/100km – 100g CO2/kmPrice: A$292,700 standard. Model tested including options: $334,620 before on-road costs.Book A Test Drive

Despite grinning like a Cheshire Cat just looking at the exterior of the Porsche, we couldn’t bear to wait a second longer and had to jump into the driver’s seat. As soon as you do open the door, illuminated door strips provide a welcome ray of light, which are particularly effective in the evening. The additional Turbo S branding reminds you that yes, you are more entitled than the rest of the population.

Step inside and you will immediately understand why we were so hesitant to hand the key back to Porsche. What a cockpit. It exudes luxury and we guarantee you will never get bored of positioning yourself behind the Alcantara-clad steering wheel.It’s an incredibly comfortable and smile-inducing place to find yourself, made even better by the optional Lightweight Sports Package – yours for $20,000 – which sees the seats upholstered in half leather, half diamond-pattern fabric, that steering wheel with matching Alcantara lining on the roof, and the 22-inch GT Design alloy wheels.It’s a big space for sure (it’s a big car after all), but Porsche has done well to make it feel intimate at the same time and not like you’re sitting in a pew at church. There’s no echo to be heard around the cabin, that’s for sure.

Porsche has carried the infotainment system found in the 992 911 over to this Cayenne Coupé, which is no bad thing at all. It’s intuitive, has a wealth of genuinely useful features and presents information in a clear, easy-to-read fashion. Some screens on other cars can fall foul to being illegible, or unresponsive, but we’re happy to report that Porsche’s system succumbs to no such issue.

Porsche hasn’t gone full digital, however, as it has with its forthcoming all-electric Taycan. You’re still presented with an analogue rev counter, which we were more than eager to get into the red zone on several occasions. If you find yourself to be the owner of one, you’ll want to do the same. You get a satisfying pop from the exhaust that will never fail to make you laugh.With seatbelt on, mirrors adjusted and Smooth 95.3 tuned into the radio, it was time to hit the Eastern Suburbs tour. First stop, Bondi Beach. We’re keen amateur surfers, so what better way to transport our boards to the waves than in the Cayenne E-Hybrid. We did have to put the rear seat down to fit them in, but they were treated to a luxurious cradling of soft fabric and leather. Only the best for our babies.

We may have gone home with a decent chunk of Bondi’s sand on board, but it posed no such issue for our Cayenne. After all, that’s exactly what SUVs are made for, to get down and dirty across all terrains. We certainly weren’t going to be one of those owners who purely wanted a large and in charge vehicle to show off our status.

Despite being the headline feature of this particular Porsche, the Coupé body style, we imagine, will the one thing that could divide potential buyers. We’re pretty sure we’d all be in agreement that it looks cool, but the sweeping rear end does cut off some of the vertical height you would normally find on a non-coupé variant.It retains the same width, so shouldn’t pose many problems for the Average Entitled Joe who wants to load up his golf clubs but something worth thinking about when taking a browse around the dealership. And for those with friends in equally high places, you’ll be pleased to know you’ll be able to fit your taller peers in the back without any issue, as headroom is plentiful.

Moving around the side of the car and there’s no denying the fact that Porsche has absolutely nailed it when it comes to styling. The BMW and Mercedes-Benz interpretations of the crossover-SUV can look rather brutal and brash, but Porsche has essentially taken its iconic and “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude to design in the 911, and stuck it on a larger set of wheelsFor us, it most definitely works. Yes, it’s an imposing vehicle, but the softer curves and low roofline make it far less intimidating. We doubt Porsche sketched this design straight away, and there probably would have been a few more masculine drawings to come out of the design studio. We think the final result is spot on.

We couldn’t review a Porsche and not talk about its performance now, could we? This may be an SUV, but it bears the Porsche badge, and if there’s one thing Stuttgart manufacturer knows, it’s speed. The Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid has it by the bucketload.Under the hood you’ll be graced by a 4.0-litre V8 Biturbo, with an electric motor, naturally. The addition of electric power means as soon as you poot your foot on the gas, the engine springs into life with not a hint of lag. Couple that with the beast of a petrol-powered unit and you’ll be sent back so far into your seat you’ll have to name your next child Fabrice.All that power mated to a taller body can mean you’ll be susceptible to some nasty body roll. Luckily, Porsche has just the solution in the form of an integrated rear spoiler, that can be deployed when you put the Cayenne into Sports mode. Once up, the spoiler helps to channel air flowing over the vehicle, pushing the rear end down and cementing you to the tarmac.It means you can feel in complete control of the car at all times (and that you can be a little right-foot happy if space allows).While it may be all too easy to stare aimlessly at the Cayenne Coupé’s rear end and side profile, it’s front may not be to everyone’s liking. It’s not ugly by any means, and it’s unmistakably Porsche, but we’d argue there are better-looking SUVs on the road right now…from the front at least. But considering most other road users are going to be looking at your behind, we’re not too fussed.So what else can this wonderous Porsche do? It’s a dab hand at parallel parking, a trait we found out upon returning to Bondi Beach for our second surf of the day. Our usual parking spot wasn’t available but fret not, for this Cayenne was specced with Porsche’s rear-axle steering, an optional extra at $4,300.

How does it work? It allows the rear wheels to turn in the opposite direction to those at the front at low speeds, making parking – and navigating the tight corners of the Bondi Westfield car park – an absolute cinch, and makes them turn in the same direction as the front wheels at higher speeds. This adds an extra level of stability, which when combined with that rear spoiler only serves to make you feel safer.

Following a successful afternoon surfing session, it was time (for us) to refuel at Iggy’s Bread in Bronte, a mainstay on any well-informed Eastern Suburbs tour. We let our croissants ride shotgun, as long as they promised to not spill their button the houndstooth cloth. They obeyed.

Remember that snap we mentioned earlier that fires from the exhaust? What kind of publication would we be if we didn’t allow you, the reader, to hear it in all its glory? The piece de resistance of the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupé is the different modes it offers the driver.You can choose for silene and serene fully-electric if you want. However, make sure you’re in space when you press the gas pedal, a) because it’ll throw you forward quickly and b) you want to make sure it’s actually on. It’s that quiet you have no idea.But we know you’ll want to switch to Sports+ mode before you leave the dealership. How do we know? Because you would’ve listened to the soundtrack of this video first.

Music to any the ears of anyone who appreciates cars.So, to summarise, would we buy a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid? If we could afford to do so, yes absolutely. For us, it offers the perfect package for an SUV: interior space and power, but without the huge size of some other road-going behemoths.It epitomises luxury from top to bottom and despite its high price tag, for the sheer thrills it provides and for the size of the smile on our face the entire week we had it, we think it’s worth every cent.

The Verdict

• Scary fast
• The perfect car for a weekend away
• An engine/exhaust sound of the gods
• Hybrid/combustion engine is the perfect compromise for environment
• Ridiculously efficient fuel economy
• Colour of choice: Crayon

Book A Test Drive

Read Next

• 16 Things We Loved & Loathed About The Porsche 718 Boxster GTS
• 21 Things We Loved & Loathed About Porsche’s $271,000 ‘Purist’ Carrera T

The post Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupé Review appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It’s news that should strike fear into the hearts – and other love muscles – of British sheet shufflers in the UK, as the British Government has just introduced a new law that forbids its nationals from bunking with someone they don’t already live with.

Perhaps a little late to the pandemic laws party and as reported by The Metro, the UK has said: “No person may participate in a gathering which takes place in a public or private place indoors, and consists of two or more persons.” A similar rule has already been put into place and since lifted here in Australia, with people now able to have up to five people from outside the household in their home, and outdoor gatherings are currently capped at 10 people.

A gathering has been defined as: “when two or more people are present together in the same place in order to engage in any form of social interaction with each other, or to undertake any other activity with each other.”

Under previous UK laws introduced since the virus outbreak, only the person going to someone else’s house would have been at risk of prosecution, but with this latest change, both parties will now be at risk of prosecution and £50 fine. But while the changes to the Health Protection Regulations 2020 bill will affect everyone in the UK, with family and friends now no longer being able to visit those who live far away, it’s the country’s horndogs that will feel most hard done by.

That’s because only those with “reasonable excuses” will be allowed to meet up with another household privately, and unfortunately, the UK government doesn’t see the ‘dance of love’ as such an excuse, essentially bringing an end to casual sex.

However, the new law has arrived just before other laws have begun to lift in the UK, as Brits will now be able to meet with up to six people outdoors. Children can soon go back to school, workers will soon be able to return to their offices and Brits can even go for a stroll around IKEA.

Backwards? Most definitely. The UK Government, while clearly trying to restrict the areas in which the virus can be spread, has introduced this law far too late into the pandemic. It announced at the end of March (when lockdown hit for most of the world), that couples who lived apart should make a decision whether to lock themselves inside the same home or continue to live apart (the latter could prevent arguments of course) but now it has put an end to all private meetups entirely.

for those who can’t abstain for the indefinite period, a potential loophole could be a rumble in the bushes (disclaimer: DMARGE accepts no responsibility should this advice be followed and it results in prosecution).

Unsurprisingly, the news hasn’t gone down well with the British public, and they’ve taken to Twitter in their droves to make it apparent. So much so, the #sexban is now trending, and it makes for some humorous reading:

The government deciding to NOW issue a sex ban 10 weeks into lockdown is the equivalent of handing out condoms at a baby shower #sexban

— Lucy Claire (@LucyEllam85) June 2, 2020

Absolutely not a chance. #sexban

— Lisa (@LisaFlemming4) June 2, 2020

Ain’t no sex ban if you don’t have sex #sexban pic.twitter.com/7cJR017Mlk

— Sir Goose the 1st (@GooseWithDrip) June 2, 2020

While we can probably relax here down under with the knowledge that such a law won’t be replicated, the same can’t necessarily be said of the rest of the world, where cases of the virus, and deaths caused, continue to be reported.

Considering the British public have so far ignored social distancing laws in public spaces, with thousands descending on public parks and beaches in the wake of glorious sunshine, we can’t imagine this new law will be followed to the tee.

Besides, how is it going to be policed? Perhaps the UK Government will set up a new Peeping Tom Force.

Read Next

• Risqué Researchers Reveal Australia’s Guiltiest Bedroom Secrets
• Dating Coaches Explain How Your ‘Bedroom Approach’ Will Have To Change In 2020

The post COVID Sex Law Being Enforced In The UK appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

One argument people offer in support of a plant-based diet is how questionable factory farming is. The reality is you should really be paying more than $8 a kilo for chicken breast. You can’t pay that little for animal protein without a serious sacrifice being made somewhere along the line – and that burden is shouldered by the animals.According to Animals Australia, most farmed animals in Australia are factory farmed, and factory farming has serious negative ethical and environmental implications:

Factory farming is the number one cause of animal cruelty in the world today. It involves treating animals as if they were machines designed only to produce… The lived experience or quality of life of factory farmed animals is deemed to be of no consequence.Factory farming is highly dependent on large quantities of limited resources such as grain-based feed, water, energy and medication. This type of food production is inherently unsustainable because of its negative impacts on animals, people and the planet.

Many experts also believe that factory farming produces an inherently inferior product (both nutritionally and taste-wise), and that if you are to consume meat, you should seek out more ethically farmed alternatives – grass-fed beef, free range eggs, etc.However, American nutrition coach Max Lugavere offers an interesting perspective on factory farmed meat:

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A post shared by Max Lugavere (@maxlugavere) on May 5, 2020 at 9:00am PDT

Obviously, not consuming animal products entirely or only consuming sustainably farmed animal products is an ethically superior choice to factory farmed. But it’s not necessarily a nutritionally superior choice, and often a more expensive choice.We’re talked before about the trap of ‘just because it’s vegan doesn’t mean it’s healthy’. Vegan junk food is still junk food, and Lugavere’s point is that it’s infinitely preferable to eat factory farmed meat over highly processed snacks – vegan or otherwise. He explains:

In a perfect world, we would all have access to the best meat with minimal animal suffering and footprint on the environment. But the world especially right now is far from perfect. And that’s important to acknowledge… Personally, I’d take grain-fed beef or grilled farmed salmon and a salad over a pizza, bowl of pasta, or pre-made burrito any day!

It’s the humanist angle. The ethics of factory farmed meat don’t impact its health benefits. What’s more important, your health or the health of a chicken? FYI we’re not taking a stance one way or the other. It’s just something worth considering before you load up your trolley.

Read Next

• Nutrition Expert Bust Common Vegan Myth You Need To Stop Believing
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We’ve all been there. You check-in for a flight either online or at the airport, but you refuse to pay to select a seat. After all, you’re still going to get to your destination, why should you give the airline any more money to select a seat you’ve already paid for? – especially right now, when a debate as to whether we should feel sorry for the airlines is front of the minds of many frequent travellers.But in some instances, that extra forty or so dollars could prove to be the wisest investment you ever make, especially if you find out you’ve been handed the middle seat. It’s the one nobody really wants if they’re travelling solo, as you never know who you could end up stuck between.

 

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A post shared by Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) on Jun 3, 2020 at 9:14am PDT

That’s certainly the case for Patrick Haberson, who found himself practically gasping for air on a recent flight, as he found himself sandwiched between two absolute giants, for want of a better word. His Snapchat video – posted to Instagram by Barstool Sports – shows him without an ounce of wiggle room, accompanied by the in-video caption “Is this a joke?”. A nightmare scenario for anyone, we’re sure you’ll agree (he would have no doubt benefitted from this proposed design for future economy airline seats).The video was actually posted by Patrick in 2019, but it has recently resurfaced and caught our attention. In that Instagram post, Patrick added the caption, “When I see people on social media complaining about their flight and travel experiences, I can’t help but remember the time that [Southwest Air] stuck me between two behemoth human beings for a 5 hour flight from MD back to AZ”A quick one hour flight from Sydney to Byron Bay would be torture in that situation, let alone five.It’s a notion shared by many users who have left comments on the video;“Omg I’m having severe anxiety watching this. ALWAYS AISLE!”

“I’ve been there buddy. Godspeed”,

and “You are gonna come outta that smelling like feet”.We imagine Patrick’s video will now inspire anyone who finds themself on the next plane to a holiday destination as soon as lockdown laws lift will now find it absolutely essential to pay the extra to select a seat.Maybe airlines should use this as a persuasive tool.

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The post Middle Seat Nightmare Comes True For One Unlucky Man appeared first on DMARGE Australia.