A TikTok video is doing the rounds, revealing how much one Australian traffic controller gets paid, and boggling minds in the process.

Banker. Stock trader. Lawyer. Celebrity coke dealer. There are a few jobs you associate with racks of cash, but traffic controller isn’t one of them. Until now: a 19-year-old Australian traffic controller, Nyah Covey, has taken to TikTok to share how much she gets paid. And, wow: it’s a lot.

“What I make a week as a traffic controller,” the video begins. Nyah goes on to explain she earns $700 (thanks to penalty rates) on a Sunday, $400 on a Monday, $400 on a Tuesday, $400 on a Wednesday, $400 on Thursday and $400 on Friday, working 12 hours each day.

WATCH: Traffic Controller Reveals How Much She Gets Paid

That’s $2,700 in a week ($10,800 a month), before tax. Before you start reeling at how great that is, Nyah says the job is not as easy as people think, saying it can be both boring and dangerous. “We are risking our lives,” she told one commenter on TikTok. “People don’t understand what we actually do!”

“It’s not just holding a sign.”

Nyah Covey

“A lot of people think traffic controller is easy but there are a lot of hard and stressful days especially if we’re out working on a highway.”

“We get abused, people don’t obey the rules.”

Nyah Covey

She also said the work is regular at the moment, while admitting sometimes it can get quiet (“definitely some weeks that are quiet but the busy weeks make up for it”).

When asked if she enjoyed it she said: “Yeah I love it.”

As 7news.com.au reports, last year, Maria Kefalas, a traffic controller from Melbourne warned aspiring traffic controllers the gig wasn’t as cushy as some TikTok videos make it out to be.

Aside from having to stand about in the rain, she also reportedly said: “What they don’t tell you is… You can have a whole month with no work and then a whole month straight with work. Traffic control has got to be the most inconsistent job I’ve ever done in my life.”

Food for thought.

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The post Australian Traffic Controller Reveals Her Unbelievable Salary appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The following article was produced in partnership with Sunglass Hut.

Discarded fishing nets are one of the most harmful forms of plastic pollution in our oceans.

But what if you could turn the ugliness of ocean plastic into something beautiful? Enter Costa’s Untangled Collection, new high-performing sunglasses and eyeglasses that are turning the tide on ocean pollution while protecting your eyes at the same time.

Costa has long been the go-to brand of sunglasses across the world for anglers, surfers, swimmers, boaters and explorers  – but now, they’re growing fast as the brand of choice for consumers who want to do better by the ocean.

In 2022, Costa has teamed up with Bureo, a U.S. and Chile-based B-Corp that works with fishermen to upcycle discarded fishing nets into highly recyclable and durable raw materials. The result? The Costa Untangled Collection.

Made of up to 97% recycled fishing nets, The Untangled Collection of frames are a total game-changer. When you look through a pair of these frames, you’re seeing a vision for healthier oceans.

It works like this: discarded fishing nets are collected from commercial fishing ports in Chile. Bureo then recycles the nets into raw material in the form of pellets. Finally, Costa takes those pellets and moulds them into its Untangled Collection frames.

These frames are just as durable and good-looking as Costa’s other premium sunglasses – indeed, we’d argue they’re even more stylish. Helping the planet is a good look, after all.

Costa’s Untangled range are also just as good on the water as they are for it. Costa has always been one of the leading eyewear lenses for those who spend their life on the water, and their new Untangled sunnies are no exception.

Each pair of Costa Untangled sunglasses boast its proprietary polarized, colour-enhancing 580® Glass lens technology, for enhanced contrast and clarity that is essential whilst out on the water, with less haze and enhanced comfort.

Whether you’re casting a line or spinning a yarn, Costa’s Untangled Collection of sunglasses are as functional, comfortable and stylish as they are good for the ocean.

Find out more about Sunglass Hut’s range of Costa Untangled sunglasses in store and online here.

The post The Costa Untangled Collection Sunglasses Help The Ocean’s Fishing Net Pollution Problem appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Considering House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones, there were bound to be similarities. And there’s a character who’s as manipulative as Littlefinger – but much more evil… Spoiler alert: the following article contains major spoilers for both House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones.

The latest episode of House of the Dragon once again proved that the prequel series is just as good as Game of Thrones (GOT).

But it also proved that hundreds of years before the events of GOT and long before Lord Petyr Baelish AKA Littlefinger was manipulating the people of Westeros, there was someone even more manipulative – Lord Larys Strong.

If you’re a GOT fan, you’ll remember Littlefinger was constantly scheming and masterfully manipulating people; we mean, he’s the one who instigated the War of the Five Kings after all.

So when House of the Dragon first started, many thought Otto Hightower was going to be the Littlefinger counterpart, as his calculated instruction for his daughter, Alicent to comfort King Viserys right after his wife died led to Alicent becoming Queen, and subsequently, her child – his grandchild – becoming a strong contender for the Iron Throne.

But it’s now clear, thanks to Episode 6 – The Princess and the Queen, that while Otto is clearly Machiavellian, Larys is even more so. Queen Alicent confided in Larys that she wanted her father to be the Hand of the King. And so, Larys of his own accord used his guile to make it happen. How?

Larys promised desperate prisoners, who were to be hanged, their freedom – only if they were willing to make a sacrifice and then carry out a deed for him. That sacrifice? Getting their tongues cut out so they can’t implicate or expose Larys in the future.

The deed? Killing the current Hand of the King so the position would be open for Otto to fill. Of course, this is extremely twisted but what makes it truly – for lack of a better word – f*cked up, is that the current Hand of the King was Lord Lyonel Strong, Larys’ own father!

Larys then confesses what he did to Alicent and essentially says (or rather, lies) he thought she had requested it. While Alicent’s horrified, it’s clear that she’s now indebted to Larys because her father will most likely become the Hand of the King. Larys even says he knows that Alicent will “reward him”; if that’s not manipulative, we don’t know what is.

It’s also worth mentioning that not only did Larys gain favour with the Queen by killing his father, but he also now becomes Lord of Harrenhal – because he had his older brother, Ser Harwin Strong killed too.

We’d argue this entire scheme is definitely darker than anything Littlefinger ever did during GOT’s run. And considering Larys has done something so drastic, so early on in House of the Dragon, we’re excited but frightened to see what he’ll do next…

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The post ‘House of the Dragon’ Has A Character Even Worse Than GOT’s Littlefinger appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Ryan Reynolds just dropped multiple bombs – Deadpool will finally make his debut in the MCU in the third Deadpool film, which will be released in 2024 and will star Hugh Jackman as Wolverine!!!

All die-hard Marvel fans have been patiently waiting to see when Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds, would make his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ever since Disney acquired Fox back in 2019.

If you’re a casual fan and you’re not sure what we’re talking about, all MCU films and series are produced by Marvel Studios, which is owned by Disney. Whereas the Deadpool films and characters, as well as all the X-Men films and characters, are produced and owned by Fox – meaning before Disney purchased Fox, those characters, despite being based on Marvel comic characters, couldn’t appear in the MCU.

As aforementioned, all that changed in 2019. It’s why Patrick Stewart could appear as Professor X in the recent MCU film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

And it looks like fans are finally getting their wish regarding Deadpool appearing in the MCU. Reynolds just posted a very tongue-in-cheek video to his Twitter and Instagram where he announced that he’s been working on the third Deadpool film for “a good long while” and teased Deadpool’s debut in the MCU.

WATCH: Ryan Reynolds’ announcement video that’ll excite Marvel fans everywhere…

“I’ve had to really search my soul on this one. His first appearance in the MCU obviously needs to feel special.”

Ryan Reynolds

But then, after some classic Reynolds humour, he kicked things into overdrive; in the video, Hugh Jackman appears in the background and Reynolds asks, “Hey Hugh, you want to play Wolverine one more time?” To which Jackman replies, “Yeah, sure Ryan.”

This is not a drill; we repeat, this is not a drill! Jackman will play Wolverine again – despite the character dying in Fox’s 2017 film, Logan and despite Jackman telling reporters for years, he’s done with the character.

Not only this but if Deadpool 3 is officially a part of the MCU, as Reynolds playfully hinted at (and we spied the Marvel Studios logo in the video, so it’s pretty much confirmed), that means Jackman’s Wolverine will make his MCU debut alongside Reynold’s Deadpool. Cue excited screaming!

Reynold’s video also shared when Deadpool 3 will hit cinemas – on the 6th of September 2024. Mark your calendars Marvel fans; we have and we’ll literally be counting down the days to see Reynolds’ AND Jackman’s first appearance in the MCU as Deadpool and Wolverine respectively. It’s sure to be next-level iconic.

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The post Ryan Reynolds Confirms Hugh Jackman Will Return As Wolverine appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

A Lionel Messi fan has proved his commitment to the left-footed savant, by getting his signature tattooed onto his arm.

Your birth certificate. Your tax file number. A grudge. Not many things are for life, but tattoos usually are (unless you’re a fan of shelling out thousands of dollars to lazer them off). Because of this, many people “um” and “ah” about getting one.

One Lionel Messi fan, however, had no such qualms. The young man, who is a goal keeper for Inter Miami, got Lionel Messi’s signature on his arm while Messi was in Florida for a friendly game. The keeper, Francisco Ranieri, then took it to the tattoo shop to make it permanent. In a video posted by Pubity, Francisco can be seen meeting up with Messi again, showing him the tattoo and shaking his hand.

WATCH: Man Gets Lionel Messi’s Signature Tattooed Onto His Arm

The video, which you can watch above, shows the tattoo being done, with a cloth wiping away the foam at the end to reveal the iconic signature: Leo Messi. Francisco took to Instagram in the aftermath of the session calling it “the best day of my life” and saying “yesterday I realised a dream.”

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A post shared by Francisco Ranieri (@franranieri04)

Underneath the Pubity video, funny guy @tanksinatra wrote: “What if they break up?”. Another quipped: “Million dollar arm.”

“That’s a very messi tattoo.”

Instagram user @issa_rohaan

Many others expressed how impressed they were with remarks like: “That looks sick ngl” and “The price of that hand just went up.”

One thing’s for sure though: Francisco’s a true fan.

As for Messi, the 35-year-old football genius is counting down the days to Qatar, with Argentina to play their first game against Saudi Arabia on the 22nd of November.

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The post Man Gets Lionel Messi’s Signature Tattooed Onto His Arm appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Many celebrities love Audemars Piguet, but none more than Kevin Hart – which is why it’s no big surprise that the funnyman has been one of the first to get his hands on the brand’s latest masterpiece.

The diminuitive 43-year-old stand-up comedian – who’s quickly become one of Hollywood’s most bankable talents alongside regular co-star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson – has a truly enormous watch collection… But he has a particular passion for Audemars Piguet, and especially the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

He owns literally dozens of the in-demand luxury sports watch, in just about every complication and material you can think of: steel, gold, ceramic, tourbillons, chronographs, open-worked dials… Needless to say, he’s probably on very good terms with his AP dealer.

That’s probably why he’s already got the new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in blue ceramic (ref. 26579CS.OO.1225CS.01): an extremely eye-catching take on the RO that’s had watch fans in an absolute tizzy lately.

First spotted on the wrist of AP’s CEO, François-Henry Bennahmias, it features a case and bracelet fully crafted in blue ceramic – a first for the storied Swiss watchmaker. Vividly coloured ceramics like these are exceptionally difficult to create, so it serves as testament to AP’s material prowess.

RELATED: It’s About To Become Much Easier To Get An Audemars Piguet Watch

A perpetual calendar complication complements the blue hue perfectly, especially with the moonphase display at 6 o’clock: as AP themselves put it, it “bestows the timepiece with an air of starlit sky”. Très chic.

Officially this RO Blue Ceramic is “price upon request” but insiders suggest it retails for US$109,500: a lot of money, but considering Kevin Hart has a net worth of around $450 million, it’s but a drop in the ocean for him. Or should we say he’s not short on money? We’ll see ourselves out…

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The post Kevin Hart, Audemars Piguet’s Biggest Little Customer, Debuts Expensive New Watch appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Wearing noise-cancelling headphones could make your plane food taste up to 10% better. This is because low-pitched noises (like the drone of a plane’s engines) can make food taste bitterer by up to 10 per cent.

Plane food sucks. But what if there were a way to make that cardboard curry taste a little less bland? One English intellectual reckons wearing noise-cancelling headphones could make a difference.

Charles Spence, professor of experimental psychology at Oxford, reportedly says: “The lower cabin pressure, dry cabin air and loud engine noise all contribute to our inability to taste and smell food and drink.”

“Donning a pair of noise-cancelling headphones could actually be one of the simplest ways in which to make food and drink taste better at altitude.”

Charles Spence

Putting this to the (taste) test, chefs at a Heston Blumenthal restaurant, the Fat Duck Restaurant in Bray, worked with Spence in a series of experiments. They found listening to tinkling, high-pitched notes could increase your perception of sweetness by 10 per cent. They also found that low-pitched noises accentuate bitterness by up to 10%.

Read Next: ‘Airport Hot’: Why People Seem More Attractive On Flights

“In one such study,” The Boston Globe reports, “volunteers ranked the bittersweet candy cinder toffee as more bitter while listening to the low pitch of brass music, and sweeter when listening to the high pitch of a tinkling piano.”

“The effects… weren’t huge, but they were large enough to potentially make a difference to the tasting experience while up in the air,” Spence has said. He has also, according to The Boston Globe, called sound “the forgotten flavour sense.”

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While you’re levelling up your at-altitude dining chops, you may as well learn the following as well: overly spicy or flavoursome stuff, like Bloody Mary’s or Ginger Ales, weirdly taste better at 40,000ft.

This is because our sensitivity to sweet and salty foods plummets by some 30 percent in the air, compared to when we’re on the ground, according to a 2010 study commissioned by Lufthansa.

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The post Wearing Headphones Apparently Makes Plane Food Taste Better appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

As the dry season comes to a close, travellers are flocking to Australia’s coolest outback watering holes before the rains come to flush them all out (and make access impossible).

Australia is a headf**k for tourists, and not just because of the sharks, jellyfish, spiders, crocodiles and snakes. That’s right: not only are there roads that go for hundreds of kilometres (something which often catches tourists out), but there are many places you can only visit in winter (our dry season) and vice versa.

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A post shared by Troopy | Travel | AUSTRALIA (@saltylap)

Case in point: the latest rush against the clock, as this year’s batch of Troopy drivers and #vanlifers make their photo-gathering pilgrimages to the outback’s watering holes. Though there are some (notably the ones around Alice Springs, further south of the big ticket ones, like Ormiston Gorge) which you can visit all year round, there are many more you cannot.

Enter: Emma Gorge (Western Australia), Bitter Springs (120km south of Katherine, NT), Katherine Gorge (NT) and Jim Jim Falls (NT). Social media snaps of the last few months show many tourists enjoying a dip in these incredible oases during the optimal time of year to see them.

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A post shared by Travel Nature Addict (@travel_nature_addict)

With this dry season now starting to come to a close, this could be tourists’ last chance for many months to get the perfect Instagram shot or almost step on a crocodile.

One social media user wrote, as a caption to their Emma Gorge shot: “About 10 minutes after we took this photo **** nearly accidentally stepped on a croc no word of a lie!” Another said: “How cute is this guy? Lucky for us they were only freshies” (DMARGE encourages all tourists to do their own research on croc safety before visiting any watering hole).

Emma Gorge is accessed after a hike through the desert. You are then rewarded by an awesome swimming hole surrounded by tall walls of rock covered in greenery.

Emma Gorge is in El Questro National Park near Kununurra in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. It is partly fed by thermal springs. Next month it will close for the wet season. Other gorges/waterfalls that are either only able to be visited in winter (or much better to be visited in winter), include Katherine Gorge, Bitter Springs and Jim Jim Falls.

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A post shared by Juzzy & Lara (@the.sixty.co)

As @hike_australia puts it of Jim Jim Falls: “Only in the dry can you hike to the falls base through monsoon forest and over boulders to experience the enormity of the surrounding cliffs… In the wet season, during the Kakadu tropical summer thundering rains, the colossal Jim Jim Falls is Kakadu’s biggest waterfall at 200m high!! The only way to see Jim Jim during this time is by air.”

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A post shared by Robbie Hedrick (@yetherobs)

There you have it. The more you know…

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The post Travellers Racing To Australia’s Coolest Oases Before It’s Too Late appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The following article was produced in partnership with Politix.

Australian men are a stylish bunch – which is why the last two years have been so tough. While some of us have welcomed the ‘work from home’ revolution and the relaxing of dress codes, most of us have been eager to escape lockdowns, get back out into the world and start looking our best again.

Thankfully, there’s one menswear brand that’s got just what men need to get back out there in style: Politix. Founded in Melbourne in 1975, Politix has become an Australian menswear staple and has helped Aussie men make their mark, by getting to know the person behind the suit and elevating their personal style through skilful design and time-honoured craftsmanship.

For over 40 years now, Politix has helped men make their mark. By getting to know the person behind the suit – and elevating their personal style through skilful design and time-honoured craftsmanship.

But just as fashion’s changed a lot over the last two years, Politix has changed enormously, too. In 2022, Politix is showing up, building on its four decades of design experience and time-honoured craftsmanship to deliver what they’re calling “the ultimate fit”.

Politix’s latest Spring/Summer collection represents perhaps the most exciting new menswear collection in Australia right now. If you think you know Politix, think again: a complete collection spanning elevated casual, businesswear, formalwear and black tie, Politix Spring/Summer ‘22 is a total game changer.

First of all: Politix has placed a renewed emphasis on quality materials and versatility with their new Spring/Summer collection. This includes garments made using Australian and organic cotton, high-quality Australian wool and premium linens chosen for not only their aesthetic and textural qualities, but also for their robust nature.

They’re also cleverly designed. All of the collection’s suit jackets are designed so that they can be easily paired with more casual options such as t-shirts or chinos to elevate your look.

Politix’s black tie options have always been popular but the SS22’s black tie offerings are Politix’s best yet. Not only are they extremely well-cut, but many of the styles feature removable trims which allow you to wear one of the jackets with a more conventional outfit – again, versatility is the name of the game.

They’ve also got some exceptional colour and fabric options in their black tie range: eye-catching velvets, luxurious reds, crisp blacks and bold whites.

Politix was one of the pioneers of the skinny fit in Australian menswear but the new SS22 collection features a wider range of cuts to suit a wide range of Australian men: think ultra slim, slim and regular. The introduction of premium stretch cottons and comfy jacquards also reflect how comfort has become king over COVID – we want to feel as look as good as we are comfortable.

Another big change for the brand: Politix has always been known for their interesting floral prints but the SS22’s printed options chart a new direction for patterns in menswear. They’re less lairy; more considered. Oozing retro cool, they’re a great way to add some flair to a suiting look, or a classy component of a more casual look.

Politix’s new direction isn’t just about looking good, either. Politix has always been an avid supporter of worthy causes in Australia, such as partnering with Movember to support men’s health and supporting the Australian Red Cross’ bushfire relief efforts. That’s why the new collection also shines a light on positive role models and the way men show up for ourselves, what we believe in, our families, mates and communities – hence their new motto, ‘Show Up in Politix’.

All in all, Politix’s Spring/Summer ‘22 menswear collection – and their new brand direction as a whole – is just what Australian men need. Considered, elevated and versatile, Politix isn’t what it used to be: it’s much, much better. And there’s no better place to go if you too want a wardrobe that’s much, much better than what you’re currently rocking…

Check out Politix’s new look and shop their Spring/Summer collection in the video below or by clicking here.

The post Iconic Australian Brand Politix Has Totally Revamped Its Menswear Game appeared first on DMARGE Australia.