Australians who are paid more than AU$150,000 per year have come forward to reveal what they believe is ‘the secret’ to earning high incomes.

In today’s capitalist-driven society, on occasion, it’s nice to ponder being rich. Of course, many are simply born into wealthy families and (unfairly) never have to lift a finger to afford the finer things in life.

However, some are self-made and earn themselves high incomes, which leads many low to mid-income earners to wonder whether there’s some secret key to success… that we can all learn and then become rich too. Lucky for us, high-income earners are revealing all.

A recent Reddit thread asked for people who earn more than AU$150,000 per year to share what skills and qualities they attribute their financial success to.

“Luck” and “privilege” were the most popular responses. In fact, user bitsperhertz believes hard work and networking actually have nothing to do with getting a job that pays big bucks.

“Stable household, loving parents, good teachers, healthy friendships and relationships. A clear headspace buys more creativity and innovation than any sort of expensive education. Combine that with low-cost (HECS) access to tertiary education and it becomes a very easy path to a high income.

Under these circumstances it has very little to do with individual hard work or networking, you are after all nothing more than a product of your environment.”

Reddit user bitsperhertz

Many echoed this sentiment and responded with their own experiences in terms of luck and privilege and high incomes. One Reddit user directly replied, “I had every one of the privileges you list, and I couldn’t agree more. This is pure luck and structural advantage. It’s entirely why I am where I am today, and we should all openly acknowledge it,” while another wrote:

“I like to think where I’ve ended up is luck but really a big part of that luck is privilege. My parents both hold degrees and I went to private school with the expectation of going to uni and getting a good job. I’m surrounded by friends and family who all work stable careers and generally have stable relationships.”

Reddit user JellyfishOk6515

Similarly, user FrustratedLogician answered the Reddit thread with, “I think working hard is very important but you can still easily fail because more lucky people will beat you by just putting modest effort. I have seen this occur so many times at university and professionally that I tend to respond to people as I did here: I am [a] relatively lucky person and no, I do not work very hard to be where I am.”

However, some high-income earners believed their wealth came about simply because they chose the right industry to work in. For example, Reddit user stmartinst wrote, “Picking a career that had a reasonable potential to have a high income. I’m not necessarily smarter or harder working than many of the people I went to school with, but if you’re e.g. a primary school teacher then there’s only so far most people can go salary-wise.”

There were a few users on a salary of AU$150K or higher who gave less common reasons as to why they earn so much. One of which was confidence.

“Confidence from high self-esteem. No skill, knowledge, experience or head-start can match the momentum you will get from confidence.”

Reddit user FutureSynth

Another less commonly known secret to a high income was patience.

“Be patient in your role; play the long game.”

Reddit user covertc

Of course, some responses to the thread were jokes. We here at DMARGE particularly enjoyed Reddit user Early_Instruction782 quoting Mr Burns from The Simpsons – “Family. Religion. Friendship. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business.” Hilarious.

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Harry Garside has never been one to shy away from a challenge, whether it’s training-related or challenging gender stereotypes. But, his latest training challenge is one that really isn’t for the faint-hearted.

Taking to his Instagram Stories, Harry Garside told his followers he was about to start a “24 hours breathing through my nose challenge.” This required him to place tape over his mouth to force it shut, so that he only took breaths through his nose.

WATCH: Harry Garside’s 24-Hour Tape Challenge

Not only this, but in taping up his mouth, Harry also said “in that time I’ll also not be talking, I’m going to fast as well. The only thing I will be doing is drinking as I usually drink four to five litres of water a day, so I’ll just be drinking through a straw.”

You might be thinking, “Harry, this sounds like an absolutely crazy thing to do!” and we’d agree. But for the Australian boxer, it’s not the first time he’s attempted such a feat. He also told his followers he has previously gone without talking for “50 hours,” adding, “that was a hard thing for me to do because, for me, it felt like I wasn’t able to express myself, I felt really uptight.”

Harry didn’t fully reveal his reasoning for taking up the challenge, but in some follow-up Story posts, he recorded himself running and breathing heavily through his nose. In another video, posted after just 20-minutes of running, Harry’s intense breaths and moans indicate it’s even harder than it looks to be forced to breathe through just your nose when exercising.

Harry also shared his pace analysis from his 4km run, which included his heart rate over each kilometre. It increased from 138bpm in the first kilometre to 178bpm. According to Livestrong (which cites the American Heart Association), while the “average heart rate when running will vary from person to person, it usually fluctuates between 80 and 170bpm.”

This falls in line with Harry’s 178 maximum, but for the first kilometre to immediately spike to 138bpm suggests that breathing through just your nose can affect your body and your heart’s ability to pump oxygen when it’s needed. It’s with this in mind that we’d strongly recommend speaking with a health professional before trying this challenge yourself.

But, Harry wasn’t done there. In an attempt to push his body even further, he then stepped inside a cryo chamber with a temperature of -110 degrees, still with tape over his mouth. Adding in the caption it was “f**king hard,” Harry also appeared to really struggle with not talking to express how uncomfortable being inside the cryo chamber would have been.

In a final video, after taking the tape off his mouth, Harry gave a debrief of his experience.

He said, “The first hour was really difficult just getting used to it. I really felt I was going to suffocate a little bit. It felt a little bit like hyperventilating, I had to lie down and I found myself feeling really tired. I slept really well, and did wake up with a dry mouth so I think I might have breathed through my mouth a little bit.”

“The cold shower in the morning was hard and the -110 was hard, going for a run was difficult. The most difficult thing was not talking. I found it really hard to express myself and I felt some congestion in my neck. So when I was able to take [the tape] off just being able to talk felt so much better.”

Benefits of putting tape over your mouth when exercising

We’ve previously discussed putting tape over your mouth but in relation to sleep. Using Commando Steve as our source, we found that nasal breathing has numerous benefits, including giving our body an increased supply of nitric oxide.

However, this benefit occurs more greatly when you breathe slowly through your nose, as “breathing heavy causes blood vessels to constrict.”

With regards to exercising, The Washington Post cites a 2018 study that looked into the effects of nasal breathing on male and female runners. The claims relating to nitric oxide intake our brought into conversation again, too.

“Nasal breathing allows for more oxygen to get to active tissues. This is because breathing through your nose releases nitric oxide, which is necessary to increase carbon dioxide in the blood, which, in turn, is what releases oxygen.”

Nasal breathing vs mouth breathing

“Mouth breathing does not effectively release nitric oxide, which means the cells are not getting as much oxygen as through nasal breathing, which could lead to fatigue and stress,” The Washington Post relates.

The study quoted looked at the effects of oxygen intake in male and female runners after running breathing just through their nose and just through their mouth.

“Their maximum rate of oxygen consumption did not change from nasal to mouth breathing. But the study found that the runners’ respiratory rate, breaths per minute, and ratio of oxygen intake to carbon dioxide output decreased during nasal breathing.”

“The researchers said this is probably because of the lower breath rate used during nasal breathing, which allows more time for oxygen to get into the bloodstream.”

When you’re out running, you will likely take short, fast breaths through your mouth. It’s incredibly common and while you may think it helps, it doesn’t provide much benefit.

The Washington Post says doing this, “causes the body to offload more CO2, making it harder to oxygenate our cells. In intense moments, nasal breathing is the ideal way to oxygenate our systems.”

It is possible to try nasal breathing for yourself, although as we mentioned earlier, it’s always good to consult with a health professional first, especially if you’re going to implement it for longer runs. But, next time you are running and you notice your breath getting shorter, try and force yourself to use just your nose and see what effect it has.

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TAG Heuer’s new Connected Calibre E4 is already one hell of a smartwatch – but its latest, Porsche-inspired rendition makes it the perfect timepiece for performance car lovers.

TAG Heuer has always been intimately connected with motorsports. Indeed, many of the 162-year-old watchmaker’s most ground-breaking innovations arose to answer the needs of drivers, such as the world’s first dashboard chronograph in 1911 or the first rotating tachymeter bezel in 1967.

The new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Porsche Edition (ref. SBR8A82.EB0264) follows in this tradition, by adding an innovative suite of car-related features to a smartwatch that’s already jam-packed with enormous functionality.

Not only does the Porsche Edition feature a slick frozen blue colour scheme and circuit-board-like dial design – inspired by Porsche’s high-tech Taycan electric car – but if you own a Porsche, you can connect your watch to your car and see information about your whip displayed as ‘complications’ on the watch face.

You can see how range your car has left (whether that’s fuel in the tank, charge in the battery or both if you drive a hybrid), display your car’s mileage or can connect to the My Porsche app to quickly control vehicle heating and air conditioning – all from your watch.

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This is all on top of the Connected Calibre E4’s pre-existing range of apps and features, such as its guided workout capability; sports apps including running cycling, swimming and golf; an accelerometer, heart rate monitor, compass, GPS and altimeter, as well as the ability to show off your NFT collection or take phone calls.

Whether you own a Porsche or not, the Connected Porsche Edition is an exceptionally stylish and capable smartwatch that’s bound to get your heart racing. Check it out at TAG Heuer’s online boutique here.

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No, Hollywood hasn’t run out of ideas (even though most movies these days seem to be remakes or reboots). Instead, I believe that Hollywood isn’t willing to greenlight original ideas out of fear of box office failure…

Left, right and centre, Hollywood is releasing and producing multiple remakes and reboots. For example, only days ago, it was announced that a Road House remake is in the works. Not to mention that Disney is set to pump out numerous live-action remakes of some of their classic films in the next few years – Lilo & Stitch, Pinnochio, Hercules, The Little Mermaid and Snow White, just to name a few.

Of course, many are rather dismayed and frankly, tired of seeing remakes – myself included. I cannot appropriately express how strongly I do not want a live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch.

And the high amount of remakes hitting cinemas and streaming platforms have made us all wonder whether Hollywood has run out of original ideas. It’s a notion I’ve thought about a lot, but I actually disagree.

Instead, I think Hollywood just isn’t willing to bet big on original ideas because clearly, remakes and reboots work and have worked for quite some time. Just look at the 2018 film, A Star Is Born – it was the second remake of the 1937 film of the same name and yet, it grossed over US$215 million at the box office and was nominated for eight Academy Awards.

Similarly, the successful and critically acclaimed 2001 film, Ocean’s Eleven was actually a remake of the 1960 film of the same name. And it’s success led to an entire Ocean’s franchise that’s still producing films; the latest Ocean’s film is set to be released in 2024 and will most likely take in a ton at the box office.

Whereas new original ideas can be seen as a gamble. In the last ten years, there’s only been a handful of films that were original and managed to do well in terms of ticket sales – and half of them were kid’s films.

Gravity, Interstellar, Ted, San Andreas, Django Unchained, La La Land, Zootopia, The Secret Life of Pets, Inside Out, Moana, Brave and Wreck-It Ralph are the only films from the last ten years that had a somewhat fresh and innovative story and managed to make a killing. Whereas multiple original films (like How Do You Know, Jupiter Ascending, R.I.P.D. and John Carter) flopped.

Hopefully, Hollywood can find a way to invest in more original ideas – perhaps they should just ensure that the script really is top-notch before throwing money at it. And as for remakes, I don’t hate them; I’m just sick of them and think Hollywood should do less of them.

It should be ensured that a remake is one hundred per cent worth doing because of a brilliant idea as opposed to the current strategy Hollywood seems to be using – greenlighting every remake pitched simply because nostalgia will likely bring in huge numbers at the box office.

Although, the cynic in me is crying out that the industry doesn’t really care about film quality, only big pay cheques; which is why remakes probably won’t slow down anytime soon. Sigh.

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A vegan passenger has taken to TikTok to share the dismal meal service she received on a recent 10-hour Air Canada flight. She claims meal one was a bottle of water, and meal two was a napkin. Her story inspired others to share their stories of the grim meals they have received after selecting a vegan menu option on a flight.

TikTok user The Kind Traveler has taken to social media to share her grim in-flight meal experience on an Air Canda flight. She said her first meal was non existent (a bottle of water) and her second meal was a napkin. She then added that one kind member of the cabin crew got her some fruit and dinner rolls from business class, after seeing her situation.

“Shout out to the kind flight attendant that got me fruit & dinner rolls from business class,” The Kind Traveler wrote on TikTok. “Before you say bring your own food, I always do – but this was already a 24 hour delay/cancelation, I had no access to prepare anything.”

The Kind Traveler isn’t the only person to have shared their grim vegan meal experience on Air Canada on TikTok, with social media user Fenix Fernandz showing off a rather meagre breakfast he was once served in a separate video.

WATCH: The Kind Traveler and Fenix Fernandz share their grim vegan meal experiences on Air Canada

The Kind Traveler’s video inspired other TikTok users to share some of the grim in-flight meal experiences they’ve had too. TikTok user Nicky wrote: “Vegetarian meal with AC once was shredded carrot on white bread.” Another couple of sympathetic comments were: “Flew AC business, ordered the vegetarian meal, they gave it to another passenger” and “airlines would rather give terrible service than lose money it seems.”

Another social media user wrote: “Why should you have to bring your own food? They should be capable of vegan kosher halal etc. [I] have been on Air Canada and the food was skimpy.” Yet another chimed in and said travelling with allergies was similarly challenging.

Not everyone was on the empathy train, though, with one TikTok user writing: “Maybe don’t be so high maintenance.” Beyond that, most of the commentary was positive, with others suggesting alternative airlines to fly which provide good vegan options.

“I flew twice with Lufthansa!!” one wrote. “Their vegan and vegetarian meals are so so so good!!!”

Maybe it’s time for plant-based passengers to switch airlines? They’ll just need to look out for Lufthansa’s milk (and I have to admit, delicious) chocolate…

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One of the best parts about buying a new high-profile purchase – like a phone or a computer – is unwrapping them and peeling off all the protective coatings they come with. But why aren’t we allowed to do the same with new cars?

While it might seem obvious, something that a lot of consumers don’t realise is that new cars are typically shipped to dealers with a whole bunch of protective coatings, such as foam strips along bumpers and door panels, plastic wheel covers, UV-resistant wraps across bonnets and of course, thin transparent plastic on interior fixtures – just like a phone screen protector.

In this modern, always-online age, some car dealers even share videos of themselves ‘unwrapping’ these brand new cars upon delivery. Unboxing therapy is a huge thing, so watching these videos are exceptionally satisfying.

The real question is this: why don’t car dealers let customers do this to their own vehicles?

WATCH a Porsche dealer in New Jersey unwrapping a brand new Porsche 911.

We can’t imagine anything more satisfying than unwrapping your own car. If cars are just ‘big boy’s toys’, then surely we should be afforded the same privilege we get with our other toys and get to unwrap our new car?

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Jalopnik suggests that it should be a dealer option you can tick off, but we don’t think you should have to pay for this privilege. Indeed, you’re actually saving the dealer time and money by unwrapping your own car. It’s a win-win.

Oh, and while we’re at it: can they sell us a bottled form of ‘new car smell’? Those little tree-shaped air fresheners don’t really hit the same…

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Men’s button-down shirts are universally loved in the fashion industry due to their versatile and flattering design. Whether you’re trying to make a good first impression at work or you’re headed to a bougie brunch, a button-down is the perfect item of clothing to accompany your attire.

Button-down shirts date all the way back to the 19th century when American John E. Brooks saw a polo match while visiting England. Here, he noticed the athletes fashioning these point-collared fastened-down shirts – a simple design that helped to enhance polo player performance.

Taking this inspiration to his grandfather’s company back home, in 1896, The Brooks Brothers introduced it into their menswear collection, with the very first ‘Polo’ shirt.

If you’re looking to elevate your wardrobe and invest in quality shirts, we’ve uncovered which brands produce the best men’s button-down shirts. Whether you’re looking for a vintage vacation shirt or a more refined, classic button-down, we have a variety of different styles suited for every type of look.

The post 24 Best Men’s Button-Down Shirts For Every Occasion appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Three-time Oscar-nominee Tom Cruise apparently didn’t always want to be an actor. He allegedly wanted to be a Catholic priest.

Tom Cruise is one of – if not the – biggest stars on the planet. The 60-year-old actor’s latest movie Top Gun: Maverick is making a killing at the box office and with three new films on the way, Cruise is showing no signs of retiring anytime soon.

Most will know that Cruise, when he’s not acting or performing his own stunts, is a devout Scientologist. However, before Cruise joined the Church of Scientology and even before Cruise became an actor, he was a big believer in the Catholic church and allegedly wanted to be a Catholic priest.

At least this is according to Shane Dempler, who told the New York Daily News that he was Cruise’s best friend when they both attended St. Francis Seminary School from 1976 to 1977. Back then, Cruise’s name was Tommy Mapother (Cruise changed his name for showbiz) and Dempler claims Cruise had a sincere ambition to become a Catholic priest.

“[Tom] had a very strong Catholic faith. We went to Mass, spent time in the chapel and enjoyed hearing stories from the priests. We thought the priests had a great lifestyle and we were really interested in priesthood.”

Shane Dempler

However, Cruise was allegedly asked not to return to the seminary after stealing and drinking alcohol with Dempler – dashing any hopes Cruise had of joining the Catholic priesthood.

“The school wrote a letter to our parents saying they liked us both but would prefer if we didn’t return. So we weren’t kicked out, just preferred not to go…”

Shane Dempler

Perhaps if Cruise and Dempler weren’t caught, Cruise wouldn’t be the star he is today and would’ve become a priest instead. Although, it’s hard to imagine going to a church and confessing sins to a priest with a smile as dashing and ‘Hollywood’ as Cruise’s.

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An Australian tourist has been arrested after riding a moped through the gates of a UNESCO world heritage site in Italy (tourists are not allowed into Pompeii’s ancient city on any kind of vehicle). Security arrested the man before he did any damage to the 2000-year-old site. The man has said it was an accident, and apologised.

An Australian tourist has given the phrase “barbarians at the gate” a whole new meaning, obliviously driving a moped through the Campanian site of Pompeii on Wednesday. The man, who is Australian, and 33 years old, illegally entered the site via the service entrance, Porta Vesuvio, trailing behind cars which were permitted to enter.

He was quickly stopped by security, who held him (for a few minutes) until the police arrived. As for how far he got into the world-famous ancient city, which was frozen in time in 79AD by a volcanic eruption, CNN reports: “it is believed he had travelled for around a mile before he was caught” while news.com.au reports “no parts of the ancient city were accessed or damaged by the tourist.”

The tourist allegedly apologised and pleaded ignorance. The archaeological park said in a statement that the man had not accessed any parts of the ancient city, explaining: “The route taken is a dirt road outside the ancient city walls, used by site vehicles for excavation works.”

“It is safe, restored, and not accessible to the public. So there was no danger for either visitors or for the archaeological heritage at any point.”

Aussies abroad https://t.co/QrrxFyPctT

— Turdine Cupcake (@erfbeeass) August 11, 2022

According to Euro News, “Italian media reacted with outrage to the incident, calling the Australian a ‘barbarian’ even though he didn’t travel on any original roads and no artefacts were damaged.”

This isn’t the first two-wheel related incident to grace the pages of the Italian press this year. Two American tourists copped a €400 fine apiece after reportedly causing €25,000 of damage while walking – and then throwing – their e-scooters down the Spanish Steps in Rome in June.

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It also comes after an American man fell into Mount Vesuvius recently while trying to retrieve his camera, which he had dropped while trying to take a selfie. Ah, the joys of travel.

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