A TikToker has revealed a sign someone in your life "secretly hates you", and it is quite random. Posting on the platform, Jaci Marie Smith said asking people if you should cut your long hair short is a sure way to find out if they have your best interests at heart. “If they’re like ‘yes…chop it, it would look so good on you,’ they hate you,” she claimed. “They’re praying on your downfall.” She added that if you want to test the theory further, you should ask your friend whether or not you should get bangs. “If they say yes, you need to cut them out of your life.” @jacimariesmith I’m telling u Her video attracted mixed opinions. Some agreed with her. "ACCURATE," one said. "This is so true," said another. But others thought she was overthinking it. "This is so not true!" one said. "Some people look so good with short hair and bangs!" Another said: "But I genuinely love short hair." Luckily for those with short hair and bangs, the TikToker clarified in the comments that she was just joking. Thank goodness for that... Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

TikTok has come a long way since being used as a dance app to get us all through the pandemic. Now, it's the go-to outlet for many people, for all things inspiration, information and a string of lifestyle and wellness trends. One of the latest cropping up across FYPs is 'Monk Mode', similar to a dopamine detox in which you cut out various 'distractions' in the name of productivity. A resurfaced clip from Iman Gadzhi explains that it consists of having no alcohol, caffeine, sugar and gluten. "When I'm in Monk Mode, it's just like people even know," he told his 420,000 viewers. "My friends know, and they're like 'Okay, I'm not seeing him for this period of time." He went on to say, aside from his girlfriend and his mother, he will not see friends for around two months when he's following that "attitude". @realimangadzhi Have you tried monk mode yet? In a separate upload, another TikToker said "if you want to be successful, you need to do Monk Mode". Kenton Martin, 24, claims he makes over $50K a month and swears by the lifestyle change which he has done "at least three times in his life". He reiterated that it's essentially taking a break from all distractions for around two to three months, and work towards "one goal in your life." This can be anything from fitness to improving finances. "I hang out with a lot of successful dudes, and they have all done this at least twice in their lives," he continued. @kentonmartin_ monk mode 101 "Monk mode only work[s] when you have a vision," one fellow TikToker wrote in the comments, while others added that taking a social media break can also help the trend come along. "Produce [content]," one wrote, adding: "Don't consume." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

As a kid, watching the Harry Potter scenes in the Great Hall with mountains of food and the odd ghost flying around, it was pretty much everyone’s dream to star in the films. Now, one woman has opened up about her experience as a teenage extra and revealed what it was like to be the butt of a cruel Ron Weasley joke. Samantha Clinch played the minor character Eloise Midgen in the films after being selected for the role one day on the set. To play Midgen, she was required to wear prosthetic acne for the two years she played her. In the 2005 film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the character of Midgen faces some cruel mocking from Weasley, played by the actor Rupert Grint, as he jokes: “There’s something about to burst out of Eloise Midgen but I don’t think it’s a swan…” One TikToker asked Clinch specifically about that moment, saying that the harsh joke would have made them “cry for months”. Clinch replied: “How did I feel? I felt incredible!” @samanthaclinch Replying to @Sultan Jalebithe good the bad and how to stay kind.#eloisemidgen #gobletoffire #ronweasley #skinjourney #acne #prosthetics #prostheticmakeup #harrypotter #harrypottertiktok #harrypottertok #fyp #bullyingawareness She continued: “I was an extra one minute and then I was thrust into a trailer the next. It really was nothing quite like it, being chosen to play an incredibly iconic character and then getting to meet every single one of the main cast. “It was unreal, I had my own make-up artist who followed me around with the Carmex [lip balm]. And I had a part to play. Let’s not forget, this is a character.” Clinch explained that it fulfilled a lifelong dream of hers to be a professional actress. She continued: “I was being a professional actress. I had a line, I had a dancing scene ... I fulfilled my life goal of being a professional actress, and it happened to be in one of the biggest films in the world.” However, not everything was all rosy as Clinch continued, explaining that the other kids on set could be really mean to her because of the prosthetic acne she wore. “Kids were so mean. I remember walking from my classroom trailer … people would whisper about me. People would actively move out of the way of me as I would walk past. Kids would be laughing,” she said. It comes just days after the death of the actor Michael Gambon who famously starred as Professor Dumbledore in the film series. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A plus-sized TikToker has called on hotels to become more accessible - but not everyone agrees with her. Posting on the platform, the woman named Jaelynn said she was "on a mission to revolutionise the travel industry and make it a more accessible, accepting, and accommodating place for all" and listed 10 ways in which the hotel industry could be improved. She said: "The needs of plus-size travellers matter just as much as anybody else’s." "We deserve an environment that respects our needs and body diversity,” she added. @jaebaeofficial ? Embracing Inclusivity in Hospitality ? Creating a space where every guest feels valued and comfortable is essential. Size-inclusive hotel amenities are more than just accommodations – they're a statement of respect for diverse needs and body types. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ From spacious chairs to thoughtful bathroom facilities, every detail matters. Elevators, pool areas, and dining spaces should be designed to ensure ease of movement and relaxation. Let's make travel truly accessible and welcoming for travelers of all sizes and abilities. ?⁣⁣ •⁣⁣ •⁣⁣ •⁣⁣ #InclusiveHospitality #TravelWithComfort #RespectAndDiversity #PlusSizeTravel #PlusSizeFriendly #InclusiveTravel #AccessibleTravel #SizeFriendly #TravelInclusivity #Fyp Jaelynn's requests were as follows: “Provide sturdy and wider chairs without armrests” “Ensure beds with strong support and a high weight capacity” “Make elevators and hallways spacious” “Install grab-bars in showers and near toilets” and add other shower help. “Train staff to be respectful, understanding, and accommodating to travelers of all sizes” “Provide pool lifts and handrails at the entry of the pool” “Hotel restaurants should have roomy seating options” “Offer larger beach and pool seating” “Hotels should include side-inclusive bathrobes" “Display clear and accurate information on these amenities on hotel websites” But responding to the video, some people thought her preferences were not feasible. "I agree with some but others are just not possible," one said. "The amount of money it will take to make all of these changes is unreal." Another said: "I agree this is ideal, but some of these are out of the hotel control. Lift size for example." And a third said: "You have no idea how construction works. This is not physically or monetarily possible." What do you think? Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A group of bull sharks found living in an artificial golf pond sparked concern when they mysteriously vanished. Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are often found in rivers all around the world, but this incident makes "the longest uninterrupted duration in a low salinity environment that ever has been recorded in this species". Now, a new paper has investigated the case to understand the tolerance of bull sharks in low-salinity habitats. In 1996, six sharks were discovered in a golf course near Brisbane. They were landlocked for a further 17 years, before vanishing in 2013. The sharks became trapped due to major flooding of two adjacent Logan and Albert rivers. When the floods calmed, the sharks remained in the lake. The young sharks reportedly grew to 9.8 feet (3 meters) long as years went by and reportedly survived on flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus), Indo-Pacific tarpon (Megalops cyprinoides), mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus) and yellowfin bream (Acanthopagrus australis). "If sharks can get the food they need, being in these low-salinity environments can be super beneficial because there are fewer predators," Michael Heithaus, a shark biologist at Florida International University told Live Science. "Pups in some nurseries may go years in virtually fresh water, so it isn't too surprising they survived, as long as there was plenty of food." Some of the sharks were last spotted in 2015, while others were able to escape into the riverways during a flood in 2013. Study authors predicted some of the sharks had sadly died after one carcass was retrieved by golf course staff. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A few months ago, the idea of musician Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce dating wouldn’t have crossed many people’s minds. But now, one couple is going viral after it emerged they dressed up as the pair for Halloween a whole three years ago and way before the rumoured celebrity pair were a thing. In 2020, Makayla and Nick Stephens dressed up as the celebrity couple, years before Swift and Kelce got together, and now their holiday photo has gone viral. Swift and Kelce were first thought to be romantically linked last month. Since then, rumours have been fuelled by Swift’s attendance at Kansas City Chiefs games, whom Kelce plays for. Makayla shared the photo of herself and husband Nick dressed as the celeb couple on Instagram on 31 October 2020. In the caption, she wrote: “I don’t know any world in which Taylor Swift + Travis Kelce would be in the same room together, but apparently in this one they’re married?” The post has been liked more than 13,000 times as people can hardly believe the bizarre prophecy that seems to have occurred. One person commented: “Girl go buy a lottery ticket.” “I absolutely adore this is so perfect like the odds are crazy this is Simpson level predictions,” another suggested. Another wrote: “Wow y’all are fortune tellers!” Someone else joked: “Hey maybe this Halloween you should dress up as me and Trevor Zegras.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A few months ago, the idea of musician Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce dating wouldn’t have crossed many people’s minds. But now, one couple is going viral after it emerged they dressed up as the pair for Halloween a whole three years ago and way before the rumoured celebrity pair were a thing. In 2020, Makayla and Nick Stephens dressed up as the celebrity couple, years before Swift and Kelce got together, and now their holiday photo has gone viral. Swift and Kelce were first thought to be romantically linked last month. Since then, rumours have been fuelled by Swift’s attendance at Kansas City Chiefs games, whom Kelce plays for. Makayla shared the photo of herself and husband Nick dressed as the celeb couple on Instagram on 31 October 2020. In the caption, she wrote: “I don’t know any world in which Taylor Swift + Travis Kelce would be in the same room together, but apparently in this one they’re married?” The post has been liked more than 13,000 times as people can hardly believe the bizarre prophecy that seems to have occurred. One person commented: “Girl go buy a lottery ticket.” “I absolutely adore this is so perfect like the odds are crazy this is Simpson level predictions,” another suggested. Another wrote: “Wow y’all are fortune tellers!” Someone else joked: “Hey maybe this Halloween you should dress up as me and Trevor Zegras.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A devastated cat owner sought the help of internet users after their Lyft driver drove off with their pet cat still in the car and it went missing for days. The incident occurred on Saturday (30 September) in Austin, Texas, when Palash Pandey was taking his cat Tux to the vet. When the car arrived at the destination, Pandey got out but the vehicle drove off before he could retrieve his cat carrier with Tux inside. Pandey said he began chasing the vehicle and even banged on the windows but it was no use. Attempts to call the driver also failed as his calls were initially ignored. When the driver eventually picked up, Pandey claims he said he had no idea of the cat’s whereabouts. With no luck, Pandey turned to X/Twitter to ask Lyft, and other platform users, for help, explaining what had happened in a series of posts that quickly went viral. His initial tweet has been viewed almost 6.5 million times. In it, Pandey explained: “@AskLyft My Lyft driver drove off with my pet cat still in the car. “I was taking my cat to a vet appointment, I was sitting behind the driver and had the cat carrier on the floor of the passenger side back seat.” He continued: “I got off from the driver's side door and started walking to the passenger side door to pick her up. Before I could open the door, the driver started driving. I banged on the back and passenger windows and screamed running behind him but he drove off.” Pandey shared screenshots of his urgent attempts to contact the driver but his calls and messages appear to have been ignored. By the following day, there was still no update on Tux’s location and Pandey continued to tweet Lyft for some assistance in finding his beloved pet. He also shared a missing poster with a picture of Tux on it for Austin-based folks to keep an eye out for. Thankfully, Pandey was able to provide the update everyone was hoping for and confirmed Tux was found on 2 October near the building of a real estate agency outside of her carrier, which has not been found. He wrote: “She looks very tired, is covered in fleas and dehydrated. She started eating wet food again which is a good sign but I’ll monitor her and take her to the vet as soon as she calms down and stabilizes a bit. I would update again once I hear from the vet.” Responding to a tweet he was tagged in, the CEO of Lyft, David Risher, explained that he was aware the response from his company was poor to begin with. Risher said: “The initial response was awful. Since then, we've done a lot behind the scenes, but I know we haven’t communicated enough. We’re very focused on this and will keep the community up to date.” Following the update, he wrote: “Very good news. Thanks to all who pitched in.” It comes after one cat owner was left livid after a neighbour neutered their pet without their permission. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

One woman was left shocked after discovering the Hinge date she asked to leave her house left a hidden message under her toilet seat in lipstick for other guys to read in the future. Dating apps can be a complete minefield and it can be difficult to gauge what a date will actually be like in person before meeting them. TikToker Luna Ray soon discovered her date had “bad vibes” but was left completely shocked by what happened next. In a viral video, she shared that she asked the guy to leave her house within 15 minutes of meeting him and later discovered that he had left a message on the underside of the toilet lid. Text overlaying the clip read: “Kicked out a Hinge date within 15 minutes of meeting him because bad vibes and he asked to use the bathroom before leaving and used my lipstick to write all over the seat.” @lunarayy_ he also wrote “she is effing her ex” because i tried to spare his feelings by telling him i wasn’t over my ex boyfriend :) In the video, Luna Ray could be seen cleaning off the underside of the toilet with a wipe, where the word “run” in red lipstick could still be seen. Luna Ray added in the caption: “He also wrote ‘she is effing her ex’ because I tried to spare his feelings by telling him I wasn’t over my ex-boyfriend.” The clip has been viewed over 8 million times and viewers have been left divided in the comments. One person said: “Idk I wanna hear his side.” Another wrote: “You dodged a bullet for real.” “In your lipstick!! He needs a bill in the mail because makeup ain’t cheap smh,” another said. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A woman has sparked major debate online after banning her sister from bringing her boyfriend of eight years to her wedding. Wedding days can be a minefield for navigating family politics and relationships, but one woman took things to another level after causing outrage among her nearest and dearest. In a since-deleted post on Reddit’s Am I The A**hole (AITA) sub, the invited sister in question asked other Redditors to comment on whether she was in the wrong for threatening to not attend her sister’s wedding or be her maid of honour if her boyfriend was not allowed to go. She explained that the sister who is getting married once dated the man she is now dating for just two months and that their relationship was never serious. She wrote: “I didn’t even know they dated until I introduced Danny to my family and they were looking at each other weirdly the whole night and after he told me he and my sister dated two months a few years back and it was nothing serious “I talked to my sister about it and she said she doesn’t care as long as I’m happy and it was just a shock. My sister has invited +1’s to sit at the table with the people in the wedding and I was specifically told that Danny was not to be there in my invitation.” The sister claimed she asked the bride-to-be why he wasn’t invited, to which her sister responded she didn’t want her “ex” at her wedding. But, the sister explained she would have no one at the table to talk to. She then gave her an ultimatum with three options, the first being that she invited her boyfriend. The second option was that she find a new maid of honour and move her sister to the table with their parents. Thirdly, she would not attend the wedding at all. The woman explained her sister’s response to the ultimatum, writing: “She said I was being unreasonable and that it’s so close to the wedding she can’t rearrange everything. I just said it wasn’t my problem and that Danny is my family also and how would she like it if I were getting married and told her she couldn’t bring her fiancé.” In the comments, other Reddit users sided with the sister and the “ex”. One person wrote: “I don’t understand. If you’ve been with him for 8 YEARS how is this an issue now all of sudden? Bride needs to get over herself. NTA (no the a**hole) and your choices are fair and reasonable.” Another agreed, writing: “She should have let you know that he was not going to be invited when she asked you to be her MOH. After 8.5 years now he is a problem.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

As the world's most popular YouTuber, MrBeast is known for his elaborate videos but there's one stunt he fears may leave him "broke". The 25-year-old, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has over 188 million subscribers on the video platform. Over recent years he's pulled off some expensive events for content such as recreating Squid Game and having his very own Olympics. Recently, MrBeast was number one on the Forbes Top Creators 2023, after he amassed earnings of $82m - however, a recent stunt could prove costly. Donaldson has pledged to give a man $10,000 for every day if he can cope with living in a shop, and as it goes, the guy is hanging in there. He also noted that the shop isn't operating as a store currently and that he "blacked out the windows and locked it". “I messed up.. I bought a random grocery store and told a random person I’d give him $10,000 every day he lives in it and it’s been weeks and he shows no signs of ever leaving. I’m gonna go broke," the YouTube tweeted. This caused fans to question how long every day the guy has lasted so far, to which Donaldson replied: "It’s been over a month so far.” It means the man has bagged himself over $300,000 with this number increasing the longer he continues to remain inside the shop. Another person highlighted to Donaldson a video where fellow YouTuber MatPat explained how a person could survive up to 60 years locked in a supermarket. Not exactly something MrBeast wants to hear, since 60 years inside the shop would set him back $219m - although spending most of your life inside a dark shop isn't exactly ideal. There isn't a video out yet on Donaldson's YouTube channel about this particular challenge, so guess we'll have to wait and see how long the guy lasts... Meanwhile, fans have previously been concerned that the YouTuber was broke after someone who looks like Donaldson was spotted flying economy on a Taiwanese airline. However, the identity of the man in the photo has not been confirmed nor has Donaldson responded to the image. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

As many of us face the drudgery of a Monday morning commute and a day holed up at work, it’s almost painful to think of beautiful, far-off lands and breathtaking views. And yet, this is what Google is inviting us to do with today’s interactive Doodle. Head to the search engine’s homepage and you’ll find a slideshow in the style of an illustrated scrapbook, teaching readers all about the Appalachian Trail. The iconic trail is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, spanning more than 14 US states and 2,190 miles, as it meanders across dense forests, rushing rivers, and soaring mountains. And if you're wondering why the tech company has decided to pay tribute to the famous landmark today, it's because on 2 October 1968, America’s National Trails System Act established the Appalachian Trail as one of the country’s first National Scenic Trails. Hiking the full length of the path can take between five and seven months to complete and requires careful planning. And yet, as Google’s slideshow points out, around 3,000 people attempt this staggering feat each year, with a total of three million people visiting the trail annually. The route has served walking enthusiasts for nearly 100 years, having been completed in 1937. It was first proposed by conservationist Benton MacKaye in 1921, with his original plan calling for a stretch of several self-sustaining agricultural camps along the way, Google notes in its blurb for the Doodle. Then 10 years later, a hiker named Earl Shaffer became the first person to make it from one end to the other. Since then, more than 14,000 people have joined him in completing the trek. Perhaps inevitably for such a legendary trail, it has engendered a number of unique traditions. These include being given a “trail name” by fellow hikers and eating two litres of ice cream at the route’s mid-point. However, the trail’s oldest and most important tradition is to leave it just as you found it so that everyone can enjoy the same natural beauty. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.