What bogans are like around the world

Actor Rebel Wilson, right, promoting the movie Bogan Pride. Source: Getty Images

The Aussie bogan is captured in all its glory in Paul Fenech's latest series 'Bogan Hunters'. Courtesy 7Mate.

IT'S that time of year when we all embrace our inner bogan, slipping on singlets and thongs and grabbing a beer beside the barbie.

Whether you're out and proud or just have your moments, bogan culture is at the centre of being Australian.

But what's the equivalent elsewhere in the world? Here's your guide to the bogans of the globe.

ENGLAND — THE CHAV

Matt Lucas created the archetypal chav with Vicky Pollard in Little Britain. Source: Supplied

The chav typically teams an adidas or Kappa tracksuit with Reeboks, a pushed-up baseball cap and blinging gold jewellery.

Hair is styled with lashing of gel, with girls scraping their locks back into a super-tight ponytail known as a "Croydon facelift".

Variations of the chav around the UK include knackers, pikeys, skangers and spides in Ireland, neds in Scotland and scallies in the north west of England.

In 2006, Prince William wore chav fancy dress to a party at Sandhurst.

Related epithets include "chavette", "chavdom" and of course, "chavtastic".

FRANCE — LA RACAILLE

French movie La Haine explored youth culture. Source: News Corp Australia

You may have thought our Gallic friends were the epitome of refinement.

But France's sprawling suburban banlieues are filled with racailles (or "rascals") — young people who typically dress in white polyester shellsuits, tight jeans or Lacoste baseball caps.

Variants are "Beaufs" or "Jackys", who embrace all things cheesy, and might be seen doing the chicken dance at parties.

CHINA — AH BENG

Ah Beng (also lala zai) is applied to young Chinese men in Southeast Asia who own boy-racer zhng-ed cars and dye their hair bright colours.

They often speak mashup slang known as "Manglish" or "Singlish".

The female equivalent Ah Lian (or lala-lui) sports hair extensions with thick fringes, last season's Japanese fashions and heavy makeup.

ISRAEL — ARS

Arsit — and most other bogan equivalents — are linked with bling. Source: Supplied

Ars is a Hebrew slang term associated with men who wear low-slung jeans and flashy jewellery.

They typically listen to hip-hop or or Mizrahi (Arabic) music. In the US, many are now promoters of a late-1990s variety of Tel Aviv Techno.

The female version is Arsit or Freha, a fashion girl known for super-tight jeans, vertiginously high heels, make up and keen use of her mobile phone.

POLAND — DRES

In Poland, bogans are even named after the tracksuit. Source: Supplied

Dres literally means tracksuit, with the label coming into fashion in the 1990s.

Dresiarze love to display their wealth by wearing gold medallions, leather trousers, obvious labels and very short, cropped hairstyles.

The female equivalent, blachary, typically have bleached blonde or pitch black dyed hair, fake tan, pierced belly buttons, white boots and fake nails.

MEXICO — NACO

Naco (female: naca) historically referred to indigenous people, but morphed to include the "nouveau-riche" and has been appropriated by Mexican hipsters to challenge the country's class divide.

Nacos are usually soccer fans while nacas are addicted to telenovelas (soaps).

They often have Anglo-Saxon names like Kevin.

NETHERLANDS — TOKKIE

The Tokkie family name is now synonymous with bad behaviour. Source: YouTube

Tokkie is the surname of a Dutch reality TV family who gained notoriety in 2004, when they starred in Family Pride.

The Tokkies became the Netherlands' most famous "anti-social" family after they were evicted from their Amsterdam home following a conflict with their neighbours.

Now the name Tokkie has been embraced by Norwegian rappers as a celebration of all things provocative, foul-mouthed and anti-authoritarian.

INDIA — TAPORI

Tapori means "vagabond" or "rowdy" in Hindi. It is often used to describe street gangs in Mumbai with a flamboyant style of dressing.

Taporis are known for whistling at women and spitting great distances.

They now appear in many Bollywood films, and are often celebrated as comical figures.

INDONESIA — ALAY

Indonesia's Alay are known for their tattoos and piercings. Source: Supplied

Alay is a form of popular teen culture requiring in-your-face clothes, music, tattoos and piercings.

Alayen use a hyper-modern form of textspeak almost incomprehensible to other Indonesians, which often encapsulates the writer's philosophy as well as the immediate conversation.

Selfies have become a logical extension of this distinctive tech-culture.

NORWAY — HARRY

Norway's "Harrys" are heavily influenced by English culture. Source: Supplied

Harry, from the English boy's name, is thought to have come into use when Norway voted "No" to EU membership in 1994.

In a bid to stop Norwegians buying cheap products in Sweden, agriculture minister Lars Sponheim branded cross-border shoppers "Harry".

But Swedish shopkeepers started awarding cash to Norwegians called Harry — with a prize for the most "Harry" among them.

Harrys often wear pointed leather shoes with 1920s-style leather "gangster caps" and listen to techno.

BRAZIL — CAIPIRAS

Caipiras are Brazil's rural-dwelling hillbillies. Source: Supplied

Caipira usually refers to rural Brazilians, who stereotypically wear clothes in plaid patterns with straw hats.

Men commonly have moustaches and women have braids, with both sexes known for their distinctive country dialect and dropping their vowels.

Popular Brazilian drink Caipirinha literally means"'little hillbilly girl".

JUST A FEW MORE...

Every nation has its bogans. Which one is most like you? Source: Supplied

Portugal — Serranos, Azeiteiros

Sweden — Raggare

Finland — Juntti

Slovenia — Cefurji

New Zealand — Westie

Russia — Gopnik

Central Canada — Gino

Japan — Yankī

Spain — Cani

Chile — Flaite

Puerto Rico — Títere, Pelagato, Cafre

Lara Robinson as Edwina Bright in Upper Middle Bogan. Source: ABC

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Mystery Indian activist revamping slums

The campaigner turned a dumping ground into a local meeting point. Source: YouTube

AN INDIAN activist is making his country beautiful, one street at a time.

The anonymous campaigner has been calling on citizens to clean up their act.

And his videos are inspiring people all over the world.

He targets ugly, unhygienic eyesores in the country. Source: Supplied

His team do the structural work of moving tree stumps and adding curbs, and then the community helps spruce them up. Source: Supplied

The "Ugly Indian" finds the filthiest streets and corners of a neighbourhood and shows how locals can turn them into safe and attractive places for the community.

His "Spotfix" videos started in Bangalore and have now gone viral, and he has even given a TED talk on why his campaign is proving so effective.

One of the targets he writes about on his website is open dumping grounds, which he says are a common sight in India.

His team revamp these eyesores by identifying the dumpers, giving them an alternative place to put waste and making the area look attractive.

Some walls have become popular public urination spots. Source: YouTube

But families are keen to try to change their areas. Source: YouTube

"Wonder Loos" have transformed walls and roads. Source: Supplied

Where smokers are dropping cigarette butts, his team install attractive-looking bins.

In other areas, he enlists locals to repaint peeling old walls and add seating.

Another issue is filthy footpaths, where shops have been dumping garbage and rat colonies flourishing for years.

"As nobody else seemed concerned, we made it 'our problem'," the campaigner says.

His team simply cleaned up the rubbish and added some pot plants — and no one dumps there any more.

An unsanitary dump outside a public playground. Source: Supplied

Paving, plants and paint give it a new lease of life. Source: Supplied

Some street corners have been piled with rat-infested rubbish for years. Source: Supplied

A new look changes local behaviour, the campaigner says. Source: Supplied

"The combined value of real estate rentals on this street is over $US1 million per month, it hosts over 200 businesses and restaurants, over 10,000 people walk here everyday," he writes of Bangalore's busy Church Street.

"Isn't that a good enough reason to fix it? Fix five such streets and the area gets transformed."

In most cases, the Ugly Indian says people respond to an area being cleaned up and stop dumping and littering, especially if they have somewhere else to dispose of waste.

Where public urination is particularly persistent, he has installed "Wonder Loos" — public urinals that can be attached to an outside wall.

The transformations are breathtaking.

Cigarette smokers get new bins so they won't drop butts. Source: Supplied

A foul spot on Church Street becomes a concealed public toilet. Source: Supplied

Perhaps his biggest achievement is saving lives.

India is rife with "death traps" like unfixed gaps in the footpath. The anonymous activist says there are affordable solutions that anyone can put in place.

Simply adding a paving stone could protect someone on your street from a broken neck.

One of the simplest and most ingenious solutions in his videos is a bright circle painted around a pothole.

Now two-wheelers can see it, avoid it, and escape a crash.

It's a small start, but the team hope to their efforts will help guide India into the future.

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Surfer holds ground against ‘curious’ shark

A close encounter with a shark by a surfer at West Beach, Esperance. Photos taken by Frits Debruyn from Tasmania. Courtesy of Dave Riggs. Source: Supplied

AS surfers scrambled ashore after a shark sighting at a beach where a man lost an arm weeks earlier, there were fears for one man who remained in the water.

Surfers and swimmers were on high alert when the creature was sighted at West Beach in Esperance, about 720km south of Perth.

It was the same beach where WA surfer Sean Pollard was lucky to survive after losing an arm and both hands earlier this month.

Yet Andy Johnson made a conscious decision to stay in water, as he tried 'not to freak out and make a commotion' about the 3m great white.

Ice cool or crazy? Andy Johnson eyeballs a 3m great white. Photos taken by Frits De Bruyn from Tasmania. Courtesy of Dave Riggs. Source: Supplied

"I'd rather try to hold my ground against it and not freak out and make a commotion," he told the Esperance Express.

"It seemed just curious and I didn't want to give it a reason to chase me so I tried to behave casually and keep an eye on it.

"But I didn't know it came up quite so close as I was paddling into the wave to come into the beach with the other lads."

These photos, taken by Frits De Bruyn and emailed to PerthNow, showed just how close.

A close encounter with a 3m great white shark by surfer Andy Johnson at West Beach, Esperance. Photos taken by Frits De Bruyn from Tasmania. Courtesy of Dave Riggs. Source: Supplied

Originally published as Surfer holds ground against 'curious' shark

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Islamic preacher knew ‘lone wolf’

In an interview on the 7:30 Report, Peter Lloyd investigates Junaid Thorne.

Extreme Islam...Junaid Thorne has been described by some as a dangerous mouthpiece for militant Islam. Picture: Daniel Wilkins. Source: News Corp Australia

CONTROVERSIAL Islamic preacher Junaid Thorne said the slain Melbourne man who was shot dead after stabbing two police officers was one of his followers.

Speaking to Peter Lloyd for the ABC's 7.30 program Thorne confirmed that Melbourne teenager, Numan Haider, did attend a number of his lectures.

He denied however, offering any advice to the teen in relation to joining rebel groups fighting in the Middle East.

DETAILS EMERGE: Shocking details of teenage terrorist attack

FEARS FOR SAFETY: Islamic 'Sheik' Junaid Thorne reports death threats

Trouble...Junaid Thorne said he does not offer advice to anyone seeking to travel overseas and fight in the Middle East. Picture: News Corp Source: News Corp Australia

"Anyone that approaches me asking me advice about going overseas, I automatically would alienate that person because I wouldn't trust anyone that asks me stuff like that," Thorne said.

"We know that can get you into trouble and we know that authorities, whether it be ASIO or others, they tend to entrap people."

After the death of Haider, Thorne took to Facebook criticising the actions of police, saying they had provoked the teenager after visiting his home earlier in the day.

When asked by ABC interviewer Peter Loyd about that post he explained, "it was mostly a message to the government that you know you have to back off from Muslims. The policies that you people are pushing it tends to backfire sooner or later. Muslims do feel targeted".

Controversial...Junaid Thorne has given a number of lectures around Australia speaking at Islamic centres known for their hard line views of Islam. Picture: Daniel Wilkins. Source: News Corp Australia

Described by some as a dangerous mouthpiece for militant Islam, Thorne has given a number of lectures around Australia.

He has toured the country twice this year speaking at Islamic centres known for their hard line views of Islam such as the iQraa Islamic centre in Brisbane, the now-closed Al Risalah in Bankstown, and Al Furqan in Melbourne.

Earlier this year Thorne gave a lecture in which he called Jews and Christians "filthy rapists".

He told Loyd that he was misunderstood and the comments had been taken out of context.

"If you go back to the lecture, I said we have our sisters being raped by filthy Jews and Christians. So I'm talking about the ones that actually do that."

Imprisoned...Junaid Thorne reunited with his brother, who was released from a political prison in Saudi Arabia, where he spent over 3 years for speaking against the corruption of the Saudi Government. Picture: Supplied. Source: Facebook

Previously using the Islamic State flag as his background when speaking Thorne could not say whether he was a supporter or not.

"If I were to vocalise my complete support to [Islamic State], that would get me into trouble. If I were to say I don't support them at all, that would be untrue."

Thorne's older brother, Shayden Thorne, was arrested on terrorism charges and was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in a Saudi prison.

"In Saudi Arabia being accused of terrorism doesn't mean that you were plotting an attack or something. It is just because they sense you are a threat to the Government," he said.

Deported...Junaid Thorne was deported from Saudi Arabia last year for protesting his brother's imprisonment. Picture: Facebook Source: Facebook

Thorne moved to Saudi Arabia with his family when he was nine years old and stayed there for 14 years until he was deported last year for protesting his brother's imprisonment.

Counter-terrorism researcher Anne Aly has spoken out against Thorne, and said he was deliberately vocal and provocative.

"He's said some very offensive remarks about Jews and Christians and these are the kinds of ideas that don't bring Muslims together," she said.

She said that while he did not pose a direct threat, but his ideas were similar to the driving force behind groups like Islamic State.

"I think he is aspiring to be a person who influences people, influences young vulnerable minds. I think he's very misguided and extremely naive."

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The faces of Robert’s ‘murderers’

The two Perth-based sons of murdered man Robert Ellis have spoken of their grief over his death.

Reunion...Police escort Noor Ellis from her cell to Police HQ to meet her son John. Picture: News Corp Source: News Corp Australia

THESE are the faces of the four people who Bali police allege are among the killers and accomplices in the murder of Australian businessman Robert Ellis in Bali.

The four are - Mr Ellis' wife of 25 years Noor Ellis, the couple's two housemaids and one of the housemaid's boyfriends.

Mr Ellis, 60, was murdered on October 19 this year and his bound body, wrapped in plastic, was found dumped in a rice paddy ditch about 25km from the villa he and Noor shared at Sanur.

EMOTIONAL: Noor Ellis had an emotional meeting with couple's sons

TROUBLED: Noor Ellis asked husband for divorce but he begged her to stay

Behind bars...Mugshot of a housemaid who is one of the suspects in Robert Ellis case. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

Behind bars...Mugshot of a housemaid who is one of the suspects in Robert Ellis case. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

Behind bars...Mugshot of Noor Ellis, accused of masterminding the murder of her husband. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

Behind bars...Mugshot of the suspected executor, a boyfriend of one of the housemaids. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

Police allege that Noor Ellis masterminded her husband's death, paying the killers a total of 150 Million Rupiah or about $A14,200, to do the grisly job. Mrs Ellis denies the allegation, saying that instead she asked the five men to talk to her husband but not to injure him after marital discord between the pair and after she twice threatened to file for divorce this year.

So far one of the five killers - who police allege held Mr Ellis and slit his throat in a small room off the kitchen of the villa - has been arrested.

Adrianus Ngongo, 23, a native of Sumba, was arrested shortly after the killing, attempting to catch a boat from Bali to Lombok. His girlfriend is one of the two housemaids of the Ellis', who has also been arrested.

Tragic trip...John Ellis son of Robert and Noori Ellis visits Bali Police HQ to see his mother. Picture: News Corp Source: News Corp Australia

Police allege that the two housemaids helped by keeping the couple's dog quiet during the murder and helped dispose of the body.

Another four men are still at large and police have called on them to give themselves up.

One of them, alleged to have wielded the knife which ended Mr Ellis' life, is said to have boasted that he had previously killed another foreigner in Bali.

This week Bob and Noor Ellis' two sons, John and Peter, who live in Perth, came to Bali and had an emotional meeting with their mother at the villa where Mr Ellis was murdered. Photographs of the reunion were taken.

Mr Ellis' body has now been taken to NEw Zealand for burial.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook: ‘I’m gay’

Coming out ... Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the new Apple iPad Air 2 earlier this month. Picture: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez. Source: AP

APPLE chief executive Tim Cook has opened up about his sexuality for the first time, saying "being gay is among the greatest gifts God has given me".

In an essay in Businessweek, Cook says he has always been a fan of privacy and hates drawing attention to himself but says the words of Dr Martin Luther King often nag at him.

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is 'What are you doing for others?" Cook wrote, quoting King.

"I often challenge myself with that question, and I've come to realise that my desire for personal privacy has been holding me back from doing something more important," Cook said. "For years, I've been open with many people about my sexual orientation. Plenty of colleagues at Apple know I'm gay, and it doesn't seem to make a difference in the way they treat me.

"While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven't publicly acknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me," he said.

Proud to be gay ... Apple chief executive Tim cook. Picture: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez. Source: AP

Cook went on to say that coming out publicly was not an easy choice but said he did so in the hope that it might help others who are struggling with their sexuality.

"I don't consider myself an activist, but I realise how much I've benefited from the sacrifice of others," he said. "So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it's worth the trade-off with my own privacy."

Cook said that rather than being a burden, being gay has helped him to be a better man.

"It's made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It's been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It's also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you're the CEO of Apple," he said.

New territory ... Tim Cook (L), with the late Steve Jobs (centre) and Phil Schiller. Picture: Supplied. Source: AP

He said he was proud to work for a company that supported "human rights and equality for all."

However Cook said that being gay was just one part of him.

"Part of social progress is understanding that a person is not defined only by one's sexuality, race, or gender," he said. "I'm an engineer, an uncle, a nature lover, a fitness nut, a son of the South, a sports fanatic, and many other things."

Cook said he arrives in his office every morning to be greeted by the pictures of Dr King and Robert F. Kennedy.

"I don't pretend that writing this puts me in their league. All it does is allow me to look at those pictures and know that I'm doing my part, however small, to help others," he said. "We pave the sunlit path toward justice together, brick by brick. This is my brick."

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Apple and Samsung need to watch out

This could be a contender for Apple and Samsung. Source: Supplied

APPLE and Samsung have officially been put on watch. Chinese company Oppo has unveiled its two latest smartphones, with both being game changers in the mobile industry.

It's new flagship device, the N3 features a 16-megapixel rotating camera which the company claims is the best on any smartphone at the moment.

The rotating camera not only allows for the best selfies possible on any phone, it lets you do things like automatic panoramic photos. The rear fingerprint sensor also allows you to encrypt 'private' photos with your fingerprint so only you can see them when going through your device's images.

Photography is the highlight of the device, on top of its hardware features, new software options allow you to focus on moving objects to help avoid those blurry shots.

Aside from this, the company has focused on battery life, incorporating its 'VOOC' rapid charging with the device, meaning you can charge your phone from 0-75% in half an hour, or enough battery to make a two-hour phone call in five minutes.

A very tidy device. Source: Supplied

The device's screen is a 5.5-inch full-HD display, but the body of the device makes it unfortunately feel much bigger.

The other device announced, the Oppo R5 is now the world's thinnest smartphone, at 4.85mm thin, which is over 2mm thinner than Apple's iPhone 6. The design is very reminiscent of the iPhone 5, however each one is individually hand polished, which, with our brief hands-on offers a device that truly has a premium feel and touch. The 5.2-inch full-HD screen on the R5 is fantastic to look at and thankfully doesn't let down the rest of the device.

Both devices will be coming to Australia, with a local price to be announced soon. US pricing for the N3 is US $649 and US $499 for the R5 which should be an indication of where it will be priced in Australia.

Thin as, bro. Source: Supplied

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