Picky penguins at Japanese aquarium are refusing to eat 'cheap fish' after budget cuts
They know what they like.

"That's a no from me, thanks."
Look, who among us can go back once we’ve acquired a taste for the finer things in life?
Certainly not the penguins at Japan’s Hakone-en Aquarium. CNN reported that recent inflation forced the zoo to switch to cheaper food. But try to explain inflation to a snobby penguin.
An aquarium keeper explained to CNN that the diet shift hadn’t changed drastically, only going to a slightly different type of mackerel fish. Still, it was enough to make the Hakone-en’s residents literally turn up their noses in hilarious fashion.
A video posted to YouTube shows the bird keepers making their best efforts to feed the reluctant penguins, only to be met with a distinct look of NOPE. They won’t even look at the offered fish. Their message is clear: Give me fancy mackerel, or give me death!
The penguins aren’t alone in the hunger strike. Hakone-en’s otters also joined the resistance, refusing to eat discounted oysters. One sniff, then bam, back in the water they go. I mean, one often pays a hefty price later after eating cheap sushi, so can anyone really blame them?
Luckily, the aquarium will be getting creative in their feeding methods. The keeper told CNN that both the penguins and otters were more willing to eat the cheaper alternative (saba) if it were mixed with the good stuff (aji). Kind of reminds me of my college days, sprinkling truffle salt onto Top Ramen. Ah, the compromises we make.
This way, penguins and otters get their needs met, without the zoo having to raise its ticket prices. And though we can’t wait for our animal friends to get back to a more indulgent cuisine, we thank them for providing us with a truly adorable (and ultra relatable) video.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."