The daily tehilim was instituted by the Baal shem tov, saying it after davening was instituted by the frierdiker rebbe. Chas vesholom to call it a "modern change".
A makrie by tekios is a real thing discussed in shulchan aruch with specific and detailed instructions. Chas vesholom to say it's a hefsek, it's less hefsek than "pass the salt". However it is the chabad custom started by the rabbeim who did not blow shofar but instead were makrie, that they pointed instead of calling out.
Thone that in the past have mocked the tzadikim who established these minhagim will continue, everyone else can respect them.