Month: August 2022

Categories
Australia

North-east Victoria braces for wet spring after week of rainy weather

Minor flooding occurring along the Murray River and coming into the Walwa Riverside Caravan Park

Residents of north-east of Victoria are keeping a close eye on predictions of a wet spring.

The Bureau of Meteorology recently said a wetter August to October was likely for most of the country, including more than double the normal chance of unusually high rainfall for most areas in the eastern-two thirds of the mainland.

North-east Victoria has already recorded good rainfall, hail, as well as a number of flood alerts and minor flood events just a week into August.

Walwa Riverside Caravan Park owner and manager Heidi Conway said the Murray River had peaked about five meters at the park late on Friday and into Saturday morning.

“The Murray River broke the bank and came into our park so we’ve probably got a quarter of the park underwater at the moment,” she said.

“Our cabins are elevated up so it hasn’t affected those at all, but it looks like it’s going down now.”

‘You can’t stop nature’

Ms Conway said her business was not feeling too many impacts from the latest flooding event given it was quiet over winter.

She said Saturday’s flooding was similar to the last flooding event they saw at the park in September 2021

She said the latest event had arrived earlier than usual.

A flooded area with several trees around and a bench half submerged in water
Ms Conway says it’s not great to have to deal with flooding concerns.(Supplied: Heidi Conway)

“Normally we would look at maybe flooding towards September but due to seasonal changes we’ve copped it now as well,” she said.

“We have heard that we will have a wet year so that will impact the amount of people that we have in the park.

“After COVID and everything it’s not a great thing to happen but you can’t stop nature so we just have to look to all the things that we can do to deal with that.”

Ms Conway said despite the latest weather challenges she still expected to have a busy period leading up to, and during, Christmas.

Eyes on the sky

Victoria State Emergency Service north-east duty officer Dan Walton said the heaviest of the weekend’s rain had come and gone.

He said his organization was expecting steadier conditions early next week.

But he said it was important for community members to remain vigilant to any weather changes.

“This is not going to go away.” he said.

“We’re going to have the next several months of wet, warmer than average temperatures, more than average rainfall.

“This is going to continue until probably, at least, through November.”

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Categories
US

Judith Durham, lead singer of Australia’s The Seekers, has died

Judith Durham, lead singer of Australia's The Seekers, has died

“After a brief stay in the Alfred Hospital, Judith was admitted to Palliative Care on Friday 5 August, where she passed away peacefully that evening. Her death was a result of complications from a long-standing chronic lung disease,” Musicoast and Universal Music Australia said in a statement shared on the verified Facebook page for The Seekers.

“Our lives are changed forever losing our treasured lifelong friend and shining star. Her struggle was intense and heroic — never complaining of her destiny and fully accepting its conclusion. Her magnificent musical legacy Keith, Bruce and I are so blessed to share,” her former bandmates Keith Potger, Bruce Woodley and Athol Guy added in the post.

Durham helped open the door for Australian artists to achieve international fame. The Seekers, formed in 1962, were considered the first Australian pop band to achieve mainstream success in the United Kingdom and the United States.

The group’s hits included “Georgy Girl” and “A World of Our Own.”

Durham left The Seekers to pursue a solo career in 1968 and released several solo albums but continued to reunite and tour with the band in the decades after.

Several prominent Australians posted tributes Saturday.

“A national treasure and an Australian icon, Judith Durham gave voice to a new strand of our identity and helped blaze a trail for a new generation of Aussie artists,” wrote Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Twitter.

“Her kindness will be missed by many, the anthems she gave to our nation will never be forgotten.”

Australian comedian and actress Magda Szubanski shared her “deepest condolences to her loved ones” on Twitter.

“Her beautiful, crystalline voice was the naive but knowing siren song of my childhood,” wrote Szubanski.

Tanya Plibersek, Australian Minister for the Environment and Water, called Durham “a trailblazer and an icon in Australian music” on Twitter. “Her songs will live on forever.”

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Categories
Business

An egg shortage may change menus and prices in Sydney and Melbourne cafes

An egg shortage may change menus and prices in Sydney and Melbourne cafes

“When you’ve got … produce going up radically it’s pretty hard to make a decent living or make any profit,” he said.

But Crespin also said he would never consider changing the eggs on his menu. “It’s just being smart with your menu at the end. It’s always been a juggle [in] hospitality, but it’s what we do.”

Mr Brightside cafe owner Tait Crespin raised the price of egg dishes in July.

Mr Brightside cafe owner Tait Crespin raised the price of egg dishes in July. Credit:Justin McManus

Owner of Latte Road cafe in Wollert, on Melbourne’s northern outskirts, Gagan Singh said his supplier had doubled the price of free-range eggs. He was forced to raise his prices for him two months ago and is now going to have to increase them again just to break even.

“My wrap was $5.50, now it’s gone up to $6.90–$7. But then I am going to put it up again,” he said.

Restaurant and Catering Association chief operating officer Belinda Clarke said eight out of 10 restaurants were passing some or all of the price rises to consumers, but some were reluctant.

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“We’re not seeing a huge shift in people changing their menus at this point,” Clarke said. “I do think that if it continues, then we will see, as we did with [the shortages of] lettuces and potatoes, a real change in the engineering of their breakfast menus.”

Clarke said short-term solutions might include using processed egg mixes in scrambled eggs – which she acknowledged would be unpopular with consumers – or reducing the availability of poached eggs.

Australian Food Service Advocacy Body board member Wes Lambert said costs would ultimately get passed to consumers and lead to continued inflation.

“As inflation increases, diners should expect that their meal going into summer is likely to get more expensive, and it’s not the restaurant or cafe’s fault,” Lambert said.

NSW Farmers Federation egg committee chair Brett Langfield said the cause of the egg shortage was that wholesale egg purchases by cafes and restaurants did not rebound in January and February after the COVID-19 lockdowns, and the industry interpreted the shift as permanent.

In his case, he had 680,000 birds and he reduced egg production by 20 per cent by killing one in five of the oldest hens.

Eggs were in oversupply after the latest lockdown and farmers reduced their capacity.

Eggs were in oversupply after the latest lockdown and farmers reduced their capacity. Credit:Jessica Shapiro

“Eggs are a perishable product. They’ve got a use-by date on them, so we’ve got to manage that, and we didn’t know whether the change in purchasing habits from the consumer was going to be long term,” Langfield said.

“We took those eggs out of production and they can’t come back into production. It takes us about 4½ to five months to get a chick into production.”

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Managing director of industry body Australian Eggs, Rowan McMonnies, said overall demand for eggs had increased in the past 12 months.

“Retail volumes are only down slightly on this time last year, which was at an elevated position due to the COVID lockdowns,” McMonnies said.

“Cafes and restaurants appear to have also bounced back faster than anticipated as diners have made up for lost time.”

McMonnies said recent media commentary blaming the shortages on demand for free-range eggs was simplistic.

A Coles spokesperson said the limit of two cartons per customer had been in place for several weeks and applied in all states and territories.

Woolworths has not placed any restrictions on eggs, but a spokesperson said customers might notice reduced availability.

– with Rebecca Sadique

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.

Categories
Sports

MotoGP Silverstone: Jack Miller ‘can’t feel anything’ with new aero, grateful not to be ‘locked out’… | MotoGP

MotoGP Silverstone: Jack Miller 'can't feel anything' with new aero, grateful not to be 'locked out'... | MotoGP

Making headlines throughout the British MotoGP at Silverstone has been Ducati’s new ‘Stegosaurus-like’ aero package on the rear of its bikes.

Whether it’s the factory team, Pramac, Gresini or the Mooney VR46 outfit, Ducati has given all of their riders the chance to test the new aero package.

And while Enea Bastianini claimed it was helping him under braking following Friday practice, Miller is unconvinced after stating he feels ‘no benefit’.

Miller said: “I don’t know about benefit. It’s definitely not the easiest thing on the eye but they seem to be happy with it. I mean, I’m the donkey that sits on the bike.

“In my honest opinion I can’t feel anything. Except I just have to watch it with my leg when I put my leg over the bike. I can’t feel anything while riding. We need to analyze it more obviously, but for the moment nothing.”

When asked if he wanted to test the new wings after they first appeared on Bastianini’s Gresini Ducati and Jorge Martin’s Pramac machine, Miller stated: “They [just] gave it to me.”

While it might not be making a difference to the feeling he has aboard his GP-22 machine, Miller is just glad to be receiving parts and not being ‘locked out’ of data, something that has happened before when riders have agreed to join another team following the current season.

“At the end of the day they were straight up with me,” said Miller when talking about Ducati providing him with the same treatment as all its other riders. “Once I told them [I was leaving] we had this discussion and as you say, it’s very unusual for a factory to give a rider updates especially when the rider is leaving.

“But they’ve been 100% honest with me throughout the whole lot and also you see what they do with all the bikes they have on the grid.

“They give them the maximum that they can. It’s in Ducati’s DNA and it’s a massive thing from Gigi [Dall’Igna] and they are really pushing for that.

“On that side of things I greatly appreciate it because there is nothing worse than not getting updates or being locked out of data etc. It’s nice to have that, for sure.”

Zarco ready for Silverstone ‘present’ – can he take his first MotoGP win?

Starting alongside Miller on the front row for Sunday’s Grand Prix will be Johann Zarco after the French rider secured pole with a new lap record.

Nearly a tenth clear of Maverick Vinales, Zarco’s main challengers for victory are potentially all on the second row as Fabio Quartararo will start directly ahead of Francesco Bagnaia and Aleix Espargaro.

Still bidding for his first win in MotoGP, Zarco said ‘why not’ at the prospect of taking home the spoils at Silverstone.

“From Friday I’ve been quite fast and I was able to build a good step from Friday to Saturday. It means that I have more chances than usual to think about the victory.” added the two-time Moto2 champion.

“The pole position was a good confirmation and also the pace in FP4 was quite good. Why not hope for this victory.

“I will not fully focus on it [to avoid] making any mistakes. Let’s see how the others will be in the race. I hope I will get this advantage with the hard rear and get this nice present at the end.”

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Categories
US

Should Kansas’s abortion vote change expectations for the midterms?

Should Kansas's abortion vote change expectations for the midterms?

“The 360” shows you diverse perspectives on the day’s top stories and debates.

what’s happening

Voters in Kansas on Tuesday that would have stripped abortion protections from the state constitution and created room for the state’s Republican-led Legislature to further restrict abortion access.

The vote was the best test of the power of abortion as a political issue since June, when the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned the constitutional right to abortion established by Roe v. Wade in 1973. The result in Kansas was a surprise, not just because voters in a deeply red state sided in favor of abortion rights, but also because they did so by such a when.

Roe’s reversal upended the status quo on abortion politics in place for nearly 50 years. Although it was quickly evident that the with the Supreme Court’s ruling, it had been unclear what effects the decision would have at the ballot box. The Kansas vote is a clear win for the pro-abortion-rights side, but there’s significant debate over how much to read into the result when forecasting other key races going into November’s midterm elections.

why there’s debate

In the eyes of many political commentators, the vote in Kansas is a signal that the US electorate has become incredibly mobilized to protect abortion access in the wake of Roe’s repeal — a trend they say could substantially benefit Democrats as they try to hold onto narrow majorities in both houses of Congress. They argue that, although Democrats still face strong headwinds in the midterms, a surge in enthusiasm from their base — plus an increase in support among independents — could be enough to tip a critical number of close races in their favor.

But skeptics say there are plenty of reasons to doubt that. They say Kansas was unique because abortion rights were literally on the ballot, whereas most of the crucial races in the upcoming midterms will ask voters to choose among individual candidates. In those cases, they argue, voters are likely to consider a long list of other factors in addition to abortion when deciding whom to support. Others say that, although the abortion issue may give Democrats a small boost, it won’t be enough to overcome discontent over inflation, public safety concerns and President Biden’s low approval ratings.

Another group argues that the midterms could be decided by the party that most effectively harnesses the lessons from Kansas. Democrats, they argue, will have to work aggressively to convince voters that their GOP opponents are a genuine threat to abortion access and ensure that the issue stays at the forefront of the news cycle until November. Some conservative commentators argue that Republicans in swing states can counter this narrative by embracing more modest — and less unpopular — limits on abortion access, rather than the near or total bans that the right wing of the party supports.

what’s next

A handful of states will have abortion directly on the ballot in November. Kentucky voters will weigh in on a ballot initiative similar to the one that was rejected in Kansas. A measure in Montana would increase legal burdens on the doctors providing abortions. In California and Vermont, on the other hand, voters will decide whether to add language guaranteeing abortion access to their state constitutions.

Perspectives

The long-expected Republican wave may not come after all

“This result was an earthquake that has been rewritten, for now, the conventional wisdom about what may happen this November.” —Daniel Strauss

One ballot initiative in a single state is not a measure of where the country stands on abortion

“I’m certain that Democrats are over-reading last night’s results. … One bad result on a confusing amendment in a state that’s relatively moderate on abortion isn’t indicative of how Americans feel about abortion policy.” — Alexandra Desanctis

If abortion rights were a potent issue in Kansas, they’ll be even more powerful elsewhere

“In the days ahead, pundits will analyze the Kansas results, and try to apply them to other states. We welcome that work. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said states, not women, should decide this issue. Now Kansas, among the most conservative states in the nation, has answered his call from him.” – Editorial,

Republicans have so many advantages, abortion may not impact the final results

“Democrats still face enormous headwinds in November, including sweeping voter dissatisfaction over inflation, low approval ratings for President Joe Biden, and the near unbroken history since the Civil War of the party that holds the White House losing seats in the House of Representatives during a president’s first two years.” —Ronald Brownstein

Democrats need the right strategy to capitalize on the opportunity

“Abortion is not the only issue that brings people to the polls and influences how they vote. But if party activists make the case that abortion is on the ballot in November, if they boost turnout from pro-choice voters, and if Democratic candidates can achieve even a small measure of the swing seen in Kansas, the 2022 political calculus could be dramatically improved for Biden and for his party.” —John Nichols,

Voters may weigh abortion very differently when asked to choose actual candidates

“There is good reason to be wary [of] the old maxim of Fleet Street journalism—first simplify, then exaggerate—in some of the post-Kansas analysis. The impact of abortion politics on the mid-term elections remains murky. In most cases, voters will be choosing among candidates, not deciding a sharply framed referendum.” — John F. Harris,

Abortion is just one of several issues where voters will reject GOP extremism

“The ramifications of the Dobbs ruling go far beyond abortion itself. … The far right is also on the wrong side of public opinion on everything from gun mayhem to drug price controls and of course to the attempted coup of January 6, 2021.” —Robert Kuttner

GOP candidates will have a hard time selling a moderate message on abortion

“Will the conservative base, emboldened by the long-sought-after overturning of Roe v. Wade, push candidates to profess support for a federal abortion ban? If so, every Republican candidate will get pushed into a corner on this issue. That was likely before the Kansas primary result, and now it’s both likely and a potentially huge problem for the party.” —Rex Huppke

Abortion won’t dramatically change Democrats’ fortunes, but may help them win a few key races

“The political environment for Democrats has improved since the Dobbs decision. And that might mitigate the landslide midterm losses normally expected from a congressional majority weighed down by negative economic growth and the unprecedented disapproval of the incumbent party’s president at this point in his term. —Michael Tessler

Anyone predicting what will happen in the midterms is simply guessing

“It’s also hard to say whether the Kansas result predicts much about November. … It’s fair to say that the abortion issue is more likely to help than hurt Democrats this fall, but anything more than that is just guesswork.” —Jonathan Bernstein

Is there a topic you’d like to see covered in “The 360”? Send your suggestions to [email protected].

Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Angie Ricono/KCTV5 via AP, Getty images

Categories
Technology

10 JRPGs to play in August 2022

JRPGs are a popular category of game, but which are the ones to focus on this month? (Image via Square Enix and Bandai Namco)

JRPGs are beloved around the world for their challenging gameplay, rich stories, and unforgettable worlds. It’s a genre that produces amazing video games every year, but the real question is, what JRPGs should fans look to play in August 2022?

As expected, there are thousands to choose from across both modern and retro consoles, as well as PCs. With that in mind, this list is the opinion of a writer with a deep love for JRPGs. Obviously, these picks can vary from player to player, depending on what they are already playing and what they prefer in their games.

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What JRPGs should fans look to play in August 2022

Some readers may notice that there are repeats from the previous month’s list of JRPGs and that’s because those games are still excellent and worth a replay nonetheless. Fortunately, there are plenty of amazing games for players to enjoy in the month of August 2022.

While many of these games are classics from previous consoles, they are all readily accessible on more modern platforms, making them easier to acquire without spending a fortune.

10 JRPGs worth replaying

  • Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
  • Person 4 Golden
  • Dragon Quest 3
  • Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
  • final fantasy x
  • Yakuza: Like a Dragon
  • Star Ocean First Departure R
  • chrono trigger
  • Tales of Vesperia
  • Yakuza 0

10) Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade

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Now that Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is fully available on the PlayStation Plus system, it’s a great time to pick it up if fans haven’t already done so in July. It’s the definitive way to play the game, and while it only covers the time spent in Midgar, it’s still a memorable adventure.

Furthermore, the characters from the initial Squaresoft game have more time on screen and have been given more depth and personality. Though the action RPG gameplay was a major adjustment, fans have really taken to it.

With difficult optional encounters and the fun Yuffie DLC, it’s a great time to play this title, making it one of the JRPGs to revisit this month.

9) Final FantasyX

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Though the PlayStation 2 version of Final Fantasy X is heralded as one of the greatest JRPGs of all time, the HD Remake is much easier to pick up and play. It comes with a number of quality-of-life improvements, apart from the enhanced visuals and remastered score.

The innovative turn-based combat returns in Final Fantasy X, and also has the added benefit/challenge of the Expert Sphere Grid. It completely reshapes the sphere grid, allowing players to try various different approaches to the game. On top of that, it also includes FFX-2, making it a two-for-one in JRPGs.

8) Person 4 Golden

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While Persona 5 is one of the best games in the entire franchise, one should never underestimate the power of a good whodunit. Persona 4 Golden is a murder mystery and is available on PC, as well as classic PlayStation consoles.

When it comes to JRPGs, this title is a masterclass in telling tragic stories, even in comparison to other Persona titles. The turn-based combat is crisp, and it is strangely satisfying to assemble a crew of powerful demons to draw power from. All in all, it is a game that genuinely delivers on every level.

7) Dragon Quest 3

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As the godfather of JRPGs, Dragon Quest 1 first came to North America with the name ‘Dragon Warrior’ in August 1989. With that in mind, why not play one of the greatest Dragon Quest games of all time, DQ3? It’s available on mobile devices as well as the Nintendo Switch, and brings a ton of challenges and sharp gameplay with it.

The port has updated graphics and allows players to experience a classic NES RPG anywhere they go. Players control the son of the legendary Ortega and must take up after their father to seal away an evil force once and for all.

Players have great customization options in picking whatever kind of party they want, from Wizards and Soldiers, to Goof-offs and Merchants. It’s an amazing game and still holds up decades later.

6) Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

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Though not traditional in terms of JRPGs, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a Metroidvania/Action RPG from the creator of Castlevania. Legendary producer Koji Igarashi (IGA) developed the game himself and crafted a ‘Metroidvania’ that is absolutely worth exploring.

The visuals are sharp and dark, and are paired with a fantastic musical score. Players explore a vast castle akin to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, defeating enemies to collect Shards that grant a variety of useful demon powers. It also comes with several built-in optional modes and characters, such as the Randomizer mode.

5) Yakuza: Like a Dragon

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Yakuza: Like a Dragon is still worth a play, as it is considered one of the greatest games in the entire Yakuza catalog. As Ichiban Kasuga’s first outing as the main protagonist, the shift to a turn-based RPG was one that was initially controversial. That said, it was received positively by critics and fans alike.

Not even counting the main story, it has tons of side quests to take on, mini-games to play, and one of the better collections of karaoke songs to play when it comes to Yakuza.

4) Star Ocean: First Departure R

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Interestingly, Star Ocean 1 is a game so good that it has been remade multiple times. Though it can be found on the PSP, alongside a remake of Star Ocean 2, Star Ocean: First Departure R was later ported to the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.

It’s a game that many JRPG players may have missed out on, and has become more accessible than ever. It tells a classic story that blends futuristic technology with fantasy characters and races, with excellent action-based combat.

Star Ocean is a classic franchise, and it’s a great time to take a trip back in time to where it all began.

3)Chrono Trigger

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It’s not a controversial statement to say that Chrono Trigger is one of the greatest JRPGs of all time. The classic Squaresoft RPG from the ‘Dream Team’ (consisting of legends Akira Toriyama, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and Yuji Horii) is truly an exceptional game. Though it’s not a cheap game to buy for the SNES, it’s also available on the Nintendo DS and more recently, mobile and Steam releases.

Though the Steam release did not start off as an enjoyable playthrough, it was updated and fixed, making it worth a try here in August 2022. With 10+ endings, a beautiful score, and top-notch gameplay, there’s never a bad time to play Chrono Trigger.

2) Tales of Vesperia

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For this writer’s money, the best game in the Tales franchise, Tales of Vesperia is a must-play. Originally released in the United States on the Xbox 360, it was remastered and given a Definitive Edition on more modern consoles.

The story of these unlikely heroes coming together to form the Brave Vesperia guild and trying to save the world is a unique one in the Tales franchise, without a doubt. It also has one of the best JRPG characters ever, in the very good dog Repede.

1) Yakuza 0

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While the latest Yakuza game is the beginning of Kasuga Ichiban’s career as the main protagonist, Yakuza 0 is the beginning of Kiryu Kazuma’s. A prologue‍ to the Yakuza franchise, the title is set in the late 1980s. It features some of the best music tracks, side quests, and antagonists in the Yakuza franchise as a whole.

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Story Continues below

It displays a fantastic view of late 80s Japan, during the economic boom that the country experienced at the time. It also gave players the first chance to really experience Goro Majima’s story, and see what shaped him into the man he would become.

There will never be a shortage of exceptional JRPGs to play. For the month of August 2022, this is just one writer’s selection of some games that are sure to not disappoint, no matter how many times they are played.

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Categories
Sports

Ollie Hoare ‘the new Herb Elliott’ wins gold at Commonwealth Games in a race for the ages

Ollie Hoare 'the new Herb Elliott' wins gold at Commonwealth Games in a race for the ages

When told he was the first Australian since Herb Elliott to do so, he was in disbelief at being in the company of his heroes.

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“I was looking up to Herb Elliott when I was at school when I couldn’t run 5km without being out of breath,” he said.

“I’ve never met Herb Elliott. Heard all about him. My dad won’t shut up about him. You look up to them and you’d love to meet them. Steve Cram and Seb Coe you look around and they’re my heroes. They’re my Michael Jordan.

“Herb – I’d love to meet you for a beer if you’re around.”

Ollie Hoare grew up in the Shire, south of Sydney, running for Sutherland athletics and being timed by his war veteran granddad Fred, who was a life member of the club. He was trained by his dad Greg.

“My granddad was a life member of Sutherland District Athletic Club, World War II veteran Sergeant Fred Hoare, so I dedicate the race to him. He was a great inspiration to me and my dad.

“He always had the same stopwatch, it was about 100 years old and he would trust the timer, he would only go off the stopwatch. My PBs were on his stopwatch of him.

“He was a great lover of the sport, a lover of Herb Elliott… he was the reason my Dad loves the sport, reason why I love the sport.

“After such a disappointing world championship and to win now and he just passed away at 96.

“It kind of hit me, I hadn’t been home and was unable to attend his funeral two days ago. He is up there having a glass of red wine laughing his ass off of him. He would be saying ‘I knew you could do it mate but I unfortunately wasn’t around to see it’.

“I’m sure my mum made my Dad deaf and my dad is probably calling everyone he knows. My brother is very excited because I think he made a pretty good gamble on Sportsbet so it is happy days for the family.”

Fred indeed would have been laughing his ass off, and roaring because he had still been there he would have stopped his 100-year-old stopwatch with Ollie crossing the line in 3:30:12, a two-second PB and a new games record. But the time didn’t matter as it was who he beat.

Hoare began comfortably and sat off the shoulders of Abel Kipsang and Cheruiyot who took the front two places and kept a hard fast pace. Hoare was happy with that, he’d trained for a fast race.

Oliver Hoare, left, of Australia crosses the finish line to win the men's 1500 meter final.

Oliver Hoare, left, of Australia crosses the finish line to win the men’s 1500 meter final. Credit:AP

He looked to be running into trouble at the bell, blocked in on the inside lane. As Hoare got to 200 meters to go he had to check his run from him, drop half a meter and give himself space to get around. And then he kicked. What a kick.

He had to go wide but he was flying.

“It was a matter of pulling the kick at the right time. I went through on the inside with a lap to go and I saw (Scotsman) Jake (Wightman) next to me and started to panic because he’s the world champion.

“You can hear the Scottish roar in the stadium so I tried to hold my composure. Then with 100 meters to go I made sure I covered my spot on the bend to not let anyone else past me.

“Then when I got out to lane three it was all about holding form and just running like bloody hell and I was able to get it.

“When I made the move to lane three I could tell I had him (Cheruiyot) because he can’t gauge where anyone else is. You’re in a very vulnerable position, even if you’re of the caliber that he is, and I saw he was starting to lock up. I had more juice in the tank and I wanted it.”

Wightman couldn’t catch him and Cheruiyot couldn’t hold on. With five meters to go Hoare had him as Cheruiyot staged, wobbled and lost half a step. Hoare beat him by .09 of a second. Wightman was 0.41 seconds behind Hoare.

“I hope the race (is remembered). I had never made an Australian team until Tokyo.”

He said he was also pretty unknown while in the United Stats as a college runner on a scholarship.

“I hope I can bring that name and also show the kids back home that just because you are an Australian it doesn’t mean you can’t win Commonwealth Games 1500m.”

Categories
Australia

Andrews government yet to compensate, apologize to Victorians trapped in NSW

Andrews government yet to compensate, apologize to Victorians trapped in NSW

Affected people, the opposition and Greens only learned about it when contacted by The Sunday Age.

“While the Victorian government is not considering making ex gratia payments for those Victorians who were unable to travel home during this period, it does acknowledge the distress and disruption that the border restrictions generally created,” the government said in response to the ombudsman.

“It also acknowledges the frustration and challenges that people experienced when attempting to obtain an exemption.”

The government did not directly respond to questions from The Sunday Age. A spokesman said the border closure was necessary because of the ferociousness of the Delta outbreak in NSW, the risk of incursion, and low vaccination rates at the time. The government had also warned against traveling to NSW.

“We did everything we could at the time to remind Victorians of the risk we were facing… but we also acknowledge that it was a very difficult time for many Victorians interstate.”

Cars line up at the Victorian border.

Cars line up at the Victorian border.Credit:Jason Robbins

Garcia’s application to enter Victoria was repeatedly rejected, or expired, with nobody to contact for proper guidance.

Residents applying for a permit had to specify the date they planned to cross the border. The date often passed before the application was processed, nullifying it.

“What would make me happy is if they said: ‘We got it wrong, the processes need to be improved, we acknowledge there was no empathy shown to people, and in future this will never happen again’,” Garcia said.

“That’s all, I’m not putting my hand up for money. I don’t want compensation.”

He has not received an apology from the government, although some others have by email.

The ombudsman is still considering the government’s response.

Once it is finalized, as part of a two-year review into the government’s progress on recommendations in all her reports, it will be tabled in parliament. Glass declined to comment until then.

In her report last year, Glass said discretion under the blunt system was unnecessarily narrow. Staff had 30 to 60 seconds to deal with applications, most of which did not even make it to a decision-maker, with only 8 per cent of exemptions approved.

The government gave people only 12 hours to cross the border before it closed on July 20, a restriction that remained in place even once Victoria’s infection rate eclipsed NSW’s.

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The opposition has long criticized the government during the pandemic. Labor has since changed its tactics with the more infectious new strains of COVID-19 and high two-dose vaccination rates, acknowledging in the lead-up to the November state election that public acceptance of mandates has waned.

Shadow health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier on Saturday said the border closure was the “most cruel and inept of many kneejerk decisions” and had caused unnecessary suffering.

Greens spokesman for health Dr Tim Read said residents did not need to be kept out of Victoria once the virus was spreading in the state.

“An apology and compensation, particularly for those on low incomes who were paying rent in two states, would be the least the government could do.”

Melbourne father Clint Fisher ended up living in a caravan park, away from work, for six weeks in Scotts Head, on the NSW mid-north coast, after his car broke down when the Delta variant first cut loose.

He applied to return home – which everyone described as a confusing process – when his car was fixed, but his application repeatedly expired before it was seen to.

“I was lucky enough to be in a beautiful spot and surfing and stuff. I was probably one of the lucky ones and I still found it incredibly frustrating and distressing because I didn’t know when I’d see my family again.”

Fisher did not participate in the ombudsman’s investigation and did not receive an apology – which he was satisfied with, accepting the need to close the border.

Melbourne woman Jo Howard, who was on a working holiday in northern NSW when the state was cut off, has received an apology from the government.

She waited for a permit for weeks at the border in a cheap studio cottage. Double-vaccinated, and with a negative PCR result every two days, Howard was frustrated she couldn’t drive home with no stops to quarantine alone.

“The problematic thing was the bureaucracy,” Howard said. “The difficulty for everyone was just not knowing… Not knowing where it’s going to end, I think that’s what started to get to me, at the end.”

Howard, who did not participate in the ombudsman investigation, has left those feelings behind her. She said she did not expect more than the apology email she received.

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Categories
US

Trump wins CPAC straw poll

Trump wins CPAC straw poll

“He’s more popular than ever,” said Jim McLaughlin, a pollster for Trump who conducted the straw poll.

McLaughlin announced the results from the CPAC Texas main stage about two hours before Trump’s scheduled appearance. Among the attendees who voted, 69% said they preferred Trump, with 24% saying they would prefer Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

When asked about who they would prefer if Trump did not run for president, 65% of respondents said they preferred DeSantis, while 8% said they would support Donald Trump Jr.

The straw poll is not a scientific survey, with a pool limited to CPAC attendees, and is not representative of the broader GOP electorate.

The results are reflective of straw polls at previous CPACs since Trump left office, which showed the former President with a large lead among the conservative activists and DeSantis as the favorite alternative.

In February, Trump won a straw poll at CPAC in Orlando, Florida, with 59% of the vote. DeSantis came in a second in that poll with 28% of the vote, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came in a distant third with 2% of the vote.

In a July 2021 CPAC straw poll, Trump topped the GOP field with support from 70% of conference attendees, compared to 21% who selected DeSantis last year.

In an interview with New York Magazine last month, Trump said he was still deciding when — not if — he should announce a 2024 campaign. DeSantis is also widely considered to be a contender for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

CNN’s Sara Murray and Steve Contorno contributed to this report.

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Categories
Technology

‘GoldenEye 007’ fans are creating a full game mod based on ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’

Kris Holt

There’s a mod in the works for Nintendo 64 classic golden eye 007 that turns another James Bond film into a full game. Fans are building a playable version of The Spy Who Loved MeRoger Moore’s third, and some would argue best, Bond movie.

As spotted by YouTuber Graslu00 posted a playthrough video showing 11 levels of The Spy Who Loved Me 64. The mod depicts the key events and locations of the film, taking Bond from the Alps to the pyramids of Egypt and a supertanker in the Atlantic Ocean. It includes Moore’s likeness, as well as characters such as Anya Amasova (aka Agent XXX) and villain Karl Stromberg. It’s possible to run the mod on an emulator in 4K at 60 frames per second, though you can also play it on an N64 console.

It’s a work in progress, as Graslu00 notes. The build of The Spy Who Loved Me 64 that’s available is a demo of the first three levels with a peek at a planned four-player multiplayer mode. It looks like there’s quite a way for fans working on the game to go, though. The stage select screen shows 20 levels including, curiously, Bond’s childhood home of Skyfall — that seems to be one of the multiplayer maps.

Meanwhile, there’s an official James Bond title in the works. It emerged in late 2020 that Hitman studio IO Interactive is developing a game that delves into the superspy’s origins. It’s expected to be the first official Bond game since 2012’s 007 Legends.

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