Month: August 2022

Categories
US

2022 midterm primary results in Arizona, Missouri, Kansas, Michigan and Washington

2022 midterm primary results in Arizona, Missouri, Kansas, Michigan and Washington

Voters in five states are going to the polls on Tuesday in some of the states that were battlegrounds in 2020 — and will be again in 2024. And abortion faces its first test at the ballot box since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, as Kansas voters decide whether abortion should be constitutionally protected.

With former President Donald Trump’s influence looming large in some of Tuesday’s primaries, a CBS News poll released Tuesday showed that for Republicans, a Trump endorsement is a plus for that candidate, and even more so among Republicans who say they “always” vote in Republican primaries, most of whom identify as MAGA Republicans.

Arizona

In Arizona, former President Donald Trump has rallied for his allies in the Senate, governor and secretary of state races. Arizona was one of the key battleground states that went for President Joe Biden in 2020. After the election, some Republicans in the state tried to overturn the results, with a plan to send a slate of phony alternate electors who supported Trump to Congress for the Electoral College certification, rather than the voters won by President Biden.

In the Republican primary to take on Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in November, Trump has backed Blake Masters, who has a comfortable lead according to two polls ahead of the primary.

For governor, former TV news anchor Kari Lake and lawyer Karrin Taylor Robson are in a tight contest for the GOP nomination that repeats a dynamic between Trump and former Vice President MIke Pence. Trump has backed Lake, while Pence, along with term-limited sitting Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, have backed Taylor Robson. Last month, Trump and Pence held dueling rallies for Lake and Robson on the same day.

Election 2022 Arizona
A where to vote sign points voters in the direction of the polling station as the sun beats down as Arizona voters go the polls to cast their ballots, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Phoenix.

Ross D. Franklin/AP


Trump has also backed a challenger to state House Speaker Rusty Bowerswho testified in June at a House Jan. 6 committee public hearing. Bowers is term-limited out of that position but is running for state Senate. Days before the primary, the Arizona GOP voted to formally censor him for his testimony, a culmination of the frustrations many far-right members have with Bowers’ past refusal to support Trump-backed attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

This year, Bowers helped block a bill, introduced by Secretary of State candidate and current state Rep. Shawnna Bolick, to empower the legislature to choose its own electors, regardless of how the people voted. For his actions of him, the former president lashed out against him, calling the Speaker a “RINO coward,” and endorsed his opponent of him, former state Sen. David Farnsworth.

Missouri

CBS News projects that Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who has been leading the crowded field, wins the Republican nomination for the open Senate seat in Missouri. Eric Greitens, the former governor who resigned in 2018 and has faced allegations of domestic abuse, led early in the race, but an $11 million ad blitz by two anti-Greitens groups chipped it away.

On the eve of the primary, Trump issued a kind of split endorsement in the race, throwing his support behind “ERIC.” Both Eric Schmitt and Eric Greitens quickly claimed they’d won his backing.

In Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Cori Bush, who is unseated a longtime incumbent in 2020, is facing several challengers. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch endorsed both Bush and her opponent Steve Roberts, writing that “too many deeply personal issues are likely to dominate voters’ decisions in ways that would not necessarily be swayed by an editorial endorsement.”

Meanwhile, three of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump are facing Trump-backed primary challengers. Trump posted Tuesday on Truth Social to urge Republican voters to “knock out impeachment slime.”

Michigan

In Michigan, Rep. Peter Meijer, a freshman Republican in a swing district centered around Grand Rapids, Mich., is in a tough race against John Gibbs, a former Trump-era Housing and Urban Development official.

In the race to take on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, CBS News projects Tudor Dixon will win the Republican nomination. Dixon, backed by Trump, had been seen by Republican strategists as the strongest candidate to take on Whitmer. Among the Republicans Dixon defeated was Ryan Kelley, who was arrested in June related to his participation in the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol.

“Now we have the opportunity to truly hold Gretchen Whitmer accountable for the pain she has inflicted on every one of us in the past three years,” Dixon said at her election night watch party in Grand Rapids, Mich., referring to the lockdowns of schools imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington

And in Washington, the top two vote-getters will advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation. Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler in the 3rd District and Dan Newhouse in the 4th District both face the risk of being shut out because of Trump-backed challengers.

Kansas

For the first time since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, a state is voting on whether the right to an abortion may be constitutionally protected. In 2019, Kansas’ state Supreme Court ruled that abortion is protected in the state constitution’s bill of rights. Voters are deciding whether to allow the constitution to be amended in order to ban abortion rights.

In other words, a “yes” vote for the amendment would enable an abortion ban to be passed.

A “no” vote on the amendment means abortion rights would be preserved.

Categories
Business

Qantas, Virgin apologise as Broome records highest airport delay percentage in Australia

Qantas, Virgin apologise as Broome records highest airport delay percentage in Australia

Flights leaving Broome have had the highest percentage of delays in the country amid the worst national figures recorded since delay-related data began being collected.

The monthly Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) report measures flight delays and cancellations along routes in Australia with 8,000 passengers or more per month.

The latest edition collating statistics from June found a little more than 30 per cent of flights headed from Broome to Perth left on time — the highest percentage of delays for any route in the country.

The figure was less than half the national average of 62 per cent for the month, which according to the report was the worst figure recorded “since recording commenced in November 2003”.

Virgin Australia mainline saw the worst delays for the period — none of the carrier’s 14 flights from Broome to Perth left within 15 minutes of their expected departure time.

Virgin Australia Regional also suffered delays, seeing only 38 per cent of its 50 flights scheduled to depart to Perth leaving when expected.

But passengers aboard Qantas and QantasLink flights also faced delays, with only 22.2 and 31.5 per cent of each carrier’s flights leaving Broome for Perth on time.

In total there were 11 cancellations of flights between the two cities — 10 for QantasLink and one for Virgin Australia Regional.

A man stands near a suitcase, looking at a map in front of a sign that says "Broome International Airport".
Almost 70 per cent of flights leaving Perth from Broome were delayed, according to the latest figures.(ABC Kimberley: Andrew Seabourne)

Tourists and locals affected

The cancellations and delays have left many travelers with nowhere to go during the busy dry season, which often sees the town’s hotels booked out months in advance.

In a bid to help stranded local passengers have been forced to step in and house them until they can board another flight, with a group of volunteers coordinating their efforts.

A smiling man with short gray hair, wearing a dark shirt.
Broome Shire President Harold Tracey says his staff have been affected by the delays.(ABC Kimberly)

But while the problems at the airport have affected tourists, Broome Shire President Harold Tracey said they were affecting residents too.

“Some of my … elderly staff members have had appointments to go down to Perth and have check ups and MRIs and so forth,” he said.

“The day before the appointment flight … [the flights are] getting canceled and then having to cancel the appointments.

“We all know how long the waits are when trying to get an appointment again.”

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Categories
Technology

Competitive Pokémon Now Allows Mythicals, And It Changes Everything

Competitive Pokémon Now Allows Mythicals, And It Changes Everything

Competitive Pokemon trainers are both excited and terrified at the recent rule changes in the video game championships (VGC), where players compete against one another via pokemon sword and Shield in an array of leagues. Mythical Pokémon are now allowed for official tournament play for the first time. This means that nobody is safe from heavy-hitters like Megearna or Victini, and the community is scrambling to find counters. Some of the most truly diabolic players have already started to add broken Pokémon to their own teams.

The rules for the latest Series 13 ranked matches, starting September 1, were posted yesterday for pokemon sword and Shield, this series focused on the Galar region, The rules mainly remained the same from the last series, except for an extended eligible Pokémon list. The information was originally spotted by the Pokemon fansite Serebiiand Kotaku was able to confirm the full list of eligible Pokémon in the Pokémon Home mobile app.

Mythical Pokémon are better known as event legendaries, and are normally close to impossible to obtain through normal gameplay. This group includes Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Arceus, and so on. Previously, you had to participate in special in-person events in order to obtain these rare Pokémon. Now, the only mythical Pokémon that are excluded from the eligibility list are the ones that can’t be obtained in Sword and Shield.

These days, mythical Pokémon are much easier to obtain than in the past. The dreaded Megearna can be obtained by completing the Alola Pokédex in pokemon sun and moonand Mew can be captured and transferred over from the Pokémon GO app. Victini can be captured in the Pokémon Sword and Shield DLC. So not being able to access limited time events is less of a competitive disadvantage now than it has been in the past.

The new series rules complicates the meta further: There are no restrictions on the number of legendary and mythical Pokémon that players can bring to a ranked match. Previously, up to two legendaries had been allowed in tournaments under the “GS rules” introduced in Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver.

Series 13 kicks off September 1, and runs until October 31. After that, things will shift over to the freshly released violet and Scarlet, with their mid-November release. For now there’s absolutely nothing stopping competitors from being curb stomped by a full squad of broken legendaries and mythicals. And VGC Pokemon players have absolutely no mercy.

Categories
Entertainment

Maddie Ziegler hits red carpet in daring gown at Bullet Train premiere | Photos

Maddie Ziegler hits red carpet in daring gown at Bullet Train premiere | Photos

Maddie Ziegler is not a little kid anymore.

The US dancer, perhaps best known as Australian singer Sia’s muse, hit the red carpet at the Bullet Train premiere in Westwood, California, yesterday, wearing a daring low-cut black gown.

The 19-year-old, who in recent years has transitioned to acting, walked the carpet alongside Brad Pitt for the upcoming David Leitch-directed thriller, which hits cinemas in Australia on Thursday.

Ziegler, who shot to fame aged eight on the US reality series Dance Momsgained wider recognition since 2014 after featuring in Sia’s music video for Chandelier.

She went on to forge a successful partnership with Sia, appearing alongside the singer on red carpets, during her tours and starring in several other music videos.

Ziegler was also hand-picked by Sia to star as an autistic girl in the widely-panned 2021 film, Musicopposite Kate Hudson.

RELATED: See all the best celebrity pictures from red carpets around the world

Her casting became a controversial topic, with the movie criticized for its “offensive depiction of autism.”

Ziegler addressed the criticism in an interview with independent at the time, saying she understood the outcry.

“I’ve actually stayed out of all of it just because, you know, I’m 18 years old and it’s a lot of pressure … (But) I understand why people would want someone who’s actually on the spectrum with autism to play this character.

“But in terms of the dance sequences, I think that’s why Sia chose me to bring the dream world to life. It was all [made] with good intentions and with a good heart.”

Elsewhere on the Bullet Train red carpet, fellow former child star Joey King, who stars in the film, also rocked a plunging gown.

The 23-year-old kissing booth stars plays British assassin Prince in the action film, which also stars Sandra Bullock.

Bullet Train follows trained killer Ladybug (Pitt) who wants to leave his life as an assassin behind, but is roped back in by his handler Maria Beetle (Bullock) to collect a briefcase on a bullet train heading from Tokyo to Kyoto.

On-board the train, Ladybug bumps into fellow competing assassins who discover their missions are connected.

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Categories
Australia

Former judge and coroner Wayne Chivell crashed into man who then lost lower legs, court hears

A bald man wearing a suit and tie outside a building with large brown columns

A former South Australian coroner and District Court judge and will be sentenced later this month for seriously injuring a delivery driver during a crash in Adelaide late last year.

Wayne Cromwell Chivell, 71, pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to careless driving on Anzac Highway at Plympton in December 2021.

The court heard that Chivell stopped to inform an OzHarvest delivery driver that his back door was swinging open before getting back in his car.

His lawyer said he intended to put his foot on the brake but accidentally accelerated and hit the 66-year-old driver, who lost both his legs below the knees because of the crash.

Chivell issued a public apology in court and was provided character references by judges Paul Slattery and Trish Kelly, who described how devastated their former colleague was for injuring the driver.

Chivell was a magistrate for seven years in the 1980s before becoming the state coroner in 1993 and sitting on the District Court bench from 2005.

I have retired in 2020 at the mandatory age of 70.

In 2011, during the sentencing of a driver who had hit and killed a boy, Chivell pointed out that “even momentary lapses in concentration can have tragic consequences.”

“We need to make people stop and think twice before they jump behind that wheel,” he said.

In 2012, he spared a driver jail in a case he said showed the terrible consequences that could follow from inattentive driving.

As the coroner, he said a complacent attitude to safety led to the death of a yachtsman off Adelaide in 2002.

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Categories
US

Primary election: Michigan and Arizona contests offer another test of GOP appetite for election deniers

Primary election: Michigan and Arizona contests offer another test of GOP appetite for election deniers



CNN
—

Republican voters in Michigan and Arizona – two states at the center of former President Donald Trump’s 2020 election denial campaign – are choosing their nominees in crucial Senate and governors’ races on Tuesday, as the shape of the 2022 midterms comes into focus less than a hundred days from Election Day.

Trump’s loss two years ago in those battleground states seeded right-wing anger and turned Republican primary campaigns up and down the ballot into referendums on his election lies. Allies of the former President are seeking crucial offices to the balance of power in Washington and in state governments, where the GOP is hoping to gain control of the election apparatus ahead of the 2024 presidential contest.

A trio of House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot are also facing voters for the first time. Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer and Washington Reps. Dan Newhouse and Jaime Herrera Beutler – three of only 10 Republicans to back Trump’s second impeachment – ​​each face challengers from their own party.

Tuesday also provides voters with their first chance to directly respond to the US Supreme Court’s striking down of federal abortion rights earlier this summer – an issue that national Democrats hope will energize their base in the fall. A Kansas ballot measure asks voters, regardless of political affiliation, whether to amend the state constitution to remove a protected right to abortion. The procedure is currently legal up to 22 weeks in Kansas, where people from Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri have traveled for services amid Republican-led efforts to roll back abortion rights.

The results of Senate primaries in Arizona, where Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly is awaiting a GOP challenger, and Missouri, an increasingly conservative state that Trump won by double digits in 2020, will clarify the road ahead for Democrats’ efforts to retain their narrow majority.

In both states, crowded Republican fields have been dominated by election deniers. Late Monday, Trump issued an endorsement in the high-stakes Missouri race to simply “Eric,” without specifying whether he meant state Attorney General Eric Schmitt or former Gov. Eric Greitens, who resigned in 2018 amid a sex scandal and accusations of campaign misconduct and who more recently has faced allegations of abuse from his ex-wife of him. Greitens has denied all those allegations, but is viewed by some Republican leaders as an unnecessarily risky potential general election candidate.

Trump said earlier this month that he would not be backing Rep. Vicky Hartzler, who’s backed by the state’s junior senator, Josh Hawley. One of two members of Congress seeking the nomination, she was critical of Trump in the aftermath of January 6, but still voted against certifying the presidential vote and touts her voting record of her with Trump on the trail.

Arizona’s long Republican primary slate will provide a series of tests for Trump allies. Republicans will choose a nominee to face Kelly, the endangered Democratic Senate incumbent. Blake Masters, an acolyte of Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel, is Trump’s pick in that race. He is facing off with businessman Jim Lamon, who piled cash into a partisan “audit” of the 2020 results in Maricopa County and state Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who recently returned a report debunking a popular right-wing myth around “dead voters” but has mixed his defenses of the state’s election integrity with indulgences of conspiracy-minded activists.

The race to succeed term-limited Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has split the party, with Ducey and former Vice President Mike Pence endorsing Karrin Taylor Robson and Trump backing former television reporter Kari Lake, whose campaign has been fueled by the former President’s election lies.

Down the ballot in Arizona, the favorite for the GOP nomination for secretary of state – and the chance to run the state’s next round of elections – is Trump-backed election-denying state Rep. Mark Finchem, who attended the January 6, 2021, rally in Washington. Democratic Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs is running for governor and favored in her primary against Marco Lopez.

In Michigan, another state that flipped from red to blue in the 2020 presidential race, Trump’s choice will win the Republican nomination for governor, CNN projects. Tudor Dixon, who was boosted last week with the Trump endorsement, also had the backing of former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. A conservative commentator who had coalesced support from prominent Republicans in the state, she beat back criticism that she was an establishment candidate who wasn’t “MAGA” enough.

Dixon will be taking on Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is seeking a second term. Whitmer is a key piece of the Democratic bulwark against Republican power in Michigan, where the GOP controls both legislative chambers.

But the most anticipated race of the night, at least in Michigan, is for the GOP nomination in a western House district that has become a flashpoint in both parties’ national infighting. Meijer, who was first elected in 2020, is facing a primary challenge from John Gibbs, a fervent election denier running with Trump’s support.

Gibbs, though, has also been the beneficiary of Democratic meddling. The party’s House campaign arm, believing that Gibbs is a less viable general election candidate, has run more than $300,000 in ads ostensibly attacking his alliance with Trump with the goal of boosting him in the primary. But that strategy has angered some on the left who think it undermines their broader messaging against political extremism in the GOP, while sparking fears the gamble could backfire if Gibbs is actually elected and makes it to Congress.

Meanwhile, Democrats in the newly drawn 11th Congressional District will have to choose between Reps. Andy Levin and Haley Stevens, who both opted into the newly drawn seat with competing claims over the territory and its constituents.

The campaign has emerged as the latest chapter of a proxy fight between moderates and progressives, with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) backing Stevens and its new super PAC, United Democracy Project, spending more than $4 million to boost her bid. UDP’s outlay, along with bundling by AIPAC, spurred another pro-Israel group, the liberal J Street, to jump in on Levin’s behalf, splashing $700,000 in a July ad buy for him.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

Categories
Technology

Top Gear: Bikes, Books, Parts & Accessories, What’s New In The World Of Cycling?

Top Gear: Bikes, Books, Parts & Accessories, What's New In The World Of Cycling?

Each edition we take a look at the latest releases from the cycling world. Here’s what’s crossed the BA desk this month.

New Colnago C68

Legendary Italian bike builders Colnago have announced (drum roll…) the C68. This stunning machine is the company’s highest-end model and comes packed with the latest technology.

In releasing the bike Colnago also announced a direct-to-consumer purchase option—’from traditional B2B to Omnichannel’ as they put it—potential owners will have the option to buy direct from the Colnago website or even their app.

The bottom line is a price range of A$17,500 to A$26,000 (depending upon build options, exchange rate and freight), for one of the bikes that is hand-made in Italy.

A limited edition ‘C68 Road’ will also be available, this version featuring custom titanium components that are individually 3D-printed at Colnago central in Italy.

More at www.colnago.com

Sennheiser Sport Wireless Earbuds

We know headphones and earbuds can be a dangerous distraction when cycling, but this new release from Sennheiser allows some outside noise to enter for improved awareness. The German company’s Sport True Wireless earbuds offer superior audio performance with what they term an ‘Adaptable Acoustic’ feature.

Users have a choice of open or closed ear adapters, allowing them to tailor listening experience to their activities. The open ear adapters—in combination with Aware EQ settings—help to reduce noise and allow some outside sounds to enter for better situational awareness.

There’s a 9-hour battery life plus a further 18 hours of power in the charging case.

Sennheiser Sport True Wireless are available now for an RRP of $199.95.

Giant Dash L200 GPS

A dual release from Giant and Stages, the 200 series is the latest in Stages line of GPS/computer units.

Available in two sizes, the L (larger) and M (a medium sized unit), both models have full color screens and an enviable array of internal functions and features.

Truly rich in data, the L model shows up to 14 values ​​while the smaller-screened unit shows up to 10. With a crystal clear screen and 11hr battery life, this is a very impressive unit. We are currently riding and reviewing it with more on the BA website soon.

More at www.giant-bicycles.com

New Book: ‘Pain & Privilege, Inside Le Tour’ by Sophie Smith

The Tour de France—the race that captures competitors and spectators from across the globe with tales of human endurance, headlines of crashes and triumphs and its stunning landscapes. Yet there is more to this event than what plays out over the news for four weeks in July.

For a decade, Sophie Smith has been on the ground, witnessing the true cost of the contest. With contributions from Caleb Ewan, Cadel Evans, Richie Porte, Robbie McEwen, Sam Bennett, Marcel Kittel, Michael Matthews, Matt White & more.

Pain & Privilege: Inside Le Tour is a riveting backstage exploration of the humanity behind the spectacle. From the politics and strategies of riders, to the physical sufferings and exhaustion.

It’s available in bookstores and via online retailers such as Booktopia as well as direct from Ultimo Press via www.ultimopress.com

Fizik 3D Vento Argo Adaptive Saddle

Fizik’s ‘Adaptive’ 3D-printed saddle padding has expanded to the Argo range. Unveiled at Sea Otter 2022, the new saddle features similar 3D-printed lattice cushioning to the high-end Antares Evo Adaptive.

A short-nosed, power-style saddle, the Argo is suitable for a wide range of riding styles from road to gravel to cross country MTB. Coupling 3D-printing with the Argo shape, the new release features ‘zonal cushioning’ for improved comfort and stability, and is available in 140 and 150mm widths.

The Vento Argo Adaptive is 265mm long, 75mm high and has lightweight 7 x 7mm kium (black alloy) rails. Overall weight is 224g and the RRP is $370 (140mm) and $428 (150mm).

See your local Fizik dealer for more.

Easton Dropper Post & Lever

A dropper post on a gravel bike? Absolutely! The EA90 AX dropper post and lever have been specifically designed for drop bar off-road bikes.

Tested and used in many major oversea races and events, the dropper gives 50mm of drop for lower center of gravity and to help get the saddle out of the way for trickier downhill sections of the trail.

The post is suitable for a 27.2mm clamp and features solidly assembled mechanical internals and quiet operation thanks to spring guides. To the actuator cable, and it can be attached from either direction for easy compatibility.

Easton also have a slick and stylish gravel dropper lever that pairs perfectly with the post. Both are top quality components and highly recommended!

RRP EA90AX post $585.00. RRP AZ Dropper lever $129.00

More at www.ridefoxaustralia.com.au

New Eco Conscious Kit From Trek

Trek have released a range of new eco-friendly apparel they say delivers maximum performance while having far less of an impact on the planet.

Technologies include recycling scrap textiles from the manufacturing and cutting process and using them in shorts. In addition, a selection of their new jerseys contain fabric made from discarded water bottles that’s been converted into plastic pellets then woven into yarn.

How do they ride? Over the past few weeks we’ve had the opportunity to ride and review the new Circuit range. Presented in paper (not plastic) packaging, the jersey has a soft and supple feeling and is super comfortable on the skin. While simple and minimalist, the jersey has a classy and high quality feel and attention to detail (for example the zip stitching) is outstanding.

Similarly soft and comfortable, the bibs are made of 77% recycled nylon and 23% recycled Elastane. The chamois is Trek branded and proved comfortable over a number of 40-50km test rides.

Overall it’s subtly stylish, on trend, and ‘very 2022’ kit. We’ve found it to be soft and supple while looking great and performing well.

More at trekbikes.com

Finish Line Fibrelink Tubeless Sealant

Ever tried to count the number of tubeless sealants currently available? There are absolutely plenty of them! So much so, one of the most popular questions over the past few years has been ‘what sealant are you running?’

The major point of difference in the latest release from Finish Line is the inclusion of small Kevlar fibers in the latex formula.

We’ve recently installed, ridden and tested it and, in all honesty, can’t really vouch for it’s sealing properties due to not puncturing for a while.

That said, it’s made in the USA, is quite a thin and low viscosity mix, and therefore very simple & easy to apply. Finish Line say Fibrelink offers stronger and faster seals for punctures up to 8mm across! They also claim it is a longer lasting sealant.

Suitable for road, gravel and MTB applications, the other bonus is it comes in a handy 240ml plastic bottle with a spout suitable for Presta valves.

Ask for it at your local bike shop or visit http://www.velovita.com.au

WHOOP

If you watched the Giro d’Italia on GCN / Eurosport you probably saw the data updates from several star participants. Riding with WHOOP monitoring bands, pro’s including Matthieu van der Poel shared live data updates with the audience.

A wrist or apparel-mounted device, WHOOP monitors sleep, recovery and daily effort around the clock to deliver insights and help athletes of all abilities improve performance.

Bicycling Australia are currently testing and reviewing the system and will have a detailed report next edition.

For more on this interesting training and recover aid visit www.whoop.com

Koo Supernova Eyewear

Ultra light at just 21g, the Supernova from Koo are one-piece, frameless, high-performance eyewear from the Italian sunglasses arm of Kask.

Hand-assembled in Italy, they ooze quality and offer a fantastic fit due to the flexibility of the single lens. After recent testing of a pair with white frames and a Category 3 Turquoise lens, it’s fair to say you can hardly feel these lightweight sunnies on your face.

With a crisp and clear Carl Zeiss lens, they not only look great on but offer bright and sharp clarity. The Supernova’s dock well with Kask helmets and have proven to be a sensational addition to the kit.

Ask for them at your local bike store or read more at www.kooworld.cc

Challenge Tire Fitting Tool

Tubeless tires offer so many advantages over running old-school tubes, but one negative can be getting them onto the rim in the
first place.

Italian bike tire company Challenge have come up with a smart and simple solution for the perpetual ‘this damn tire won’t fit!’ issue with their tire fitting and seating tool.

Constructed of a high density synthetic polymer (which translates to super strong!), the tool is designed to be safe to use with beaded carbon and alloy rim designs. It’s also suitable for tubed tyres, with the design preventing any potential contact or damage to an inner tube during installation.

Via single-handed application, the tool offers far more leverage and grip of the tight tubeless tire, and makes fitting a breeze.

We have been using the tool over the past couple of months here
in the BA workshop and can vouch for it’s ease, simplicity, strength and abilities.

Quite simply, if you change tires regularly this is a workshop, car boot or toolbox essential!

The RRP is around $30.

More at www.challengetires.com or ask for the tool at your LBS.

Categories
Entertainment

Major influencer bust-up between Sophie Cachia and Mia Plecic as they cut business ties

Major influencer bust-up between Sophie Cachia and Mia Plecic as they cut business ties

Two of Australia’s most controversial influencers have reportedly cut business ties following a string of public relations gaffes.

Mummy blogger Sophie Cachia and haircare entrepreneur Mia Plecic announced last year they were launching a ‘gender-neutral’ cosmetics brand together called Aisuru.

Cachia, a former footy WAG who famously left her husband and became engaged to a woman in 2020, previously found success with her eponymous pajamas brand and multimedia company Shaw Media.

Controversial influencers Sophie Cachia (left) and Mia Plecic (right) have reportedly cut business ties after a series of PR disasters

Mia is known for her multimillion-dollar hair products company, Slick Hair Co.

But this week, Cachia announced that Aisuru was now ‘a one-woman show’, apparently confirming Plecic had left the business.

Outspoken the Podcast, which documents the misadventures of social media stars, speculated this week that the pair’s friendship had also broken down.

Cachia (pictured) and Plecic announced last year they were launching a 'gender-neutral' cosmetics brand together called Aisuru

Cachia (pictured) and Plecic announced last year they were launching a ‘gender-neutral’ cosmetics brand together called Aisuru

Tellingly, Plecic has removed all references to Aisuru from her social media bio and also unfollowed the brand on Instagram.

The former business partners have also unfollowed each other’s personal accounts.

Plecic has since released a statement to Daily Mail Australia that seemingly contradicts Cachia’s claim about Aisuru being a ‘one-woman show’.

But this week, Cachia announced on Instagram that Aisuru was now 'a one-woman show', apparently confirming Plecic had left the business

But this week, Cachia announced on Instagram that Aisuru was now ‘a one-woman show’, apparently confirming Plecic had left the business

‘I am still a Director of AISURU and an equal shareholder to Sophie. I just took a step back as Slick Hair Company is going through huge international growth and I need to focus on the brand that is growing,’ Plecic said.

Aisuru has been plagued by controversy since its launch earlier this year.

In February, Cachia was called out for practicing poor hygiene while conducting a ‘quality control’ exercise on her new lipstick line.

In February, Cachia was called out for practicing poor hygiene while conducting a ‘quality control’ exercise on her new lipstick line. She filmed herself rubbing her nose while checking individual lipsticks from her de ella Aisuru range that were due to be sent out to customers (pictured)

Aisuru issued a statement (above) acknowledging this was 'not best practice nor aligned with our policies'

Aisuru issued a statement (above) acknowledging this was ‘not best practice nor aligned with our policies’

Cachia had filmed herself rubbing her nose with her bare hand while checking individual lipsticks from her Aisuru range that were due to be sent out to customers.

Aisuru subsequently issued a statement acknowledging this was ‘not best practice nor aligned with our policies’.

The hosts of Outspoken, sisters Amy, Sophie and Kate Taeuber, also speculated this week that Plecic’s controversial views on Covid-19 and vaccine mandates possibly drove a wedge between the business partners.

In June, Plecic sparked outrage by comparing Australia's vaccine mandates to the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court

In June, Plecic sparked outrage by comparing Australia’s vaccine mandates to the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court

Reacting to the landmark decision, Plecic wrote on Instagram: 'Why is it okay to be pro-choice about one human right but not the other?'

Reacting to the landmark decision, Plecic wrote on Instagram: ‘Why is it okay to be pro-choice about one human right but not the other?’

In June, Plecic sparked outrage by comparing Australia’s vaccine mandates to the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court.

The court’s ruling ends the constitutional right to abortion across America, meaning individual states can now decide whether abortion should be legal.

Reacting to the landmark decision, Plecic wrote on Instagram: ‘Why is it okay to be pro-choice about one human right but not the other?’

Many people who oppose Covid vaccine mandates call themselves ‘pro-choice’, borrowing the popular slogan used for decades by advocates for legal abortion.

Many people who oppose Covid vaccine mandates call themselves 'pro-choice', borrowing the popular slogan used for decades by advocates for legal abortion

Many people who oppose Covid vaccine mandates call themselves ‘pro-choice’, borrowing the popular slogan used for decades by advocates for legal abortion

However, the use of the term in the context of vaccines is highly controversial, with women’s rights activists saying the two issues cannot be compared.

‘The same people who are against freedom of choice with mandates are the same people who are screaming freedom of choice about abortions,’ added Plecic in her post.

The entrepreneur, who made headlines last year for sharing anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine views on social media, continued: ‘It doesn’t work like that. Freedom of choice regardless of your narrative.’

Plecic soon received backlash online, with major online retailer Showpo reportedly vowing to remove Slick Hair Co. products from its store, according to this alleged Instagram exchange between a customer and a Showpo representative

Plecic soon received backlash online, with major online retailer Showpo reportedly vowing to remove Slick Hair Co. products from its store, according to this alleged Instagram exchange between a customer and a Showpo representative

Her ‘pro-choice’ post was soon picked up by Instagram watchdog account Aussie Influencer Opinions, which warned customers of Plecic’s haircare company they were supporting these views by buying her products.

Plecic soon received a wave of backlash online, with major online retailer Showpo reportedly vowing to remove Slick Hair Co. products from its store.

Aussie Influencer Opinions posted a screenshot purportedly showing an anonymous user messaging Showpo’s official Instagram account asking why the company stocked a product ‘with such a problematic company owner such as Mia Plecic’.

A Showpo customer service representative replied: ‘As a brand we will not be renewing our partnership with Slick Hair Company to stock their products on our website and we’re effectively exiting out of this brand.’

Reacting to Ms Plecic's Instagram post, one fan exposed the logical fallacy at the heart of her argument with: 'Covid is contagious and pregnancy is not. Simple really'

Reacting to Ms Plecic’s Instagram post, one fan exposed the logical fallacy at the heart of her argument with: ‘Covid is contagious and pregnancy is not. Simple really’

Reacting to Plecic’s Instagram post, one fan exposed the logical fallacy at the heart of her argument with: ‘Covid is contagious and pregnancy is not. Simple really.’

Another agreed: ‘Wow… to compare those VERY DIFFERENT things is just next level. How embarrassing.’

Plecic subsequently doubled down on her controversial stance, uploading another post thanking the ‘500 people’ who’d reached out to her to express their agreement.

She also used this post to clarify that she is pro-choice when it comes to abortion.

Plecic subsequently doubled down on her controversial stance, uploading another post on Sunday to thank the '500 people' who had reached out to her to express their agreement

Plecic subsequently doubled down on her controversial stance, uploading another post on Sunday to thank the ‘500 people’ who had reached out to her to express their agreement

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Categories
Australia

How the Cherbourg Marching Girls moved in step from an Aboriginal mission to sporting history

How the Cherbourg Marching Girls moved in step from an Aboriginal mission to sporting history

Aboriginal sporting history has been brought to life in a new book that details how a group of women from a south-east Queensland mission nearly won a national title in the most popular female sport of the era.

Faced with a future working in heavily controlled conditions in the 1950s, a group of young Aboriginal girls from Cherbourg held their head high and marched.

Marching was the lead sport for Australian women at the time, with participants dressing up in white boots, skirts, sashes and formal hats to perform at agricultural shows, city parades and for visiting dignitaries.

Teams competed against each other on weekends and were judged on their timing, uniforms, synchronization and performance.

On the government-controlled mission at Cherbourg, it was the only sport available to the young women.

A black and white photo of Indigenous girls in the Cherbourg marching girls with their trophies in Melbourne 1962.
Aunty Lesley Williams [second from right] and her team received trophies in Melbourne during 1962.(Supplied)

A sense of pride

Aunty Lesley Williams began marching in Queensland’s only Indigenous troupe in 1957 when she was just 11.

The sense of pride gave her as a young person who had been denied her culture and freedom was something she would never forget.

“We were told you are going to have this career. Stop practicing your culture. You can’t speak your language,” Aunty Lesley said.

“If you look back to this point in time, it was about controlling this group of people.”

Dressed in uniforms created in the community, the Cherbourg Marching Girls went on to become the best in Queensland in the six years they competed, and then went even further to place second at the national championships.

“We had a lot of fun. We were so proud,” Aunty Lesley said.

“We’d travel around on the back of the settlement truck that carted wood, flour and meat down from the slaughter yard to the butcher shop.

“When it was time for us to travel, it was scrubbed down, seats were put on it and we didn’t care because we wanted to travel and be part of what was happening in the wider world.”

A group of Aboriginal women wearing blue skirts, red tops and hats
A photo of the Cherbourg marching girls in 1958.(Supplied)

why marching mattered

Aunty Lesley, her sister Sandra Morgan and a Cherbourg committee, have worked alongside co-authors Professor Murray Philips and Dr Gary Osmond from the University of Queensland to document the history in a book entitled, Marching With A Mission: Cherbourg’s Marching Girls.

Professor Phillips studied sport history and said she was researching in Cherbourg when the idea was born.

“We had just finished the day and [were] walking to the car when one of the female elders said, ‘When are you going to tell our story?’

“And we swung around and said, ‘What story is that?,’ and they said, ‘The marching girls’, and that’s how it started.

“The key drivers at Cherbourg are some women elders and they were giving us all this information about the men’s sport, Eddie Gilbert, Frank Fisher and all these other high-profile male athletes.”

The book’s storyline follows the history of marching, the opportunities it offered and how the sport shaped their lives.

A group of women stand behind a woman speaking at a podium.
Aunty Lesley, surrounded by former marching girls, launches the book at the State Library of Queensland.(Supplied)

Professor Phillips said it was an important period for Queensland First Nations women.

“You’ve gone from that era of protection to assimilation, and these girls really rode the crest of that wave,” she said.

“For many of these women, this was the first opportunity to get out of Cherbourg and see the opportunities that lay beyond.”

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Categories
US

Sandy Hook parents: Alex Jones claims created ‘living hell’

Sandy Hook parents: Alex Jones claims created 'living hell'

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Fighting back tears and finally given the chance to confront conspiracy theorist Alex Jonesthe parents of a 6-year-old killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting described being put through a “living hell” of death threats, harassment and ongoing trauma over the last decade caused by Jones using his media platforms to push claims that it was all a hoax.

The parents led a day of charged testimony that included the judge scolding the bombastic Jones for not being truthful with some of what he said under oath.

Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose son Jesse was killed at Sandy Hook, took the witness stand Tuesday on the final day of testimony in the two-week defamation damages trial against Jones and his media company Free Speech Systems. They are seeking at least $150 million in damages.

In a gripping exchange, Lewis spoke directly to Jones, who was sitting about 10 feet away. Earlier that day, Jones was on his broadcast program telling his audience that Heslin is “slow” and being manipulated by bad people.

“I am a mother first and foremost and I know you are a father. My son existed,” Lewis said to Jones. “I am not deep state… I know you know that… And yet you’re going to leave this courthouse and say it again on your show.”

At one point, Lewis asked Jones: “Do you think I’m an actor?”

“No, I don’t think you’re an actor,” Jones responded before the judge admonished him to be quiet until called to testify.

Lewis continued trying to impress on Jones that the Sandy Hook shooting and trauma inflicted in the decade since then were real.

“It seems so incredible to me that we have to do this — that we have to implore you, to punish you — to get you to stop lying,” Lewis said. “I am so glad this day is here. I’m actually relieved. And grateful… that I got to say all this to you.”

Jones visibly shook his head several times while Scarlett Lewis was addressing him.

Heslin and Lewis are among several Sandy Hook families who have filed several lawsuits alleging that Sandy Hook hoax claims pushed by Jones have led to years of abuse by Jones and his followers.

Heslin and Lewis both said they fear for their lives and have been confronted by strangers at home and on the street. Heslin said his home and car had been shot at. The jury heard a death threat sent via telephone message to another Sandy Hook family.

“I can’t even describe the last nine and a half years, the living hell that I and others have had to endure because of the recklessness and negligence of Alex Jones,” Heslin said.

Scarlett Lewis also described threatening emails that seemed to have uncovered deep details of her personal life.

“It’s fear for your life,” Scarlett Lewis said. “You don’t know what they were going to do.”

Heslin said he didn’t know if the Sandy Hook hoax conspiracy theory originated with Jones, but it was Jones who “lit the match and started the fire” with an online platform and broadcast that reached millions worldwide.

“What was said about me and Sandy Hook itself resonates around the world,” Heslin said. “As time went on, I truly realized how dangerous it was.”

Jones skipped Heslin’s morning testimony while he was on his show — a move Heslin dismissed as “cowardly” — but arrived in the courtroom for part of Scarlett Lewis’ testimony. He was accompanied by several private security guards.

“Today is very important to me and it’s been a long time coming… to face Alex Jones for what he said and did to me. To restore the honor and legacy of my son,” Heslin said when Jones wasn’t there.

Heslin told the jury about holding his son with a bullet hole through his head, even describing the extent of the damage to his son’s body. A key segment of the case is a 2017 Infowars broadcast that said Heslin did not hold his son.

The jury was shown a school picture of a smiling Jesse taken two weeks before he was killed. The parents didn’t receive the photo until after the shooting. They described how Jesse was known for telling classmates to “run!” which likely saved lives.

An apology from Jones wouldn’t be good enough, the parents said.

“Alex started this fight,” Heslin said, “and I’ll finish this fight.”

Jones later took the stand himself, initially being combative with the judge, who had asked him to answer his own attorney’s question. Jones testified he had long wanted to apologize to the plaintiffs.

“I never intentionally tried to hurt you. I never said your name until this came to court,” Jones said. “The internet had questions, I had questions.”

Later, the judge sent the jury out of the room and strongly scolded Jones for telling the jury he complied with pretrial evidence gathering even though he didn’t, and that he is bankrupt, which has not been determined. Plaintiff’s attorneys were furious about Jones mentioning he is bankrupt, which they worry will taint a jury decision about damages.

“This is not your show,” Judge Maya Guerra Gamble told Jones. “Your beliefs do not make something true. You are under oath.”

Last September, Guerra admonished Jones in her default judgment over his failure to turn over documents requested by the Sandy Hook families. A court in Connecticut issued a similar default judgment against Jones for the same reasons in a separate lawsuit brought by other Sandy Hook parents.

Heslin and Lewis suffer from a form of post-traumatic stress disorder that comes from constant trauma, similar to that endured by soldiers in war zones or child abuse victims, a forensic psychologist who studied their cases and met with them testified Monday.

Jones has portrayed the lawsuit against him as an attack on his First Amendment rights.

At stake in the trial is how much Jones will pay. The parents have asked the jury to award $150 million in compensation for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The jury will then consider whether Jones and his company will pay punitive damages.

The trial is just one of several Jones faces.

Courts in Texas and Connecticut have already found Jones liable for defamation for his portrayal of the Sandy Hook massacre as a hoax. In both states, judges issued default judgments against Jones without trials because he failed to respond to court orders and turn over documents.

Jones has already tried to protect Free Speech Systems financially. The company filed for federal bankruptcy protection last week. Sandy Hook families have separately sued Jones over his financial claims from him, arguing that the company is trying to protect millions owned by Jones and his family from him through shell entities.

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Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber contributed to this report.

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For more of the AP’s coverage of school shootings: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings

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