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Entertainment

Pregnant Chrissy Teigen rocks chic jumpsuit as she steps out with her kids in LA

Doting mom: Chrissy Teigen was spotted while spending time with her children, Luna and Miles, during an outing at the Century City Mall in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon

Pregnant Chrissy Teigen rocks chic jumpsuit as she steps out with her kids in LA… days after announcing pregnancy

By Sam Joseph Semon For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

Chrissy Teigen was spotted while spending time with her children, Luna and Miles, during an outing at the Century City Mall in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon.

The 36-year-old social media personality kept her daughter and son, aged six and four, close while making her way through the shopping center.

The cookbook author is currently prepping to welcome a third child into her family, and she announced her pregnancy with a post that was shared to her Instagram account four days ago.

Doting mom: Chrissy Teigen was spotted while spending time with her children, Luna and Miles, during an outing at the Century City Mall in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon

Doting mom: Chrissy Teigen was spotted while spending time with her children, Luna and Miles, during an outing at the Century City Mall in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon

Teigen covered up her growing baby bump with a dark blue denim jumpsuit during the outing.

The media figure also rocked a pair of platform leather sandals while she spent time with her children.

The model accessorized with a pair of tinted aviator-style sunglasses that added a bit of glam to her outfit.

Her gorgeous brunette locks remained tied into a bun that sat on top of her head.

Fashionable: Teigen covered up her growing baby bump with a dark blue denim jumpsuit during the outing

Fashionable: Teigen covered up her growing baby bump with a dark blue denim jumpsuit during the outing

Shining bright: The model accessorized with a pair of tinted aviator-style sunglasses that added a bit of glam to her outfit

Shining bright: The model accessorized with a pair of tinted aviator-style sunglasses that added a bit of glam to her outfit

Teigen will share her forthcoming child with her longtime husband, John Legend.

The now-married couple initially met while working on the set of a music video in 2006.

The pair dated for several years before the singer popped the big question in 2011.

The two went on to hold a wedding ceremony that took place in Italy two years later.

Happy family: Teigen will share her forthcoming child with her longtime husband, John Legend

Happy family: Teigen will share her forthcoming child with her longtime husband, John Legend

Teigen and Legend subsequently started a family with Luna’s birth, which took place in 2016.

The happy couple went on to expand their family after they brought Miles into their lives two years later.

The social media personality later announced that she had become pregnant for a third time in August of 2020.

However, she later revealed that she had tragically lost her baby the following month.

Letting everyone know: Teigen went on to announce that she was pregnant for the fourth time with a post that were shared to her Instagram account last week

Letting everyone know: Teigen went on to announce that she was pregnant for the fourth time with a post that were shared to her Instagram account last week

Teigen subsequently gave the public further details about the loss with a post that was shared to her Instagram account, where she revealed that she and Legend had chosen to name their baby Jack.

She also shared a photo of herself mourning the loss of her child while spending time in hospital.

The author went on to reveal that she would not be able to carry another child in the future.

The social media personality did point out, however, that she was very grateful for the presence and support of her two children.

Letting everyone know: Teigen subsequently gave the public further details about the loss with a post that was shared to her Instagram account, where she revealed that she and Legend had chosen to name their baby Jack

Letting everyone know: Teigen subsequently gave the public further details about the loss with a post that was shared to her Instagram account, where she revealed that she and Legend had chosen to name their baby Jack

Teigen went on to announce that she was pregnant for the fourth time with a post that was shared to her Instagram account last week.

The model shared several shots to show off her growing baby bump to her nearly 39 million followers.

She also penned a lengthy message where she noted that she utilized in vitro fertilization to conceive her forthcoming child.

The author also wrote that ‘so far, everything is perfect and beautiful and I’m feeling hopeful and amazing.’

The social media personality has not announced when she is expecting to welcome her child.

Letting everyone see: The model shared several shots to her Instagram account to show off her growing baby bump to her nearly 39 million followers

Letting everyone see: The model shared several shots to her Instagram account to show off her growing baby bump to her nearly 39 million followers

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Sports

Shock blow as Magpies ruckman ruled out for the season

Shock blow as Magpies ruckman ruled out for the season

Brodie Grundy will undergo season-ending surgery on a fresh ankle injury to cut short his 2022 campaign.

Grundy has not played AFL since Round 6 after suffering a PCL injury. He had been nearing a return to the senior side but pulled up with ankle soreness following his first game back in the VFL in late July.

Scans have cleared him of a serious injury, but Collingwood head of football Graham Wright confirmed the 28-year-old would not return to the field this season.

“Brodie took part in the Club’s VFL game against the Southport Sharks just over a week ago and he pulled up sore from that match. He then participated in a training session early last week and was still experiencing soreness, so he was sent for scans which revealed a stress fracture in his left ankle,” Wright said in a club statement.

“The nature of the ankle injury is not long-term so Brodie will make a full recovery but after consulting with multiple specialists to assess all options available, it was determined arthroscopic surgery would be the best course of action.

“The pleasing thing for Brodie is that his knee has held up well – this is a separate injury – and unfortunately with only a couple of weeks left of the home-and-away season, he will be unable to take further part in matches in 2022.

Wright added that the injury was not expected to jeopardize Grundy’s pre-season for the 2023 campaign.





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US

Energy Experts Say Climate Bill Could Help Consumers Cut Utility Bill Costs

Energy Experts Say Climate Bill Could Help Consumers Cut Utility Bill Costs

The Inflation Reduction Act that was passed by the Senate on Sunday could lower electricity bills for consumers and the prices of things like rooftop solar panels, energy-efficient appliances and electric vehicles, Democrats and some energy experts said.

Under the legislation, a home improvement credit for energy efficiency would allow households to deduct from their taxes up to 30 percent of the cost of upgrades like heat pumps and insulation. Another provision extends a program that allows households that are installing solar or battery storage systems to deduct 30 percent of the cost of those projects from their taxes.

Rewiring America, a nonprofit group that promotes energy efficiency, said it estimated that those and other measures in the legislation could save households $1,800 a year.

The package also continues an incentive for families to replace their gas-powered vehicles with electric. It extends a current $7,500 tax credit for new electric vehicles and $4,000 for a used one. Couples who earn less than $300,000 a year or individuals who earn less than $150,000 a year would be eligible for the credits, and consumers would get the discount at the dealership.

“This bill will help create jobs and lower costs for many American families,” in addition to slowing climate change, said Senator Thomas R. Carper, Democrat of Delaware.

Republicans said they expected the measure to drive up inflation and said the credits would not help Americans.

“They’re not into buying an electric car any time in the near future,” Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, said of his constituents. “They’d like gas prices to come down because we’re producing more oil.”

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Business

Woman finds flowers in her McDonald’s Chicken McSandwich

Woman finds flowers in her McDonald's Chicken McSandwich

There’s nothing quite like the disappointment of opening a food order and discovering what’s inside isn’t exactly what you ordered.

So spare a thought for this Macca’s customer who claims she found an unexpected item in her McChicken Sandwich.

The Irish woman was recorded by her boyfriend expressing her shock after she took a bite of her burger and pulled out what appears to resemble a dandelion.

“There’s a flower in my McChicken Sandwich,” she states, holding the mayo-covered piece of greenery.

“Is this actually for real?”

She then places the mysterious green item into the top of the burger box, showing it was an entire stem complete with yellowing buds.

The video of the unimpressed woman – captioned, “Flowers in chicken legend meal looks lovely so it does” – has clocked up over two million views since it was shared on TikTok on Sunday.

But while many people sympathized with the woman’s plight – others were suspicious.

“I work at McDonald’s. No you didn’t,” one bloke wrote.

“Yeah nah Maccies worker here, that’s not possible,” another agreed.

While another said: “I work in McDonald’s and I can assure you that everything is checked, so I feel like this has been planted in.”

Others tagged McDonald’s UK in the video, stating: “You owe her free food for life.”

“That’s true, I find these all the time in the bags of lettuce when at work,” one user said.

“Would have been in the lettuce mix. Staff wouldn’t have known it’s contaminated,” another argued.

Despite not being able to tell if the video was authentic, many saw the funny side, remarking it made the fast-food item “healthier”.

“That’s a weed, they must have run out of lettuce,” one teased.

“Still better than a bug or plastic. It is organic girl!” another laughed.

“Cost of living is so bad now, they’re just tricking us with dandelions instead of lettuce,” someone else joked.

It’s not the first time a hungry diner has found something unexpected in their Macca’s order – with a Sydney woman recently claiming there was a cockroach crawling in her fries.

The woman posted photos of the shock found on social media in April with the caption: “Straya – where you get a free live toy with every Happy Meal.”

As a result, McDonald’s launched an investigation into the gross discovery, which was found in an order delivered via UberEats.

It’s still unclear how the roach got into the food but Reddit users posted several theories.

“My guess is he crawled in while our food was sitting on the front porch of the wrong address for half an hour,” the woman said.

“I’m Australian and should be used to them I guess, but give me snakes, spiders and rats over cockroaches any day. Those things are unspeakably revolting.”

Other users agreed with the theory the cockroach got in the bag while it was being delivered.

“Christ, driver’s car must have been a dumpster fire, I reckon that’s the only way it got in there,” a user commented.

“I’ve not seen inside an Uber/Menulog etc bag but I reckon they’d be rank,” a second said.

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Technology

TCL C835 Mini LED TV Review

TCL C835 Mini LED TV Review

TCL has surprised me with its C835 Mini LED TV. Alongside the likes of Samsung, Sony and LG, I’d always associated TCL with more reserved, budget-friendly specifications and quality. However, with features that felt prohibitively expensive just a couple of years ago, the TCL Mini LED C835 ushers in next-gen TV tech with a favorable price tag, giving other major manufacturers a run for their money.

The Cheapest TCL C835 Mini LED TV Prices: 55″ – $1,595 / 65″ – $2,395 / 75″ – $3,195

TheDisplay

Rattling off the specs makes for impressive reading: a Quantum Dot Mini LED display, full array local dimming, a 144Hz refresh rate, HDMI 2.1 ports, VRR and ALLM support, ONKYO speakers with an in-built subwoofer, support for Dolby Vision IQ, Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced content, and Google TV.

But it’s first and foremost the display where the TCL C835 Mini LED shines.

And ‘shines’ is right; this thing is bright! The 4K Quantum Dot Mini LED screen works wonders for brightness and colors in both well-lit and dim environments, so much so that I needed to crank the brightness way down with the lights off.

TCL C835 MiniLEDTV

Firing up IMAX Enhanced content such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on Disney+ looks incredible once you navigate through the picture settings to disable motion smoothing. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision certification, which settings that automatically adjust to the displayed content, ensure you’re getting the best picture without messing around with options too much. The glossy finish is a touch reflective but allows the colors to pop.

Full array local dimming with hundreds of zones results in decent blacks that aren’t OLED-level inky but more than sufficient for a fantastic movie-watching experience. If you’re concerned about burn-in or an OLED holding up in a sun-soaked living space, a screen such as this would be worth considering.

Gaming Features

Of course, the gaming experience on the TCL C835 Mini LED is excellent.

The Quantum Dot Mini LED tech and HDR mean colour-rich games such as Horizon Forbidden West stunning look. Full array local dimming also ups the scare factor of horror games like The Quarry. The contrast looked amazing and greatly improved the experience compared to the similarly priced gaming monitor on which I’d previously been playing the game.

TCL C835 Mini LED TV VRR

Support of 4K 120 frames per second gaming, with automatic low latency support (ALLM) and a variable refresh rate (VRR), mean your not skimping out on all the next-gen features of your latest console via one of the two included HDMI 2.1 ports. 144Hz is possible through one of the ports with HDMI 2.1 compatible gaming PC too

TCL C835 Mini LED TV Ports

TCL’s game bar allows you to tweak some settings on the fly, display a stat bar and access an in-built aiming aid that adds crosshairs to your screen. However, I largely left the gaming settings alone; messing with the picture settings and disabling ALLM resulted in too big an increase in response time it immediately had me switching back.

The Design

Whilst the specs of the TCL C835 Mini LED feel premium, it’s perhaps the design of the TV where the comparatively low price point is a bit more noticeable.

Alongside the competition, the C835 is a touch on the thicker side. Although the bezel is nice and thin, if you’re looking for something to wall mount and sit flush against the wall, this likely isn’t a candidate. Resting it on an entertainment unit is no problem; the included stand is nice and minimal, but mine, unfortunately, came with a couple of dints and the white rubber feet that are visible from the front otherwise break the clean metallic gray finish.

TCL C835 MiniLEDTV

The in-built ONKYO speaker system complete with subwoofer is commendable for this price point — and will get you buy should you be putting off a soundbar purchase — but paled in comparison to the entry-level hi-fi system I coupled with the screen.

TCL C835 Mini LED TV Speakers

My only other complaint with regard to the design is the location of the ports which are mostly all aligned on the right edge of the screen whilst facing it. The power connector is the only exception, stretching to the opposite side of the screen. Althought they’re easy enough to stretch across the back and route down through the stand, doing so means you lose a good half a meter or so of cable length.

Streaming & Smart Capabilities

Google TV makes for a solid experience navigating the TCL C835 Mini LED’s menus. Content and settings are easily accessible, even if it wasn’t always clear looking through the options what picture settings the automatic adjustments to displayed content were locking off and altering.

Although it shouldn’t come as a shock given how well it handles the picture, I was also pleasantly surprised by how decent the processor was for the price. Scrolling through the menus feels snappy and apps open and load content sharply.

TCL C835 MiniLEDTV

I was a big fan of the remote control too. Devoid of any motion tracking or any gimmicks like that, the simple remote includes all the keys you need, including dedicated streaming buttons for Netflix, Stan, Prime Video, Disney+ and YouTube. The only hindrance is the button for the TCL Channel I never touched.

Setup was effortless, and connecting the TV to my Google Home was easy. Support for Alexa and Apple HomeKit is also a welcome addition. Almost all the apps I required game pre-installed, but thanks to the broad compatibility Google TV offers, everything else you may need is only a button press or two away.

TCL C835 MiniLEDTV

Conclusion

The TCL C835 is packed with features, meaning you don’t have to skimp on functionality to keep within your budget. The bright, vibrant display, content-friendly optimizations, and slick interface make for a great gaming and entertainment experience. Only a couple of design grievances and the lack of jaw-dropping picture quality offered by newer and significantly more expensive OLED tech hold it back. Considering it’s already dipped below $1,500, the TCL C835 Mini LED 55″ is a strong contender in its category and absolutely worth considering as an alternative to similarly priced Sony and Samsung TVs.

Positives

Color and picture looks fantastic

great for gaming

Optimises well for different content

ease of use

Wide compatibility

Affordable

Negatives

design grievances

Build quality leaves a little to be desired

Categories
Entertainment

Matt Smith reveals downside of filming House of the Dragon

Matt Smith reveals downside of filming House of the Dragon

It’s Matt Smith as you’ve rarely seen him.

The 39-year-old British actor has taken on his boldest role yet in HBO’s upcoming House of the Dragonthe much-anticipated prequel to game of Thrones debuting locally on Binge and Foxtel August 22.

Smith, who is best known for becoming the youngest actor to helm Doctor Who from 2010,-2014 as well as his Emmy-nominated performance as Prince Philip in Netflix’s The Crownenter the thrones-sphere as Prince Daemon Targaryen.

The main antagonist – Daemon is the impulsive, power-hungry brother of King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) in a world set around 200 years before the events of GoT.

While joining a franchise as universally lauded as thrones was reason enough to jump on-board, it was the complexities of this character that enticed Smith most.

“I thought he was really interesting and unknown. And I thought I could add something to him,” Smith says.

“I think you always feel an element of nerves going into every part, it felt sort of slightly outside of anything I’d done before, which is which is why I was attracted to do it.”

That’s not to say I loved every minute of it.

Smith says the nature of this production took an extreme physical and emotional toll on him. From sitting in the makeup chair for two hours to having the iconic Targaryen silver-haired wig fitted, to waiting around in hot, heavy armor.

“It was a great privilege to be apart of something like this, but it was grievous as well. It was a tough shoot. And it was a year over Covid and it wasn’t easy. It’s not like it was just bells and whistles,” he says.

“And this type of show, there’s so many characters in it. There’s a lot of hanging about on the set.”

Stream House of the Dragon on BINGE or watch on FOXTEL from August 22. New BINGE customers get a 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly. Sign up at binge.com.au

Admittedly, Smith feels overwhelmed on every set, saying his roles become his “sole focus.”

So, how does he stay sane?

“A pint of Guinness, watch some football. Go to the gym, do the normal stuff, walk my dog, you know, [I would] just go and do something that had nothing to do with blonde wigs and swords,” he says.

Few sets are as dynamic as this one. game of Thrones won Emmys for its immense fight scenes. Season 6’s ‘Battle of the Bastards’ (which was directed by HotD director Miguel Sapochnik) is as edge-of-your-seat-viewing as it gets.

Though, rehearsing such battles to the point of perfection can be risky.

French actor Fabien Frankel, who plays Sir Christen Cole in the prequel, reveals he almost damaged the money-maker – Smith’s pin-up face.

“I hit Matt in the face in our first rehearsal,” Frankel says. “My sword cut him in the head. We didn’t even really know each other.

Smith interjects, “It was your shield (which) hit my sword.”

While they laugh about it now, Frankel genuinely feared he was “going to get fired.”

“It was like, you know, you don’t want to insult Matt Smith,” he says.

Smith was one of the millions of diehard thrones fans, having watched the entirety of its eight season run.

He says he feels privileged to be welcomed into the world of Westeros for a new era, but of course, that sort of legacy warrants high stakes.

“But ultimately, it’s a good pressure,” Smith says.

“That had its own cultural footprint. And its success will never be repeated.

“There’s a huge fan base there. They love it. And we’re going to try and deliver something that’s original and entertaining and move the story forward, even though we’re moving the story backwards.”

House of the Dragon premieres express from the US on Binge and Foxtel August 22

Read related topics:BingeFoxtel

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Sports

South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell ready to fire in first NRL finals series since 2019

South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell ready to fire in first NRL finals series since 2019

Latrell Mitchell says September football is “what I live for” as he eyes off four upcoming blockbuster club clashes and playing finals footy in a Rabbitohs jersey for the first time.

Mitchell, who starred in the 38-point walloping of the Warriors on Saturday with a personal haul of 24 points to lift South Sydney to sixth position on the ladder, has not played in a final since winning the 2019 decider with the Roosters.

Since joining the Rabbitohs he missed the 2020 finals series with a ruptured hamstring tendon and last year’s finals due to suspension.

Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

He has a sensational record in football finals, winning six of seven games and two premierships with the Roosters. He throws in five tries, with a try in each of his first five appearances, and it is his time to shine.

The 25-year-old custodian is not satisfied with what he has done. It is what comes next that drives him. Winning a competition with South Sydney is his quest from him, but huge games against the Eels, Panthers, Cowboys and Roosters in the next month could make or break the Rabbitohs

“I just love the pressure of this time of year. I love the competitiveness. It is what I live for. I strive for that,” Mitchell said.

“When you know what semi-finals tastes like, it is where you want to be.

Latrell Mitchell starred for the Rabbitohs against the Warriors. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

“Let’s focus on getting there first… but it would be a different feeling winning [a title] here at South Sydney. I know the passion of the South Sydney fans, members, sponsors and investors… everyone who has put their blood, sweat and tears into it. It is time to repay that.

“I am definitely putting my hand up to do that because I haven’t played [finals] since 2019 and I am really excited to feel the pressure and see what unfolds.

“The next month, I think it is definitely what we need. It is only going to be a positive for us. It will outline a few things that we need to work on. This week’s done. Next week is Parra’.”

Mitchell said he had learned a lot about getting the best out of himself, while reflecting on his three-year absence from the business end of the season.

“That is a real eye opener, but it is a disappointing thing as well… with injury and suspension. Things happen in a split second,” he said.

“I have taken a lot of things out of the last three years, just with my growth. I’ve learned how to be a better teammate, and a better dad off the field as well. When your off-field is making you happy it translates into your footy, and vice-versa. I am continuing to build my legacy.

“I want to keep working on the little things and put myself in the best position.”

The Rabbitohs have won five of six matches since Mitchell’s return from a nine-week absence due to a hamstring injury suffered in round five. After putting the Warriors to the sword, South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou said Mitchell’s best of him was yet to come in the next month.

The Rabbitohs fullback said the entire side had another gear.

“We still haven’t got our full strength back yet,” Mitchell said. We still have Campbell Graham to come back into the team and a few others. It is exciting. It is a great time of the year to give everyone a taste and see where our depth is at.”

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Categories
Australia

Perth weather: South-west corner of WA could be in for its coldest day this year

Perth weather: South-west corner of WA could be in for its coldest day this year

A wintry mix of hail, blustery thunderstorms and even snow flurries is on the cards for Western Australia, as the south-west corner of the state, including Perth, braces for what could be its coldest day of the year so far.

A gusty cold front reached Perth just before midday on Monday, and is set to sweep over the remainder of the South West Land Division, reaching Geraldton to Hopetoun this evening.

While this event is not likely to be as strong or prolonged as the system that hit WA last week, causing record wind gusts in some places, it is still expected to pack a punch.

Cape Leeuwin and Ocean Reef have already recorded wind gusts nearing 90 kilometers per hour.

A large tree lies across the ground in a yard near a home.
Trees and power lines were brought down by a storm that hit Perth last week.(Supplied: Rowan Newton)

Hail could impact large swathe of state

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Caroline Crow said the initial cold front would be followed by a pool of cold air on Tuesday, which would send maximum temperatures plummeting and bring hail to a large area of ​​the state.

A hand holds a giant ball of hail
David Zander from Parmelia said it hailed at their house last Tuesday morning.(Supplied)

“Coming into tomorrow there will be potential hail though the South West Land Division from about Jurien Bay to Lake Grace to Esperance,” she said.

“Broadly speaking, it’s the coldest outbreak for the south-west of the state that we’re looking at for this season so far, given the region of hail potential which is quite far inland.”

SES fixing Mt Helena house roof
SES officers were kept busy with calls for help from residents across Perth last Tuesday and Wednesday.(ABC News: Nic Perpitch)

She said maximum temperatures would generally be between two and six degrees Celsius lower than average on Tuesday, with temperatures in the Great Southern region struggling to reach the low teens.

“The Great Southern and south coastal district is looking at temperatures around 10C to 12C,” she said.

“And from Bunbury into inland parts of the South West Land Division, all the way to the south-east coastal district around that 12C mark.”

Perth is also forecast for cooler-than-normal weather, with a maximum of 15C expected in the city and 14C in Mandurah.

The coldest day of the year so far in Perth was on July 17, when the temperature peaked at 14.2C.

In Katanning, the coldest day was on July 30 when the mercury reached just 11.1C, Mount Barker’s chilliest day was on August 3 (11C) and Bunbury’s coldest day was on July 30 (13.9C).

A branch breaking through the roof to Mt Helena home.
The weather is not expected to get as wild as it did last week, when a tree branch pierced the roof of this Mt Helena home.(ABC News: Nic Perpitch)

Bluff Knoll could get more snow

Ms Crow said the cold blast could mean snow on Bluff Knoll, in the Stirling Ranges, for the second time in a fortnight.

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“It might get cold enough tomorrow to see a little bit of snow up Bluff Knoll, early in the morning around 4am to 5am through until midday,” she said.

“It’s more likely to be flurries rather than really settling on Bluff Knoll.”

One weather app, Windy, has even forecast the chance of light snow on the Perth Hills early on Tuesday. However Ms Crow said that was unlikely.

“The darling scarp doesn’t have a freezing level low enough or cold enough to get a dusting of snow like Bluff Knoll,” she said.

‘Unseasonal’ rain for northern parts of WA

It’s not just the south of the state expecting a wintry blast.

Ms Crow said a band of cloud was starting to thicken up over western Pilbara and central WA, which would likely bring showers by mid-week.

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Categories
US

Mayor pushes back as Texas sends more than 4,000 immigrants to NYC

Mayor pushes back as Texas sends more than 4,000 immigrants to NYC

The mayor spoke to the media outside of the busy bus terminal Sunday morning, adding that some of the families on the bus wanted to go to another city. But when they tried to explain, they were given no choice, the mayor asserted.

“It is unimaginable what the governor of Texas has done. When you think about this country, a country that has always been open to those who are fleeing persecution and other intolerable conditions,” he said. “We’ve always welcomed that. And this governor is not doing that in Texas. But we are going to set the right message and the right tone of being here for these families.”

Abbott involved New York as a means of trying to force President Joe Biden’s hand on enacting stricter border security measures.

“New York City is the ideal destination for these migrants, who can receive the abundance of city services and housing that Mayor Eric Adams has boasted about within the sanctuary city,” Abbott said in a statement. “I hope he follows through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief.”

Abbott claimed a bus that arrived in New York on Friday with 54 immigrant passengers was the first to be sent by Texas, but New York City officials said they were skeptical, pointing to a considerably larger number of people who have arrived in the city in recent months, though not all by bus.

Manuel Castro, the city’s immigrant affairs commissioner, said Abbott was using immigrants “as political pawns,” and urged the Biden administration to provide federal relief.

“Our budgets are impacted because no one plans for [4,000] or [5,000] or 6,000 or even more people to arrive, so they need a shelter,” Castro said in an interview with Gothamist. “And so of course, that’s the assistance we are seeking the federal government to step in.”

Although the city is asking the federal government for emergency relief, it is not talking to officials in Texas.

“Frankly, they’re not communicating, coordinating at all,” said Castro. “This is meant to be disruptive, and that’s unfortunate. Because we’re talking about people’s lives.”

Categories
Business

An uncomfortable reality is finally dawning on Australia’s tech sector

An uncomfortable reality is finally dawning on Australia's tech sector

Cliff Obrecht, the co-founder of Australia’s most valuable and celebrated start-up, used an interview with this masthead last week to reassure staff about the future and financial position of his company after investors slashed their holdings in Canva for more than $20 billion. Journalists obsessed with his firm’s plunging valuation “need some more interesting things to write about”, he said.

To enter Blackbird's website, users zoom in through the eye of this bird and pass a wave of psychedelic shapes.

To enter Blackbird’s website, users zoom in through the eye of this bird and pass a wave of psychedelic shapes.Credit:Blackbird Ventures

Obrecht is not the only member of the tech sector to be feeling this way, as punishing market conditions hit home, bringing a decade-long boom in start-ups to an abrupt end. “In 2021 the media stories for start-ups were gushing and in 2022 it’s doom and gloom,” Paul Bassat, one of the country’s largest start-up investors, recently said on Twitter. “It wasn’t that good last year and it’s definitely not that bad this year.”

Endless glowing magazine covers, laudatory pieces about minor capital raisings and photoshoots of two founders standing against an exposed brick wall attest to the former complaint from Bassat. But while some privately grumbled about that, many in the start-up scene grew accustomed to uncritical coverage in the media as a normal standard. Now though, the market has turned sour, and the tech industry is having trouble adjusting.

Some compelling investor letters aside, venture capital firms have every incentive to act like the downturn is a problem for other people. Until recently, capital was a commodity. To persuade start-ups to take their cash, investors had to show that they weren’t just money bags, they were true believers. Consider perhaps Australia’s most prominent venture firm, Blackbird Ventures, for example. Instead of a typical website, a visitor to its online property must “enter the world of Blackbird” by zooming in through the eye of a flame colored bird and flying past a series of kaleidoscopic shapes to learn that the fund backs ambition so great it is. “generationally”.

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In America, this kind of self-mythologizing has spawned a legion of critical pundits. For almost every entrepreneur hawking indecipherable self-help proverbs on Twitter, there is a skeptic. Most famously, New York University Professor Scott Galloway gained prominence after lambasting the coworking firm WeWork’s claim it would “elevate the world’s consciousness”.

In some cases, the technology-media relationship in the United States has grown intensely bitter. After a series of stories on allegations of harassment, corporate mismanagement and his sex life, the billionaire Elon Musk tweeted that “The media is a click-seeking machine dressed up as a truth-seeking machine.” Another start-up founder, Ryan Breslow, issued a series of tweets obliquely implying some form of collusion between the New York Times and a venture capital firm when his company was the subject of a critical story. Big name venture capitalists routinely attack the media. Of course, there is a history of corporate tension between the media and the technology industry: sites like Facebook, Google and eBay took billions that once went to print advertising. But the American experience points to a deeper belief present: that technology and start-ups are fundamentally good, so any reporting on unfavorable truths is therefore fundamentally bad.

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That worldview is still rare in Australia, where laudatory stories about tiny start-ups raising cash ⁠— or even hoping to ⁠— still predominate. The exhortation from Bassat and Obrecht is instead to “ignore the noise” of the broader economy, which is in one sense, good advice. Start-ups aren’t day traders, trying to buy low and sell high. If a company has the potential to upend an enormous industry and generate billions in revenue over the long term, it shouldn’t really matter if it has to endure a downswing on the way. In other words, Obrecht can’t do anything to change inflation or interest rates, so on Bassat’s logic, Canva should not focus on them. But that is not the point: how companies respond to a new situation is what counts. Does marketing expenditure go up or down? Do they have too many staff? And while Canva, a profitable company with $1 billion in the bank and 70 per cent annual revenue growth, can afford to regard a recent multibillion-dollar hit to its valuation as “noise”, it is the exception that proves the rule.