Categories
US

Orlando residents react to downtown shooting injuring 7 people

Orlando residents react to downtown shooting injuring 7 people

Orlando Police are looking for the person who shot into a crowd in downtown Orlando early Sunday morning. Seven people were hurt but are expected to recover. It happened in the area of ​​Wall Street Plaza and South Orange Avenue at around 2 am Police say a large fight broke out as the bars and restaurants were closing. They say that’s when someone pulled out a gun and opened fire hitting seven people.”And seven people, especially in the crossfire is bad. It’s bad,” Martin Carmona, a resident said. “I think it’s just crazy because this block is always shut off. There’s always a lot of cops and stuff, so like so just to know it happened right here is pretty insane.” it’s pretty unreal, but the way things are now it’s not really too surprising I guess,” Nico Zografakis, a resident said. Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith says detectives are actively looking for the person who pulled the trigger and are checking surveillance cameras. “Please, we really need the community’s help on this, so please reach out to us if you have any information in reference to this shooting,” Smith said. Detectives were collecting evidence past sunrise. “It’s very unsettling and definitely could’ve been avoided,” William Solomon, a resident said. Some people who frequently visit downtown Orlando are reconsidering going out when there are large crowds.”Like that’s why I came out so early today. I’m like yo, let me go when it’s dead as opposed to when you feel like a sardine out here because anything can happen,” Solomon said. “Things like this shouldn’t be happening right now. I think we all should try to come together.”Police say six of those that were shot were sent to a nearby hospital. The other one went to the hospital by themselves. Police are asking for the community’s help to find the suspect.

ORLANDO, Fla.—

Orlando Police are looking for the person who shot into a crowd in downtown Orlando early Sunday morning.

Seven people were hurt but are expected to recover.

It happened in the area of ​​Wall Street Plaza and South Orange Avenue at around 2 am

Police say a large fight broke out as the bars and restaurants were closing. They say that’s when someone pulled out a gun and opened fire hitting seven people.

“And seven people, especially in the crossfire is bad. It’s bad,” Martin Carmona, a resident said. “I think it’s just crazy because this block is always shut off. There’s always a lot of cops and stuff, so like so just to know it happened right here is pretty insane.”

“Just the fact that that was even able to happen, it’s pretty unreal, but the way things are now it’s not really too surprising I guess,” Nico Zografakis, a resident said.

Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith says detectives are actively looking for the person who pulled the trigger and are checking surveillance cameras.

“Please, we really need the community’s help on this, so please reach out to us if you have any information in reference to this shooting,” Smith said.

Detectives were collecting evidence past sunrise.

“It’s very unsettling and definitely could’ve been avoided,” William Solomon, a resident said.

Some people who frequently visit downtown Orlando are reconsidering going out when there are large crowds.

“Like that’s why I came out so early today. I’m like me, let me go when it’s dead as opposed to when you feel like a sardine out here because anything can happen,” Solomon said. “Things like this shouldn’t be happening right now. I think we all should try to come together.”

Police say six of those that were shot were sent to a nearby hospital. The other one went to the hospital by themselves.

Police are asking for the community’s help to find the suspect.

.

Categories
Business

5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday 1 August 2022

5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday 1 August 2022

2 women looking at phone

Image source: Getty Images

On Friday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) finished the week with another solid gain. The benchmark index rose 0.8% to 6,945.2 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Monday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to rise again

The Australian share market looks set to start the week in a positive fashion after another strong night on Wall Street on Friday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 46 points or 0.7% higher this morning. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones was up 1%, the S&P 500 climbed 1.4%, and the NASDAQ stormed 1.9%.

Oil prices rise again

energy producers Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a positive start to the week after oil prices pushed higher on Friday. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price rose 2.3% to US$98.62 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price climbed 2.1% to US$103.97 a barrel. This was driven by speculation that OPEC won’t boost its supply as some hoped.

Westpac shares upgraded

the Westpac Banking Corp. (ASX: WBC) share price could be heading a lot higher from current levels according to analysts at Goldman Sachs. This morning the broker upgraded the banking giant’s shares to a buy rating and put them on its coveted conviction list. Goldman has a $26.12 price target on Westpac’s shares. Its analysts highlight “WBC’s NIM leverage to higher rates.”

Gold price pushes higher

gold miners Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a good start to the week after the gold price pushed higher on Friday night. According to CNBC, the spot gold price was up 0.8% to US$1,772.50 an ounce. This was partly driven by the softening of the US dollar and meant a second successive week of gains for the precious metal.

Ramsay takeover progressing?

the Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC) share price will be on watch amid reports that KKR’s takeover approach is progressing. In April, the private hospital operator received a non-binding $88 per share offer from the private equity giant. According to the AFR, Ramsay is believed to have received a new request for due diligence on his French business, Ramsay Sante. This is thought to be the only thing holding up a binding offer being tabled.

Categories
Technology

Ferrari ready to battle Porsche at Bathurst with new V6 racer

Ferrari ready to battle Porsche at Bathurst with new V6 racer

An all-new Ferrari 296 racer that taps technology from Formula One will face-off against the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS at Mount Panorama in the Bathurst 12-Hour race.

Paul Gover
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ferrari has unveiled the road car-based 296 GT3 racer it will pitch into battle against the latest Porsche 911 GT3 R – and a host of other contenders – in global GT3 racing from 2023.

The new 296 GT3 is likely to headline the entry next year’s Bathurst 12-Hour race, the opening event on the Intercontinental GT Challenge series, in the first week of February.

Its first public appearance came straight after Porsche unveiled its latest 911-based car for GT3 racing, the 911 GT3 R, as sports car companies get set for a new round of post-COVID motorsport around the world.

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The 296 GT3 is based on the 296 GTB road car, and the biggest change — apart from its giant wings and racing bodywork — is the absence of the electric motor and hybrid system that contributes an extra 123kW and 315Nm.

That leaves the racer with a mid-engined twin-turbo V6 engine that makes 440kW and 710Nm, fed through a six-speed sequential manual gearbox — down from an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic in the road car — to the rear wheels.

Ferrari has not revealed any performance figures but, with its weight stripped to just 1250kg, it will be significantly quicker on a track than the road car, which sells from $551,800 plus on-road costs in Australia.

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Even so, the 296 GT3 could take another hit as the rules for Global GT racing include a ‘Balance of Performance’ adjustment intended to even the competition between a wide variety of cars including the Mercedes-AMG GT, Bentley Continental GT and Lamborghini Huracan.

Development of the 296 GT3 has been boosted by a cost cap in Formula One racing, which has forced Ferrari to switch some spending and re-allocate some of its engineering staff to prevent them defecting to other companies – even if the company is not making any admissions.

“This is a new approach in terms of design, car management at all stages of a race weekend, electronics, and even the engine architecture, a 120-degree turbocharged six-cylinder,” said Ferrari.

The most obvious result of the Formula One connection is the car’s steering wheel, which is as loaded with buttons and knobs as the ones in the Grand Prix cars raced by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

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Technical tweaks to the 296 racer start with a mid-mounted V6 engine that sits lower in the chassis and has been moved further forward, towards the cabin, to improve the car’s rigidity and overall balance.

The gearbox is also set transversally (left to right) across the car — not in line with the engine (front to back) — to centralize more weight inside the longer wheelbase of the race car.

A paddle shift system is fitted, with the clutch controlled from the steering wheel – not a pedal. Ferrari says many components have been made smaller — using exotic materials including titanium — to cut weight.

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The most visible change to the 296 from Ferrari’s previous GT3 racer, based on the 488, is the bodywork and aero package.

It is clearly injected with Formula One thinking, from the many extra ‘winglets’ on the front splitter through large vents over the front wheels to the giant rear wing.

Ferrari says the new car has 20 per cent more downforce than the old 488 GT3, but work has also focused on making the car easier to drive for ‘gentleman’ owners and not just professional racers.

It has also worked to make the car less susceptible to damage and quicker and easier to repair at a track during a race weekend.

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To increase reliability and speed, work in the engine — everything from the intake plenum to the oil passages — is focussed on improving fuel economy and increasing the number of kilometers between rebuilds.

The alternator is mounted to the gearbox, not the engine, for easier access by mechanics.

The 296 is built for speed but there are also concessions to comfort, as many classic GT3 races are run for 12 hours — including Bathurst — and for up to 24 hours at the Nurburgring in Germany and Spa in Belgium.

So Ferrari has worked to improve the air conditioning system and improved the cockpit ergonomics over the outgoing 488, with everything from better visibility to an improved Sabelt seat and a large central panel for essential switches.

Paul Gover

Paul Gover has been a motoring journalist for more than 40 years, working on newspapers, magazines, websites, radio and television. A qualified general news journalist and sports reporter, his passion for motoring led him to Wheels, Motor, Car Australia, Which Car and Auto Action magazines. He is a champion racing driver as well as a World Car of the Year judge.

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Categories
Entertainment

“Rick and Morty” S6 Improvement Promised

Full Trailer Rick And Morty S5

Full Trailer Rick And Morty S5
adult swim

Throughout much of its first three seasons, Adult Swim’s “Rick and Morty” was a cultural icon, a smash hit with critics and audiences that pulled in big numbers and delivered memorable episodes.

From “Pickle Rick” and “Rixty Minutes” to “Total Rickall” and “Meeseeks and Destroy,” quotes and subplots from the episodes quickly entered the cultural lexicon. Anticipation was sky high that the fourth season would do the same.

It didn’t. The fourth and as much (or even more so) the fifth was met with a muted response. The show remains widely liked, but there’s a definite sense of a drop in quality with complaints of episodes being ‘all over the place’ and rushed.

One person who was mixed on the fifth season was co-creator Justin Roiland. Speaking with IGN recently, Roiland says he has mixed feelings about last year’s season with a big part of it due to the abrupt loss of a co-worker:

“Season 5 was a weird one. we lost [line producer J. Michael] Mendel… It was tough. We were thrown for a loop. That was…yeah. If I talk anymore, I’ll start crying”

Roiland adds he prefers the show’s first two seasons due to the “silliness and fun that was happening in the creative process” whereas later seasons have been a little more formalized.

Its been confirmed the show’s sixth season will be arriving in September, and Roiland seems more optimistic about what they’ve created and promises an improvement in quality:

“I will say that it’s a bit more canonical. It really rewards fans of the show that have been watching up to this point…So it’s like, I think we’re kind of finally back into the rhythm of Rick and Morty, and I think Season 6 is… I didn’t particularly think Season 5 was bad, but Season 6 is f—ing amazing. It really is af—ing quality season.”

Roiland remains busy working on Hulu’s “Solar Opposites,” continuing to run his own game studio, and readying “Rick and Morty” for its return on September 4th on Adult Swim.

Categories
Sports

GWS Giants caretaker coach Mark McVeigh post-match press conference, rivals urged to take advantage, trade news, rumors, whispers, reactions, response, commentary, latest

GWS Giants caretaker coach Mark McVeigh post-match press conference, rivals urged to take advantage, trade news, rumors, whispers, reactions, response, commentary, latest

Giants caretaker coach Mark McVeigh’s brutally honest assessment that his players “checked out” in the club’s 73-point Sydney derby loss have raised the eyebrows of pundits including a call for rivals to leverage the situation to try and raid his talent.

McVeigh didn’t hold back in his assessment of his team’s post-match performance, labeling it “embarrassing,” and even saying only eight players “went to the wall” and that the club has “got to shift the standards.”

It comes as several stars including Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper face uncertain futures at Western Sydney and have been linked to trade talks.

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

And former Melbourne skipper Garry Lyon believes rivals should look to take advantage of McVeigh’s post-match comments in their bid to lure players out of the club.

“In the ruthless industry that we’re in, those comments for me also give Richmond, just for example, if you were interested in Tom Green before the weekend and those comments, then now you are going as hard as you possibly could – or Taranto or Hopper for that matter,” he said on SEN Breakfast.

“Whoever the teams are that are interested in them, you’re going ‘righto, this is where they see you, and here’s your opportunity’.”

Several Giants including Hopper and Taranto have been linked to trades (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

It comes after St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt feared McVeigh’s comments could cost the caretaker coach a full-time gig in 2023.

The Giants have now fallen to 3-7 under McVeigh since he took over from Leon Cameron in Round 10 including dropping their last four consecutive games to slide to 16th on the ladder.

And speaking on McVeigh’s bold statements on Fox Footy’s First CrackRoos legend David King questioned whether an interim boss was in a position to launch such a scathing assessment.

“They’re huge statements, and this is a bit of an awkward situation, it’s a caretaker coach. I know he’s been (in charge) for 10 weeks and there’s some frustration there … but I’m not convinced that a caretaker coach can make those sorts of grand statements,” King said.

“I’m not sure he can question the standards of your football club and (say) that they’ve got to shift, he can name only eight players and isolate the rest.

“(Saying), ‘We’ve going to find players who want to fight it out,’ I’m comfortable with that, of course, that’s the gig. But questioning whether players have checked out — they’re pretty bold statements and sweeping statements that go across a club.

“Gee whiz, I wonder whether the footy manager would grab him and say, ‘hey, listen, (saying we) embarrassed the club’s a bit strong. We’ve still got three weeks to finish off here. We still need a positive environment, we still need to challenge everyone to get better, absolutely.’

“But saying, ‘we’ve got to shift the standards of our football club’ is a poor reflection on the total club, not just not just the representation on field for that two hours.”

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Dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna believes isolating the performances of eight players was the most damning, saying it “threw the other 14 under the bus”.

“The eight he mentioned were the leaders including Lachie Whitfield and Josh Kelly, who I didn’t think they had a huge influence,” Montagna said.

“Basically he’s throwing all the kids under the bus — James Peatling, Jacob Wehr, Leek Aleer, Xavier O’Halloran, Lachie Ash and Tom Green. They’re all still trying to find themselves as players.

“To not include them almost saying, ‘well, they didn’t go to the well for the team,’ I thought was a bit unfair. Start with the leaders, they need to change the culture of the footy club. He did mention a few of the younger ones who are coming up, Sam Taylor and Harry Perryman, but I think it needs to start right at the top.”

The Giants are 3-7 under McVeigh (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

Former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon also wasn’t a fan of McVeigh’s post-match criticism.

“Instinctively I didn’t like it at all, because you’re individualizing the ones who did and the ones that didn’t, and you’re distancing yourself,” he said on Triple M.

“I think there’s conversations you have behind closed doors. I didn’t like it at all… there’s three rounds to go, there’s things you often want to say as the senior coach, but you can be too honest.

“You can’t do that to your playing group… you lose them straight away. What’s the reason they’re like that? Your job is then to dive in and try and get to that and turn it around. I don’t know how that’s being achieved by saying it publicly.

“At the end of the day you’ve taken the reins, it can’t be all care and no responsibility. When you put your hand up to take the chair you can’t separate yourself.

“He’s a really strong character and really well respected, but just saying it doesn’t mean things are going to.

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Categories
Australia

Another candidate recommended ahead of John Barilaro for US job, documents show

Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro

New secret NSW government documents suggest another candidate was recommended ahead of John Barilaro, at some stage, during the recruitment process for a lucrative trade role based in New York.

There are discrepancies between two versions of the selection panel report, after four candidates on the shortlist for the Trade Commissioner to the Americas role were interviewed in March this year.

Mr Barilaro’s appointment has been put under the microscope for several weeks, and is the subject of two separate parliamentary probes.

He has since withdrawn from the $500,000-a-year position.

The reports were part of a tranche of documents released today to a parliamentary inquiry probing the appointment of Mr Barilaro to the high-paid US position.

In one version, the former deputy premier isn’t the recommended candidate.

“The panel came to the view that John Barilaro did have some of the relevant capabilities and experience for the role,” the report said.

“However he had not worked internationally in a role aligned to the experience expected for a high-level STIC candidate.”

It also raised concerns that “he would need to build a team without the business or departmental infrastructure he had previously”.

“His lack of business development networks would mean that he would have a considerable learning curve in this role.”

A table with several names and columns
In one of the documents, Mr Barilaro is ranked first.(Supplied)
A table with several names and columns
In another, an unnamed candidate scored higher.(Supplied)

The person recommended for the job has their name written on the documents.

They scored four exceeds in the selection process, while Mr Barilaro was rated two meets and two exceeds.

But his rating changed on the second report, on which he scored three exceeds and one meets.

The change to exceed was on the selection criteria for “manage and develop people”.

In this report, Mr Barilaro is the recommended candidate.

“While he has not lived internationally, he has successfully developed international businesses in both his roles in managing his own company in the private sector and in his capacity as Deputy Premier and Trade Minister for NSW,” the report said.

“He had a strong track record of building teams as well as operating in a dynamic environment.”

Jenny West wearing a pair of glasses
Jenny West claims the government reneged on offering her the job.(AAP: Bianca De Marchi)

These two reports have been released as part of dozens of documents that were handed over under a parliamentary order.

They were previously deemed secret, but after pressure from the Opposition the government agreed to make them public.

A parliamentary inquiry has previously been heard from former bureaucrat Jenny West, who was listed as the “successful candidate” on government documents in mid-2021.

Ms West told the inquiry that Investment NSW chief executive Amy Brown then told her last October that she would no longer be offered the job because it “would be a present for someone”.

“[Ms Brown said] ‘I have spoken to Minister [Stuart] Ayres who has taken over the deputy premier’s portfolio and he has confirmed that you will not be getting the Americas role. It will be a present for someone’,” Ms West claimed.

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Categories
US

Elon Musk says US should ‘free some people in jail for weed here too’ after Biden reportedly offered to swap a Russian arms dealer for imprisoned WNBA star Brittney Griner

Elon Musk says US should 'free some people in jail for weed here too' after Biden reportedly offered to swap a Russian arms dealer for imprisoned WNBA star Brittney Griner

Brittney Griner in a Russian jail cell (left) stitched next to Elon Musk (right)

Brittney Griner in a Russian jail cell (left), Elon Musk (right)ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images (left) and JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images (right)

  • Elon Musk responded to reports of a US-Russia prisoner exchange to free WNBA player Brittney Griner.

  • “Maybe free some people in jail for weed here too?” I have tweeted alongside a meme on Sunday.

  • Griner was imprisoned in Russia after officials found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.

Elon Musk tweeted Sunday in response to a US-Russia prisoner exchange offer reportedly made by the Biden administration to free WNBA star Brittney Griner.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist has been detained in Russia since February after Moscow airport officials claimed they found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.

“Maybe free some people in jail for weed here too?” Musk wrote in Sunday’s tweet, alongside a meme captioned: “People in the US in jail for weed while the government trades a Russian war criminal to free a woman’s basketball player in jail for weed.”

The Biden administration offered to release Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer known as the “merchant of death,” in exchange for Griner and Paul Whelan, an ex-marine accused of espionage, The New York Times and CNN reported last week.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged last Wednesday that the US made a “substantial proposal” to get the pair of Americans released, but didn’t confirm if Bout was offered up in the negotiations. No deal between Russia and the US has been finalized yet, Reuters reported Thursday.

Sunday’s tweet isn’t the first time Musk has criticized the US justice systems’ persecution of marijuana-related crimes.

“Selling weed literally went from major felony to essential business (open during pandemic) in much of America and yet many are still in prison. Doesn’t make sense, isn’t right,” the Tesla CEO tweeted in 2020.

Two years before, Musk was filmed smoking marijuana during a live interview on the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast weeks after telling The New York Times that “weed is not helpful for productivity.”

“There’s a reason for the word ‘stoned,'” he told the outlet. “You just sit there like a stone on weed.”

Read the original article on Business Insider

Categories
Business

Top ASX shares to buy in August 2022

Top ASX shares to buy in August 2022

With the August earnings season about to kick off, ASX companies big and small will soon turn in their report cards for mums, dads (and every other type of investor!) to judge their progress.

But before the bell rings on the duxes and drop-outs, we asked our Foolish contributors to let us know which ASX shares they reckon will top the class in the long run. Here is what the team came up with:

7 best ASX shares for August 2022 (smallest to largest)

  • Lindsay Australia Limited (ASX: LAU), $144.95 million
  • Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS), $148.86 million
  • Ansarada Group Ltd (ASX: AND), $164.82 million
  • Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW), $637.52 million
  • Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW), $3.29 billion
  • Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE), $8.84 billion
  • South32 Ltd (ASX: S32), $17.63 billion

(Market capitalizations as of 31 July 2022)

Why our Foolish writers love these ASX shares

Lindsay Australia Limited

What it does: Lindsay Australia is an integrated transport, logistics, and rural supply company. It has a large and growing fleet of road and rail transport, along with more than 40 rural supply stores and transport depots.

By Bernd Struben: The Lindsay share price has gained around 17% so far in 2022, despite skyrocketing fuel costs. Even following that gain, the stock trades at a reasonable price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 20 times. And, I believe it has strong growth potential with the end-to-end solutions the company provides to Australia’s farmers by simplifying transport and logistics issues across the agricultural sector. That’s particularly relevant in light of a growing global food crunch.

In its FY22 first-half (H1) results, Lindsay reported a 20.2% year-on-year increase in underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), which reached $31.4 million. The company also continues to expand its rail fleet, adding 50 refrigerated containers in H1, bringing the total to 350.

Lindsay is also a reliable dividend payer, with a current trailing dividend yield of 3.96%, unfranked.

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben does not own shares of Lindsay Australia Limited.

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd

What it does: Electro Optic Systems (EOS) is an Australian-owned and operated defence, space and communications company.

By Aaron Teboneras: EOS designs, manufactures and exports advanced technology systems. Key applications include sensors and systems for space domain awareness, optical, microwave and on-the-move satellite products, and remote weapons systems.

With the EOS share price currently trading not far off multi-year lows at 91 cents, I believe this has created an attractive buying opportunity for long-term investors.

Defense capabilities among Australia and its allies have been growing in importance since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. This has highlighted a need among many EOS customers, including NATO, to increase their defense expenditure.

In FY2021, EOS reported record revenue of $211.8 million. That was 17.5% higher than what it achieved in FY2020 ($180.2 million). The company expects FY22 revenue to be equal to or higher than FY21.

Furthermore, the defense contractor continues to invest heavily in the future, particularly in its SpaceLink division. The total addressable market for this is estimated to be around US$2 billion per annum from 2024.

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras owns shares of Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd.

Ansarada Group Ltd

What it does: Ansarada is a provider of specialized cloud-based software addressing the needs of companies and organizations requiring data management solutions for managing mergers and acquisitions, tender processes, and board meetings.

By Mitchell Lawler: The tech sector has been punished so far in 2022. However, while it is not uncommon to find small-cap ASX tech shares showing falls of more than 40% on a year-to-date basis, the Ansarada share price has been somewhat resilient, retracing 19% since the start of the year.

Notably, the reduction in the company’s share price has coincided with sustained growth across key metrics. Last week, Ansarada released its fourth-quarter results for FY22. Positively, revenue increased 43% year-on-year (YoY) to $12.9 million, accompanied by customer growth of 52% YoY.

With an impressive staple of clients, zero debt, and $22 million in cash, I believe Ansarada is currently a relatively well-positioned company.

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares of Ansarada Group Ltd.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd

What it does: Temple & Webster is the largest, online-only retailer of furniture and homewares in Australia. A majority of the 200,000 products for sale on the company’s website are held and directly dispatched to customers by external suppliers. Temple & Webster also has a growing private-label range.

By Tristan Harrison: The Temple & Webster share price has fallen heavily in 2022, which I think has created an opportunistic time to buy.

The company continues to grow strongly, with its latest trading update showing 23% revenue growth year-on-year.

The ASX retailer is adding new growth avenues, such as its ‘The Build’ website for home improvement. It’s also aiming to increase its productivity and customer experience by investing in areas such as data, personalisation, AI, augmented reality and logistics.

I believe greater scale can benefit Temple & Webster’s unit economics and enable further re-investment. Plus, it’s considering “opportunistic inorganic activity”, meaning potential acquisitions.

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison does not own shares of Temple & Webster Group Ltd.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

What it does: Charter Hall Long WALE REIT is a real estate investment trust (REIT). It owns a portfolio of properties with long weighted average lease expiries (WALE).

By Sebastian Bowen: I believe Charter Hall Long WALE REIT is an investment worth considering as we head into the last month of winter. This property trust specializes in holding real estate assets with long WALEs, as its name implies. These include distribution centers, offices, and pubs, among others.

Many of these properties are held with lease agreements spanning more than a decade, with inflation-linked rental increases built into many. This arguably provides investors today with much-needed certainty in an uncertain investing environment.

Even better, on recent pricing, this REIT offers a trailing distribution yield of close to 7%. As such, it could well be worth a look this August.

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns units of Charter Hall Long WALE REIT.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd

What it does: Treasury Wine is the maker, marketer, and supplier of iconic Australian wine brands including Penfolds, Wolf Blass, and 19 Crimes.

By Brooke Cooper: The Treasury Wine share price has had a rough trot over the last few years.

It’s been impacted by the pandemic, Chinese tariffs on Australian wine, and general market weakness.

In fact, the stock is around 24% lower than it was at the start of 2020, trading at $12.25. However, brokers are tipping a turnaround.

Morgans has slapped Treasury Wines shares with an ‘add’ rating and a $13.93 price target.

The broker believes the company is gearing up to post a few years of strong earnings growth, starting with the six months ended 30 June.

Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper does not own shares of Treasury Wine Estates Ltd.

South32 Ltd

What it does: South32 is one of Australia’s largest miners. It has a portfolio of world-class assets across a range of locations and commodities, including aluminum, copper, and nickel.

By James Mickleboro: I think South32 shares could be a top option for investors in August. Last month, the miner released its fourth quarter and FY2022 production update and revealed it had another solid year despite battling weather, COVID, and labor headwinds.

In light of this, and the strong prices South32 is commanding for a number of the commodities it produces, the company appears well-placed to deliver bumper free cash flow when it releases its full-year results later this month. And thanks to its strong balance sheet, this could potentially mean big dividends for shareholders.

Looking ahead, I believe the future is bright for South32 due to its exposure to commodities that are integral to the decarbonisation megatrend. So with its shares changing hands for just 0.75x net asset value, compared to Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) at ~1.4x, this could make South32 great value today.

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro does not own shares of South32 Ltd.

Categories
Technology

Valve has finally cleared major Steam Deck production bottlenecks

steam deck valve production

There’s good news on the horizon for those who’ve managed to preorder the handheld Steam Deck console. According to creator Valve, everyone who currently has a reservation placed will get their consoles by the end of 2022 – a major step forward for the console’s production. Those in the Q3 and Q4 reservation slots now have a guaranteed end-of-year release date, with select orders in later periods also reportedly being pushed up.

‘We’ve cleared up supply chain issues, a bunch of folks got moved up to Q3, and all other reservations are now in Q4,’ Valve clarified on Twitter. ‘For clarity, Q3 is July-September, and Q4 is October-December.’

It appears the supply chain issues – which likely included a coronavirus-induced lack of staff and materials, shipping delays and factory closures – have now been resolved, with Valve re-establishing confidence in its manufacturing capacity and ability to meet existing demand for the console .

‘Many of the supply chain shortfalls that affect Steam Deck are gradually clearing up, and we’re continuing to ramp production, so we’re able to produce more Decks faster than ever before,’ a new blog post reads.

Read: A major Steam Deck rival is now available for preorder in Australia

Sadly, this update doesn’t include information about a wider global release – but regardless, it’s good news for those keen to preorder the Steam Deck around the world. Should Valve’s production schedule continue to remain strong, it’s likely the company will open up preorders in other regions shortly.

Demand for handheld PC gaming is at an all-time high, with several competitors – including the Aya Neo consoles – now entering the global market.

In late 2021, Valve indicated it was working to provide Steam Deck preorder capacity for Australia and Japan specifically, but this has yet to materialize. Should the production update be a good indication of Valve’s progress, we could hear more about global preorders by the end of 2022.

At that stage, the console will be a full year into its life cycle, but there are certainly those who are willing to wait to hear more about the device. While Valve’s update is a minor one, it’s a good sign for everyone hanging out for preorders.

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Stranger Things breakout star Joseph Quinn jams with Metallica

Stranger Things breakout star Joseph Quinn jams with Metallica

Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn has been inducted into legendary metal band Metallica as an honorary member after jamming with the band at the Lollapalooza festival in the US.

On the show, Quinn plays Eddie Munson, a misunderstood metal fan who’s forced to go on the run when he’s wrongly accused of murder. In a pivotal scene, Eddie saves the day by playing “the most metal concert ever”: Metallica’s icon banger, Master of Puppets. Quinn performed the song himself.

When Metallica Met "Eddie Munson", from left to right: drummer Lars Ulrich, lead singer and guitarist James Hetfield, bassist Robert Trujillo, actor Joseph Quinn and guitarist Kirk Hammett, at Lollapalooza 2022, in Chicago. Insert: Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson.

Netflix/Supplied

When Metallica met “Eddie Munson”, from left to right: drummer Lars Ulrich, lead singer and guitarist James Hetfield, bassist Robert Trujillo, actor Joseph Quinn and guitarist Kirk Hammett, at Lollapalooza 2022, in Chicago. Insert: Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson.

On Saturday, Netflix shared a clip of the 28-year-old British actor joining the band backstage at the festival, where lead singer James Hetfield invites Quinn to jam with them in the band’s tuning room.

“I’m a bit rusty,” Quinn says. “You might need to give me a lesson.”

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He describes the song as being all he listened to for two years during the pandemic while he was waiting for shooting on season four of the show to resume after the UK and US lockdowns.

Actor Joseph Quinn jams with Metallica backstage at Lollapalooza in Chicago.

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Actor Joseph Quinn jams with Metallica backstage at Lollapalooza in Chicago.

“I feel very connected to you guys.”

He then gets to play Master of Puppets with the band, prompting drummer Lars Ulrich to announce Metallica “just became a five piece”.

Hetfield caps the love fest off by giving Quinn a replica BC Rich NJ series Warlock guitar like the one played by Eddie on the show, signed by the band, with Eddie’s Hellfire Club logo inside the case.

Quinn’s transformative performance of Eddie Munson has been widely lauded by fans and critics.

The character swiftly took on iconic status, appearing in memes, on tee shirts across the Internet, while a petition created by fans to demand the Stranger Things producers The Duffer Brothers bring Eddie back next season has reached more than 80,000 signatures.

The South London-raised actor, who studied drama at the Benedict Cumberbatch’s old school, Lamda , has been in hot demand since the show’s final episodes aired in mid-July.

A recent London comic convention allegedly tuned sour when organizers were overwhelmed by the number of people who turned out to meet him.

Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson in a pivotal scene in the final episode of Stranger Things season 4.

Netflix/Supplied

Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson in a pivotal scene in the final episode of Stranger Things season 4.

During a Q&A at the event, a fan expressing gratitude for Quinn’s performance and for the time he spent with the fans brought the actor to tears. When 1883 Magazine published a cover story with the star its site crashed for 24 hours.

In an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Quinn expressed surprise and relief at the response to Eddie. He said he would love to play Eddie again, and is open to returning, although he has no idea how they would do that.

“It was moving to see how many people have identified with him,” Quinn told Fallon.

Stranger Things season four is available on Netflix now.