#IT Support South Melbourne

[smithlee1221]

Computer Support Melbourne | MCG Computer

MCG Computer provides top-quality computer support in Melbourne, ensuring your systems stay up-to-date and running smoothly. They offer expert IT support for businesses in Melbourne CBD, addressing everything from hardware repairs to network management. Their IT outsourcing Melbourne service is ideal for companies looking to improve efficiency.

[itservicessouthmelbourne]

Melbourne's Professional IT Support for Businesses

When it comes to the day-to-day management of a company's IT systems, no one is more indispensable than an IT support company. Services such as network administration, software and hardware maintenance, cyber protection, data backup, and cloud computing are just some of what these businesses have to offer.

Expertise is one of the main benefits of working with a professional IT support company. Such companies use experienced technicians and experts that are up-to-date on the newest technologies and can customise their services to the specific requirements of each given business.

Benefits of Professional IT Support in Melbourne

Proactive Monitoring: To prevent problems from escalating, businesses that provide IT help use proactive monitoring solutions. Using this method reduces disruptions and keeps operations running smoothly.

Security: Cybersecurity has emerged as a major issue for modern companies. Protection against cyber attacks, sensitive company data, and online credibility are all things that IT support companies can help with.

Cost-Efficiency: Businesses can save money by outsourcing IT support because they don't have to pay to hire and train their own IT staff. With consistent monthly costs, it's also easier to plan ahead financially.

Scalability: Businesses' expansion patterns vary, and IT support companies are aware of this fact. They provide solutions that may grow with a business and meet its evolving needs.

Compliance: Businesses in regulated industries must follow certain norms and laws. Compliance with applicable regulations is essential for Melbourne businesses, and IT support companies can help.

Choosing the Right IT Support Company

Selecting the right IT support company is crucial for a successful partnership. Take a look at the following:

Experience: Look for a company with a proven track record and years of experience in providing IT support to businesses in Melbourne.

Expertise: Ensure that the company's technicians are certified and well-versed in the latest technologies and best practices.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Review SLAs to understand the level of support, response times, and resolution processes offered.

References: Ask for client references or case studies to gauge the company's performance and customer satisfaction.

Custom Solutions: Seek a company that can tailor its services to meet the specific needs and goals of your business.

Small Business IT Support in Melbourne

A competent IT support company, MCG Computer in Melbourne plays an important role in assisting businesses in making effective use of technology. Businesses may improve their efficiency, security, and ability to compete in the modern digital marketplace by teaming up with an IT support company like MCG Computer.

[cheriladycl01]

Surrounded by Ice - Kimi Raikkonen x FigureSkater! Reader

Plot: The Iceman just surrounds himself with Ice in every aspect of his life

A/N: Just a short little Kimi drabble, more exciting stuff coming soon, just been swamped with Uni!

Credit to summerblueringo for the GIF

"How does it feel to bring home a gold medal for your country, again?" the interviewer asks and a big grin appears on your face.

"I mean, i love the sport and I've worked hard to get where I am. I think this year there were many other contestants who also deserved gold and everyone who took part today were amazing!" you keep smiling, it had been a really amazing set for you today. You'd even broke some records while here.

"And now what is your plan?" they ask holding the mic closer to you.

"Well my husband is waiting for me, just over there. So i think he wants to give me his congratulations" you say pointing out our stoic looking husband who was waiting in the background, keeping to himself watching the world go past.

"Ah yes, Kimi Raikkonen! The Ice Man, who arguably married Queen of the Ice" he jokes making you laugh a little. You had heard similar jokes many times since you'd married Kimi.

"Yes, obviously being here in South Korea for the Winter Olympics has been amazing, and I'll be sure to train hard for 2022 but now I'm needed to go support my lovely lovely husband in his fast cars" you exclaim, knowing that the Australian Grand Prix was round the corner.

"Ah yes, it's looking like a good season for Ferrari! And we can tell from your outfit today they already have your support"

"My support is for whatever team my husband is in, so Ferrari have had my support since Kimi has raced with them!"

You left the interview thanking your team before finding Kimi waiting for you quietly.

"Home?" you ask and he nods silently grabbing your hand and pulling you out of the arena.

"You were fantastic today!" he smiles, holding you and pulling you into a kiss.

"Yeah? You liked the new twist i did?" you ask, your routine today being one of the hardest you'd ever done. You mascara had infact started to run, from the sweat building on your forehead throughout the day.

"I like everything you do"

You guys both went back to the hotel, packing up all of your gear that had been here for the past month you'd stayed in Korea for. Once you were sure you hadn't left anything behind you made your way to the airport.

Kimi now only had a month until Australia, his personal trainer had come with you to Korea to help him train while he was out there supporting you.

Now, you'd train while you were travelling with Kimi. Finding ice while on the road with him was always difficult, but finding places to just work out and keep your fitness up was never hard as you'd train alongside Kimi. It was one of the ways to spend extra time with him during the season when he was most busy.

In the free month before Australia you started your research on where you could go in Melbourne to skate, you found somewhere that Kimi was happy with you going too as it wasn't too far from the hotel you'd be staying in or the race track for if anything went wrong.

"Will you watch me on the Sunday though?" he'd asked you as you were both lying in bed the night before you were due to fly to Australia.

"When have I ever not?" you ask, turning over in bed to look at him.

"Hmmm, I can for sure think of one time..." he smirks looking over you.

"If your talking about China, almost 10 years ago that doesn't even count!" you laugh, poking his cheek a little.

Your husband never failed to amaze you, his striking blue eyes and his soft blonde hair was what initially drew you in. But it was your first interaction with him that made you fall for him fully.

It was the Autumn of 2008 and you were 22 and you had just won your second Gold Medal in China, you'd stayed there for the months after the games as they left the Beijing Olympic Park open and it seemed like a good place to stay and to train.

You managed to get tickets to other sporting events in the months you stayed there such as Snow Boarding, Golf but the best one was when the Chinese Grand Prix came about.

You were active on the socials you had back then, and so it wasn't hard for Sauber BMW to reach out to you and give you a guest pass.

You'd been walking round the paddock, just investigating when you'd bumped right into the Finnish Ferrari driver. He had just stared at you while holding a tight grip on your wrist so you didn't fall over.

You remember him asking if you were okay, and some other questions that you hadn't heard fully as your brain had gone foggy at the sound of his soft, yet deep voice.

It was a little embarrassing, when he'd tried to speak Finnish to you, and then decided on English, but with no reply he was left stumped and awkwardly standing there.

He'd soon left after that but you were on each other's minds for the whole day. You tried to keep up conversations with the BMW drivers Robert and Nick but your mind kept drifting the the Finnish Driver for Ferrari.

He found you after the race, and just stared at you for a while before you made the first move speaking to him. And the rest was history.

You spent the next 5 years together as partners, it was convenient for someone like Kimi who raced all through the year apart from summer and winter to end up with someone in a sport who only competed for a month in the summer and winter. It meant that they also still got a break with each other.

After 5 years, Kimi let the big question unload and now you'd been married for 5 years.

"Of course, my love! You know that!" you smile, pulling him closer to you. You tuck yourself into his surprisingly warm embrace, considering his nickname was 'Iceman' he was the warmest person you'd ever had the privilege of meeting.

"I was thinking ..." he breathes, his voice a little higher and whiny than normal.

"Mmmmm, you don't do that often?" you tease, a hand running up and down his back.

"Well, I'm the ice man, your the Ice Queen... i was thinking maybe it's time we have an Ice Baby?" he whispers in the softest most unsure tone you'd ever heard.

"You think now's a good time?" you ask, and thinking about it... it was. You yourself had two years before the next Olympics in 2020, and Kimi was at a point in his career where he could leave and live comfortably if he needed and wanted to.

"I haven't told you this, but they want the Sauber kid in my spot. I'll be going to Alpha Romeo next year. I feel like I've done what i can and I've had my time in the sport... and we aren't getting any younger. Especially me..." he jokes, being 44 now.

"Mmmmmm I think now is the perfect time" you smile.

Flash forward to the Austin Grand Prix and you were 6 months pregnant. You'd already announced it and so many people were excited for you and Kimi, through the season he had loads of interviews. All against his will of course but people saw a different side to him when he talked about you and the soon to be baby.

It was a great race for Kimi in Austin, he pulled through with his first win of the season, valuable points that helped contribute towards his position in the drivers standings.

"So Kimi, first win of the season today! How are you feeling?" an interviewer asks, he was sat in a panel with some of the other drivers in a debrief.

"It was good to get a win, this season has been tough. We've had an interesting year with veteran drivers like myself, Seb, Fernando and Lewis being pushed by newer or younger drivers who are proving to be good competition like Charles, Max and Pierre" he answers.

"There have been rumors that you wont be here with us next season?" he pushes and Kimi roles his eyes.

"If I'm not it's not an issue... racing is my hobby that i get paid to do. I'll leave when i want to" he admits without letting anything slip that Ferrari wouldn't want to come public knowledge.

"Lets move on to you Lewis..."

And for the rest of the interview all he could think of was coming back to you.

Once your daughter was born in January before the start of the 2019 season and Kimi moving to Alfa Romeo everyone on the grid wanted to meet her. So of course, you were obligated to come to Australia for pre-season testing. Your 3 month old being so intrigued at the busy rush of everything around her.

She was a fan and driver fav around. Everyone had a picture with her and introduced themselves as her uncle and that they would look after her. People like Lewis, Seb and Charles all came with little gifts for her, Seb even had someone make her a custom team Ferrari top so she could fit in with her father and her Uncle Sebastian.

"Today was amazing!" you sighed as you leaned into your husband who currently held your daughter against his bare chest.

"Mmmm, I think you should both take a break though, at least until Summer break and join me afterwards" he smiles, knowing that the heavy time change from Monaco to Australia wasn't good for your or the baby.

"Well, I may as well come to Bahrain with you... its on the way back. But I will leave after that" you smile, pulling him in for a kiss.

"I love you, thank you for giving me this life" he smiles looking between you and his daughter.

"I wouldn't have it any of way" you grin.

Taglist:

@littlesatanicassholebitch @hockey-racing-fubol @laura-naruto-fan1998 @22yuki @simxican @sinofwriting @lewisroscoelove @cmleitora @stupidandunnecessary @clayra-g @daemyratwst @honey-belden @moonypixel @lauralarsen @vader-is-hot @ironcowboycopnickel @itsjustkhaos @the-untamed-soul @beebo86 @happylittlereader @ziejustme @lou-larcher5 @thewulf @purplephantomwolf @chasing-liberosis @chillyleclerc @chanthereader @annoyingmoonballoon @summissss @evieepepi08 @havaneseoger08 @celesteblack08 @gulphulp @fandom1ruined2me @celebstories @starfusionsworld @jspitwall @sierruhh @georgeparisole @dakotatankbig @youcannotcancelquidditch @zzonsbeek @tallbrownhairsarcastic @mellowarcadefun @ourteenagetragedy @otako5811 @countingstacksandpanicattacks @peachiicherries @formulas-bitch @cherry-piee @hopexcroc @mirrorball-6 @spilled-coffee-cup @mehrmonga @bigsimperika @blueberry64857959 @eiraethh @lilypadlover @curseofhecate @alliwantisadonut @the-fem1n1ne-urge @21stcenturytaegi @dark-night-sky-99 @spideybv28 @i-wish-this-was-me @tallrock35 @butterfly-lover @barnestatic @landossainz @darleneslane @barcelonaloverf1life @r0nnsblog @ilove-tswizzle @kapsylia @laneyspaulding19 @lazybot @malynn @cassielikereading @viennakarma @teamnovalak @landosgirlxoxo @marie0v @jlb20416

[eretzyisrael]

BY NOMI KALTMANN

Josh Moshe, the 33-year-old grandson of Holocaust survivors, was born in South Africa, grew up in New Zealand, and moved to Australia in 2010. He is currently an acclaimed Jewish saxophonist living in Melbourne. Alongside his wife, Maggie, he operated a well-known gift shop in Thornbury, a trendy enclave in the city’s northern suburbs.

“For most of the time I’ve lived here, I’ve felt like [Australia] is peaceful, quiet, and relaxed,” he said. “As for being a Jew, its fine. No one cares if you’re Jewish or not.”

However, all of this rapidly changed for Moshe after Oct. 7, after he was added to the WhatsApp group that was doxed. The backlash against him and his family was swift. “We were sworn at, the shop was graffitied with ‘Glory to Hamas,’ and we were told to ‘F off—we don’t want Zionists in Thornbury,’” he said.

Thornbury doesn’t have a large population of observant Jews, so Moshe, bewildered by the hostility directed at him and his family, believes that his family was unwittingly thrust onto the front lines of the conflict. “We were the only more or less observant Jews in the northern suburbs with a public profile,” he said. “Those factors meant we were heavily exposed and vulnerable to this sort of attack. It’s a very anti-Zionist area. I always knew that, and I always felt that. I was more or less happy living there for a while. But I also think that’s why we were the most exposed.”

As the doxing campaign against him gained traction, Moshe found out that the worst was yet to come.

“People were attacking my [online] music profile. Then attacking my business and then Maggie’s personal profile, even though she wasn’t in the [WhatsApp] group,” he said. As part of this harassment, their 5-year-old son received death threats. “Then people started tagging the band I was in [on social media]. Instead of coming to speak to me, [the band] publicly fired me via an Instagram post.” Moshe is now suing his former bandmates for defamation related to that post.

After months of sustained abuse, Moshe and his wife decided to close their shop and move it to a suburb close to Melbourne’s Jewish heartland.

“A few of our suppliers have been supportive, but, yeah, the vast majority of our customers, and other shops in the strip [in Thornbury] were very quiet and some of them even joined in on the pile-on,” Moshe said. “It was shocking to see how quickly; … seven years of being neighbors and being business associates counts for nothing.”

The antisemitism faced by the family has garnered significant attention in Australia, featuring prominently in the media. It was even highlighted in a documentary aired on Australian television, hosted by former Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who is one of the country’s highest-profile Jewish figures. The documentary explored the growing issue of antisemitism in Australia.

“I know [participating in the documentary] it has every chance of further damaging my music career, but on the other side, I have to speak about what’s going on,” said Moshe. “We wouldn’t tolerate this with any other ethnicity. In honoring the memory of my grandparents and their families, I am compelled to speak about this rising hatred despite the further backlash I will receive.”

[stil-lindigo]

ABC News in Australia covers the story of how community groups all over the country are coming together as a community to provide for returning Gazan families.

El Rahman Inc. stands at the forefront of this community effort in Naarm/Melbourne, and on the organisation’s Instagram page, regularly posts updates on what supplies are currently needed. It accepts monetary and supply donations at drop off points (which are currently closed until the 28th Dec).

The PCIA has also been instrumental in organising resources for returning Palestinian families. For more widespread support not limited to Melbourne, please consider donating to the Arab Council of Australia, another independent non-profit which has a long history of supporting their community. They are based in New South Wales, which is home to Australia's largest population of Arabic-speaking Australians.

--

ABC's news report also highlights that between October 7 and November 20, Home Affairs granted 860 visas to Palestinians, including those seeking to depart Gaza. However, what they fail to give proper attention to is the fact that Israel has been preventing Palestinians from leaving.

[ link ]

Of the around 860 visas distributed, only 143 Palestinians have managed to successfully arrive in Australia, with the number of new names being added to 'the list' falling to a pathetic degree. To understand the grave conditions of Palestinians awaiting safe passage, this is a great article to read. And although politicians like Penny Wong insist they are doing everything in their power to help Palestine in this time, Australia still shamefully stands by its strongest ally, the US, and actively provides military surveillance of the Gaza Strip to Israeli sources through Pine Gap, a military base in Alice Springs.

In this time, it is imperative to maintain pressure on the Australian government. Protest and vocal pro-Palestine movement is the only thing that caused Australia to eventually vote for a ceasefire in the recent UN resolution, after their cowardly performance earlier. Resources like vic_socialists on Instagram, regardless of where you may stand on their performance as a party itself, has been outstanding in organising regular protest movements across all of Victoria. APAN also maintains a list of pro-Palestine events all around Australia on their website, although I'm not sure at this point if it's exhaustive.

[kokorose]

Boy you give me the feels - OP81

Oscar Piastri x KpopTsunoda!Reader

Faceclaim: Momo (twice)

Summary: the one where Oscar is dating Yuki’s older sister.

A/n: yes I know Momo is one of the older members in twice but it’s my story so she’s now born in 1999.

Happy late Valentine’s Day

Pics: Pinterest

Yn_Tsunoda posted:

📍seoul, South Korea

Liked by YukiTsunoda, PierreGasly, LoganSargent, nayeonyny, OscarPiastri, jennierubyjaneand 345,728 others

Yn_Tsunoda: 🌸

Tagged: 🐨

See all 12,728 comments

YukiTsunoda: 🤮

User1: omg

User2: omg she’s soft launching!!!

LoganSargent: 👁️_👁️

User3: LOGAN?!?

User4: what’re a bunch of f1 drivers doing in Yn’s comments and likes???

User5: she’s the older sister to one of the drivers.

User6: WHO?!

User5: Yuki Tsunoda, he drives for Alpha Tauri

User6: okay that explains him and Pierre in the comments and likes but not Logan and Oscar!

User5: Oscar’s been in her likes for about a month and a half now.

OscarPiastri posted

📍Melbourne, Australia

Liked by LoganSargent, LandoNorris, FernandoAlonsoOficial, YukiTsunoda, DanielRicciardo, YnTsunoda, and 674,738 others

OscarPiastri: I want to see every sunrise and sunset with you

Tagged: 🐻

See all 15,728 comments

LoganSargent: Dude… at least give me photo credit

OscarPiastri: fine 📸: LoganSargent

User5: awwww this is so cute

User6: omg Oscar that caption!!!

LandoNorris: Mate, save some romance for the rest of us.

YukiTsunoda: 🤨

User7: OSCAR JACK PIASTRI!!!

User8: wait, wait, wait, the gf looks familiar

User9: you know what… I’m feeling it too

YnTsunoda posted

📍monza, Italy

Liked by OscarPiastri, Nayeonyny, YukiTsunoda, LoganSargent, LiamLawson, and 525,729

YnTsunoda: Sushi and Ice Cream kinda night.

See all 12,728 comments

YukiTsunoda: the sushi is the best looking thing in the post 😁

YnTsunoda: and I’m the best looking in the family

PierreGasly: 😂

User10: I love the Tsunoda siblings dynamic

User11: pure chaos

OscarPiastri: 🍣🍣

User12: OSCAR!!?

LandoNorris: ew fish

YnTsunoda: Lando… I’m Japanese…

LandoNorris: still it’s not right

User12: what is going on here?!? She knows Lando!!

OscarPiastri Posted

📍Tokyo, Japan

Liked by LoganSargent, YnTsunoda, LandoNorris, FredVesti, ZhouGyuanyu, YnTsunoda and 563,839 others

OscarPiastri: I love Japan

See all 23,728 comments

LoganSargent: now that’s just disgusting behavior

LandoNorris: 🤮🤮🤮

User13: not the boys ganging up on Oscar😂

User14: She was there?!

FredVesti: she’s waayyy cooler than you!

User15: I swear I know that face from somewhere!!

YnTsunoda Posted

📍Suzuka

Liked by OscarPiastri, YukiTsunoda, Nayeonyny, LilyMuniHe, franciscacgomes, and 636,739 others

YnTsunoda: Suzuka quali+ family

See all 20,829 comments

YukiTsunoda: at least he can cook, you’re last one couldn’t. Mom told me she likes this one.

User16: shots fired shots fired

User17: drag that old man’s ass Yuki!!

User18: not Yuki coming for Heechul’s old ass.

LilyMuniHe: It was wonderful meeting you!!

YnTsunoda: it was wonderful meeting you too!!

Franciscacgomes: my favorite pretty girl 🥰

YnTsunoda: ❤️❤️

User19: is that… Oscar? I swear to God that’s Oscar.

OscarPiastri posted to his story

Seen by YnTsunoda, LandoNorris, LoganSargent, LiamLawson, AussieGrit and 78,839 others

OscarPiastri: Pre-race snack

Replies:

YnTsunoda: made with love❤️

LandoNorris: is it fish

OscarPiastri: no it’s chicken you muppet

User20: that’s so cute.

User21: omg!! His girlfriend’s so cute!!

F1Gossip posted

Liked by User, User, User, User and 247,739 others

F1Gossip: Possible Wag Sighting!!

Kpop singer Yn Tsunoda has arrived at the Japanese Grand Prix. She’s here supporting her younger brother Alpha Tauri driver Yuki Tsunoda at their home race here in Suzuka.

But…there’s been speculation she’s linked with McLaren driver Oscar Piastri. The two have been in each others likes and comments over the past couple months and fans of both are wondering if they are each others mysterious partner.

Could she be our newest wag?

See all 5,738 comments

User22: Omg!!!

User23: That’s Oscar’s girlfriend?!?

User24: it’s just a rumor

YnTsunoda posted to her story

Seen by YukiTsunoda, OscarPiastri, PierreGasly, LandoNorris, DanielRicciardo and 627,728 others

YnTsunoda: Ozzie’s first f1 podium!!!

Replies:

OscarPiastri: ❤️❤️❤️

YnTsunoda: So proud of you baby!!

LoganSargent: Yes Mate!!!

LandoNorris: baby’s first podium

User25: omg!!! Omg!!

YnTsunoda posted

📍qatar

Liked by OscarPiastri, LandoNorris, LoganSargent, YukiTsunoda, DanielRicciard, AussieGrit, and 1,268,738 others

YnTsunoda: Proud girlfriend moment!!! I’m so proud of you!!! I love you ❤️

Tagged: OscarPiastri

Replies:

OscarPiastri: Thank you baby!!

User26: OMG!!!!!

User27: awwww

AussieGrit: That’s our boy!!!

YnTsunoda: ❤️

LandoNorris: THATS MY BOY!!!!

LilyMuniHe: cuties

User8: I FUCKING KNEW IT!!!!!

OscarPiastri posted

📍Austin, Texas

Liked by JYPEntertainment, LoganSargent, YnTsunoda, LandoNorris, AussieGrit, YukiTsunoda, and 1,728,829 others

OscarPiastri: She gives me the feels. Love you babe

Tagged: YnTsunoda

See all 32,729 comments

YnTsunoda: 🥰🥰🥰

User28: awww

User29: The twice lyrics 🥺🥺

User30: He went to her concert 🥺

YukiTsunoda: welcome to the family Oscar

OscarPiastri: thanks Yuki

User31: This relationship has been JYP approved.

[sixth-light]

*slides you money* I heard you were three seconds from a treatise on David Lange and Mururoa and the Rainbow Warrior?

BY POPULAR DEMAND (ok you and like three other people asked)...

The core fact that you gotta know if you want to talk about New Zealand and nuclear weapons is that campaigning for nuclear disarmament and maintaining a legal nuclear-free zone in our territorial waters has been the core of our independent foreign policy as a country for nearly forty years, since the mid-1980s. This developed over the 60s and 70s from a popular groundswell of anti-nuclear sentiment focused around continued atmospheric nuclear testing in the Pacific by France as well as visits from nuclear-powered (and potentially nuclear-armed) American warships. It evolved into government action; left-wing governments took France to court to demand an end to testing and sent naval frigates to the nuclear test area to protest with Government ministers on board.

This was crystallised in 1985 when a photographer was killed in the state-sponsored terrorist bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, a Greenpeace ship conducting protests at the French nuclear test site of Mururoa. The bombing was carried out by French spies who were decorated when they returned to France (after France promised they would be jailed) and led to a prolonged diplomatic rift between New Zealand and France. The subsequent passing of nuclear-free legislation in 1987, banning nuclear-powered or armed ships visiting our waters, led to New Zealand's suspension from the ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand, and the United States) military alliance. David Lange, the Prime Minister at the time, opined famously that "The only thing worse than being incinerated by your enemies, is being incinerated by your friends." The ban still has such wide bipartisan support that it's simply not on the table now for even our right-wing parties; infamously, in the early 2000s one Leader of the Opposition told an American congressional delegation that the ban would be 'gone by lunchtime' if he became Prime Minister. This wasn't the DIRECT cause of his eventual toppling but it certainly didn't help. Nobody else has gone near it since.

I am, however, excrutiatingly aware that while our nuclear-free stance is viewed internally by New Zealanders as central to our national identity - there's a well-known song and it was even controversially used this year in a beer ad as a signifier of national pride - nobody else remembers. Particularly the Americans and the French. Seared into my brain is Scott Brown (yes that one) arriving here as the new US Ambassador in 2016 and going on the radio to talk earnestly about how Kiwis didn't realise that nuclear fallout wasn't restricted by national borders, c.f. North Korea, as if anti-nuclear campaigning wasn't...well...see all of the above. READ YOUR GODDAMN BRIEFING PACKETS ON THE PLANE, SCOTT, IT'S A FOURTEEN-HOUR FLIGHT.

So what does that mean for the Locked Tomb books?

As the linked article about the beer ad notes, anti-nuclear protesting has been a site not only of national identity formation but specifically Indigenous protest in the Pacific. It is Pasifika peoples who have borne the brunt of nuclear testing and much of the early anti-nuclear movement in Aotearoa was led by Māori and Pasifika, and closely tied to the anti-apartheid movement which focused on the removal or restriction of Māori and Pasifika rugby players on tours to apartheid South Africa.

In Nona the Ninth, it becomes clear that John (a Māori man) and G- (whose ethnicity is not specified but 'reads' as most likely Māori or Pasifika in context), as well as their friends, blackmailed the US government for a suitcase nuke and eventually used it to bomb Melbourne, with John then causing nuclear armageddon around the world. This is, uh, emphatically not the same thing as "Twitch streamers [John & co] nuking New Zealand", as chill as I generally am with the eliding of detail for joke posts. This is a Māori man from and in New Zealand nuking first Australia and then the rest of the world.

This is, obviously, if you're coming from the historical context, hugely transgressive in a way I can only describe as a...horror of agency? The horror of saying, what if we were willing to do the thing that we identify ourselves as a nation as being against under all circumstances? What if instead of standing nobly against nuclear weapons, for reasons of moral indefensibility, we were the ones to pull the trigger? What if our culture and our people survived the apocalypse because one of us started it, instead of us surviving by virtue of being so small, so on the edge of the world, so carelessly left off world maps?

And as to why it matters that it's Melbourne - New Zealand has a...complicated relationship with Australia that's hard to directly parallel to anywhere else (it's sort of like Canada and the US but also not like Canada and the US in any way that Canadians or Americans ever interpret that statement in my experience). In particular, there is huge anxiety in Australia about New Zealand as a source of non-white (and specifically Māori and Pasifika) emigration to Australia. Australian immigration policy, while technically retaining free movement between the two nations, has grown more and more restrictive over the last twenty years. Right now the central point of conflict is a policy of deporting mostly Māori and Pasifika New Zealand-born prisoners back to New Zealand on completion of their sentences, regardless of how old they were when they came to Australia, resulting in a large body of traumatised people with zero community ties being dumped back here and - no surprises! - frequently turning to crime. There's A Lot Going On There. Added to which the Christchurch mosque shooter deliberately travelled here from Australia to carry out his terrorism. And yet also, hundreds of thousands of us live there and many more have relatives and friends there.

And Melbourne? Melbourne is like....the cool Australian city, if you're a New Zealander. Sydney is too big (the same population as our whole country!) and too...everything, Brisbane and the Gold Coast are tropical and so kinda weird, Adelaide and Perth? we don't know them, but Melbourne is aspirational. Melbourne is the kind of city Wellington and Auckland would like to be when they grow up, maybe. They have laneways and culture and a working tram system. But it's also a very...white kind of cool. The kind enjoyed by rich Pākehā who can afford to go on weekend shopping holidays there.

So yeah. John and G- and the crew nuke Melbourne and it's a nexus of all these tensions old and new, of who we think we are as people and as a nation, of how we relate to Australia which is our friend and nearest neighbour and our rival and our scapegoat (because they're the really racist ones, aren't they? If we say that loud enough, does it drown out the sounds of our own sins?)

It's a fantasy of power and a horror of it at the same time. I hope someone right now is writing a monograph on this, there's so much to dig into. But it deserves to be framed as what it is, as a response from a Kiwi author to our own history and identity. It deserves to be understood in context.

[gryficowa]

Boycott!

Now it's half 7 p.m. in my country…

Now that I have your attention:

[louisupdates]

UK superstar hands local band its biggest gig yet

By Cassidy Pearce - January 31, 2024, 14:15

After taking over venues everywhere from Katoomba to Canberra, local band Club Halifax is about to hit their biggest stage yet, opening for internationally renowned singer-songwriter Louis Tomlinson at Qudos Bank Arena.

Club Halifax initially came together in 2021, when existing bandmates Bree Greasley, Cameron Browning and Cameron Hopcroft joined forces with new members Robert Jinks and Ethan Karpathy to create a brand new sound.

Over the last few years, the group has performed all over New South Wales and interstate whilst working collaboratively to write and release two singles, with Karpathy admitting that Glenmore Park local Hopcroft, whose home they record at, is always the “secret ingredient” in their music.

“I like a lot of heavier music, a lot of the other guys like a lot of the folkier stuff, so you blend that all together, and then our sprinkle on top is always Hop – whenever Hop brings his lead lines on, that’s when it goes from a song, to a Club Halifax song,” he said.

Everything changed for the band last year when a targeted advertisement came up on Karpathy’s Instagram looking for a local act to support the former One Direction member at his Sydney show on Friday, February 2.

Despite saying he ignored the advertisement at first, thinking the band had no chance at the spot, Karpathy ended up applying the next day with a short blurb and video of them playing at the Blue Mountains Theatre.

You can only imagine their shock upon opening an email from Tomlinson’s team just a few weeks ago naming Club Halifax as the official opener.

“[Browning] and I yessed it before we got everyone else saying ‘yes’ – we just knew it had to be done,” Karpathy said.

Club Halifax is one of three Australian bands opening for Tomlinson over the span of his tour, with The Velvet Club performing in Melbourne, and Safety Hazard in Brisbane – each local to their respective shows.

According to Greasley, artists like Tomlinson providing opportunities like these for smaller bands is an integral part of the industry locally, showcasing that there’s no shortage of musical talent in Australia.

“I think it’s awesome, because all of these smaller bands are getting so much momentum out of it, and hopefully opportunities out of it as well,” she said.

With the countdown now officially on, the band said they’re all dealing with mixed emotions, struggling to focus on day-to-day life without being reminded of the gig.

“I think we’re all feeling terrified, but excited,” Hopcroft said.

Ultimately, however, Jinks noted that they can’t wait to soak it all up, especially given they’ll be surrounded by loved ones who have bought tickets to support them.

“For a western Sydney band, this is a huge opportunity. I don’t think any of us saw this coming, and definitely not this quick. It’s the dream, but it doesn’t happen often,” Jinks said.

“I’m pretty excited that we’re going to have all of our friends and family in the audience. I think that’s going to be the only comforting thing in the whole gig – looking out and seeing mum. But also, brushing shoulders with pop royalty Louis Tomlinson is super exciting.”

As for what’s next for Club Halifax, Browning assured that there’s plenty more in the pipeline for 2024.

“There’s at least one EP, potentially two, in the works, and then other stuff beyond that, like merch and more gigs,” Browning said.

[hypnotisedfireflies]

ooh, I'll ask - what's your headcanon for Australia, New Zealand, and Polynesia??

Thank you for asking! This was a fun exercise to get down in a doc and out of my head.

I think everyone knows that I’m Australian by now.  So yeah, it’s particularly entertaining for me to imagine how things might be in the TLOUinverse on my side of the pond for a change.

Many Polynesian nations escaped Cordyceps completely – Tonga, Tokelau, Kiribati and the Cook Islands amongst these.  They closed their borders and were essentially remote enough to be able to protect themselves from the first wave.  However, that didn’t mean they had an easy time of it.  Many of these nations rely on imports and with those grinding to a complete halt, they struggled in other ways to survive.  Some of these nations also had unwelcome visitors in the form of refugees from other countries trying to fly or boat in.  Most of these brought in sick people.   Some of the nations formed methods of screening refugees who made it to their shores, others rejected them completely, and some nations fell apart over the ensuing years, unable to support so many people. 

The North Island of New Zealand was completely overrun.  The South Island had a bad few years, but pockets of it were able to resist, and within a few years they were able to rally and take the island back.  They were mostly in control by 2005 – they were not fucking around – and Cordyceps-free by 2008.  The nation officially reverted back to its name in the Maori language,  Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu (but most just called it Aotearoa).

It was many years before they conquered the North Island, and then there were several years of warfare to fully secure it.  The haka performed before the Battle of Auckland (which was one of their final victories over Cordyceps in 2015) was renowned the world over – the Kiwis documented much of their war on film, and these were distributed to survivors across the globe.  These were often credited as inspiring a new generation of survivors not to endure and survive, but to fight.

Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu maintained contact with Australia throughout the war, but the situations in the two nations were very different.  The densely populated centres of Australia were decimated.  This is essentially all down the east coast from Brisbane, to Sydney, right down to Melbourne in the south.  Darwin, right in the top end, was also destroyed, but this was mainly from refugees fleeing other nations.  But Australia is a big, varied place, and not all was lost.

Many of the islands and remote towns around the country were able to find ways to survive.  And the largest island, Tasmania, proved to be a haven.  While its population centres were initially overrun like the rest of the continent, the army concentrated its efforts on eradicating Cordyceps in Tasmania first.  There were three major offensives before they got the tactics right and were able to declare the state Cordyceps-free.  The Government relocated here, but it was not the only success story.

Perth did okay.  This is probably because the Infected, much like everyone else in Australia, thought it was too expensive and far away to bother with.  Perth was the site of the first Quarantine Zone in Australia.  Australia had a number of these over time but they were very different to the North American QZs.  Australia’s tended to be constructed in remote areas, not large cities (with the exception of Perth).  They each supported some kind of industry to try and keep civilisation humming along.  These were not perfect, but most were successful. 

The one in Port Hedlund said “fuck you cunts,” to the rest of the country and declared itself independent.  The army didn’t much like that and it was dealt with pretty quickly.  Wagga Wagga, with its RAAF and army training bases, was established not long after Perth and continued recruit training at Kapooka and Forest Hill.  But some of the most successful survival stories came not from those within Australian Quarantine Zones.

Many Indigenous Australians, especially those in remote areas towards the centre, returned to country.  Some of their camps and communities were overrun like everywhere else, but a lot survived.  Some communities adapted so well that their lives were almost uninterrupted.

(It's difficult to explain the scale of Australia, and just how remote some Indigenous communities are, and how far they are from anything else. Suffice to say, there are people who know how to live on country in Australia in a way most of us cannot comprehend, and there are families and tribes that really could weather Cordyceps out - especially those towards the centre of Australia, where the conditions are dry and wholly unsuitable for a mushroom-based infection).

But the QZs kept in contact with one another and most importantly, with Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu.  Trade recommenced between Tasmania and the South Island once both these zones were fully secure, and over time, links were reforged with other smaller nations in the region.  The South Pacific Alliance was formed. By 2023, there was a good deal of cooperation – except for Perth, who also decided the rest of us could get fucked, and declared themselves as the Independent Nation of Perth or some crap.  Nobody was really listening, they’re pretty far away and no one wanted to go there anyway so it was like okay good luck bye.

… I don’t really have beef with Perth.  I’m sure it’s lovely. Anyway, thanks for the question! I'm not sure how plausible all of my theories are, but it's fun to consider.

[smithlee1221]

Why Should You Choose Professional IT Support Services in Melbourne CBD?

Protect your business from cyber threats with robust security measures provided by professional IT support services.

[catdotjpeg]

Yesterday (6/7 Dec) kayakers were able to successfully prevent the ZIM/ZIM Partnered ships from departing the dock for the day. Photos from Whistleblowers, Activists, and Communities Alliance (WACA).

Their media release, sent out while the action was taking place, reads: 

A group of activists in kayaks has blocked the path of multiple container ships attempting to depart the Port of Melbourne this afternoon.  The ships, the Dax, the Vanessa, and the Star, are currently unable to pass the protestors flotilla of around 40 vessels, which has created a line across the Yarra near the West Gate Bridge. The kayakers held Palestinian flags and were joined by a group of protestors onshore. The three ships are currently operating on ‘partner voyage’ arrangements with the israeli company ZIM. The Dax is owned by Contships Management Inc, and the Vanessa and Star are operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, who in September expanded their partnership agreement with ZIM to include further vessel sharing.  Shams Moussa, a Palestinian activist, had this to say: “Australian politicians have Palestinian blood on their hands. Weapons and parts manufactured in Australia are shipped to israel using companies like Zim to commit evil acts of genocide, land theft and ethnic cleansing. Children have lost their families and homes, happiness has been bombed and burned. Yet, with each loss, a seed of resistance is planted, a determination to liberate and seek justice, that is the true Palestinian spirit.”  Anna Angel, a Registered Emergency Nurse, said: “As a nurse, I have an ethical responsibility to denounce israel’s war crimes past and present. israel is targeting hospitals filled with nurses, doctors, healthcare workers and patients.  ZIM and their partners Contship and MSC directly profit from the multi-trillion weapons trade that commodifies this loss of life, creating devastating impacts on human rights and on health outcomes.”  Another protestor onshore, Elsa Tuet-Rosenberg, said: “As a Jewish educator, I applaud those taking action against the occupation. ZIM has a well-documented history of shipping weapons to israel. Targeting these ships costs israel money and, in tandem with actions all over the world, makes the occupation less viable.  This has been a successful strategy in ending apartheid in South Africa. In recent months ZIM’s CEO Eli Glickman has pledged the use of the company’s ships and infrastructure to support the israeli government, with israeli security touted as the company’s ‘top priority.’” 

[the-secret-garden1]

PALESTINE UPDATES 🇵🇸

I've seen lot's of videos and articles highlighting which politicians are supporting Israel. So I'd like to highlight some of the politicians in Australia that are on the right side of history. So when you get in your booth you can look for those that share your values, and that actually represent you. The one's that aren't for supporting a genocide.

Here's a list of the 49 members of Parliament who signed the latest petition:

Dr Anne Aly MP, Federal Member for Cowan

Mr Adam Bandt MP, Federal Member for Melbourne

Hon Linda Burney MP, Federal Member for Barton

Hon Mark Butler MP, Federal Member for Port Adelaide

Ms Terri Butler MP, Federal Member for Griffith

Senator the Hon Doug Cameron, Senator for New South Wales

Ms Lisa Chesters MP, Federal Member for Bendigo

Ms Sharon Claydon MP, Federal Member for Newcastle

Senator Sam Dastyari, Senator for New South Wales

Senator Richard Di Natale, Senator for Victoria

Senator Patrick Dodson, Senator for Western Australia

Mr Steve Georganas MP, Federal Member for Hindmarsh

Mr Andrew Giles MP, Federal Member for Scullin

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Senator for South Australia

Mr Ross Hart MP, Federal Member for Bass

Mr Chris Hayes MP, Federal Member for Fowler

Mr Julian Hill MP, Federal Member for Bruce

Mr Stephen Jones MP, Federal Member for Whitlam

Senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore Senator for South Australia

Ms Justine Keay MP, Federal Member for Braddon

Ms Susan Lamb MP, Federal Member for Longman

Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Federal Member for Fenner

Senator Sue Lines, Senator for Western Australia

Senator Gavin Marshall, Senator for Victoria

Senator Nick McKim, Senator for Tasmania

Mr Brian Mitchell MP, Federal Member for Lyons

Senator Claire Moore, Senator for Queensland

Ms Cathy O’Toole MP, Federal Member for Herbert

Mr Graham Perrett MP, Federal Member for Moreton

Senator Louise Pratt, Senator for Western Australia

Senator Lee Rhiannon, Senator for New South Wales

Senator Janet Rice, Senator for Victoria

Ms Michelle Rowland MP, Federal Member Greenway

Ms Rebekah Sharkie MP, Federal Member for Mayo

Senator Rachel Siewert, Senator for Western Australia

Senator Lisa Singh, Senator for Tasmania

Hon Warren Snowdon MP, Federal Member for Lingiari

Ms Anne Stanley MP, Federal Member for Werriwa

Ms Susan Templeman MP, Federal Member for Macquarie

Hon Matthew Thistlethwaite MP, Federal Member for Smith

Senator Anne Urquhart, Senator for Tasmania

Ms Maria Vamvakinou MP, Federal Member for Calwell

Senator Larissa Waters, Senator for Queensland

Senator Murray Watt, Senator for Queensland

Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, Senator for Tasmania

Mr Andrew Wilkie MP, Federal Member for Denison

Mr Josh Wilson MP, Federal Member for Fremantle

Senator Nick Xenophon, Senator for South Australia

Mr Tony Zappia MP, Federal Member for Makin

For more information check out:

newmatilda.com

[applejee]

im sad, looks like tumblr killed my reply to your melbourne recs ask because Oh Boy I Have Opinions. anyway if you're gonna recommend Brunetti's, you've got to go to the lygon street one, the original. Right next door is the Nova Cinema, a definite must hit up imo, cozy smaller cinema that always has fun arthouse films on, and does super cheap tickets on mondays. A short walk down lygon from there is Green Man's Arms, who do the most delightful all vegetarian pub fare, and have such a chill but funky ambiance along with a locally sourced, seasonal menu. They only do lunches on weekends though, it's otherwise very much a dinner venue. Nearby you'll find Tiamo's, an excellent authentic italian restaurant and piece of melbourne history, that place has been there Forever. The OG Readings bookshop is also right there, a small independent bookstore that's grown maybe half a dozen shopfronts around the melbourne area. I'm always happy to browse through and support them. In that vein, I can't not recommend Brunswick Bound, a quirky little bookshop on sydney rd that specialises in local authors and has a wonderful, eclectic range on their shelves. Also on sydney rd, just south of Brunswick Bound, you can find my favourite cheap eats brunch place, Green Refectory. Not a single thing on the menu over like 18 dollars, and it's all really tasty! I love their chicken burger, it's only $12.50 and so, so good. They also make beautiful cakes all baked in-house, as well as some really good sandwiches, rolls, and salad boxes available to take-away. You've recommended a heap of ramen places and I wholly agree with them, but I gotta add in my favourite Izakaya bar in Chinatown, Gyoza Gyoza. They've expanded to have places in Emporium and Melbourne Central now too, but I standby their original venue, it's nicer imo. They have a great range of japanese alcohol, including umeshu (my beloved), as well as my favourite cauliflower karaage and some really good, tender yakitori.

Okay I think I'm tapped out on additional recs for now, but there is just So Much, I hope @srbxzero has a great time visiting!~

YES YES YES THANK U!!! GREAT RECS CAN AGREE

on top of this the cornish arms is a fun pub too. also has many vegan options.

unsure if tags in asks work but for reaaaal theres so many things u can do in melb pls enjoy more recs @srbxzero

[head-post]

Largest global IT outage in history did not affect Russia

A global technology outage caused by a software update from US cybersecurity company Crowdstrike caused chaos around the world on Friday, with flights suspended and healthcare, banking and ground transport systems facing major disruptions.

George Kurtz, president and CEO of Crowdstrike, said Friday morning that the company is “actively working with customers affected by a flaw discovered in one content update for Windows hosts” – a glitch that affected Microsoft users around the world. He also added:

“This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organisations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilised to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers.”

The Financial Times explained that Crowdstrike is “one of the world’s largest providers of “endpoint” security software, used by companies to monitor for security problems across a huge range of devices, from desktop PCs to checkout payment terminals.”

Troy Hunt, a security consultant, wrote on social media that “this will be the largest IT outage in history.” He also added:

“This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except it’s actually happened this time.”

The impacts of the outage cascaded rapidly. Wired noted that “in the early hours of Friday, companies in Australia running Microsoft’s Windows operating system started reporting devices showing Blue Screens of Death (BSODs).” It continued:

“Shortly after, reports of disruptions started flooding in from around the world, including from the UK, India, Germany, the Netherlands, and the US: TV station Sky News went offline, and US airlines United, Delta, and American Airlines issued a “global ground stop” on all flights.”

The UK has been hit by a glitch

As The New York Times observed, the National Health Service in the United Kingdom “was crippled throughout the morning on Friday, as a number of hospitals and doctors offices lost access to their computer systems.”

Whitehall crisis officials were coordinating the response through the Cobra committee that deals with matters of national emergency or major disruption. Ministers were in touch with their sectors to tackle the fallout from the IT failure, and the transport secretary, Louise Haigh, said she was working “at pace with industry” after trains and flights were affected, The Guardian reported.

In the US, flights were grounded owing to communications problems that appear to be linked to the outage. American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines were among the carriers affected. Berlin airport temporarily halted all flights on Friday, while in Australia, Melbourne airport advised customers it was “experiencing a global technology issue which is impacting check-in procedures for some airlines.”

Global flight cancellations

There had been more than 1,000 flight cancellations worldwide so far due to the IT failure, according to the aviation analysis firm Cirium.

Long lines formed at airports in Asia as airlines lost access to check-in and booking services at a time when many travelers are heading away on summer vacations. News outlets in Australia — where telecommunications were severely affected — were pushed off air for hours. Hospitals and doctor’s offices had problems with their appointment systems, while banks in South Africa and New Zealand reported outages to their payment system or websites and apps.

At Hong Kong’s airport, Yvonne Lee, 24, said she only found out her flight to Phuket in Thailand was postponed to Saturday when she arrived at the airport, saying the way it was handled would “affect the image of Hong Kong’s airport very much.” Her already short five-day trip would now have to be further shortened, she said.

In India, Hong Kong and Thailand, many airlines were forced to manually check in passengers. An airline in Kenya was also reporting disruption.

Some athletes and spectators descending on Paris ahead of the Olympics were delayed as was the arrival of their uniforms and accreditations, but Games organisers said disruptions were limited and didn’t affect ticketing or the torch relay.

In Germany, Berlin-Brandenburg Airport halted flights for several hours due to difficulties in checking in passengers, while landings at Zurich airport were suspended and flights in Hungary, Italy and Turkey disrupted.

The Dutch carrier KLM said it had been “forced to suspend most” of its operations.

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport warned that the outage was having a “major impact on flights” to and from the busy European hub. The chaotic morning coincided with one of the busiest days of the year for Schiphol.

Israel said its hospitals and post office operations were disrupted.

In South Africa, at least one major bank said it was experiencing nationwide service disruptions as customers reported they were unable to make payments using their bank cards in stores. The New Zealand banks ASB and Kiwibank said their services were down as well.

Shipping was disrupted too: A major container hub in the Baltic port of Gdansk, Poland, the Baltic Hub, said it was battling problems resulting from the global system outage.

Russia was unaffected by the outage

Meanwhile, Russia was less affected by this outage, mainly due to sanctions, import substitution strategy and technological sovereignty.

The global IT failure of devices running the Windows 10 operating system did not affect the operation of Russian airports and airlines, with flights running as scheduled. There are no problems with the information systems of Russian Railways.

“Rosatom” reported that the systems of the concern “Rosenergoatom” work on “import-independent software,” so there are no problems in operation. The disruption in Microsoft’s work will not affect the operation of Russia’s energy system in any way, the agency said.

Read more HERE

[drhoz]

The Great ACT-NSW-NZ Trip, 2023-2024 - Wagga Wagga

Wagga Wagga is the largest inland city in New South Wales, positioned on the Murrumbidgee River, roughly halfway between Sydney and Melbourne. For a while, it was a contender for the national capital (there being not a hope in hell that Sydney and Melbourne would ever support the other's claim).

It's built on clay soil and surrounded by bedrock hills, which isn't doing soil saturation and salinity any good.

Most of my Mum's side of the family hails from the region, and they're all returned there in subsequent decades. That's why @purrdence testing positve for COVID the day we arrived was especially galling, since the main reason we went there to see my Mum and the rest of the extended family for Xmas, and @purrdence ended up stuck in bed for the duration of the stay, and I of course wasn't going to risk infecting anybody. (Not that getting more COVID tests was a breeze - I had to hit half a dozen different places before I found one that was 1) open and 2) actually had any.)

Happily I was the only person at the reserves I poked around at, so there was nobody for me to infect.