Airlines are axing flights, small businesses are shutting up shop, large corporations are closing offices and Bondi beachgoers are basking in the autumn sun.At least that’s how it appears in a recent photograph taken by photographer Eugene Tan, an iconic Eastern Suburbs lensman who has been shooting daily since 1999.“…Meanwhile back in Bondi (I shot these 10 minutes ago),” the Australian Fine Art Beach Photographer, otherwise known as Aquabumps, captioned the photo, which he posted to Instagram yesterday.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by A Q U A B U M P S (@aquabumps) on Mar 17, 2020 at 11:36pm PDT

⁠“There are fights in our supermarkets for loo paper, in the USA some are queuing at gun shops, most of the world are wearing masks and hiding in their homes,” Eugene continued.

“The vibe in Bondi is very chilled about it all. It’s quite busy down here…⁠and there’s waves…”

⁠”Stay healthy!⁠” Eugene ends the post.This met mixed response, with some missing the fact that Eugene was observing, not judging or advocating, making comments like, “This post won’t age well I’m afraid.”Others took issue with the beachgoers themselves, with one (apparent) health worker writing: “As a health worker this is absolutely devastating to see. We are practicing and preparing for the worst and thinking about decisions we hope we would never have to make.”

“To see a whole bunch of people close to each other, absolutely ignoring so many pleas from health professionals so that our ICUs and EDs are not overwhelmed, and so that we have enough ventilators to support all that need it. Please stop being so selfish.”

Another wrote: “Nice to see Australians taking the Coronavirus so seriously, they’ll probably pop into visit grandma on the way home.”To which others responded: “Sure, it might just blow up in our face very soon but it won’t be from people going to the beach. Safer to go for a surf or swim at Bondi then sitting in a pub or a mall.”

“Dear World, If you can’t say anything nice about this photo please do not say anything at all. Sincerely, Global sanity.”

Then came the warnings from overseas: “As someone from California…give it a few days. Won’t look like this.”

“Meanwhile, in Florida, public beaches are closing.”

Despite (or perhaps because) of all this, the residents of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs are making the most of it before (or in case) our government introduces the same stringent measures currently in place in Spain, Italy, France and the US – all countries where it’s tempting to hit the beach right now too, to soak up the spring sun, but where, in many places, it is not permitted to do so.

 

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A post shared by A Q U A B U M P S (@aquabumps) on Mar 14, 2020 at 4:58pm PDT

According to the Australian Government Department Of Health, across the world there have been more than 204,700 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 8,400 deaths, while in Australia as at 6.30am on 19 March 2020, there had been 565 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, and 6 deaths.While this is comparatively small, there have been 111 new cases since 6.30am yesterday, and – unlike Europe and China – we are heading into winter, a time of year the Coronavirus is thought to thrive. Not to mention Sydney has been worst hit of all the Australian capitals.To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee is placing limits on organised gatherings and visits to vulnerable groups, including restrictions for indoor and outdoor gatherings.Australians are advised to limit non-essential internal gatherings to fewer than 100 people and outdoor gatherings to fewer than 500 people.While outdoor events, as of now, of less than 500 attendees can proceed, “all events should follow these precautions,” writes the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.

• Consider the size of the space, the number of people in it, and how much room people have to move around safely — as a general rule, people should be able to keep 1.5 metres apart
• make hand hygiene products and suitable rubbish bins readily available
• conduct frequent cleaning and waste disposal

Read Next

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• What Actually Happens When You Get Tested For Coronavirus In Australia

The post Photographer Reveals How Seriously Bondi Locals Are Taking The World's Woes appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

With the NBA season suspended and much of the world stuck in self-isolation, rookie shooting guard Tyler Herro has provided some much needed comic relief, sliding into an American model’s DMs in a hilarious public exchange.“WYD” (what you doing), Tyler posted to Katya Elise Henry’s Twitter wall. To which Katya, an American model with 7.1 million followers on Instagram (and 387.7k on Twitter), replied, “quarantine n chill?” accompanied by a smirking emoji.

 

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A post shared by Katya Elise Henry ♡ (@katyaelisehenry) on Feb 27, 2020 at 6:42pm PST

This sent both stars’ followers into meltdown, sparking comments ranging from jealousy…

WTF no please do it with me instead

— ً (@StephWRLD) March 18, 2020

… to respect…

That’s my rookie!!!

— Future lookin’ bright (@305dolfanx2) March 18, 2020

… to applause for providing some entertainment while the NBA is on hold.

Herro nailing big shots even when there’s no NBA

— ℒ (@BanterBing) March 18, 2020

As News.com.au reports, “The NBA is [now] applauding [its] new silent assassin” after the Miami Guard shooter “saved his best long-range bombs for when the season has been suspended.”According to News.com.au, “NBA fans were cackling with laughter at Herro’s ability to score from anywhere on and off the court.”

“Just like that NBA supporters had a new hero.”

News.com.au also pointed out that although model Henry has almost ten times the number of Instagram followers to baller Herro (who has about 852k followers on Instagram), “the rising star’s latest form is certainly going to attract a lot more interest on social media.”

 

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A post shared by Tyler Herro (@nolimitherro) on Mar 9, 2020 at 11:01am PDT

This popularity will also be helped by the fact that Herro has had a strong first year with Miami Heat, as the team has greatly exceeded expectations so far, seeing 41 wins from 65 games, putting them outright fourth in the Eastern Conference.

Read Next

• Hollywood Superstar Admits To Sliding Into Womens’ DMs To Get A Date
• How To Date The Instagram Girl You’ve Never Met

The post Tyler Herro: NBA Rookie Slides Into American Model's DMs appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The supermarkets are sparse, public transport is (relatively) empty and you and bae are home with ‘nothing’ to do. Sexy, right? Wrong.

Before you go getting any ideas, a healthcare provider has taken to Reddit with a message that is now trending, and which could prove crucial to couples in this time of self-imposed isolation.

“I’m a healthcare provider and one thing many people aren’t thinking about is the added risk of an unplanned pregnancy during a pandemic. Many people on here have sex regularly relying only on birth control. Under normal circumstances the risk of failure is small and acceptable, since in a worst case scenario abortion is usually an option,” the post begins.

“Is all that guaranteed? No. But I strongly urge you to put up with the small inconvenience of condoms for a month or two in return for much greater safety. Yes: condoms break, but the chance of that and your birth control failing is vanishingly small.”

Even better is that you now get judged harder for buying toilet paper than condoms at the supermarket… In any case, other Reddit users were quick to add their two cents, with the top comment being, “My vasectomy is a blessing” and second from top being, “But 2034 ‘QuaranTEENS’ is such a missed opportunity.”

“We’re due in late April. I’m trying to manage my anxiety (and failing miserably).”

Other comments further down revealed how the current pandemic is affecting couples’ states of mind: “My wife is due in a month and we are trying hard not to be terrified” and the lengths couples with inbound children are going to in order to stay safe.

“Thanks. Pretty sure (for now) I’ll be able to be there, but no other visitors. Just sucks – my son (3) had a very specific vision (based on a book we’ve been reading) of coming with Grandpa to visit his little sister and bring her a teddy bear, and now there’s pretty much no shot at that happening and it may be much worse in a month.”

Whatever your scenario: we’d encourage you to be alert, but not alarmed, and to be as safe as you can with your ‘Quarantine and Chill’.

Read Next

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The post Covid Pregnancy: Crucial Advice Every Couple In Self Isolation Needs To Know appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

To many, the idea of working from home is great. Being able to have the chance to relax in the confines of your own space without the need for the water-cooler chat to bring down your productivity levels. Obviously you’re not going to be distracted at home, but if your job requires it, you will need to conduct video calls with various co-workers and clients.

And because you’re at home, it would be all too easy to dress in something that might not be welcome in the office space, but you don’t want to get caught wearing your favourite band’s tour t-shirt from five years ago when having a call with your boss, do you?

The post 5 Menswear Essentials When You're Working From Home appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Qantas has extended frequent flyers’ status for another year, while Virgin Australia will give out free frequent flyer status points to loyal members, in a bid to make up for frequent flyers’ limited opportunity to take as many trips this year, due to the effects of the Coronavirus

On a page dedicated to the 12-month status extension, Qantas writes, “To give you one less thing to worry about right now, if you are eligible, your Qantas Frequent Flyer status will automatically be extended for 12 months, as at March 2020.”

How exactly will this work? To provide peace of mind over your Frequent Flyer status, Qantas will ensure that eligible Qantas Frequent Flyer members with a membership year anniversary date between March 2020 and February 2021 will automatically retain their current status, “even if they have not already retained in their own right.”

All Platinum One, Platinum, Gold and Silver Qantas Frequent Flyer members who have not earned the required Status Credits to retain in their own right are eligible, and this includes members on Status Hold, members who have received complimentary Gold membership, or complimentary Platinum membership from a Platinum One member.

It also applies to those who have not reached the four flight count minimum rule, and will be applied automatically so there is no need to call the call centre. The extension will be actioned in two phases – if your membership year ends between March and June 2020, it will be automatically extended by 27 March 2020.

Meanwhile, if your membership year ends between July 2020 and February 2021, it will be automatically extended by 9 April 2020.

Virgin Australia, on the other hand, plans to support their frequent flyers with a bonus status top up over the next three months, proportionate with what you would have earned in that period were it not for the Coronavirus [update: this is now all up in the air at best, out the window at worst, since Virgin Australia has gone into voluntary administration].

While it’s not quite as generous as Qantas’ one-year status extension, it will provide much-needed help to those that were already on their way to maintaining their status.

Virgin Australia frequent flyers received an email to this effect, explaining the reasoning behind  this  status credit gift: “We know that in the current environment with travel restrictions and reduced flights, it may be challenging to maintain your status.”

“To help those of you who may be impacted, we will be gifting Status Credits to all of our current Silver, Gold, and Platinum Velocity Frequent Flyer members to help you maintain your membership.”

The below Status Credits will be gifted to your accounts during the first week of the next three months as follows:

This comes in a context where Virgin Australia has suspended all its international flights from 30th March to 14th June 2020 as well as temporarily reduced its domestic capacity by roughly half, and Qantas has suspended international flights, and 60% of its domestic capacity until at least the end of May.

Read Next

• Qantas Introduces The Flight Cancellation Policy You’ve Been Waiting For
• Stuck In Isolation? Celebrity Trainer Sam Wood Reveals The Best Exercises To Stay In Shape

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Not many tech companies can come close to the fanfare that Apple causes whenever it has new products to announce. Although CEO Tim Cook doesn’t get ladies’ unmentionables thrown at him whenever he takes to the stage, his army of fans sure do get excited by the shiny new products he holds aloft.

And the tech behemoth has done just that: announce some new products, including an updated MacBook Air. Although, given the current COVID-19 outbreak, Tim, unfortunately, couldn’t announce them onstage. Instead, the new laptop was announced online before hitting the online store.

Apple’s skinny laptop has always been popular with fans, and it wasn’t until the company decided to kill off the 12-inch MacBook that it really came into its own as being the laptop to buy if you didn’t need to over-the-top power capabilities of the MacBook Pro.

It’s Faster Than Ever

Apple has always prided itself on the speed of its laptops, tablets and phones, and with each new iteration, there will usually come an increase in speed. The new MacBook Air is no different. For the first time, Apple has gifted it with a quad-core processor in the form of Intel’s 10th generation 1.2GHz quad-core Core i7 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8GHz (this option needs to be added as an extra). The default options are either a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3 with Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz, or a 1.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo up to 3.5GHz.

Typing Will Be More Enjoyable

In yet another case of trickle-down technology, the new Air also receives Apple’s all-new Magic Keyboard, that debuted on the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Apple claims the new ‘board has just 1mm of key travel thanks to a newly designed scissor mechanism, and an inverted ‘T’ arrangement for the arrow keys makes them easier to find without looking. It’s the little things, right?

It’s Environmentally Friendly

Apple consistently strives to be as eco-friendly as possible, and as such, the latest Air’s unibody is made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium, which you can have in one of three colours: gold, silver and space grey.

You Can Store More Photos, Videos, Documents & More

Storage can always be a dealbreaker for many when buying a new laptop, so you’ll be pleased to know that Apple has upped the base-level storage from 128GB to 256GB. And if you feel like you need, even more, you can now spec it with a gargantuan 2TB of space.

It Has Other Pro-Level Features

Thanks to the increase in performance and storage, you could well decide that the Air is more than capable for your production needs. But add on support for an external 6K display (a first for the Air), a number of Thunderbolt 3 ports to fast charging and data transfer and crystal-clear stereo speakers, and it could well be all the laptop you need.

It’s More Affordable Than Ever…

It would be logical for you to assume that given the boost in performance, and the Apple logo on the top, that the Californian company would charge top dollar for the latest Air, but in fact, the price has been reduced. The entry-level MacBook Air now starts at $1,599, $250 cheaper than the previous generation.

…and available very soon

You can now order the new MacBook Air direct from Apple’s online store. The press release states it’s due to hit physical stores next week commencing 23rd March, but all Apple stores are closed until further notice due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic. We’re sure you’ll be able to snap one up directly as soon as they reopen.

• This Oversized Smartwatch Could Be The Best Apple Watch Alternative Yet
• How Apple’s Most Unattractive Product Became One Of My Favourites

The post MacBook Air 2020: Everything You Need To Know appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Time is the pestering constant no one ever has enough of. In modern society it’s also part of a more common gripe: I don’t have any. But with the Coronavirus pendulum starting to swing, and many people stuck in self-isolation, time is the one thing many of us now have (if not toilet paper or fresh food).

But before you disappear down a Youtube wormhole and get stuck into the wine and Twix bars you stashed for this very moment, you might like to take a moment of your day and dedicate it to your physical integrity and mental sanity.

If that sounds like something you could get down and sweaty for, here are some of the best exercises you can do to keep your rig in shape, courtesy of one of Australia’s busiest dads with a stone-cold psycho physique. He’s also friendly, generous with his time, and used to be on some TV show about a bachelor too…

We’re talking about Sam Wood. So: if you’re time rich and equipment poor, here are the best exercise routines for keeping your whole body ripped even when self quarantined with nothing but your old iPod Nano, an irate partner and motivational internet videos for company.

Best Chest Exercises You Can Do From Home

“Ok boys, you want a chest challenge from home? Give this a crack,” Sam Wood told us. These are some of the best chest exercises the average guy can do when at home in isolation.

First up: do 9 sets of max push-ups with 45 seconds rest between each set, to be done as follows.

• First three sets: neutral grip (hands shoulder-width apart)
• Next three sets: wide grip (hands 3 inches wider than shoulder-width apart)
• Last three sets: close grip or tricep push-ups (hands 3 inches apart and elbows in)

Then, if you’re still needing a bit more of a chest pump, finishing with some fly’s: “these can be done very efficiently with a suspension trainer or a resistance band (3 sets of 15).”

Best Leg Exercises You Can Do From Home

According to Sam, “there is no reason you should be looking to train your legs any differently at home as you do at the gym, outside of perhaps use of a leg press.” Why’s that? Well, all you need is about a two by two metre squared space and – as long as you have some super basic equipment – and the world of shank crippling pain is yours for the taking.

“Dumbbell deadlifts, front squats, forward and back lunge combos gives you a killer at home leg workout.”

As for your program? Try this.

• 10 deadlifts
• 10 front squats
• 10 forward lunges (each leg)
• 10 reverse lunges (each leg)

Now repeat that 4 times, “with as heavy a dumbbell as you can handle.”

Best Arm & Shoulder Exercises You Can Do From Home

“If you have no equipment,” Sam tells us, “go for wall push-ups, close-grip push ups and dips on the couch.”

“If you have dumbbells,” though, “shoulder presses, overhead tricep dumbbell extensions and bicep curls are all you need.”

Want a routine? Try this shoulder and arm pyramid.

• Dumbell shoulder press
• Dumbell bicep curl
• Dumbell tricep extension

Chuck in this rep period of: 8 reps, 12, reps, 16 reps, 20 reps, 16 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps, and keep rest between sets to a minimum, and – while your arms and shoulder will be burning – you’ll be laughing.

Self-Isolation Nutrition Tips

While we’d all love access to the gym 24/7, when you’re travelling or when you’re stuck at home due to a global pandemic, it’s not always possible. In light of that, it’s more important than ever to be smart about your workout routine, which can be as beneficial mentally as it is physically.

Also important, as Wood told us in a previous article, is being sensible about how you work out: “Variety, intensity and consistency will always beat volume,” he says, with the only exception being if you’re training for a specific event or endurance marathons.

As most of his clients at 28 By Sam Wood (Sam’s online training and nutrition program) are after the more immediate goals of getting stronger, fitter and leaner (like most people generally), this should most likely be your focus, too.

To achieve this, focus on the quality of your training, the consistency of which you do it, and your food.

“You can never out-train nutrition.”

Men’s Workout FAQ

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The post Stuck In Isolation? Celebrity Trainer Sam Wood Reveals The Best Exercises To Keep In Shape appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Virgin Australia this morning announced the suspension of all international flights from 30th March to 14th June 2020. The Virgin Australia Group also announced a domestic capacity reduction of 50% until the 14th of June 2020 (the equivalent of temporarily grounding 53 aircraft).

This comes after a flight cancellation policy change announced on Monday the 16th March, which means Virgin Australia travellers can now cancel their booking in return for flight credits, to be used – free of the usual ‘modification’ charges’ – at a later date.

Per the Virgin Australia press room: “The Virgin Australia Group is providing guests with more options to change their bookings, as a result of new travel restrictions implemented by governments in light of the evolving COVID-19 situation.”

The key change is that Virgin Australia and Tigerair guests can now change their flight to a later date and/or to a different destination, without incurring a change fee (you will just need to cover the fare difference if the value of their new fare is greater than the original). This applies to domestic and international travel between now and 30 June 2020 for existing and new bookings.

Also significant is that, if travel is within four weeks, Virgin Australia and Tigerair guests can also cancel their domestic or international travel without incurring a fee and receive the full value of the booking as a flight voucher in their Travel Bank, valid for 12 months.

Of the new policy, Virgin Australia Chief Customer Experience Office Danielle Keighery said: “We understand that these new restrictions may affect guests’ travel plans. This is why we’ve removed change and cancellation fees so guests can have more flexibility with their upcoming travel.”

“We want guests to have peace of mind when booking with us, and this flexibility will extend to any new bookings made for travel between now and 30 June.”

Virgin are also requesting that, due to the higher than normal call volumes, only guests with flights booked to depart in the next 48 hours contact the Guest Contact Centre and the airline’s social media team (changes to international flights booked from 12 March can be made through ‘Manage My Booking’).

Virgin also attempted to ward off any possible confusion with the following information.

• Guests with flights booked through a travel agent will need to contact their travel agent to change their booking
• Guests will still be required to pay any applicable fare difference or taxes should the same booking class/fare not be available on the date they wish to rebook
• There is a maximum of two changes per international booking and a maximum of one change per domestic booking for guests thinking about changing their travel plans

More broadly speaking, as the crisis worsens, it will be interesting to see which, if any, airline steps up and actually offers customers something more than credit. Given the state of the travel industry at the moment it could be a smart move to secure customer loyalty down the track, but also financially catastrophic.

It will also be interesting to see how airlines manage their funds in the future. Though Qantas and Virgin Australia are known for being more fiscally responsible than some of the airlines across the pond, considering the government is likely to give them a hand if they really do look like going under, now may be the time to demand more of their budget iterations (Jetstar and Tigerair) as part of a bailout ultimatum.

A recent article in the New York Times, entitled “Don’t Feel Sorry For The Airlines” makes some interesting points which could be applied to Australia (though, less harshly, as both Qantas and Virgin Australia, from our experience treat their staff and customers better than American).

Referring to the mid to late 2010s (the years during which American reached such levels of financial success that its chief executive proclaimed, “I don’t think we’re ever going to lose money again”), The op-ed writer said, “There are plenty of things American could have done with all that money.”

“Instead, American blew most of its cash on a stock buyback spree.”

Once the dust settles on the current COVID 19 pandemic, let’s make sure this doesn’t happen here.

Read Next

• The Ugly Truth About Virgin Voyages’ Adults-Only Cruise
• Epic New Air NZ Route Could Cause Problems For Virgin & Qantas

The post Virgin Australia Flight Cancellation Policy: Change You’ve Been Waiting For appeared first on DMARGE Australia.