Sometimes you need a coffee break from caring for your child, Tamagotchi, or work’s clientele. And do you know what pairs incredibly well with a coffee break? That’s right, Tims Tams. Oh, and today’s biggest headlines. Speaking of which, here are some of the most important stories of this Thursday:
11,000 Facebook Workers Have Been Fired
In some devastating news for 11,000 Facebook-Meta workers, these folks have been fired just before Christmas.
“Today, I’m sharing some of the most difficult changes we’ve made in Meta’s history. I’ve decided to reduce the size of our team by about 13% and let more than 11,000 of our talented employees go,” said Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg in a statement to his employees.
In this message, Zuckerberg said that he incorrectly predicted what things would be like after the height of the pandemic subsided.
“At the start of Covid, the world rapidly moved online and the surge of e-commerce led to outsized revenue growth. Many people predicted this would be a permanent acceleration that would continue even after the pandemic ended. I did too, so I made the decision to significantly increase our investments. Unfortunately, this did not play out the way I expected,” said Zuckerberg.
“Not only has online commerce returned to prior trends, but the macroeconomic downturn, increased competition, and ads signal loss have caused our revenue to be much lower than I’d expected. I got this wrong, and I take responsibility for that.”
These Meta workers will get severance packages, six months’ worth of health insurance, and career help. Moreover, they will receive support from immigration specialists if they are currently working for Meta because of a visa program.
As of November, the stock price for Meta sits at around $100 USD, which is the lowest it’s been since early 2016. Moreover, it’s currently unclear if this firing event will actually help Meta’s stock prices improve.
“Mark Zuckerberg’s ‘mea culpa’ statement is unlikely to do the trick of reassuring investors, instead they may be further rattled by his admission he overestimated the company’s prospects,” said Susannah Streeter, an Investment Analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.
“At the same time, Meta funds are being poured down into the dark plumbing of the Metaverse, and it’s highly unclear when revenues will emerge from this expensive venture.”
A Massive Thunderstorm Asthma Event May Hit VIC Today
Thunderstorm asthma events are nasty and unpleasant. This is because when thunderstorm and pollen conditions are just right, the humidity of said storms can cause pollen grains to become even tinier. These grains can get really deep into a human’s lungs and cause life-threatening respiratory issues.
Unfortunately, Victoria’s Department of Health is predicting that the Wimmera region is at a high risk of being hit with a thunderstorm asthma event today.
“The combination of forecast extreme grass pollen levels and a certain type of thunderstorm with strong winds means there is a chance a large number of people may develop asthma symptoms over a short period of time,” said the department.
Additionally, some other areas are at a medium risk of receiving a thunderstorm asthma event. These places include Mallee, South West Victoria, Central Victoria, and North Central Victoria.
Low-risk areas include Northern Country, North East Victoria, West Gippsland, South Gippsland, and East Gippsland.
If you’re concerned about getting thunderstorm asthma, then your state or territory’s emergency services app should inform you if you’re at risk in your area. That way, if you are, you can stay indoors, use an air purifier, and wear a mask in order to stay safe.
Related: Get Prepped — Thunderstorm Asthma Might Be Coming Your Way
Related: Australian Doctors Are Worried Our Bulk-Billing System Will Crumble
Melbourne’s Peregrine Falcons Get Ready to Soar
In some super wholesome news, four peregrine falcon hatchlings near the top of a Melbourne high-rise are probs going to fly for the first time in the next two days.
Furthermore, this event is currently being live-streamed on YouTube by the company Mirvac for everyone’s enjoyment.
“Mirvac are the owners of the building that the nests are located on, and the owners of the camera and live stream. The peregrine falcons are wild birds, and Mirvac does not interfere with the falcons in any way. We merely provide the camera and live stream to allow the opportunity to observe the natural behaviours of these magnificent creatures,” said Mirvac in a statement.
But why do folks think that these hatchlings will fly in the next few days? Whelp, the Victorian Peregrine Project’s Founder, Dr. Victor Hurley, has just the answer to this Q.
“The adults have reduced the amount of feed down to about two a day,” said Hurley, “and we think that’s a deliberate strategy to encourage the young ones to fly.”
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