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Why the Abbott government hasn't abandoned their incredibly unpopular metadata policy yet is beyond me. Nearly all other developed nations that have pursued such a policy have abandoned it, mostly because attempting to pass something like this is akin to committing political suicide. Worse still in their attempts to defend the policy from its critics the Abbott government has resorted to tactics and sensationalist rhetoric, none of which has any bearing on the underlying issues that this policy faces. Top this off with a cost estimation that seems to be based on back of the napkin math and you've got a recipe for bad legislation that will likely be implemented poorly and at a great cost to all Australian citizens.
Conceptually the idea is simple: the government wants to mandate that all ISPs and communications providers keep all metadata they generate for a period of 2 years. Initially this was sold as not being an increase in the power that authorities had however that idea is incredibly misleading as it greatly increases their ability to exercise that power. Worse still obtaining access to metadata doesn't require a warrant and isn't just the realm of law enforcement or intelligence agencies as people on local councils can obtain this data. Suffice to say that the gathering and retention of this data is a massive invasion of the privacy that the general public expects to have from its government and that is exactly why nearly all developed nations have dropped such policies before they've been implemented.
As expected the usual tropes for these kinds of policies have been trotted out, initially under the guise of a requirement for national security. I'd concede that point if it wasn't for the fact that mass surveillance has not proved to be effective in combating terrorism, something which the critics of the policy were quick to point out. The rhetoric has then shifted away from national security to local security with Abbott saying that the metadata will help them track down peadophiles and child traffickers. Suffice to say if surveillance of this nature doesn't help at a national level then I highly doubt its effectiveness at the lower levels and "think of the children" arguments like this are nothing more than an appeal to emotion.
Yesterday Abbott was pressed to give some hard figures on just how much this scheme would end up costing and he retorted with the rather ineloquent quip that it would be an "explosion in an unsolved crime". When pressed the figure he gave was $300 million, estimated to be less than 1% of the total $40 billion that the entire telecommunications sector is estimated to be worth. That figure has apparently been sourced from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) however the details of that figure have not been made public. In all honesty I cannot see how that figure can be accurate given the amount of data we're talking about and the retention times required.
To put it in perspective Australians consumed something on the order of 1 Exabyte in 6 months up to June last year which is a 50% increase on the year previous. The amount of metadata on that data would be a fraction of that and, taking the same 1% liberty that Abbott seems intent on using, you get something like 50 Petabytes worth of storage required. Couple that with the fact that it won't be stored in one place (negating economies of scale), the infrastructure requirements to provide access to it and the personnel required to fullfil requests and that $300 million figure starts to look quite shakey. Indeed the Communications Alliance in Australia has estimated it to be between $500 million and $700 million which casts doubt over how accurate Abbott's lowball figure is.
Honestly this legislation stinks no matter which way you cut it and the rhetoric that the incumbent government has been using to defend it speaks directly to that. These policies are just simply not effective in what they set out to achieve and the only tangible result we'll ever see from them will be an increased cost to accessing the Internet and a reduction in the expectation of privacy. I do hope Abbott keeps harping on about it though as the more he talks the more it seems likely that we'll be able to cement the One Term Tony phrase in the history books.
There seems to be this small section of my brain that's completely disconnected from reality. At every turn with the Liberal's and the NBN it's been the part of my head that's said "Don't worry, I'm sure Turnbull and co will be honest this time around" and every single time it has turned out to be wrong. At every turn these "independent" reports have been stacked with personnel that all have vested interests in seeing Turnbull's views come to light no matter how hard they have to bend the facts in order to do so. Thus all the reports that have come out slamming Labor's solution are not to be trusted and the latest report, the vaulted cost benefit analysis that the Liberals have always harped on about, is a another drop on the gigantic turd pile that is the Liberal's NBN.
The problems with this cost-benefit analysis started long before the actual report was released. Late last year Turnbull appointed Henry Ergas as the head of the panel of experts that would be doing the cost-benefit analysis. The problem with this appointment is that he'd already published many pieces on the NBN before which where not only critical of the NBN but were also riddled with factual inaccuracies. So his opinion of the NBN was already well known prior to starting this engagement and thus he was not capable of providing a truly independent analysis, regardless of how he might want to present it. However in the interests of fairness (even though Turnbull won't be doing so) let's judge the report on it's merits so we can see just how big this pile of horseshit is.
The report hinges primarily on a metric called "Willingness to Pay (WTP)" which is what Australians would be willing to pay for higher broadband speeds. The metric is primarily based around data gathered by the Institute for Choice which surveyed around 3,000 Australians about their current broadband usage and then showed them some alternative plans that would be available under the NBN. Problem is the way these were presented were not representative of all the plans available nor did they factor in things like the speed not being guaranteed on FTTN vs guaranteed speed on FTTP. So essentially all this was judging was people's willingness to change to another kind of plan and honestly was not reflective of whether or not they'd want to pay more for higher broadband speeds.
Indeed this is even further reflected in the blended rate of probabilities used to determine the estimation of benefits with a 50% weighting applied to the Institute for Choice data and a 25% modifier to the other data (take-up demand and technical bandwidth demand) which, funnily enough, find in favour of the FTTP NBN solution. Indeed Table I makes it pretty clear that whenever there was multiple points of data the panel of experts decided to swing the percentages in ways that were favourable to them rather than providing an honest view of the data that they had. If the appointment of a long anti-NBN campaigner wasn't enough to convince you this report was a total farce then this should do the trick.
However what really got me about this report was summed up perfectly in this quote:
The panel would not disclose the costs of upgrading [to] FTTP compared with other options, which were redacted from the report, citing "commercial confidentiality associated with NBN Co's proprietary data".
What the actual fuck.
So a completely government owned company is citing commercial in confidence for not disclosing data in a report that was commissioned by the government? Seriously, what the fuck are you guys playing at here? It's obvious that if you included the cost of upgrading a FTTN network to FTTP, which has been estimated to cost at least $21 billion extra, then the cost-benefit would swing wildly in the direction of FTTP. Honestly I shouldn't be surprised at this point as the report has already taken every step possible to avoid admitting that a FTTP solution is the better option. Hiding the upgrade cost, which by other reports commissioned by the Liberals is to be required in less than 5 years after completion of their FTTN NBN, is just another fact they want they want to keep buried.
Seriously, fuck everything about Turnbull and his bullshit. They've commissioned report after report, done by people who have vested interests or are in Turnbull's favour, that have done nothing to reflect the reality of what the NBN was and what it should be. This is just the latest heaping on the pile, showcasing that the Liberals have no intention of being honest nor implementing a solution that's to the benefit of all Australians. Instead they're still focused on winning last year's election and we're all going to suffer because of it.
Copyright law in Australia isn't as cut and dry as many believe it to be. Whilst some of our laws are in line with what the general public thinks they are (I.E. United States based) there's a lot of things that are more draconian, like the lack of safe harbor provisions, and others that are a lot more lax like the lack of any formal infringement notification systems. This has often been cited as one of the main reasons why piracy is so rampant in Australia although that's really only a minor part of the equation. Still this hasn't stopped rights holders from lobbying members of our parliament into getting the laws changed and a recently leaked discussion paper, from the offices of Senator Brandis and Minister Turnbull, showcases a rather disturbing future for Australian copyright.
The discussion paper reads as a wish list of measures that rights holders would like to see implemented that would be used to curb copyright infringement behaviour within Australia, taking inspiration from similar schemes overseas. The proposed measures will be familiar to anyone who's been involved in the copyright debate ranging from requiring ISPs to take "reasonable action" against infringing users (something our High Court has ruled against in the past), blocking websites that facilitate infringement and the measures required to support those processes. There are some potential positive questions for discussion in there, like the expansion of safe harbor provisions, but the rest of them will only cause more headaches than they will solve.
The first discussion point around ISP's taking "reasonable steps" towards discouraging users from engaging in copyright infringement is a blatant attempt to skirt around the high court's previous ruling that there are no such steps that an ISP can take. Essentially it comes down to a question of liability as increasing the exposure that the ISPs have make them a better target for litigation than the thousands of individuals beneath them do. The worst thing about this is that it will most certainly lead to increased costs for consumers with no benefits for anyone but the rights holders themselves. Honestly this smacks of the "mandatory voluntary" system that Conroy proposed, and then swiftly abandoned, all those years ago. If it didn't work then I fail to see how it could work now.
The second point revolves around blocking some sites outright which they're proposing to do at the ISP level. Now the paper doesn't go into details about how the site would be blocked, just that injunctions could be granted, however we know that whatever method they use will end up being ineffectual. DNS blacklisting, IP blocks and all other methods that other countries have used in the past simply do not work in an environment with users with a modicum of technical experience. Heck there are dozens of browser extensions which help with this and there's already a healthy number of Australians completely circumventing any ISP level blocking through the use of VPNs. So realistically the discussion point about what matters should be considered in granting an injunction are moot as it won't stop the site from being available.
The last 3 points dig into what the impacts will be (both in terms of reducing infringement and the cost to business) as well as asking if there are any alternative measures that can be taken. Honestly I feel these are the points that should be front and center rather than the previous two I mentioned as this is the real crux of the copyright issue in Australia. In terms of the discussion paper though they feel like afterthoughts, each given a brief paragraph with a one liner question following them. It really looks like the other points are, essentially, already agreed to and these are just there to placate those who feel that they need to have their voice heard.
What this discussion paper completely misses is the real issue here: the lack of content systems that are on the same level available overseas. The Australian tax is no longer just catch cry, it's a fact, and the residents of this country have voted with their wallets. Indeed the high use of Netflix within Australia shows that we're ready, willing and able to pay for the services should rights holders be willing to provide them but instead this paper wants to focus on the stick rather than the carrot.
If Brandis and Turnbull are serious about copyright reform in Australia they should be looking into what they can do to encourage those services to come Australia rather than attempt to dissuade people from pirating their content. History has shown that the latter can never be prevented, no matter what legislation you put in or DRM you attempt to ram down the customer's throats. The latter has a tried and true history of being successful and I have no doubts that rights holders would see similar success in Australia should they choose to bring their services here. For now though it seems like they're still stuck in the past, trying to protect business models that are failing in the new Internet powered economy. They'll have to come around eventually, it's just a question of whether they do it before someone else does.
Oh wait they already are. Time to wake the fuck up.
There's 2 main reasons why I've avoided writing about the NBN for the last couple months. For the most part it's been because there's really been nothing of note to report and sifting through hours of senate talks to find a nugget of new information to write about isn't really something I'm particularly enthused about doing. Secondly as someone who's deeply interested in technology (and makes his living out of services that could make heavy use of the NBN) the current state of the project is, frankly, infuriating and I don't think people enjoy reading about how angry I am. Still it seems that the Liberal's MTM NBN plan has turned from a hypothetical farce into a factual one and I'm not one to pass up an opportunity to lay down criticism where criticism is due.
The slogan the Liberal's ran with during their election campaign was "Fast. Affordable, Sooner." promising that they'd be able to deliver at least 25Mbps to every Australian by the end of 2016 with that ramping up to 50Mbps by the end of 2019. This ended up being called the Multi-Technology Mix (MTM) NBN which would now include the HFC rather than overbuilding them and would switch to FTTN technology rather than FTTP. The issues with this plan were vast and numerous (ones I've covered in great detail in the past) and suffice to say the technology community in Australia didn't buy into the ideas one bit. Indeed as time as progressed the core promises of the plan have dropped off one by one with NBNCo now proceeding with the MTM solution despite a cost-benefit analysis not being completed and the speed guarantee is now gone completely. If that wasn't enough it's come to my attention that even though they've gone ahead with the solution NBNCo hasn't been able to connect a single customer to the FTTN solution.
It seems the Liberal's promises simply don't stand up to reality, fancy that.
The issues they seem to be encountering with deploying their FTTN trial are what many of the more vocal critics had been harping on for a long time, primarily the power and maintenance requirements that FTTN cabinets would require. Their Epping trial has faced several months of delays because they weren't able to source adequate power, a problem which currently doesn't have a timeline for a solution yet. The FTTP NBN which was using Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) technology does not suffer from this kind of issue at all and this was showing in the ramp up in deployment numbers that NBNCo was seeing before it stopped its FTTP rollouts. If just the trial of the MTM solution is having this many issues then it follows that the full rollout will fare no better and that puts an axe to the Liberal's election promises.
We're rapidly approaching the end of this year which means that the timeline the Liberals laid out is starting to look less and less feasible. Even if the trial site gets everyone on board before the end of this year that still gives only 2 years for the rest of the infrastructure to be rolled out. The FTTP NBN wasn't even approaching those numbers so there's no way in hell that the MTM solution would be able to accomplish that, even with their little cheat of using the HFC networks.
So there goes the idea of us getting the NBN sooner but do any of their other promises hold true?
Well the speed guarantee went away some time ago so even the Liberals admit that their solution won't be fast so the only thing they might be able to argue is that they can do it cheaper. Unfortunately for Turnbull his assumption that Telstra would just hand over the copper free of charge something which Telstra had no interest in doing. Indeed as part of the renegotiation of the contract with Telstra NBNCo will be paying some $150 million for access to 200,000 premises worth of copper which, if extrapolated to all of Australia, would be around $5.8 billion. This does not include the cabinets or remediating any copper that can't handle FTTN speeds which will quickly eat into any savings on the deal. That's not going into the ongoing costs these cabinets will incur during their lifetimes which is an order of magnitude more than what a GPON network would.
I know I'm not really treading any new ground by writing all this but the MTM NBN is beyond a joke now; a failed election promise that's done nothing to help the Liberal's waning credibility and will only do damage to Australia's technology sector. Even if they do get voted out come next election it'll be years before the damage can be undone which is a royal shame as the NBN was one of the best bits of policy to come out of the tumultuous time that was Labor's last 2 terms in office. Maybe one day I'll be able to look back on all my rants on this topic and laugh about it but until that day comes I'll just be yet another angry IT sector worker, forever cursing the government that took away my fibre filled dream.
If you're of voting age then you're likely aware of the rhetoric that surrounds our two major political parties. Typically Labor is cast as a party that favours spending with the Liberals being more conservative (and usually "more responsible"). These stereotypes aren't without merit however as the previous incarnations of both governments ran very close to those lines although the global circumstances in which both of them existed were radically different. Indeed the reason why Australia was one of the few developed countries to avoid a recession during the Global Financial Crisis and the follow Eurozone Crisis was due to the stimulus programs they engaged. However Australians, for one reason or another, seem to prefer our government run a surplus whenever possible and last night's budget is setting them up for just that.
Hockey and Abbott had been priming us for bad news since talk of the budget first started circulating, noting that we'd all have to pay our fair share in order to correct the "budget emergency". The line items in the budget show pretty much everyone losing out (with a few notable exceptions including high income earners, private sector business and mining) so the rumors were well founded. You'd be hard pressed to find any regular Australian that was happy with the budget but the consensus from the wider press seems to be that it's economically sound and will eventually lead us to surplus. As you can probably guess I'm not a fan of it myself as it feels like getting to a surplus, mostly through cutting expenditure, is only being done for the sake of having a surplus.
Australia's budget isn't like your home budget where running a deficit for a couple years would likely see you sink into financial ruin. As long as a government is able to make repayments on its debt and is sensible about deficit spending it's typically not an issue. Indeed when compared to the rest of the world Australia's debt to GDP ratio is extremely low, well below that of many other countries (including Germany) that are considered fiscally responsible. Thus the talk of a "budget emergency" is built upon a base of incorrect assumptions, ones which have resulted in a budget that hits everyone and hits those hardest who are least able to afford it.
In all honesty it seems like a long term play, one that the current government can take some political pain on now so that when the next election rolls around they can point to the budget and say "Look at this magnificent surplus". Sure the current projections don't have that happening for 4 years but this is the first budget of 3 and there's the real possibility that the next budget will be in the same vein. That is what worries me as whilst running a surplus sounds good the cuts made to get to it are likely to be far more destructive than the small amount of debt required to maintain them.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out with the wider public as this was what the majority of Australians wanted but I'm sure many of them did not expect it to come and slap them in the face like this. The true test will be to see if the political pain is only short term as I believe that's what the Liberal's current strategy is betting upon. Abbott is already having a tough enough time as it is with people quickly realising he's great in opposition but not so in power. Still the Australian public seems to have a short memory and a shiny surplus in 3 years might be enough to convince everyone of the Liberal's economic credentials (and not the lack thereof).
It seems you can't go a week without reading at least one article about how us Australians are filthy pirates, depriving the poor rights holders of their hard earned dollars. Whilst the coverage has become a lot more balanced in recent times, mostly thanks to the support of some of the higher up execs in places like HBO, it still seems that Australia's political landscape is tilted in the wrong direction. For the most part it's all been postering and bluster but recent statements from our new attorney-general have brought the possibility of draconian and ineffectual piracy control schemes closer to reality. Indeed it seems that rather than tackle the root cause of the issue, I.E. providing a service that's competitive with what the pirates provide, rights holders are still only interested in protecting their out-dated business models.
George Brandis recently announced that the government would be looking to bring in anti-piracy policies as early as this week which, predictably, sparked outrage among the wider Internet community. The potential policies are the usual suspects we've seen bandied about in other countries, things like three strikes laws, taking down sites linking to infringing material and outright blocking larger "infringement enabling" websites. The issues with all these systems are well known and all of them have proved to be vastly ineffective in curbing the amount of piracy that occurs. Worst still Brandis' rhetoric on the matter shows a complete lack of understanding of the issue at hand: Australian's don't have access to a viable alternative. Whilst I'm sure none of his policies will make it through the senate I do worry about people in his position of power making decisions without considering both sides of the piracy equation.
It's been shown that some of the worst pirates are also the ones spending the most money on content showing that it's not an issue with wanting something for free. The primary motivator for many pirates is convenience and in this case the legitimate alternative falls far short of what the alternatives provide. You don't have to look far for evidence of this, just take Steam which has converted many a pirate into paying customers in regions that were once considered impossible to turn a profit in. Piracy rates in Australia will remain high until a solid competitor appears in this space as every entry thus far has proved to be much less than ideal. It's not like there's a technical limitation preventing this either, you can use a DNS service to get around the blocking many of the services use, it all comes down to the rights holder's desire to not change their business model for the digital age.
Indeed the measures proposed are reflective of that stance as whilst they might have worked in the past (shutting down a bootleg CD seller pretty much guarantees that source is gone) they simply don't function in the Internet age. Blocking websites, no matter what level you do it at, is an incredibly easy thing to work around, so much so that there's browser extensions to do it for you. With most of those sites not being hosted in Australia the power for Australian ISPs to do anything about them is limited and even then most of them are seconds away from being replicated somewhere else. The Three Strikes style laws are by far the worst as they're open to wide abuse, usually without little recourse. Whilst this does open up the opportunity for some fun shenanigans (it wouldn't take much to get every politicians Internet taken down) it's far better for them to not exist in the first place.
Undoubtedly this situation has arisen due to Australia's odd place in the world. We're a remote, affluent country that has a hunger for everything our other western counterparts do. However that remoteness means that companies are, for one reason or another, not interested in bringing their business here or, if they do, it is done at an exorbitant premium. Once rights holders realise that we'll switch to their services in a heartbeat if they're reasonably priced and widely available you'll see the piracy rates of Australia plummet. Until then though all this political posturing will do no one any good and Australia will remain the nation of pirates.
Back in 1996 one of the incoming Howard government's core promises was to reduce their expenditure dramatically, specifically with regards to their IT. The resulting policy was dubbed the IT Initiative and promised to find some $1 billion dollars in savings in the following years primarily through outsourcing many functions to the private sector. It was thought that the private sector, which was well versed in projects of the government's scale and beyond, would be able to perform the same function at a far reduced cost to that of permanent public servants. The next decade saw many companies rush in to acquire these lucrative IT outsourcing arrangements but the results, both in terms of services delivered and apparent savings, never matched that which was promised.
For many the reasons behind the apparent failure were a mystery. Many of the organisations involved in providing IT services to the government weren't fly by night operations, indeed many of them were large multi-national companies with proven track records, but they just didn't achieve the same outcomes when it came to the government contracts. After nearly a decade of attempting to make outsourcing work many departments began insourcing their IT departments again and relied on a large contractor workforce to bring in the skills required to keep their projects functioning. Of course costs were still above what many had expected them to be, result in the Gershon Report that recommended heavy cuts to said contractor workforce.
This all stems from the one glaring failure that the government has still yet to realise: it can't negotiate contracts.
I used to work for a large outsourcer in the Canberra region, swept up while I was still fresh out of university into a job that paid me a salary many took years to attain. The outsourcer had won this contract away from the incumbent to provide desktop and infrastructure services whilst the numerous other outsourcers involved in the contract retained ownership of their respective systems. After spending about 6 months as a system admin my boss approached me about moving into the project management space, something I had mentioned that I was keen on pursuing. It was in this position that I found out just how horrible the Australian government was at contract negotiation and how these service providers were the only winners in their arrangements.
My section was dedicated to "new business", essentially work that we'd be responsible for implementing that wasn't in scope as part of the broader outsourcing contract. Typically these would be small engagements, most not requiring tender level documentation, and in all honesty would have been considered by any reasonable individual to fall under the original contract. Of course many of the users who I came back to with a bill detailing how much it would cost to do the work they needed often responded with much surprise and often would simply drop the request than try to seek approval for the cost.
The issue still exists today primarily because many of the positions that handle contract negotiations don't require specific skills or training. This means whilst the regulations in place stop most government agencies from entering into catastrophically bad arrangements the more subtle ones often slip through the cracks and it's only after everything is said and done that oversights are found. All of the large outsourcers in Canberra know this and it's why there's been no force working to correct the problem for the better part of 2 decades. It's why Canberra exists as a strange microcosm of IT expertise, with salaries that you won't see anywhere else in Australia.
The solution is to simply start hiring contract negotiators away from the private sector and get them working for the Australian government. Get contract law experts to review large IT outsourcing arrangements and start putting the screws to those outsourcers to deliver more for the same amount of money. It's not an easy road to tread and it won't likely win the government any friends but unless they start doing something outsourcing is always going to be seen as a boondoggle, only for those with too much cash and not enough sense.
We're a country of polluters, there's no question about that. In terms of world ranking we seem to hover around 11th in per capita pollution, beating other big polluters like China, India and even the United States. Whilst we can lay the blame for a good chunk of that on our resources sector it doesn't mean that we, as a country, aren't responsible for it and are obligated to do as much as we can to reduce the amount of carbon and other pollutants that enter our atmosphere. The previous government made some headways into this however our current representatives seem intent on undoing the small amount of good they managed to get through, even if it makes absolutely no sense to do so.
Yesterday it was announced that the Renewable Energy Target (RET), which was revised under the previous government to a larger figure, was going to be reviewed. Now typically this wouldn't be something to fret about, especially considering that reviews like this are supposed to be carried out by the Climate Change Commission, but since Abbott disbanded them it's now being led by Dick Warburton a confessed anthropogenic climate change denier. To make matters worse it's also going to be done in the context of an apparent oversupply of electricity in Australia, something which the current rhetoric from the Abbott government seems to pin wholly on the rapid uptake in renewables.
Are you fucking kidding me.
The Small Scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) and the Large Scale Renewable Target (LRET) schemes have been responsible for a massive increase in the amount of grid connected renewable energy in Australia. Indeed it's been so successful that we've even had some regions revise their own targets above what they initially planned, meaning a very healthy percentage of Australia's energy now comes from renewable resources. The argument being made now is that the incentives provided to those renewables is costing Australia too much and is leading to a glut of energy production, driving prices lower. Whilst I'd argue that the cost of the program (~$1.6 billion according to Warburton) is worth it I can't understand the thought process behind people complaining about lower electricity costs.
The source of this rhetoric is somewhat understandable; it's because Warburton doesn't believe that we're responsible for the climate change. Thus, when you take that view, renewables get an unfair amount of treatment with their subsidies and feed in tariffs. However if you take the rational scientific view where we are responsible then the picture becomes far more clear and the paltry price we pay to have such a large percentage of renewable energy is a sound investment. Indeed should we lose both the carbon tax and the RET there's no telling how much further up the global polluter ranks we'll climb and I don't think any rational Australian wants that.
We're seeing the results of electing a government that is packed with representatives who are running with an agenda that clearly runs opposite to the facts. Whilst I'd love to believe that a review of the RET would show that everything should continue as planned I'm afraid I lost all trust in reviews commissioned in this manner after the total farce that was the NBN strategic review. With Warburton at the helm it's guaranteed that we'll see cuts to the RET which will have a strong, negative impact on the state of renewable energy in Australia. Unfortunately that will just be the first hit to soften us up before the real hit comes: the abolishment of the carbon price.
If it wasn't for the HECS/HELP system I definitely wouldn't be in the position that I am today. Whilst I didn't come from an exactly poor family we were definitely on the lower end of the middle class and the prospect of going to uni meant that I'd have to start paying my way. Thankfully I was able to defer my HECS debt until I was able to pay it back through tax allowing me to attend university without having to fork out the $25,000 or so which I simply did not have. After 4 years of an accelerated career that was directly attributable to my university experience the debt was fully repaid back to the Australian government with a little bit of inflation added on top for good measure.
In other countries this same situation probably wouldn't have been possible. In the USA for instance I would have had to secure a student loan with a bank, something that probably would have seen me paying exorbitant interest rates on top the much higher cost of education. Even if the loan amount remained the same I would've been repaying the debt for at least another year just because of interest and I would have been much less inclined to take the risks that I did knowing that I'd have to make those monthly repayments regardless of my current employment situation. The couple percent interest I paid on my HELP debt to curb the deflation on the debt seems like nothing in comparison to that.
The difference between the two systems is the motive behind the loans. HECS/HELP is made by the government to encourage people to go into higher education in the hopes that, because of said education, they will get higher paying jobs and will then be able to contribute more to the economy as well as repaying their debt. Loans made by banks on the other hand, regardless of their intended purpose, are done purely for the motive of generating a profit and they will do anything to maximise the return on them as such. This is why the Liberal's proposal to securitise (read: sell off) student debt is an inherently bad move.
Should such a deal go down the government would likely have to sell the debt for a fraction of its current value, usually on the order of 40%~60%. This would mean an instant cash windfall of approximately $11 billion or so with the annuity streams being collected by the new owners of the debt. If your government is strapped for cash (which we really aren't at the moment) then this would seem like a good move however it would only account for 3% of our total budget and only for the year in which it happened. For comparison HECS/HELP revenue was around $1.4 billion back in 2009/2010 financial year meaning that the $11 billion windfall would become a shortfall in 8 years (probably less considering that repayment rates would have likely increased in the interim). It's a short term cash grab that will make the budget its in look a lot better but at the cost of making every budget that follows it look a lot worse.
The real problem though is the transfer of government owned debt to a private company, one that will inevitably look to make the most out of their investment. Whilst HECS/HELP is one of the few things you can't discharge through bankruptcy you're under no obligation to repay it should you not have the means to, a key to encouraging people to at least attempt higher education to further their careers. Should the debt be owned by a bank however there's no guarantees that the same structures will hold and it's almost inevitable that the banks would look to squeeze delinquent loans for all they're worth. Don't believe me? Just look at the student loan situation in the USA.
Whilst the Liberals may have said that such a plan is not current policy the fact that it's under consideration should ring alarm bells. It's an incredibly short sighted move, one that favours short term gains over long term losses which is something that a "fiscally responsible" government should be doing everything to avoid. Selling off national assets, especially one that provides as much value as HECS/HELP does, will only hurt us in the long term no matter how warm and fuzzy running a surplus makes you feel now.
For those of us who spend a lot of time on the Internet, whether productively or not, the National Broadband Network is an easy sell. If you're not so Internet inclined then there are thousands of tech heads (which, yes, does include this blog) who will gladly take you on a tour of the benefits one that will likely fill an afternoon if you let them. Those same people will also be more than willing to tell you of the many deficits that the Liberal's NBN plan has, from simple things like having to run the fiber to the nodes anyway all the way down to the power usage and maintenance costs of the cabinets required by such plans. Of course such arguments are usually lost on non-technical people as they're nuances of a much larger policy that require a decent amount of tech knowledge to understand.
We also lost our champion Senator Conroy in the latest leadership spill, someone who's deep technical understanding had helped to sell the NBN to the tech crowd. Of course there were also those who were glad to see him go, mostly due to his involvement with the Clean Feed policy, but considering that never went ahead I feel it's valid to say that his time in office was an overall positive for the state of the high tech in Australia. His replacement however couldn't have been any less impressive with Anthony Albanese, someone who's gone on record saying they're something of a technophobe. This wasn't taken as a good move at the time, at least not in the tech crowd, but there is one school of thought that this might be just what the NBN needs:
Albanese's role, then, is less to be the pig-headed advocate that Conroy was, and more to be something of a ring-master — trying to keep his deputies working together to sell a message of continuity to the voting populace. Whether or not he can make that happen without the technical nous that Conroy had, remains to be seen; he will also face a demanding telco community that's already trying to set his agenda for him.
And yet, just as Tony Abbott seems to have become a stunned mullet in the wake of Rudd's resurgence, perhaps Conroy's departure — and the devenomisation of the NBN debate — will allow Albanese to muffle Turnbull and polish the project into a political asset come election time. Either way, it's sure to be an interesting ride.
I was sceptical when I first started reading the article but after having some time to mull it over I'm inclined to agree with Braue. Whilst it was fun to see Conroy poke hole's in Turnbull's faulty technical knowledge it ultimately wasn't getting us anywhere and the debate felt like it was stagnating on technical points that were doing nothing to win over the general public with the NBN. With things like the asbestos debacle (which is clearly Telstra's fault and not the NBN's) most people will just hear "asbestos" and "NBN" and draw their own conclusions; similarly with a dozen other issues like the roll out and the musical chairs that seems to be happening with NBNCo's board seats. Albanese then, with his pedigree for managing the Infrastructure and Transport portfolio, shifts the focus away from this being a tech-only debate and into the realm of a big infrastructure project. That changes the debate significantly as it's hard to argue against projects that are ostensibly for the long term benefit of Australia.
His effect on the debate will be very short lived should the Liberal coalition come into power this year. The NBN was a key policy that helped Labor form the minority government 3 years ago and should a similar situation happen this time around then it could pull a victory for them once again. Current polls don't swing in Labor's favor however the return of Rudd has seen them get closer than they have been in a long time which makes the likelihood of a similar situation happening again that much more likely. I doubt that the NBN will be their saving grace two times in a row but it's hard to discount that it will be a factor should it happen again.
I had always tried to explain the numerous benefits of the NBN to my non-technical friends but apart from "faster cats to your browser" convincing them of the other benefits was always a slog, especially with the price tag. Switching tactics and putting it forward as a general infrastructure project, one that will create jobs and opportunities for all Australian's, seems like the smarter move and I'm sure Labor can win over a few skeptics with this approach. As someone who talks tech incessantly this seemed a little counter intuitive at first but once you realize that most of Australia isn't elbow deep in tech news all day it makes a lot more sense and hopefully that will work out well for the NBN.


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Find us
How to get to us
By car
Bowhill lies three miles west of Selkirk on the A708 Moffat/St Mary's Loch Road. Selkirk is five miles south of Galashiels on the A7 from Edinburgh.
By public transport
Bowhill's secluded location means that you can't get here directly by public transport. You are best to go to Selkirk and get a taxi or, if you are feeling energetic, enjoy the three-mile country walk here.
Local taxis
DJ Taxis 01750 720354
Hunters Cabs 01750 721968
You can find out more information on buses to Selkirk and Galashiels at www.travelline.info or www.transportdirect.info.

subset: commoncrawl


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> Our Services > Medical Services > Cancer Center > News |
Clinical Trial Bill Passes |
Bozeman Deaconess Cancer Center 931 Highland Boulevard, Suite 3130 Bozeman, MT 59715 406-414-5070 |
April 3, 2013 Cancer patients across Montana got good news last month when the State Legislature approved SB55 requiring insurance coverage for patients participating in clinical trials. Bozeman Deaconess Cancer Center oncologist Jack Hensold, MD, and a number of his patients will be on hand this month for the ceremony when Gov. Steve Bullock signed the bill into law. Dr. Hensold worked for more than two years to ensure that the cost of standard care, or generally accepted treatment, for a cancer patient in a clinical trial would be covered by their insurer. Costs for experimental drugs being tested in trials are covered by trial sponsors. Insurers had mistakenly thought they were being asked to pay for these new treatments. "This should increase access of Montana cancer patients to cutting edge treatment without concern for whether their insurance will cover it," said Dr. Hensold. He credits the entire Legislature for their support, particularly Rep. Kathleen Williams of Bozeman who sponsored a bill enacting a working group to examine the issue, Sen. Christine Kaufmann of Billings, who sponsored the bill requiring the coverage, and Sen. Art Wittich of Bozeman who was a strong supporter of the bill. "But this bill would not have passed without the testimony of cancer patients," Dr. Hensold added. "They told their powerful stories regarding the importance of access to cancer clinical trials." A number of patients from Bozeman Deaconess Cancer Center testified before the Legislature, and Dr. Hensold went to Helena to testify himself on five separate occasions. He also was a member of the working group, which met more than a half-dozen times for three hours each meeting, and put in many more hours in preparation. Asked if he would miss the working meetings, Dr. Hensold laughed and said, "Absolutely not. This means I can quit working on this issue, and I'm really happy about that."


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Shaggy - Can You Make Me Feat. Cecile
Can You Make Me Shaggy Feat. Cecile
Stream Can You Make Me, the newest drop from Shaggy which features Cecile. The cut was released on Wednesday, May 18th, 2011.
Give Can You Make Me a spin - it's a new offering from Shaggy, featuring Cecile. It was dropped on Wednesday, May 18th, 2011. Shaggy's rap artistry continues to improve with every release, something which is most definitely evidenced on Can You Make Me. His ever-expanding catalogue is definitely better for it, and we're looking forward to the next piece of the puzzle - aren't you?
Have you heard Shaggy's Dying In Your Arms [Tags], featuring Jazmine Sullivan? If you're down, make sure to visit Shaggy's profile page for the newest info, news, songs, and mixtapes. Follow Shaggy on Facebook and Twitter, if you aren't already.
Did you enjoy the features on this song? How do you feel about the production here?


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1,800 Miles B.C. (cont.)
Friday morning
Saturday afternoon
A complete provincial sampler, stop by stop
Acadia National Park, Cutler Coast Public Reserve Land
Olympic National Park, Rose Lake National Recreation Area
Olympic National Park, Rose Lake National Recreation Area
The true-blue classic
Still Breathtaking After All These Years
Hugged a Colorado Fourteener Lately?
Untamed Alaska, and Lots of it
The Southeast's Backwoods at its Best
A Hiker's Valhalla in Montana
A Seal's-Eye View of the Maine Coast


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Sarah Schrank, Ph.D.
Ph.D., History, University of California, San Diego, 2002. M.A., History, University of California, San Diego, 1997. B.A. (Honors), History, McGill University, Montréal, Canada, 1994. Baccalauréat Français, Lycée Marcelin Berthelot, Saint Maur des Fossés, France, 1990.
Selected Publications
Art and the City: Civic Imagination and Cultural Authority in Los Angeles. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009.
Naked: Natural Living and the American Cult of the Body, work-in-progress.
Articles and Essays
"Naked Houses: The Architecture of Nudism and the Rethinking of the American Suburbs," Journal of Urban History 38:4 (July 2012), 635-661.
"Sunbathing in Suburbia: Health, Fashion, and the Built Environment," Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture, edited by Giovanna Borasi and Mirko Zardini. Montreal, Quebec: Canadian Centre for Architecture and Lars Müller Publishers, 2012: 364-83.
"Public Art at the Global Crossroads: The Politics of Place in 1930s Los Angeles," Journal of Social History 44, no. 2 (Winter 2010): 435-457.
"Modern Urban Planning and the Civic Imagination: Historiographical Perspectives on Los Angeles," Journal of Planning History 7, no. 3 (August 2008): 239-51.
"Nuestro Pueblo: The Spatial and Cultural Politics of Los Angeles' Watts Towers," The Spaces of the Modern City: Imaginaries, Politics, and Everyday Life, ed. Gyan Prakash and Kevin Kruse, Princeton University Press, 2008: 275-309.
"The Art of the City: Modernism, Municipal Censorship, and the Emergence of Los Angeles' Postwar Art Scene," American Quarterly 56, no. 3 (September 2004): 663-91.
"Picturing the Watts Towers: The Art and Politics of an Urban Landmark," Reading California: Art, Image, and Identity, 1900-2000, ed. Stephanie Barron, Ilene Fort, and Sheri Bernstein, University of California Press, 2000: 372-86.
The Wolfsonian-Florida International University Research Fellowship, 2011.
John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation Fellow of the Huntington Library, 2008-2009.
John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation Summer Research Grant, 2005.
Shelby Cullom Davis Center for Historical Studies Fellow, Princeton University, 2004-2005.
Associate Editor, American Quarterly and Editorial Board, Public Art Dialogue
Book Review Editor, Southern California Quarterly.


text: I intended to leave the building with items valued under $25, without paying for them. However, I was not able to leave and was apprehended before exiting. Would this still be case of retail fraud? I would consider it attempted but not a charge of the retail fraud. Could someone tell me if I'm correct and should I fight this case?


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Main Menu
72.98% of all statistics are made up
The War against radical Islam has been called many accurate and inaccurate names. This is largely because if the administration were to call it what it is - an effort to change the cultural landscape of the Muslim and Arab worlds - then it would be met with a fierce backlash. Lucky for us, we do not have the stature to cause such a backlash...
Browse by topic
High on the Hog
The AHS Spotlight
From Counterinsurgency
"Some wish for us to cut our losses and come back home. This has parallels with all wars, not just insurgencies. But just like in all other wars, the best time for us to depart is not when the danger is greatest, but when the danger has passed."
From A New Era of Accountability?
"In a climate where US hegemony contrasts so starkly with the endless debate and shuffling of feet amongst the rest of the civilized world, any US Ambassador to the UN will naturally be the man who sets the tone and the agenda for the United Nations, especially with a Secretary-General weakened by scandal."


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Sign Up for an LG Booth Tour Today.
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The 25 inch-monitor supports a 21:9 UltraWide ratio, giving you more advantages over a conventional 16:9 monitor.
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Solutions for in-room entertainment as well as hotel digital signage designed to enhance the quality of the guest experience.
Exclusive services for SMB partners as well as access to a unique and comprehensivesuite of turn-key solutions coupled with programssuited for a variety of markets.
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Bundled display solutions with all the essential components tailored to the conditions of your ever changing market.
Comprehensive and indispensable technology solutions with the latest digital solutions and features.
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Click to discover more about B2B product related information at the Partner Portal.
Be the first to learn about all upcoming shows and events.
LG offers a full complement of television systems and solutions for business. Movies, sports, and shows come through with the vibrancy and detail of High Definition.
LG supplies an extensive line of LCD monitors that are designed to maximize content quality and effect.
Combining accessibility and convenience, LG offers Auto Sensing Remote Jack Pack models, all-in-one multimedia hubs that provide users with multiple audio/video inputs to interface with the TV and external portable devices.
Exclusive services for SMB partners as well as access to a unique and comprehensive suite of turn-key solutions coupled with programs suited for a variety of markets.


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Nosh on bagels and enjoy a discussion with the Brotherhood of Old York Road Temple-Beth Am at a 9:30 a.m. adult study session. No prior experience necessary
Subscribe To our E-Newsletter
Old York Road Temple – Beth Am invite all their Bar and Bat Mitzvah candidates and their families for 5774 to come forward as the Torah is unrolled. Students will stand by their portion, and support the Torah. The Beth Am Klezmer band will play, and the congregation will sing along and dance in celebration of Simchat Torah, the completion of the yearly cycle of Torah reading. For more information call 215-886-8000.
Subscribe To our E-Newsletter


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Theatre Victoria prepares for 'Winter Wonderland,' Santa Land event, charity
Dec. 10, 2013 at 6:10 a.m.
WHAT: Theatre Victoria presents "Winter Wonderland"
• WHERE: Leo J. Welder Center, 214 N. Main St., Victoria
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19-21, 2 p.m. Dec. 22
• COST: $25 adults, $22 seniors (60+), $19 students, military
• FOR INFORMATION AND TO BUY TICKETS: Visit theatrevictoria.org or call 361-570-8587.
Theatre Victoria will premiere its holiday revue, "Winter Wonderland."
More than 20 cast members will take on holiday favorites, including "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Run, Rudolph Run," "Mary, Did You Know" and more Dec. 19-22, according to a news release from Theatre Victoria.
Live music will be provided by Lee Fitzsimmons on piano and Chuck McMichael on percussion, along with other talented members of the community, and is directed by Scott Mohon with choreography by Laura Klimist and music direction by Patricia Balmer.
Theatre Victoria will also collect donations to fill the stockings at the Victoria County Senior Citizens Association throughout Dec. 22. Suggested stocking stuffers include night-lights (plug-in), slippers or fuzzy socks (with grips on the bottom), notepads, combs/brushes and more. For a full list of the suggestions, visit theatrevictoria.org.
The theater will also host the return of Santa Land from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 21. Parents and children can participate in Christmas crafts and games and take photos with Ol' Saint Nick. Admission is $5 per participating student.
Tickets for "Winter Wonderland" shows and Santa Land are now on sale.


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Cat#: FFF001 Released: 2009.10.19 Artist: YUG & Andy Reid feat Cristal Noir Title: Take You Away
YUG & Andy Reid feat Cristal Noir Take You Away
The debut release "Take You Away" was produced by label directors YUG and Andy Reid, and features the divine vocals of Toronto newcomer Cristal Noir.
"Take You Away" drops epic piano chords, fused with brilliant strings, rich percussion, and soulful vocals to create a big room anthem. Taking a cue from the memorable "Strings of Life", "Take You Away" is primed for Ibiza and beyond as its infectious melody and big bassline is perfect either poolside, on the terrace, or in the main room.
44th & Filth... the home of proper house!™
Vocal Mix
The Shapeshifters (Defected | UK) Full support!! Love the piano line.


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Keke Palmer Hairstyles
Credit: © Sara De Boer / Retna Retna Ltd.
Keke Palmer
Jun 14 2007
Luster Fluster
Styling Tip
After working in straightening serum with a few drops of shine serum blow-dry using a paddle brush. Create individual curls with a large iron, rolling your hair forward toward your face. Brush through for a soft but lustrous wave.


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What's a Dress Worth? (NY Magazine)
"The online retailer Gilt Groupe offers a great deal: Buy designer clothes at deep discounts. But is it good or bad for fashion?"
Chanel to sell goods online (Marketing)
"Chanel is to begin selling products directly through its website later this year in a landmark decision likely to be followed by rival luxury brands."
Carolina Herrera Sees Signs of Life in Luxury (WSJ)
"Fashion designer Carolina Herrera says she was "shocked" a few months ago when she noticed her $7,990 gray sequined tulle gowns were "selling like hotcakes," relatively speaking."
World's top fashion prize increased to 220,000 euros (AFP)
"The coveted Andam fashion prize for emerging talent on Monday announced a more than 25-percent increase in its endowment, to 220,000 euros (307,000 dollars)."
London Fashion Week Preview (Fashion156)
Fashion156 launches the London Fashion Week preview issue, including coverage on womenswear, menswear, accessories, beauty and grooming.


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Ordering for a Team? Let our Team Division Help!
Item has a Minimum Qty
Large, sturdy and loaded with useful compartments, this convenient sized mesh bag will hold all of your swim gear and keep you organized. The Sporti Equipment Mesh Bag is the perfect place to hold all of your necessities while you're out near the pool. If you ever wanted a protected place that can safely hold what you need, then this is the bag for you.
I use this bag to carry a kick board, fins, pull buoy and paddles in the big compartment. It's tight and I wish it was a little bigger. I have to make sure I put the items in a certain way or they won't fit. I love the outside pockets for my water bottle, goggles, swim cap and cell phone.
PROS: We got 10 of these great Sporti Equipment Mesh Bags when they were were $9.95. now $10.95 ( wish we got more then) . We got them in different colors for all members of our family so when we are away snorkeling we dont mix up bags as easily. And it was great that everyone can carry their own stuff in their own bag and it was easier to tell them apart. GREAT ITEM, PRACTICAL and has wonderful handy pockets/zip pocket too and INSIDE POCKET for more impt stuff. and ID section too! Easy to spot , easy to clean and quick to dry ( 15 mins in the sun!)CON: WOULD HAVE GIVEN 5 STARS except for ONE NEGATIVE and only 1! Those who got the PINK BAG, CAUTION- the color ran onto the white sunblock shirt/ white T shirt that was tossed into the PINK BAG! So it ended up being a pink leopard shirt! We were able to use bleach to wash away the pink spots and save the expensive sunblock shirt and T!SOLUTION: I think this dye problem might be the same with any of the other color bags and especially if you put anything WET AND WHITE the bag. It may be best to SOAK the PINK/RED or maybe even any color bag for 15 mins first before using OR you may want to put all WHITE/LIGHT COLOR ITEMS INTO A SEPARATE PLASTIC BAG BEFORE YOU TOSS IT INTO THIS SPORT MESH BAG so that you wont end up with 'stained/spotted' items afterwards. Other than this problem these bags are great! ( even at $10.95!)THANKS SWIM OUTLET!
The bag is nice but it's too small to put an adult kick board, adult fins and a pull boy. Be aware of that.
Haven't used the bag yet. Looks well made. Had hoped the barbells would go inside, but the bag is too narrow. Wish the bag was wider, not longer.
We bought many of this product to give away as an attendance award to our swim team athletes. At first glance they seemed a little small and lightweight, but after just a little use we realized that the bag can hold a tremendous amount of gear in spite of its seemingly small size and being lightweight makes it that much easier to carry. Love the compartments specifically for goggles, water and zipper bag inside for electronics. This bag is a lot of bang for the buck.
My daughter likes using this bag for practices instead of her large TYR duffle bag. It holds her change of clothes, towel, fins, caps & goggles just fine.
Two things distinguish this bag: lots of pockets that help organize and lots of mesh to let your gear dry out. The three pockets on the back are perfectly sized--one for your goggles, one for shampoo and one for your swim cap. The bag is big enough for a snorkel (but not full-size fins) and a load of other gear. There's another small pocket inside that holds a padlock and tempo trainer. Everything dries quickly thanks to all the mesh.
The bag is great for my child going to swim team practice! Everything fits in bag...fins, kick board, and towel. The outside pockets are very useful. He can keep his goggles, water bottle and snack handy in them. It is also very easy for him to carry with the backpack style. Would love to order another one for my daughter to replace her original mesh bag! A must have for sure!
My kids LOVE this mesh bag. It is big enough to not only carry their usual swimming equipment but it allows room for their dryland stuff such as extra pair of shorts, t-shirt and their shoes. Even with all that, it is not bulky or difficult to carry. The price was another awesome factor.
My son loves it. He carries it on his back while riding a bike to swim practice.
Get an alert when we add new styles of Sporti! Simply sign up and we'll notify you.


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Typical member of the small European and New World lepidopteran family Liparidae (formerly Lymantriidae). The large, hairy larvae of most species have hair tufts, or tussocks; many have stinging hairs. Several species, including the gypsy moth, browntail moth, satin moth, and nun moth, damage trees. The larvae feed on foliage, sometimes foraging from a silken tent or a colonial nest of webbed leaves. Larvae pupate in a cocoon attached to a tree branch or trunk. Adult females range from white to brown; some, such as the white-marked tussock moth, are wingless. Seealso moth.
Learn more about tussock moth with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Any of more than 3,500 species (family Arctiidae) of moths, many with furry or hairy larvae called woolly bears. Most adults have a thick body and white, orange, or green wings. At rest, the wings are folded rooflike over the body. The fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) is a serious pest. The caterpillars construct webs over leaves, sometimes covering large areas with silken sheets. They pupate aboveground in a cocoon made of larval hairs and silk. The Isabella tiger moth (Isia isabella) attains a wingspan of 1.5–2 in. (37–50 mm). Black spots mark its abdomen and yellow wings.
Learn more about tiger moth with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Any moth larva of the genus Malacosoma (family Lasiocampidae). Tent caterpillars are often brightly coloured. Congregations of the eastern tent caterpillar (M. americanum) of eastern North America spin huge, tent-shaped communal nests in forked tree branches. Eggs the moth deposits on a tree in midsummer hatch in spring. The hatched caterpillars migrate to a tree crotch and construct a silken tent, which they leave each day throughout the summer to feed on the surrounding leaves. The forest tent caterpillar (M. disstria) is common in the southern U.S.
Learn more about tent caterpillar with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Any moth of the lepidopteran family Sphingidae. Found worldwide, these stout-bodied moths have long, narrow forewings and shorter hind wings, with wingspans ranging from 2 to 8 in. (5–20 cm). Many species pollinate flowers while sucking nectar; the proboscis of some species is up to 13 in. (32.5 cm) long. Some hawk moths migrate. The larvae, which are smooth and have a dorsal "horn," are called hornworms; larvae of two North American species—the tobacco, or southern, hornworm, and the tomato, or northern, hornworm—attack tomato, tobacco, and potato crops.
Learn more about hawk moth with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Silkworm larvae (genus Bombyx) feeding on mulberry leaves.
Learn more about silkworm moth with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus)
Learn more about saturniid moth with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Any of the more than 20,000 moth species in the lepidopteran family Noctuidae, common worldwide. Some species have a 1-ft (30-cm) wingspan, the largest of any moth, but most species have a wingspan of 1.5 in. (4 cm) or less. The wings are usually dull-coloured. Both larvae and adults of most species feed at night. Adults feed on fruits, sap, and nectar. The larvae of many species are agricultural pests (e.g., cutworm, bollworm) that feed on foliage and seeds, bore into stems and fruits, and eat or sever roots. A few species prey on scale insects.
Learn more about miller with a free trial on Britannica.com.
(born July 21, 1934, London, Eng.) British director, writer, and actor. After earning a medical degree at Cambridge University, he made his professional stage debut at the Edinburgh Festival in the hit satirical revue Beyond the Fringe (1960). As a director of plays, he gained notoriety for his controversial interpretations of classic works. His innovative opera productions, such as Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, for the English National Opera and other groups have become internationally celebrated. He wrote the BBC medical series The Body in Question (1977) and States of Mind (1982).
Learn more about Miller, Jonathan (Wolfe) with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Henry Miller.
Learn more about Miller, Henry (Valentine) with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Arthur Miller, photograph by Inge Morath
Learn more about Miller, Arthur with a free trial on Britannica.com.
(born March 1, 1904, Clarinda, Iowa, U.S.—died Dec. 16, 1944, at sea) U.S. trombonist and leader of one of the most popular dance bands of the swing era. Miller formed his band in 1937. His music was characterized by the precise execution of arrangements that featured a clarinet doubling the saxophone melody. Broadcasts beginning in 1939 brought the band national exposure and millions of fans. Miller disbanded in 1942 to join the war effort by leading a military band. He was traveling from London to Paris by plane when the craft disappeared and was never recovered. His recordings of numbers such as "Moonlight Sonata," "Chattanooga Choo-Choo," "In the Mood," and "String of Pearls" are classics of the era.
Learn more about Miller, (Alton) Glenn with a free trial on Britannica.com.
(born July 21, 1934, London, Eng.) British director, writer, and actor. After earning a medical degree at Cambridge University, he made his professional stage debut at the Edinburgh Festival in the hit satirical revue Beyond the Fringe (1960). As a director of plays, he gained notoriety for his controversial interpretations of classic works. His innovative opera productions, such as Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, for the English National Opera and other groups have become internationally celebrated. He wrote the BBC medical series The Body in Question (1977) and States of Mind (1982).
Learn more about Miller, Jonathan (Wolfe) with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Henry Miller.
Learn more about Miller, Henry (Valentine) with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Ernest Hemingway, photograph by Yousuf Karsh, 1959.
Learn more about Hemingway, Ernest (Miller) with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Ernest Hemingway, photograph by Yousuf Karsh, 1959.
Learn more about Hemingway, Ernest (Miller) with a free trial on Britannica.com.
(born May 17, 1873, Abingdon, Berkshire, Eng.—died June 17, 1957, Beckenham, Kent) English novelist. From age 17 she engaged in teaching, clerical work, and journalism. For much of her life she worked on her sequence novel Pilgrimage, comprising 13 volumes beginning with Pointed Roofs (1915). The final volume, March Moonlight, was published a decade after her death. A sensitive autobiographical account of a woman's developing consciousness, it was a pioneering work in stream-of-consciousness fiction.
Learn more about Richardson, Dorothy M(iller) with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Arthur Miller, photograph by Inge Morath
Learn more about Miller, Arthur with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Any of more than 150,000 lepidopteran species, found in all but polar habitats. Moths are chiefly nocturnal and have a stouter body, duller colouring, and proportionately smaller wings than butterflies. They have distinctive feathery antennae and, when at rest, fold their wings, wrap them around the body, or hold them extended at their sides. Wingspans range from about 4 mm (0.16 in.) to nearly 30 cm (about 1 ft). The life cycle has four stages: egg, larva (caterpillar, or worm), pupa (chrysalis), and adult (imago). Both larvae and adults of most species are plant eaters, and many seriously damage forests, agricultural crops, and fabrics. Seealso bagworm moth; gypsy moth; hawk moth; luna moth; miller; saturniid moth; silkworm moth; tiger moth; tussock moth.
Learn more about moth with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Species (Lymantria dispar) of tussock moth, a serious pest of trees. The European strain was introduced into eastern North America circa 1869. The heavy-bodied, weak-flying female is white with black zigzag markings and a wingspan of 1.5–2 in. (38–50 mm). The smaller, darker male is a stronger flier. The voracious larvae can completely defoliate deciduous trees within weeks. The larger Asian gypsy moth (wingspan of about 3.5 in., or 90 mm) is even more threatening because the female is a stronger flier, enabling it to spread quickly, and the larvae eat the leaves of both conifers and deciduous trees. It was introduced into northwestern North America in 1991. Sprayed insecticides remain the most effective means of control.
Learn more about gypsy moth with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Any insect of the moth family Psychidae, found worldwide, named for the baglike cases the larvae (see larva) carry with them. The bag, which ranges in size from 0.25 to 6 in. (6–150 mm), is constructed from silk and bits of leaves, twigs, and other debris. The strong-bodied male has broad, fringed wings with a wingspread averaging 1 in. (25 mm). The wormlike female lacks wings. Bagworm larvae often damage trees, especially evergreens.
Learn more about bagworm moth with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Most species of moth are nocturnal, but there are crepuscular and diurnal species. They can be distinguished from butterflies in several ways.
The study of butterflies and moths is known as lepidoptery, and biologists that specialize in either are called lepidopterists. As a pastime, watching butterflies and moths is known as butterflying and mothing. The latter has given rise to the term "mother" for someone who engages in this activity — sometimes written with a hyphen (moth-er) to distinguish it from its usual meaning. This confusion does not arise in speech as it is pronounced differently (not /ˈmʌðɚ/).
Moths, and particularly their caterpillars, are a major agricultural pest in many parts of the world. The caterpillar of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) causes severe damage to forests in the northeast United States, where it is an invasive species. In temperate climates, the codling moth causes extensive damage, especially to fruit farms. In tropical and subtropical climates, the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is perhaps the most serious pest of brassicaceous crops.
Several moths in the family Tineidae are commonly regarded as pests because their larvae eat fabric such as clothes and blankets made from natural proteinaceous fibers such as wool or silk. They are less likely to eat mixed materials containing artificial fibers. There are some reports that they can be repelled by the scent of wood from juniper and cedar, by lavender, or by other natural oils. However, many consider this unlikely to prevent infestation. Naphthalene (the chemical used in mothballs) is considered more effective, but there are concerns over its effects on human health. Moth larvae may be killed by freezing the items which they infest for several days at a temperature below .
Moths are sturdy and usually are more resistant to pesticides than are mosquitoes and flies.
Some moths are farmed. The most notable of these is the silkworm, the larva of the domesticated moth Bombyx mori. It is farmed for the silk with which it builds its cocoon. , the silk industry produces over 130 million kilograms of raw silk, worth about 250 million U.S. dollars, each year. Not all silk is produced by Bombyx mori. There are several species of Saturniidae that are also farmed for their silk, such as the Ailanthus moth (Samia cynthia group of species), the Chinese Oak Silkmoth (Antheraea pernyi), the Assam Silkmoth (Antheraea assamensis), and the Japanese Silk Moth (Antheraea yamamai).
The mopane worm, the caterpillar of Gonimbrasia belina, from the family Saturniidae, is a significant food resource in southern Africa.
Despite being framed for eating clothing, most moth adults do not eat at all. Most like the Luna, Polyphemus, Atlas, Prometheus, Cercropia, and other large moths do not have mouths. When they do eat, moths will drink nectar. Only one species of moth eats wool. The adults do not eat but the larvae will eat through wool clothing.
Moths frequently appear to circle artificial lights. One hypothesis advanced to explain this behavior is that moths use a technique of celestial navigation called transverse orientation. By maintaining a constant angular relationship to a bright celestial light, such as the Moon, they can fly in a straight line. Celestial objects are so far away, that even after travelling great distances, the change in angle between the moth and the light source is negligible; further, the moon will always be in the upper part of the visual field or on the horizon. When a moth encounters a much closer artificial light and uses it for navigation, the angle changes noticeably after only a short distance, in addition to being often below the horizon. The moth instinctively attempts to correct by turning toward the light, causing airborne moths to come plummeting downwards, and - at close range - which results in a spiral flight path that gets closer and closer to the light source.
In 1972, Henry Hsiao, now a professor of biomedical engineering, suggested that the reason for moths circling lights may have to do with a visual distortion called a Mach band. He says that they fly towards the darkest part of the sky in pursuit of safety and are thus inclined to circle ambient objects in the Mach band region. This hypothesis is not scientifically accepted and has never been confirmed.
Hsaio says that the celestial navigation theory should cause moths to circle lights, not to head directly toward them, as many are seen to do. He conjectures that moths, which are nocturnal creatures, must find a place to hide from predators when daylight comes, but cannot do so in darkness. Their instinct when morning comes is to fly toward the light (presumably up) and then down again, with some probability landing on a surface which matches their camouflage.
A theory which has been advanced in an attempt to explain the attraction male moths have for candles specifically is based on olfaction. There is evidence that olfaction might be, in some cases, mediated by detection of the infra-red spectra of substances. The spiky infrared spectra of a candle flame happens to contain a number of emission lines which coincide with the vibrational frequencies of the female moth's pheromone. The male moth is thereby powerfully attracted to the flame. Sources, eg. hurricane lamps, with different spike patterns are less powerful attractants.
Night-blooming flowers usually depend on moths (or bats) for pollination, and artificial lighting can draw moths away from the flowers, affecting the plant's ability to reproduce. A way to prevent this is to put a cloth or netting around the lamp. Another way is using a colored light bulb (preferably red). This will take the moth's attention away from the light while still providing light to see by.
Moths of economic significance:


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Purchasing Check List
- Refer to the University of Virginia Purchasing Card Programs website to determine if the required payment method for a purchase must be the Pcard.
- Consult the Guidelines for Competition to determine if your purchase will require competition or other processing by Procurement and Supplier Diversity Services or if your department may order it directly.
- Check the Goods and Services Procurement Guide and the restricted item list to verify that the purchase can be made with Pcard.
- Ask for and receive confirmation from the vendor for each order that the requested items are not subject to the Internal Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) and document that information. If one or more items are subject to the ITAR, contact the UVA Office of Export Controls (OEC) at email@example.com or 434-982-5725 before proceeding.
- Claim the Virginia sales tax exemption for goods and services, except for prepared food and air/rail tickets. For other states, see the State Tax Exemption Certificates website to determine exemption status.
- REMEMBER -- Never put your full card number or your date of birth in a fax, email or email attachment. However, you may put the last four digits of your card number.
- Make internet purchases from secure web sites only. Website addresses begin with "https://" when the Secure Socket Layer is present, although this may not appear until the order is placed. Information on the vendor's security certification can be found under Help in the browser's toolbar.
- Maintain all receipts and/or packing slips to document purchases and reconcile to your monthly purchasing card statement.
- If you are purchasing food with the Pcard, you must follow the Business Meal policy.
After the Purchase
- If you mistakenly paid the sales tax, call the vendor as soon as possible and ask for them to credit that amount back to your account.
- If you need to return an item, ask the vendor to credit the amount to your Pcard. Do NOT accept store credit for returned items. Contact the Purchasing Card Administrator for direction if a vendor will only issue store credit.
Paying for University Travel with a Purchasing Card
You must ensure your planned purchase meets all University travel regulations. See the Travel Basics page.
If you are traveling outside your local area, please call the Bank of America phone number on the back of your pcard to notify them of your travel dates and destination. It is recommended that you do this at least 2 days prior to traveling to ensure the bank authorizes your transactions while traveling. If the bank is not notified they may suspect fraud and suspend your pcard.
The Pcard can be used to pay for conference registration, air and rail tickets, and car rental. The Pcard CANNOT be used to pay for lodging except for the first night lodging deposit when required by the hotel, or meals when in travel status. A Local Funds Pcards can be used to pay for additional travel expenses.
Air and Rail Spending Limits
The Purchasing Card Administrator can temporarily raise your spending limits, if necessary, to purchase air or rail tickets or remove the lodging restriction for first night deposit, if you submit the Pcard Change Request form with all requested information.
First Night Lodging Deposit
The Purchasing Card Administrator can temporarily remove the lodging restriction for first night deposit, if you submit the Purchasing Card Change Request form "Lift Hotel Restriction (First Night Lodging Only)". All University travel regulations still apply including lodging limit restrictions.
Lodging with Approved Local Contract Hotels for guests/visitors
The Purchasing Card Administrator can permanently remove the lodging restriction if you routinely pay for guests and visitors to the University if you submit the Pcard Change Request form "Permanently Remove Lodging Restriction (local hotels only)." For a list of approved local contract hotels click here.
Rental Car Charges
Please note: The car rental industry requires the driver's name to match the name on the credit card used for payment. If the traveler has a University Pcard, the reservation can be paid with the Pcard. Otherwise, the traveler will need to use their personal credit card and seek reimbursement.
The exception to this restriction is for local (Charlottesville) vehicle rentals. The two contract vendors – Enterprise and Hertz, Charlottesville-only locations – have agreed to allow renters/drivers to use the Pcards of their central administrators.
Documenting Purchases
You must keep all original receipts and other documentation for each of your purchases. All Pcard documentation must be kept in the cardholder's department per the University's Record Retention policy.
Periodically, the University or State will audit documentation to ensure compliance with all applicable guidelines. If it is found that a card is misused, your cardholder privileges may be suspended or revoked.
Pcard Purchasing Log - Annual Workbook
Although a purchasing card log is not required documentation, it is a tool that can be used to track purchases and help analyze annual spend. To use the Pcard log, record each transaction as you make it on your current Pcard transaction log in the Pcard Purchasing Log - Annual Workbook. This will ensure that the last two tabs of the log reflect your annual usage.
Maintaining Proof of Receipt of Goods and Services
- Maintain detailed and dated packing slips and/or credit card receipts. If goods and/or services are received by someone other than the cardholder, the documentation detailing proof of receipt must be signed and dated by that person.
For air and rail tickets maintain proof of purchase which must include cost and class of ticket, traveler's name, and destination. Refer to the Public Transportation webpage for detailed requirements.
Below is a list of transactions that require the following information to be included in the documentation:
- Catering-purpose of purchase, including type of meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers), number of people, alcohol purchased (yes or no)
- Meals-purpose of purchase, including type of meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers), number of people, alcohol purchased (yes or no)
- Hotels-location, name of traveler, daily lodging rate, number of nights
- Gifts (florists included)-recipient, purpose of purchase
- Human Subject Payments-list IRB (Institutional Review Board) number (assigned by the IRB once payment compensation has been approved for participants in research trials)
Pcard Statement
Each month the cardholder will receive a monthly statement from Bank of America at the end of the Pcard billing cycle.
- Purchasing Card Billing Dates for 2014
- Please note: Monthly spending limits are based on the Pcard billing Cycle
Month | Starting Date | Closing Date | Fiscal Month Transactions will post to PTAO |
January | 14 Dec | 15 Jan | February 2014 |
February | 16 Jan | 14 Feb | March 2014 |
March | 15 Feb | 14 Mar | April 2014 |
April | 15 Mar | 15 Apr | May 2014 |
May | 16 Apr | 15 May | June 2014 |
June | 16 May | 13 Jun | Fiscal Year 14-15 July 2014 |
July | 14 Jun | 15 Jul | August 2014 |
August | 16 Jul | 15 Aug | September 2014 |
September | 16 Aug | 15 Sep | October 2014 |
October | 16 Sep | 15 Oct | November 2014 |
November | 16 Oct | 14 Nov | December 2014 |
December | 15 Nov | 15 Dec | January 2015 |
January | 16 Dec | 15 Jan | February 2015 |
In addition to your mailed paper statement, you will be able to view your Pcard transactions 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and you may print your statement one day after cycle close through an online service called WORKS. Example: For March closing date March 15 the electronic statement would be available March 16 in WORKS.
Monthly Reconciliation
- You are required to reconcile the Pcard monthly statement each month within three days of receipt.
- Attach all receipts including order confirmations for online purchases to the Pcard statement. If the recipient of the goods and/or services is different than the cardholder, then the recipient should sign the receipt, packing slip, or whatever documentation is available at the time of receipt.
- You must sign and date the Pcard monthly statement.
- Your Authorized Approver must sign and date the Pcard monthly statement(s).
- There is an individual in your department who has "AP P-Card Holder" responsibility in the Integrated System and whose responsibility it is to change PTAEO distributions on Pcard transactions as needed. This person is often referred to as the "PTAEO Changer". Forward the Pcard statement and receipts to the "PTAEO Changer" in your department and then to your department's Recon@UVA Preparer for reconciliation to Grants Management.


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Charitable Status
Charitable Status:
Liverpool John Moores University is an exempt charity under the terms of the Charities Act 2011. Under the Charities Act 2011, universities are supervised by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) as principal regulator, which is charged with ensuring that universities fulfil their obligations under Charity law.
The University is also known as LJMU. Its correspondence address is:
Liverpool John Moores University
Egerton Court
2 Rodney Street
Trustees of the University:
Each member of the University's Board of Governors is also a Trustee of the University for the purposes of charity law. A full list of Trustees can be found here. Where members of the Board also serve as trustees of other organisations, details are recorded in the Register of Interests, found here.
Further information about the role and activities of the Board of Governors can be found here.
Constitutional Documents:
The University's framework of governance is set out in its Instrument and Articles of Government. Information is available here.
Financial Statements:
Queries relating to the Financial Statements should be addressed in the first instance to the Director of Finance and Deputy Chief Executive


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Florida Georgia Line
Florida Georgia Line Are the Face of a Georgia Corn Field
Florida Georgia Line are taking their popularity all the way to a corn field. Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley are officially the subject of a corn maze in Loganville, Georgia, which pays tribute to the country duo.
Florida Georgia Line, Ed Sheeran 'Both Want' to Collaborate
According to USA Today, Sheeran said Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley of FGL have reached out to the British singer.
Florida Georgia Line Announce New Album, Tracklist for 'Anything Goes' for October
Florida Georgia Line have finally confirmed the followup to their massively selling 2012 album Here's to the Good Times.
Luke Bryan Brings Country Music to Mexico for 'Crash My Playa' Beach Bashes
Bryan will be joined my Florida Georgia Line, Cole Swindell and more for the all-inclusive four-night event.
Florida Georgia Line Songwriters Explain the Story Behind New Single 'Dirt'
Florida Georgia Line knew they wanted something different for the first single off their sophomore album, and they found it in "Dirt."
Watch the new Florida Georgia Line 'Dirt' video
The Florida Georgia-Line boys are back with a new video for 'Dirt'
2014 CMT Awards: Backflips, Paint Wars and Guest Crossovers Take Over Nashville
From the moment the CMT Awards hit Nashville last night (June 4), the ceremony was already kicked into high gear with a long medley of guest performances and mashups.
Florida Georgia Line's Brian Kelley Gets A New Tattoo
Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line just got a new tattoo to cover up one that could be named as one of the worst tattoos ever.
Florida Georgia Line Creating A Clothing Line
Get ready to update your wardrobe because the guys of Florida Georgia Line plan to start a clothing line inspired by a hashtag gone viral.
Off The Air Podcast – Florida Georgia Line Interview
We catch up with Tyler & Brian of Florida Georgia Line in our latest podcast.


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'Giving Big' during Natl' Medical Group Practice Week
'Giving Big' during Natl' Medical Group Practice Week
Mgma In_Practice
Thu, Jan 22, 2009 10:34 AM
Devon Broderick
I don't know what cockles are, but if your heart has any, this little story will warm them.
In November 2008, the MGMA staff's Philanthropic Committee launched a fundraising campaign called "The Big Give," to end during
National Medical Group Practice Week
. Modeled loosely after Oprah's own project, the directive was simple:
think BIG
. And that's precisely what happened. Each department brainstormed ways to raise money for our beneficiary organization. Actually, it's really not adequate to call it "brainstorming." Let's call it "brain-hurricaning," because, honestly, Lucy Ricardo didn't come up with this many money-making schemes in all her years with Ricky. From a
chili cookoff
see the picture
) to holiday gift-wrapping to giant foundation donations, no single idea failed in its intent to pull in cash for
Camp Wapiyapi
Since this week's theme is "Caring for Community," we couldn't have picked a better recipient. Developed by University of Colorado medical students, Camp Wapiyapi provides children with cancer a weeklong summer camp experience, replete with boating, arts, crafts, nature and companionship. MGMA chose Camp Wapiyapi as its beneficiary because of the profound service they do for the community: they shine a ray of light into the lives of kids who are having a really tough time and they do it each year at no cost to the participants. This is a remarkable, indispensable kindness. We wanted to return the favor, and MGMA employees were more than happy to oblige.
We started small with this campaign. The folks at Camp Wapiyapi handed us a wish list, and the initial push centered on trying to get them what they need. Very soon, however, people went crazy with ideas of how best to "extort" their coworkers' money for this purpose. As one of the campaign planners, I sat back in amazement as the building bustled with an almost frightening amount of energy for this project. Did I say "bustled?" It's apt to say that MGMA was positively
from Wapiyapi-induced hyperthermia. Each day, new ideas sprouted. Each week, there were many fun and/or tasty goings-on to prompt the forking over of cash. All told, we proudly raised more than
$7,000 in cash and goods for Camp Wapiyapi
see the picture
When I thought about our blog, "MGMA In Practice," it evoked images of rallying for change at the governmental level, working hard to fulfill your needs to succeed, and matching speed with the ever-evolving state of affairs in medical practice management. It would be easy just to leave it at that and say MGMA has done enough, but we recognize that the health care industry is rooted in community. So, our Philanthropic Committee focuses its every effort on living up to its own name – reaching out and giving back, just like you do in your profession every day.
Enjoying your week? Tell us how you gave back in the comments!
Devon Broderick
is MGMA's membership retention coordinator and an organizer for the MGMA staff Philanthropic Committee.
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