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City of Austin Music Office Launches Ground Breaking Census for the Austin Music Economy
If you live outside of New York, Nashville or Los Angeles, how much do you really know about the needs of your local music community? (And, frankly–who are we kidding. Even if you live in one of those "centers".) Artists, songwriters, producers, live music–and all of the folks who make up our local business and contribute to the local economy. Good luck figuring this out from the federal government or trade association sources.
The Austin Music Office has commissioned a real census to get a meaningful handle on who contributes to the $1.6 billion annual music economy in Austin and what ATX Music and the City of Austin can do to help them be successful. Here's the press release:
City of Austin to Conduct First-Ever Music Industry Census
and Market Research Study
This market research study will look at Austin's music industry, workers.
Austin, TX – The Music & Entertainment Division of the Economic Development Department is proud to announce the launch of a new market research study of Austin's music industry and its workers. The purpose of the project is to capture an in-depth look at Austin's music industry workers and its economic issues and opportunities. The City has hired Titan Music Group to conduct the study and deliver a final report upon completion.
This is the first time such a study has been undertaken in Austin, and the City hopes to gather thousands of respondents in what will be a city-wide data collection effort.
The study is designed to obtain detailed information about the composition and needs of the industry, such as:
– Number of people working in each sector of the music industry at a local level;
– How well those sectors and its workers are doing, including any identifiable barriers to economic growth;
– Identifying underutilized opportunities for growth that can be leveraged at a local level;
– Identifying sectors that may be best poised for future growth, and other trend information that may help shape future policy decisions.
Data will be gathered from focus groups and an in-depth survey that will be disseminated across the city. Focus groups will begin next week, and the survey will be launched on October 30. Music &Entertainment Division staff will canvas Austin Music Businesses in an effort to acquire survey responses.
The music industry contributes more than $1.6 billion dollars annually to the Austin economy, placing it in the Top 10 highest contributors. The Music & Entertainment Division will use the information collected from the study to optimize future City strategy and program planning for industry growth.
Don Pitts, Music Program Manager for the City of Austin states, "As important a contribution as music makes to Austin, there has never been a comprehensive study done from a City viewpoint to evaluate what's working well at a local level, where the gaps might be, and where our future growth sectors are. Results of this survey will provide valuable information and allow the Music & Entertainment Division to assist the Austin music industry in the most effective ways possible."
Nikki Rowling, president of Titan Music Group, adds "This study will serve as a tool to benchmark both current assets and needs in our City's music industry in a way that has not been captured before. Titan is thrilled to partner with the City of Austin and work with the community's music population to collect data that will be used to improve and grow Austin's music economy."
Who Should Participate?
Workers in all sectors of the music and entertainment industry will be asked to complete a survey. This includes all musicians, managers, agents, equipment and music retailers, producers, and anyone employed in a music venue, bar, tavern, or nightclub.
Information gathered in this study will be complied, analyzed and presented to the City of Austin next spring.
About the City of Austin Music & Entertainment Division –The Music & Entertainment Division, based in the City of Austin's Economic Development Department, is highly engaged in developing and executing initiatives that help accelerate the growth of the music industry infrastructure by focusing on job creation, talent export, trade development, and industry revenue growth. ATX Music has organically developed an important role for the Austin music industry by facilitating introductions, communication, and shaping discussions between music business operators who may not otherwise have knowledge of each other, resulting in new business and connections. For more information about the ATX Music Office: http://www.atxmusic.org
About Titan Music Group, LLC – Titan Music Group, LLC is a commercial music industry consulting company founded in 2007 and based in Austin, Texas. Titan's clients include municipal and state government departments, trade associations, and private sector companies. Titan Music Group specializes in commercial music economic development studies and industrial strategy development; public policy development; data-driven market research, benchmarking, surveys, and analytics. For more information about Titan Music Group: www.titanmusicgroup.com
#irespectmusic and Fasten Your Seatbelts: Where Do We Go From Here on Pre-72?
This has been a good week for artist rights–the Turtles struck a major blow in the struggle against the new boss in their case against Sirius to protect the rights of artists who recorded prior to 1972. What should we expect now from new boss companies like Pandora, Sirius, YouTube and Clear Channel? When we remember that the new boss is far, far worse than the old boss, there are certain events we can anticipate. No money, bigger alliances against us and crony capitalism on steroids. I'd love to be wrong, but don't be surprised if I'm right.
1. No Payments and Scortched Earth Litigation: While it would be the right thing to do, my prediction is that it will be a frosty day in Hell before the new boss will ever pay a penny to pre-72 artists, musicians or background vocalists without a final nonappealable judgement following absolute scorched earth litigation. The one advantage to artists about this is that the new boss litigation will bring into sharp focus exactly who these people are and whose side they're on. Artists will get a reminder of who they're dealing with every single day of the lawsuits–that could go on for many years. Yes–they have that much disdain for artist rights. You have to ask yourself when does disdain cross over into something much darker.
2. Alliance of Big Tech and Big Radio: Don't forget that broadcast radio is directly implicated by the Turtles decision. Even though a Clear Channel was not a defendant, the decision could easily be interpreted to require a public performance license for pre-72 recordings at terrestrial broadcast radio. This is the very issue that the National Association of Broadcasters has been fighting for decades, spending probably over $100 million to stop artists getting paid for radio play–which just happens to be the damages award that the Turtles asked for in their case against Sirius. (So you have to ask, what if they just paid the royalty like every other country except a handful such as North Korea and Rwanda.)
As we saw with Pandora and Sirius's disastrous adventure with the Internet Radio Fairness Act ("IRFA") and the Internet Radio Fairness Coalition, the NAB no longer has to fight artists by themselves. No, they have company. Pandora is a member of the Digital Media Association (DiMA) for starters, which includes Amazon, Google and Apple as members. I would bet that the market cap fluctuation of DiMA members on a brisk trading day exceeds the worldwide market capitalization of the entire music business.
And this doesn't include DiMA's alliances with the Computer and Communications Industry Association and the Consumer Electronics Association. Here's the panel at a recent "invitation only" DiMA "Congressional seminar" on Capitol Hill:
Expect to see the IRFA alliance reanimated to oppose us in litigation and especially in lobbying. And remember–friends don't let friends get IRFA'd.
3. Crony Capitalist Lobbying: I would expect to see Pandora and Sirius trot out the old standbys of "platform parity" and "full federalization" seasoned with incantations of "innovation" and "don't break the [FILL IN BLANK]". It likely will be phrased like this: "We would be happy to pay if all platforms were treated the same to preserve innovation and consumer choice." (It's unlikely that any royalty payment increase will be passed on to consumers.) In the case of the Turtles, this will mean that broadcast radio has to pay for pre-72 on terrestrial. These statements will be greeted by tech industry lobbyists and publications as though someone had presented some self-evident wisdom. Google Shill Listers will likely trumpet this as an issue of fundamental fairness, don't break the [FILL IN BLANK] yadda yadda. Or perhaps in the positive as in "Break the free market", the DIMA mantra. A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY AS WE KNOW IT.
Because it's so fair to take advantage of a self-defined loophole that at least one judge thinks is a mirage. And it's so democratic to lobby your way to commercial advantage. (So I don't want to hear a peep from any of these people about Citizens United or campaign finance reform.)
You can also expect to see the combined lobbying brainpower of companies with over a trillion dollars in market value introduce legislation written by their lobbyists that will compete with the Internet Radio Fairness Act for cruelty. This may well be an amendment to the RESPECT Act that will effectively gut it under the guise of "platform parity" or "full federalization".
Understand what "full federalization" means. Pandora has been saying they'd support the RESPECT Act if it only provided for "full federalization" of pre-72 recordings. What that means is that Pandora wants the federal government to preempt any state law sound recording copyright protection. This would effectively "federalize" and gut state law so that all the federal defenses to copyright infringement would be available. Companies like Google would love that to no end. This is because Google does not get DMCA safe harbors on pre-72 recordings (I predict this is the next big artist lawsuit). How this helps Pandora, I don't quite see, but then Google's Doubleclick handles all their advertising–that is, controls their revenue–so go figure.
So when you hear "full federalization" think "fully formed opportunity to screw you over". They will pass this off as supporting artist rights, by which they mean the "termination rights"–the rights of authors to terminate transfers and licenses established under the 1976 revision of the U.S. Copyright Act. (Specifically pursuant to Sections 203 and 304(c) for those who are reading along.) They won't tell you that most recording artists will have a tough time qualifying for termination rights for a host of reasons starting with work for hire, the termination applies in the US only, and a few other things. Like they've never met an artist right they didn't want to gut. Not that it's not worth dealing with the termination issue for pre-72 at some point–it is. It's just not worth giving up all the compensation rights for 50 years or so of recorded music in order to maybe get a handful of those artists covered. That issue can be dealt with in regular order and separately.
In other words–pre72 artists don't have a termination right now, but they do have a right to be compensated. Like the bully in the playground stealing your lunch money, they want you to feel like they really do have your nutritional interests at heart if you'd just lick their boots clean.
Also known as ice in winter. Because whatever it is that Pandora and Sirius choose to do, we know from past performance it will not be the right thing to do.
So fasten your seat belts, kids, it's going to be a bumpy night.
Register in September. Vote in November.
Hold On, I'm Coming: Reactions to the Turtles/Sirius Ruling on Unlicensed Use of Pre-72 Recordings #respectallmusic
Reactions to the Turtles crushing defeat of Sirius are coming in, here are a few:
Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave) said it best:
Winners never quit and quitters never win. The recording artists of the pre-72 era are winners and we are not quitting until it's all made right for every single one of us.
It's a good day for artists, musicians, songwriters and labels whose life's work was infringed by Sirius.
Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield):
"Today we are one step closer to pre-1972 music creators receiving fair pay. The ruling against Sirius XM for playing, but not paying Flo & Eddie (aka The Turtles), is a victory in music licensing history."
T Bone Burnett:
"It is good that a federal judge made clear that online and mobile music services that have pre- 1972 recordings on their playlists should pay the artists who created these recordings. This decision puts in high relief how arbitrary the idea of 1972 is as a dividing line. If Aretha Franklin is driving listeners to a digital music service, she should share in the revenue that is generated."
The incomparable Martha Reeves:
"This music is our legacy, and we are grateful that the court in California has acknowledged that artists have the right to be compensated when it is used by digital radio services."
And Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad:
"The Court's ruling in favor of the Turtles makes it clear that all recordings are worthy of protection. It's a matter of simple fairness and I am delighted that legacy artists are being heard by our justice system. Thanks to the Turtles for bringing this issue front and center. Now more than ever it's clear that Congress should pass the RESPECT Act, which clearly and fairly makes sure that ALL artists are treated fairly by digital radio."
Earlier this year, SoundExchange joined with a coalition of artists in launching Project72, a campaign to ensure fair compensation for those who recorded music before 1972 and in support of H.R. 4772, the RESPECT Act. We've discussed Project 72 and the RESPECT Act previously on MTP:
Mike Huppe, CEO of SoundExchange:
"This decision in California confirms what we have always known: all sound recordings have value, and all artists deserve to be paid fairly for the use of their music. It does not – and should not — matter whether those recordings are protected by state or federal law.
While we are thrilled with the Turtles' legal victory, it's unfortunate that artists and labels were forced to pursue litigation just to receive fair payment for their art. Legacy artists like the Turtles built the foundation of music today – music that helps Sirius XM make billions of dollars a year – and it is outrageous that some digital radio services believe they can use the music of legacy artists for free.
It is clear now more than ever that Congress should quickly move to pass the RESPECT Act. The bill, introduced by Representatives George Holding (R-NC) and John Conyers (D-MI), would require digital radio services to pay royalties to pre-1972 artists when their music is played. The RESPECT Act would also give Sirius XM, Pandora, and other services an easy and efficient way to get the rights that the federal court in the Turtles case has confirmed they need – and to give the artists the payment they deserve."
It's as well to remember an important passage from the Copyright Office's report on pre-72 sound recordings:
The [Copyright] Office thinks it is unreasonable for the age of a sound recording to dictate whether royalties are paid on public performances by means of digital audio transmissions, so long as copyright subsists in that sound recording.
Looks like the Turtles made that so.
#IRespectMusic: California Court Rules for The Turtles, Deals Crushing Blow to Sirius in Victory for Artist Rights on pre-72
Score Round One for the Duke, the Count and Satchmo–Flo & Eddie pka The Turtles have won a crushing victory over Sirius XM requiring Sirius to license and pay royalties for Flo & Eddie's recordings published before 1972. Sirius had taken the position that because the Congress did not expressly include pre-1972 recordings when it established the performance right for sound recordings in 1995, Sirius did not have to pay royalties on pre-72 recordings it used on its service. This is a position held by Pandora and the Digital Media Association which includes Google among its membership. More about that later.
The case was brilliantly argued for Flo & Eddie by Henry Gradstein and Harvey Geller, two long time artist advocates (the firm is also representing Aimee Mann in her lawsuit against MediaNet). The theory is actually very simple, even biblical–thou shalt not steal. But then I'm an Old Testament kind of guy.
However, the case is based on a complex set of legal principles that need to be mastered and presented just so in order to prevail. Because Flo & Eddie managed to get back ownership of their masters years ago, they were able to bring the case themselves without any record company involvement. (After the artists led the way, the major labels also sued Sirius.) And Gradstein and Geller made a very effective and compelling argument to the Court that resulted in victory, a victory that will be available to artists and copyright owners everywhere seeking to correct the "Pandora loophole."
Not only will this defeat for Sirius, Pandora and DiMA be encouraging to artists wishing to take action, it also provides what must be a tremendous sense of satisfaction to the sponsors of the RESPECT Act (HR 4772), introduced by Rep. George Holding and Rep. John Conyers. The cosponsors are a bipartisan group seeking to right the wrong of the Pandora loophole: Reps. Coble, Blackburn, Chu, Cooper, Deutch, Gohmert, Jeffries, Peterson, Rangel, Lowenthal, Collins, Rooney and Fincher.
The Pandora loophole is an effort to justify denying artists their right to satellite radio and webcasting royalties by playing with dates. Those dates are 1972, 1995 and 1998. (In Flo and Eddie's California case, another date was 1982.) 1972 is important because that was the first year that Congress extended the federal copyright law to sound recordings. Before 1972, sound recordings are governed by state common law, sometimes included statutes as is the case in California that has an extensive state copyright act directly on point as one might expect. 1995 is important because that was the year that Congress established a limited public performance right in sound recordings transmitted digitally (including satellite radio and webcasting) and 1998 is important because that was the year that Congress fleshed out the law that established the compulsory license under Section 114(g), the royalty rate setting and put the finishing touches on establishing SoundExchange.
The Pandora loophole is some version of this argument: Because state law applies to pre-72 sound recordings and because Congress did not intend to extend the performance right to sound recordings in 1995, pre-72 artists and copyright owners (as well as the non featured singers and musicians) get none of the royalties established in 1998 under the compulsory license. But here's the truly weird part: Sirius rejected the safety of the compulsory license established in 1998 to commercialize the limited performance rights established in 1995 in favor of no license at all under state law.
Yes, that's right: Grown men thought this was a good idea.
The case boils down to a very simple concept: California has a carefully crafted state copyright law that the Court ruled includes the public performance right (and does not exclude it):
The Court finds that copyright ownership of a sound recording under § 980(a)(2) [the California copyright statute] includes the exclusive right to publicly perform that recording. See Cal. Civ. Code § 980(a)(2). Accordingly, the Court GRANTS summary judgment on copyright infringement in violation of §980(a)(2) in favor of Flo & Eddie.
The point–and one made recently by David Lowery–is that there is no language in either the California state law or in the 1995 amendment to the federal Copyright Law that excludes public performance royalties for pre72 recordings. So the RESPECT Act can be thought of as almost a technical amendment to fix this Pandora loophole.
Neither Pandora nor Sirius exactly trumpet to their users the fact that these companies are using the pre-72 recordings in multiple channels to their profit–but none of the fees paid by fans ever gets to the artists. Pandora even misappropriates the artist's name in the music genome and uses association with artists by name in order to sell their service–and that's not covered by the compulsory license, either. (And neither is the derivative work created by the music genome–but that's another lawsuit.)
So you have to ask yourself–what were they thinking? Wouldn't it have been better if Sirius really wanted to stiff old guys and dead cats that they paid the royalties and sought declaratory relief before cutting off America's musical treasures?
Pandora and Sirius have a chance now to openly reject the bad advice they got (apparently from DiMA) and start paying on pre-72 IMMEDIATELY. Throw their support behind the RESPECT Act. Disassociate themselves from DiMA, CCIA, CES or whoever is giving them this horrible advice that it's worth the downside liability risk and yet more bad PR to "save" a few bucks and stiff Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Neil Young and so many greats who are responsible for putting American music on the map.
But if past behavior is any prediction of future action, they won't. You get into these scrapes by being pig-headed, and you can't waive a magic wand and make a pig into something else. You can fire them, however.
And when Wall Street gets a load of the level of liability that these companies have taken on without a care in the world, the reaction will be interesting.
Apparently Pandora's CFO would like Pandora to be a better partner to artists. That's easy.
All he has to do is act like it.
Register in September. Vote in November.
More Nondenial Denials from Google, the "Platform for Piracy"
Used to worry about the starving children of India
You know what I say about the starving children of India?
I say, "Oh mama"
It's money that I love
It's Money That I Love by Randy Newman
As noted last week, News Corp sent a letter to the competition authority for the European Union that is currently investigating Google for a host of violations. Not surprisingly–and I mean that cynically–Google has been given extraordinary latitude by the outgoing competition oversight chief in Brussels. Google is now on the fourth iteration of its own settlement agreement with the EU, an agreement that allows Google to write its own deal. Ultimately that deal has to be approved by the European Commission, but no one–no one–has ever been allowed as much latitude as has been afforded Google in this investigation.
This kid gloves treatment has brought howls of complaints from consumer groups, small business, big business, and especially from content creators and producers. The latest is from News Corp, whose CEO called even more attention to Google's crony treatment by the European Commission (according to the BBC):
The chief executive of NewsCorp has written to the European Commission calling for a tougher approach to search giant Google.
In the strongly worded letter, Robert Thomson says "the shining vision of Google's founders has been replaced by a cynical management".
It calls Google a "platform for piracy" whose power "increases with each passing day".
I believe that NewsCorp was the first to bring up Google's profit from piracy. When coupled with Google's dominant position in the search business, it's pretty easy to see the benefit to Google from supporting pirate sites through its Adsense and Doubleclick advertising business.
Google's response? First, the company issued a statement to Business Insider that the website called a "bizarre hamster statement" that played on a headline from The Sun (a NewsCorp tabloid):
Phew! What a scorcher! Murdoch accuses Google of eating his hamster!
While we were trying to figure that one out, Google's Executive Chairman Eric "Uncle Sugar" Schmidt that was more of a point by point response to NewsCorp–ish.
Guess which point that NewsCorp brought up that Uncle Sugar glossed right over? That's right. They way they use piracy to drive down music and movie industry revenue to weaken the only speed bumps on the Road to Commodity-dom.
With Google's usual sanctimony, Uncle Sugar told us that Google really is better than all of us. In his denial that Google favors its own products in search (as former Googler Marissa Meyer expressly stated it did), Schmidt said this:
We show the results at the top that answer the user's queries directly (after all we built Google for users, not websites).
Actually, Google built Google for the money. Google sold ads for illegal pharmacies for the money. Google sells ads for jihadi recruiting videos on YouTube for the money. Google sold ads for counterfeit Olympics tickets for the money. Google sells ads on pirate sites for the money.
This is likely why Eric Schmidt fails to mention any of this, and particularly NewsCorp's "platform for piracy" allegation. Schmidt just ignores it. Schmidt simply recites Google's standard response to selected criticism, but Schmidt does not answer the question that he can't answer the way he wants to.
Take the jihadi recruitment videos, for example. According to The Guardian, Google won't even use the tools it has to take down Isis videos–that Google monetizes:
Content ID is used to spot people uploading copyrighted songs, for example, and to ensure the copyright holder gets some repayment. Could content ID be used on the Isis video? Apparently so – but Google is reluctant to because of the "news/education" exceptions. However, that wouldn't prevent it from flagging such content and running it through pre-moderation.
So why doesn't Google do that? "We just don't," says a source. Even so, given the success that the record industry has had in getting content ID, the Home Office might find it a fruitful discussion.
But if you can't find Isis's would-be recruitment video on YouTube, you could find its 3'10" (preceded by a 30-second pre-roll advert) in the middle of a Daily Mail story – explaining that there was "outrage" that the film was still available on YouTube.
Google is a platform for piracy and YouTube is packed with vileness that would never see the light of day on television such as television programs produced and broadcast by NewsCorp among others. Schmidt knows it, and he's condoning the biggest income transfer of all time–for the money. And both Schmidt's post and Google's bizarre hamster comment are what are known as "nondenial denials."
There are a few other people who made this mistake. There's this guy:
Not to forget this one:
And then there's her:
He's not really fooling anyone.
A Teachable Moment: Google's Insulting Reply to News Corp Tells the New Regime in Brussels What It Needs to Know
As MTP readers will recall, Google is locked in the proverbial death struggle with the European Commission over antitrust complaints of Google's anticompetitive behavior. Those complaints resulted in an antitrust investigation going back several years. For Google, winning that investigation would look like palming off as real change some ice in winter changes to their business practices as part of a bureaucratic charm offensive. That charm offensive resulted in the embarrassing image of Eric "Uncle Sugar" Schmidt cozying up to his new BFF the Competition Commissioner of the European Commission, Joaquín Almunia.
Commissioner Almunia gave Google not one, not two, but an unprecedented three opportunities to negotiate a settlement on Google's own terms–and Google is desperately trying for a fourth before Mr. Almunia's term expires in October, and yes I do expect an October surprise from Mr. Almunia. Every time Google got a chance to renegotiate rather than getting fined or sued by the European Commission, two things happened: The deal looked shadier and shadier to a wider and wider group of consumers, small business and competitors, and the clock was ticking on Commissioner Almunia's term in office–a term that ends in October with a new commissioner replacing him in November.
Not only is it ever more apparent, and embarrassingly so, that Mr. Almunia ain't exactly a steely eyed missile man, he's been put in the very awkward position of looking like he's been conned just as the clock runs out. That almost surely means that Google will not only have to start over again with Almunia's successor, but will also put the successor on guard for the buddy act from Uncle Sugar and Google's other smarmy lobbyists–who are legion. Not only does Google risk a $5 billion fine, the US multinational behemoth is looking at lots of other regulatory oversight.
And the contours of that oversight have yet to be determined because Mr. Almunia was so distracted by Schmidt. What's happened during Mr. Almunia's investigation may yet inform the next competition commissioner's investigation and rulings.
The Piracy Platform
As Complete Music Update observes:
Google is increasingly seen as a big enabler of piracy by the copyright industries, for failing to de-list blatantly copyright infringing websites from its search results, even when courts have ordered said websites be blocked on infringement grounds. And on launching her organisation's 'Measuring Music' report yesterday, UK Music boss Jo Dipple noted that a top priority for the industry's lobbyists is getting "help to ensure the many legal music services we licence are given priority in online search results".
By using its dominant search engine to drive traffic to pirate sites (many of which publish advertising served by Google's advertising shops Adsense and DoubleClick), Google is arguably able to drive down pricing for its legitimate music services because the alternative is zero. Ask yourself how many times you've heard someone say that YouTube's abysmal royalty is "better than nothing", meaning better than being ripped off.
News Corp's CEO Robert Thompson wrote a complaint to Mr. Almunia regarding Google's position in the piracy food chain among other things. This letter is particularly compelling because of a few factors. Just as Mr. Almunia's investigation into Google was really falling apart a few months ago, YouTube launched its attack against indie labels resulting in IMPALA filing a complaint against YouTube with the EU–that is, Mr. Almunia–regarding YouTube's cartoon-like treatment of indie labels. While the timing of the IMPALA complaint was outside of Mr. Almunia's investigation of Google, it merits an investigation of its own. This is why YouTube was being particularly idiotic, even for them. It is hard to explain why YouTube's senior executive team thought that this was a good plan except for the usual reason. Blood lust for beating up the weaker kid blinded them from seeing that the weaker kid was about to land a haymaker.
But that's almost too easy an explanation, however accurate. There must have been something else, we're just all failing to see what it was. Just not smart enough, you know how it is.
Mr. Thompson made a couple key points about Google from the point of view of News Corp as a content creator. What's interesting about that is how it connects the current investigation to Google's profit from piracy and use of piracy as a competitive advantage that allows it to dominate online music search, including video search with YouTube. Even Fred "Shred 'Em if You Got "Em" Von Lohman will have a hard time spinning this one.
Mr. Thompson said:
"A company that boasts about its ability to track traffic chooses to ignore the unlawful and unsavoury content that surfaces after the simplest of searches. Google has been remarkably successful in its ability to monetize users, but has not shown the willingness, even though it clearly has the ability, to respect fundamental property rights."
"The internet should be a canvas for freedom of expression and for high-quality content of enduring value. Undermining the basic business model of professional content creators will lead to a less informed, more vexatious level of dialogue in our society. Your decision to reconsider Google's settlement offer comes at a crucial moment in the history of the free flow of information and of a healthy media in Europe and beyond".
We've had Google's sunshine blown up our skirts for over a decade and as Mr. Thomson suggests it just doesn't explain this:
And it also doesn't explain why Google doesn't comply with the many promises it has broken to creators, producing results like this:
As Complete Music Update said:
Thomson's letter confirms that Murdoch's newspaper and book empire is an ally of those in the music business who reckon that Google – while on one level a partner and revenue generator – is also an enemy of the content industries. And while Thomson's specific focus is the allegedly anti-competitive business practices rather than the intellectual property issues usually raised by the labels, firstly it's anti-competitive behaviour being alleged by the indie label community against Google in the ongoing YouTube dispute, and secondly Thomson makes sure Almunia is also aware of the copyright concerns in his letter too.
The Teachable Moment
The unlikely allies of IMPALA and News Corp can help the new competition commissioner understand that they have identified the real hook for the next investigation of the competition commission–not only does Google profit from piracy and lie about it, Google uses piracy to give their own products a competitive advantage. There are an increasing number of studies showing a link between search and piracy–the most recent from Professors Sivan, Smith and Telang, Do Search Engines Influence Media Piracy? (extending the work of Professors Danaher, Smith, Telang and Chen.) There's very little difference between the anticompetitive practices for which Google was investigated by the EU over the last several years and those that they employ daily to drive traffic to pirate sites. Traffic that profits Google's advertising sales while driving royalty prices lower because of both their market dominance (such as with YouTube) and the "it's better than nothing" hopelessness Google engenders with its defective search policies that it could change overnight, but won't.
Google's Nondenial Denial
How does Google respond to News Corp? The Guardian reports:
Google chose to use language the Sun would understand in response toNews Corp's complaint to the European Commission that it was a "platform for piracy". In one of the less likely corporate responses of recent years, Google issued the following statement: "Phew what a scorcher! Murdoch accuses Google of eating his hamster." And that was that, Google deciding an homage to the paper's famous Freddie Starr front page was more effective than a point-by-point rebuttal of News Corp chief executive's Robert Thomson's complaint. Google fans (and otherwise) keen to explore the issues further were pointed to a recent blogpost by its executive chairman Eric Schmidt. No word yet on whether News Corp will respond in kind. "Up yours, Google" maybe? Or "Will the last person not to use Google as a search engine please turn off their computer?"
This is what is called a nondenial denial that could have been written by one of the sophomoric Google fanboys. (In fact, it would not surprise me if that were literally true.)
It's still a nondenial denial, but it tells you that Google doesn't give a rats patootie about the consequences of its role in promoting piracy to its own advantage, doesn't respect the EU investigation and really does not care about creators.
It also doesn't really care much about governments, either. And when it comes to individual creators struggling against a gigantic American multinational media empire–like Google–we all need the government to do its part to protect creators and consumers from these rogue companies profiting from outright theft in the biggest income transfer of all time.
News Corp Opposed Google's European Commission Settlement Offer; Welcomed Competition Commission Reconsideration
Regardless of how you feel about News Corp, it helps when they take the side of creators against Google. I think you'll find this letter to the European Commission very insightful for creators struggling against the Google Leviathan.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Nurse Practitioner
Patients stuck on seeing the doctor should take solace in that Nurse Practitioners are also highly-educated medical professionals who can prescribe, specialize and start their own practice. There are more than 135,000 of these RNs-turned-NPs, and their role is as important as ever.
Nurse Practitioner Salary Comparison
Top Schools
|Johns Hopkins University
|University of Pennsylvania
|University of California—San Francisco
|Duke University
|University of Washington
What separates a great nurse practitioner from an average one?
"You have to realize that the real learning begins after school ends. The great nurse practitioners are continually learning new knowledge every day. It is reading a journal article, attending a conference or researching a patient's condition while on the job. I feel that I am truly learning something new every day."
Shamika Brooks, RN-BSN, MSN-FNP
Career How-To's
Your resource for all things careers, from education and training to advancement and achievement.
Nurse Practitioner Career News & Analysis
What It's Like Being a Nurse Practitioner
This interview with Atlanta-based Dr. Sharon Campbell was condensed for clarity. To contribute to ValuePenguin's coverage on careers,... Read More
Best Cities for Registered Nurses
If you aspire to be or already are a registered nurse, then head west -- or east. Cities in California and Massachusetts dominated this... Read More


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Yet more VDI news
Unwilling to cede the market to VMware, Virtual Iron is getting in to the VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure ) game by partnering with Provision Networks, maker of Virtual Access Suite (VAS) connection broker software.
The problem with traditional fat clients that Virtual Iron and Provision are trying to eliminate are numerous: they consume a lot of power, they're a security and regulatory problem, and "they're an absolute nightmare to administer," said Mike Grandinetti, chief marketing officer at Virtual Iron. Server-based hosted desktops, however, suffer from none of those problems, and benefit from additional high availability features. "We're believers that [VDI] could absolutely take a large and rapidly growing server virtualization market and take it to a different level," Grandinetti said.
As is often the case with Virtual Iron announcements, the announcement centers heavily on price. Rather than price per node, Virtual Iron and Provision are opting to charge $120 per desktop. That compares quite favorably with VDI prices offered by VMware and Hewlett-Packard, which don't include a connection broker. Compared with traditional desktops, meanwhile, a Virtual Iron/Provision VDI bundle has a total cost of ownership of less than half, according to Gartner data.
Grandinetti claims the two companies are working with several "proof of concepts" with companies whose total desktops number in the tens of thousands.


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I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you of the outpouring of support that you have shown me. I am so blessed to be surrounded by family and friends who, though they may have some reservations, will still stand behind me as I prepare for this trip.
Those of you who know my parents can probably guess that they, more than anyone, had some reservations. All valid, mind you. I am just so blessed that they have continued to support me in this, and that as time goes on and more details are worked out, they are becoming more and more at ease, I think. And though I know they will worry, as parents do, I know that they will not hold me back from such an amazing opportunity. Thanks Mommy and Daddy :)
But more than anything, I owe all of my thanks to the Lord. I have a feeling the coming months will be even more full of praise for Him than ever before. I already see Him working and I am so aware that I could never, and would never, do this without His strength and His provision. I don't think there was ever a time I wanted to go to Africa in the past. Going overseas to me was going to Italy, or something other country that seemed tourist-y and comfortable. God has since given me a heart for missions. This desire is not of myself but of Him and I'm so humbled by that.
I intended for this post to be much shorter… Thank you all again!
Psalm 9:1-2


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IPSI Newsletter, May 2013
IPSI Welcomes Ten New Member Organizations
During May 2013, the IPSI Steering Committee convened in Kathmandu, Nepal to consider, among other things, applications from organizations seeking to join IPSI.
Ten new organizations from eight different countries were welcomed into IPSI on this occasion.
- Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) (USA)
- Green TV Japan (TREE, Inc.) (Japan)
- Fondazione Romualdo del Bianco – Life Beyond Tourism (Italy)
- Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF) (Japan)
- Micronesia Conservation Trust (Federated States of Micronesia)
- Nepal Indigenous Nationalities Preservation Association (NINPA)
- Pogany-Havas Association (Romania)
- Taiwan Ecological Engineering Development Foundation (Chinese Taipei)
- Tropical Science Center (Costa Rica)
- World Wildlife Fund (USA)
The growing partnership now includes 142 member organizations from around the world.
Introductory messages from some of these new members are included in this newsletter, and please check the June 2013 newsletter for more!
Save the Date!
IPSI-4 coming in September
The Fourth IPSI Global Conference (IPSI-4) will be held from 13-14 September in Fukui, Japan
12 Sep (Thu)
13 Sep (Fri)
14 Sep (Sat)
Poster session
Public Forum
Poster session
Public Forum
Public Symposium
The IPSI Secretariat and Fukui Prefecture, the host of IPSI-4, are now actively in the process of preparing to welcome IPSI members in September. In addition to the Assembly and Public Forum, a variety of side events are also planned, including an Excursion, Reception, Public Symposium, and Satoyama Stay (satoyama experience with overnight local accommodations for IPSI members in several of Fukui's different agricultural communities).
For more information, make sure to keep reading the monthly newsletters and checking the Satoyama Initiative website.
IPSI-4 Poster Session
The IPSI Secretariat and Fukui Prefectural Government will organize a two-day poster session during IPSI-4, parallel to the Assembly and Public Forum (13-14 September 2013). All IPSI members are encouraged to submit a poster and abstract. In collaboration with the 'Ink-jet Cartridge Satogaeri Project', a poster award will also be conferred. Please see the website for further details.
Regional Workshop on the Satoyama Initiative held in Kathmandu, Nepal
From 14-15 May 2013, a wide range of IPSI members and other interested stakeholders gathered in Kathmandu for a two-day workshop on the Satoyama Initiative. A total of 61 experts from 16 different countries attended the workshop, which was co-organized by the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MoFSC), Government of Nepal and the IPSI Secretariat.
The two-day regional workshop brought together participants from across Asia, and was inaugurated by Hon. Minister Tek Bahadur Thapa Gharti of the MoFSC Nepal, who performed the ceremonial lighting of the traditional lamp and watering of the plant. The workshop's co-chairs, Ms. Yoko Watanabe (Programme Manager, Senior Biodiversity Specialist, Secretariat of the Global Environment Facility) and Dr. Krishna Chandra Paudel (Secretary, MoFSC Nepal) guided the two-day workshop towards achieving its three objectives: (1) To share information and experiences from the Asian region relevant to the Satoyama Initiative; (2) To further promote IPSI activities and understanding of the partnership in the region; (3) To contribute to the further development of the IPSI Strategy and Plan of Action.
To frame the day's discussions, three plenary presentations were delivered. First, Dr. Gopal S. Rawat (Chief Scientist, Ecosystem Services, ICIMOD) introduced the transboundary landscape approach that ICIMOD has been promoting throughout the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region. Then Mr. Gopal Raj Sherchan (National Coordinator, The GEF Small Grants Programme, Nepal) introduced activities under the Community Development and Knowledge Management for the Satoyama Initiative (COMDEKS) project. Finally, Mr. Ram Prasad Lamsal (MoFSC, Nepal) who introduced how Nepal's community-managed landscapes have been supporting the conservation of biodiversity.
Lively and dynamic small group discussions followed, intercut with plenary sessions to share outcomes from each group. Participants shared information and experiences from the Asian region relevant to the Satoyama Initiative, there were opportunities for further promoting IPSI activities and understanding of the partnership within the region, and the expert insight provided by the participants contributed directly to the further development of the IPSI Strategy and Plan of Action. <Full Website Report>
As the regional workshop drew to a close, Dr. Krishna Chandra Paudel (MoFSC Nepal) echoed his appreciation and left all of the participants with a final sentiment: "Biodiversity is a business for all, and every day is a biodiversity day."
Snapshots: The Regional Workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal
Voices of IPSI Members attending the Kathmandu Workshop
New Member Introduction: Taiwan Ecological Engineering Development Foundation (EEF)
By: Ms. Hui-Ying Lui, EEF
Taiwan Ecological Engineering Development Foundation (EEF) is established in 2007. The purpose of EEF is to research and promote ecological engineering for promotion of harmonious relationship between human and natural environment. We provide not only professional suggestions on ecological conservation of infrastructure, freeway construction for example, but also strive with other NGOs to set up the communication platform among government officers, NGO, and the public, especially in the fields between ecology and engineering.
In recent years, we make more effort to revitalization of traditional waterways and agricultural landscape through economical improvement and environmental education. We expect that the concept of socio-ecological production landscape will bring Taiwan a new country land management direction, and what we are trying to work with Villager of Bayien, a small rural area of north Taiwan near Taipei City, is just a tiny but good beginning in the succession.
New Member Introduction: Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT)
By: Mr. Willy Kostka, Executive Director, Micronesia Conservation Trust
Formally established in 2002, MCT is a charitable and irrevocable corporation organized to provide sustainable financing and capacity building/training support for biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation and related sustainable development programs. In 2006, the five Micronesia Challenge (MC) jurisdictions (FSM, Palau, Marshall Islands, Guam and CNMI) selected MCT as the financial mechanism for the Micronesia Challenge Initiative. MCT is Micronesia's only conservation trust fund, and works closely with local resource owners, traditional leaders, conservation and other NGOs and local governments to develop and fund project proposals that focus on improving management and addressing key threats to high-priority ecological sites designated through science-based and collaborative planning processes, such as National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans. MCT also provides capacity-building programs and services to local partners/grantees and coordinates two regional peer-learning networks, the Pacific Islands Managed and Protected Areas Community and Micronesians in Island Conservation. MCT's stakeholders and project beneficiaries include the 650,000+ citizens and residents of Micronesia, including women and children.
New Member Introduction: Nepal Indigenous Nationalities Preservation Association (NINPA)
By: Mr. Ngwang Sonam Sherpa, Executive Chairperson
Nepal Indigenous Nationalities Preservation Association (NINPA) is an organization established for the promotion and protection of Traditional Knowledge and Biological Diversity as well as protects Indigenous people's rights and land tenure.
Nepal Indigenous Nationalities Preservation Association was formed with the goal of protecting, documenting and preserving the cultural knowledge of the Indigenous Peoples of Nepal and to assist them in developing and obtaining equal rights.
NINPA is a nonprofit non partisan, national level social organization. Register under Nepalese Government and affiliated with social welfare council of Nepal and accredited with Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2005 and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2009.
The Major Activities of NINPA are as follows:
- To make the indigenous nationalities, residing all over Nepal, self dependent by skill and personality development and organizing income generating and poverty alleviation program.
- To raise awareness of the rights provided by the constitution and laws of the country to indigenous nationalities and helps them gain access to these rights.
- To preserve the Language, culture, and Traditional knowledge.
- To work for intellectual property right and for the preservation of Biological Diversity
- Advocacy Program related with UN instrument.
- Capacity Building Program to the indigenous communities on the issues of UNDRIP, ILO 169, Traditional Knowledge and Biological Diversity.
- National and International level intervention on the CBD Processes and UN instrument
- Awareness program of equitable sharing and sustainable use of natural resources.
- To raise issues of Trans national boundary problem to international regime.
IPSI Members on "Satoyama in Japan, Germany and Beyond"
Speakers from two Satoyama Initiative member organizations – the University of Tokyo and the United Nations University – were among the diverse range of experts who gathered on 6 April 2013 at the University of Tokyo for an afternoon of discussions about "Fostering International Sustainability – Satoyama Landscapes in Japan, Germany and Beyond".
For more details about the distinguished speakers, the program can be downloaded here. In addition, the event was recently featured in an article published in the DAAD Magazine. The article, including photos from the event, is available here in German, and an unofficial English translation can also be viewed here.
For further details or copies of the speaker presentations, please contact the IPSI Secretariat at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Woefully Late for a Very Important Date
And that date would be my debut book launch. And not just a few days or months. Whole years. Like two of them. Ooops. After all, the website proudly proclaims that the first novel in the series, Darkness Becoming, will be released Summer 2013. That date is now long gone. And I'm not done. Not even remotely. And I'm pretty positive Darkness Becoming… Read more »


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4.5 years ago I left a comment under TechCrunch post about app fatigue:
If web pages are treated like apps, in order to see web page:
- go to search engine
- click on link
- new bookmark will be created
- navigate to bookmarks
- click on bookmark
- see web page
This is insane.
It is no wonder why people do not install new apps. They already have enough on their bookmark bar. At the same time app, probably weights less than web page, all, but images, is compressed, and compiled, by that it should load, and run faster.
There are a lot of possible use cases: QR codes on posters, clothes, in shops, etc. Do I need to have every shop app? no, but I can still find them usable. Local devices, again, QR code, and I'm already communicating with its interface via app that is running, but has not been installed. I can even fire local browser and see apps that are available/important in my current location. I believed that Apple iBeacon will turn into that direction, but it never happened.
Now it is Google turn to implement this idea as a Google Instant Apps and maybe it will go further.


text: Job DescriptionThis position performs technical and mechanical work that ensures the physical aspects of the buildings, grounds, amenities, and common areas of the property meet the Company s standards for cleanliness, appearance, safety, and overall functionality. Additional responsibilities may include providing guidance to less seasoned technicians as well as acting as a backup when the Supervisor is unavailable. EducationHigh School diploma, GED or related experience and/or training. Qualifications


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This 2 bedroom apartment has been newly renovated to a modern style and the location is truly fantastic with only a minutes walk to the beach. The front balcony faces south, overlooking the main pedestrianised street of Parellades and is bathed in sun shine all day. The balcony is a great vantage point to watch the world go by whilst enjoying your morning coffee or your evening glass of cava.
The comfortable and modern lounge-dining area has a large corner sofa, dining table & chairs, air conditioning, wifi (30Mb) and a 'Smart' flat TV connected to the internet.
There is also a charming Andalusian style internal patio, between the lounge and kitchen, that allows natural light to come in and a welcome breeze in the summer months.
The modern kitchen is very well equipped with everything you need to make your stay comfortable, including; fridge/freezer, hob (induction), oven, microwave, filtered water on tap and a dishwasher. Washing machine is located on the rear balcony.
The 2 good size bedrooms are located at the back of the apartment and both have hotel quality, Flex-Dreamax mattresses to help ensure a good nights sleep. The first room has 2 x twin beds that can be combined with a topper mattress to make a superking bed. The second room has a double bed plus a desk/workstation and leads out on to the rear balcony. Both bedrooms have ample wardrobes space.
The rear balcony faces north, so is in shade all day if you want to escape the heat of the sun, and is very quiet and peaceful.
The bathroom is good size and also recently renovated with a large modern shower cubical.
The apartment is thoughtfully furnished by the owners in order that you may enjoy a relaxing stay.
Click here for the floor plan on the facilities page.
Sitges has a warm "micro-climate" that makes it possible to enjoy outdoor activities almost every day of the year. Throughout the year numerous events take place in this beautiful town: the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, Carnival, the Festa Major, Theatre Festivals, The Barcelona-Sitges Vintage Car Rally, Harvest Festival, concerts ... the list goes on, however one can also enjoy simply taking a stroll along the sea-front boulevard, a bike ride through the Garraf Natural Park or soak up the atmosphere of the Sitges nights on the renowned "Dos de Mayo" street.
Extracted from the offical Sitges Tourist website can be found here: http://www.sitgestur.cat/


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2020's Cheap Web Hosting Services in India
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Charges in our collection of Cheap Web hosting services is depend on the monthly charges. If the hosting firm provides monthly hosting plans, that is the price we use, however many of them work out to be low in price on monthly basis if you opt to pay advance for the yearly package. If you are buying based on pricing, you might do not wish to make the payment the whole year advance. Some budgets certainly are that tight, and in some cases few projects may not last for a year. Our cutoff for addition in this comparison chart is that a service provider must charge less than $5/mo. Or even less. We decide on $5/mo. because that means one can have Web hosting solution for less than $50-$60 yearly.
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Shared web hosting is a format in which a web hosting India Provider runs numerous web pages on a single web server together with your website. Do not let the shared nature bit panic you, however, since you can not look up into others data/files and others also can not touch yours. The main advantage? Diving the server web space automatically convert to cheap hosting prices for everyone. The drawback? Neighboring websites that eat too many server resources sometime cause your web page to run at less than high performance. Even they could crash your site from every now and then.
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#3. Assume you know everything about children and don't read any of your employer's instructions.
#5. Take the child to a new place completely unknown to his parents without asking permission.
#8. Wear a see-through top so your employer – and her husband – know what your bra looks like.


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This year was a great year for me with respect to running and the running community. It was a year of PRs, breakthroughs, and great moments. Let me start with my own favorite running related moment of the year. This year after the last race of the IHSA state cross country finals as the guys on the team were cooling down Q insisted on running the course and "breaking the tape." So we did, we set off from the southeast corner of Detweiller Park, we picked up the course along the highway and proceeded to run almost an entire loop of the park (we cut the corner on the north end of the park, Q was only 2 and half at the time). As we ran a few teams ran past us on their own cool down. The boys of Neuqua Valley ran past, with their top runner pointing out that Q was doing a great job of running the tangents (he was actually taking an angle to stomp on some leaves, but no one needs to know that). Then the boys from Hoffman Estates ran by, they asked if he was getting ready for a future state championship race, to which I replied that Q was prepping to win the state title in 2027 (as a sophomore). It was so wonderful for me to get to share in a moment on pretty sacred running ground in Illinois with my son who was loving every minute of it. We were a little slow getting to the finishing line and it was already taken down by the time we got there, so there was no tape for Q to break, but he still picked up the pace to cross what had been the finish line.
Backtracking a few hours before that moment is another highlight of the year for me. This season for the first time in school history the Lincoln Way North boys cross country team qualified for the state finals. It was a historic year for the team, tremendous improvement from top to bottom. You can check out more on the season those guys had on their team website www.runlwn.com.
For my own personal running it was a great year as well. If you read my goals for the year that I wrote at the beginning of the year, one of the big things I wanted to do was increase my mileage. I was able to do that, and I think it really allowed me to take yet another step in my own training. Last week I joined some former athletes I coached and their buddies for a long run (all in their early 20s) as we ran one of them told a story where he said "I mean, she was older, like, 31." I was able to set 3 PRs this year (5K, 8K, and Half Marathon), which is really something considering the fact that I am older, like, 31.
The last two years I have had a goal race that lined up with the end of XC season, and after that I have created somewhat arbitrary goals to obtain to keep my running going. Last year it was a running streak (at least 4 a day for 188 days). This year in early November I crunched some numbers and realized that even though I had a minor injury set back in July, I could run an average of 10 miles a day from July 1st through the end of the year. This morning, I ran 11 miles during my workout and that put me at 1,840 miles from July first through December 31st. 184 days, 1,840 miles. I think I missed 5 days of running during that span (3 in July due to a foot issue), but other than those few missed days I have been incredibly consistent in the last 6 months. Before this year I had never run a month with over 300 miles (I ran 300 once in 2009). During the last 6 months, I have run 4 months over 300.
With the bump in training I have been contemplating a jump to the marathon again. I still am not ready to commit the time to train for one, but was able to run two half marathons this year (Fox Valley Half 2nd place, and Naperville Half 1st place). Both of them brought some good and bad, but great learning for a longer race. I don't think a marathon will be in the cards for 2015, but possibly for early 2016.
One of the other cool running experiences this year, my cousin got married in Breckenridge this summer, so we spent 5 days in the mountains. It was some tough running, but also pretty awesome. Getting to run at 10,000 feet through technical trails in the mountains was really cool. Something I wish I could do more of when I get chances in the future. Maybe a destination race and do some legit trail races.
The year in running by the numbers:
Races run: 9
Races won: 6
PRs: 3 (5K: 15:24, 8K: 25:56, 13.1: 1:13:59)
Miles run: 3,209 (my previous high year was 2009 when I ran 2,727 miles. Almost 500 more this year)
I hope 2014 was a great year for you. We will see you on the roads in 2015.


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Here are a few I have come across the last week or so.
Note: Each link is followed by a title and a few paragraphs. For the full article click on the link above title of the article. Note also that full access to some links may require site registration or subscription payment.
General Comment
A very quiet week but enough happening to keep us interested.
The loss of the NBN CEO was hardly a surprise and whoever takes over will have a huge job - no matter who wins the election - remember in part it is a huge IT project which we don't have a wonderful track record with.
Had a look at my NEHRS only to discover the PBS data is out of chronological order for some odd reason - and the whole thing is as slow as a wet week which I still don't understand
GP input to PCEHRs remains miniscule
9 July, 2013 Paul Smith
The number of shared health summaries created by GPs for the personally controlled electronic health records system is little more than 1100 — about 0.3% of nearly 400,000 patients who have been recruited to the billion-dollar scheme.
Health summaries are meant to be the backbone of the PCEHR and will list patients' current diagnoses, medications, allergies and immunisation histories.
However, there have been ongoing concerns about the workload the scheme will generate for GPs.
Doubts have also been raised over whether the profession will agree to take on the task of managing the summaries, which are designed to help streamline care with other health providers, such as hospitals and specialists.
The number of shared health summaries was obtained by Australian Doctor in May.
Low sign-up for Australian eHealth records
- Jordanna Schriever Health Reporter
- The Advertiser
- July 07, 2013
LESS than 2 per cent of Australians have signed up for an eHealth record in the year since its launch, and the Australian Medical Association says most of those records would be unused and blank.
The AMA supports the idea of the personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR) system, but president Steve Hambleton said the current system was flawed because GPs and hospitals could not easily access and enter information in the system.
Nationally, the Health Department says 407,000 Australians - about 1.7 per cent of 23 million people - had registered for an eHealth record since its launch in July 2012.
E-health records result in reduced medical errors for Australian doctors
July 8, 2013
The majority of Australian doctors (77 per cent) say sharing health records electronically had a positive impact on reducing medical errors in 2012, according to a survey by Accenture. The survey of 3,700 doctors in eight countries – Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Singapore, Spain and the United States – also found that 83 per cent of Australian doctors are actively using electronic medical records (EMR) and roughly 70 per cent reported improved quality of diagnostic and treatment decisions as a result of their use of shared electronic health records.
Patient access to records
Accenture's survey revealed most Australian doctors (83 per cent) want patients to actively participate in their own healthcare by updating their electronic health records (EHR). However, the majority believe that patients should only have limited access to this record – a view shared across the surveyed countries. There was broad agreement among Australian doctors that patients should be able to update standard information in their health records, including demographics (87 per cent) and family medical history (78 per cent). However, a significant proportion of doctors were opposed to patients providing updates in areas such as medications (29 per cent), medication side effects (28 per cent), allergic episodes (26 per cent) and lab test results (59 per cent). The level of opposition to such patient input was notably higher than most other countries.
Toongabbie doctor signed up for eHealth Records system
July 11, 2013, 5:24 p.m.
A Toongabbie doctor will be one of the first in western Sydney to use the new eHealth Records system.
Western Sydney Medical Local is rolling out the new system to general practitioners across western Sydney.
Toby Nasr, principal of Metella Road Family Practice at Toongabbie has started uploading the shared health summaries to the National e-Health records system for patients who have registered for Personally Controlled electronic health records.
Call for Nominations for the IHTSDO Standing Committees
Created on Wednesday, 10 July 2013
NEHTA is now inviting expressions of interest from Australian clinical informaticians to be nominated as independent experts on the International Health Terminology Standing Development Organisation (IHTSDO) Standing Committees.
Question: FHIR Versioning
Posted on July 10, 2013 by Grahame Grieve
Can you tell me roughly when FHIR 1.0 is scheduled for? Is that the DSTU version? or is that the post-DSTU version?
We've never formally discussed versioning for FHIR. At present, I've upped the minor version whenever we reach some kind of publishing milestone – typically, I up the version when we enter a connectathon freeze, and again afterwards when changes recommence. We've not had any policy discussion about it. I'm inclined to target 1.0 as the first full normative release. So the DSTU would be 0.5 maybe.
New eMedical service launched in Australia
Monday, 08 July 2013 09:21
A collaboration between Australia and Canada has resulted in more than 100 countries now having access to eMedical, Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship's (DIAC) new electronic health processing system that enables more efficient and cost-effective visa processing.
eMedical is an updated and improved version of the former 'eHealth' online system used to record the health examination results of visa applicants who complete their examinations for both DIAC and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
"Increased use of eMedical will result in substantial benefits to DIAC and our clients, including improved client service, enhanced integrity and significant financial savings," a DIAC spokesman said.
Health-related web searches could be tracked, researchers warn
Date July 9, 2013 - 9:58AM
New research has raised the alarm about threats to privacy posed by patients searching for health-related information on the Internet.
Marco Huesch, a researcher at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, searched for "depression," "herpes" and "cancer" on various health-related websites and observed that the data was being tracked.
"Confidentiality is threatened by the leakage of information to third parties" through trackers on the websites themselves or on consumers' computers, he wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Privacy fears in visiting Google doctor
- From: AFP
- July 09, 2013
PATIENTS searching for health-related information on the Internet may find their privacy threatened, said a research letter published in a major US medical journal.
Marco Huesch, a researcher at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, searched for "depression," "herpes" and "cancer" on various health-related websites and observed that the data was being tracked.
"Confidentiality is threatened by the leakage of information to third parties" through trackers on the websites themselves or on consumers' computers, he wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Canadian partnership feature of research funding boost
Date July 10, 2013 - 11:20AM
Dan Harrison
Health and Indigenous Affairs Correspondent
The Federal Government has announced an extra 13.5 million for research projects to improve primary care, including $2.5 million for a research partnership with Canada.
The Canadian initiative will focus on chronic disease prevention and management, rural health, and better care for people in low socio-economic communities.
Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said on Wednesday that the project would bring together more than 20 researchers, clinicians and decision makers from both countries.
Plibersek's $13.5m boost for primary care research
10th Jul 2013
PRIMARY care research is set to receive a $13.5 million shot in the arm after Health Minister Tanya Plibersek announced additional funding for the sector via the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
The announcement today at the Primary Health Care Research Conference in Sydney includes $2.5 million towards a new research organisation that will see local researchers partnering with colleagues in Canada.
Ms Plibersek said it would be Australia's first international primary healthcare research organisation to focus on studying ways to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Help is on its way with life-saving apps
Date July 1, 2013
Jenneth Orantia
You can transform your smartphone into a panic button in your pocket, writes Jenneth Orantia.
Knowing to dial triple-0 in an emergency is something everyone learns from an early age. But what do you do if you can't get through to the switchboard, or you aren't sure whether the situation warrants intervention?
There are a handful of apps you can turn to that transform your smartphone into a personal safety device.
After the tragic death of his wife and son in the Queensland floods of 2011, John Tyson came up with the idea for the Ultimate Civilian app (available for iPhones and iPads, $4.49) and approached Maxmoment Interactive to help him develop it.
Mercy mission delivers users a one-stop data shop
- by: Jennifer Foreshew
- From: The Australian
- July 09, 2013
HEALTHCARE provider Mercy Health's systems were not coping with the surge of data spooling off half a million clients every year.
Reports were not available and production was manual and time consuming, with low trust levels of the data.
"There was a lot of ad-hoc extraction of information as well as a number of different reporting tools across different systems," Mercy Health strategy, planning and business general manager Jenny Smith says.
Health provider broadband connectivity: a review of technical requirements
Kathleen Gray, and others | Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society
3 July, 2013
03 July 2013 | Over the next 5 to 10 years high-speed broadband will enable a number of new services in the health sector including telemedicine consultations, electronic health records, eLearning for clinicians, and personalised medicine and participatory healthcare. Currently there are a variety of piecemeal data connectivity arrangements with multiple connections and service providers in the health sector. For the healthcare sector to take advantage of high-speed broadband, delivering an efficient and effective transformation of service delivery and supply chain reform, integrated planning and better coordination of data connectivity are essential.
Rudd adds $10m muscle to 2020 Summit pet bionic-eye projects
- by: SEAN PARNELL, HEALTH EDITOR
- From: The Australian
- July 10, 2013
KEVIN Rudd's favoured project from the 2020 Summit -- an Australian-made bionic eye -- has received a $10 million boost to allow researchers to keep working on their concepts for another year.
The Prime Minister was so determined to replicate the Australian innovation shown in the development of a cochlear implant that he insisted health experts make the bionic eye a priority.
Two Australian research groups have already received $50m in taxpayer funding and were yesterday granted an extension, with Bionic Vision Australia, led by the University of Melbourne, to receive $8m and Monash Vision Group, led by Monash University, to receive $1.9m.
Health apps you should avoid
Date July 11, 2013
Gloria Dawson
Your health is a complicated puzzle best solved by professionals, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't use technology to make things simpler. Never has it been easier to track your health, monitor your fitness goals or research treatment options.
"It turns out that your interaction with your doctor has two parts. There's a technical component: your doctor is gathering information about you to make a diagnosis and recommend a care plan. And then there's the emotional overlay," says Dr Joe Kvedar, the founder and director of the Centre for Connected Health, which focuses on providing healthcare outside of the traditional hospital or doctor's office setting.
"We're not taking your doctors visit away," Dr Kvedar explains. "So much of what we do with patients is the algorithmic information; it's not that emotionally laden piece." Following up with a doctor about when to take a medication is a good example of something that can be done over email. Who wants to spend an afternoon in your physician's waiting room for that?
'No crisis' as Mike Quigley quits
- by: Mitchell Bingemann and Damon Kitney
- From: The Australian
- July 13, 2013
MIKE Quigley, the outgoing chief executive of the NBN Co, has denied he is leaving the company building Australia's largest infrastructure project in a state of crisis as he deflected speculation that he was pushed from the high-profile role.
Mr Quigley announced yesterday that he would step down and retire from corporate life after four years leading the company building Labor's $37.4 billion broadband project.
His departure comes after a frenetic year in which the company was forced to revise its rollout targets as it was beset by problems with its construction contractors, an exodus of experienced staff and the exposure of workers and residents to asbestos risks during the build.
The future of Google goggles is here
9th Jul 2013
IT'LL be several months before the average gadget-lover will get their hands on Google Glass, but among software developers there's already a gold-rush mood about the potential of the new wearable technology device made by the search giant.
So far only a few hundred developers and tech experts have worn the futuristic glasses, but at last month's Google I/O annual developers' conference in San Francisco, everyone wearing the US$1500 ($1600) prototype had a permanent smile on their face.
A short time wearing the glasses explains the fascination: the wearer has access to all the information available on the internet without having to use a smartphone or computer to get it.
Pre-Google-era search engine AltaVista goes to web graveyard
- From: AFP
- July 09, 2013
ONCE upon a time, there was a popular search engine called AltaVista. It lives no more.
On Monday, its owner Yahoo Inc sent AltaVista.com to the internet graveyard to rest alongside order-almost-anything venture Kozmo.com and the butler from Ask Jeeves.
Palo Alto, California-based AltaVista was introduced in 1995, three years before Google Inc was founded.


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MIAMI, FL – March 11, 2015 – (HISPANICIZE WIRE) – Telemundo and NBC UNIVERSO,engli divisions of NBCUniversal Hispanic Enterprises and Content, announced today a digital and social media partnership with this year's Hispanicize conference (www.HispanicizeEvent.com) (#Hispz15) to take place at the Intercontinental Hotel in Miami on March 16-20th. As innovators in the digital space for US Hispanics, the networks will have a strong social media presence during the conference using a dedicated hashtag #CreateTogether and featuring an interactive content creation exhibit space on-site, as well as leading several panels including Hispanic Social TV, Hispanic Broadcast Television: What's New and Under the Hood, Hispanic Social Media Industry Townhall and Mastering the Social Media Newsroom. The companies will also feature some of their most prominent and beloved talents, including Telemundo's Maria Celeste Arraras (@MariaCeleste) ("Al Rojo Vivoâ€) during Friday's Uncap Your Happiness panel and NBC UNIVERSO's Yarel Ramos (@Yarel_Ramos), who will host Tuesday's Latinovator lunch with YouTube sensation Dulce Candy.
"Telemundo and NBC UNIVERSO are committed to bringing the most relevant and engaging content for our audience which is why partnering with Hispanicize to co-create with key Hispanic influencers is a perfect fit"
"Telemundo and NBC UNIVERSO are committed to bringing the most relevant and engaging content for our audience which is why partnering with Hispanicize to co-create with key Hispanic influencers is a perfect fit," said Borja Perez, SVP, Digital and Social Media, NBC Universal, Hispanic Enterprises and Content.
Telemundo, who is sponsoring the conference for the fourth consecutive year, will work closely with participating social media influencers at an interactive content creation hub on-site to take the conversation from the conference floor to the online community. The networks also will have a social media presence during the Positive Impact Awards and Tecla Awards where the network is featured as a finalist in two categories. To join the conversation at Hispanicize, follow us via Twitter @TLMDPR and use the hashtag #CreateTogether.
"Hispanicize is honored to have Telemundo and NBC UNIVERSO as sponsors and media partners,†said Manny Ruiz, founder and creative director for Hispanicize. "Their support underscores their commitment to the industries Hispanicize strives to serve in social media, marketing, journalism and entertainment."
Now in its sixth year, Hispanicize 2015 gathers the biggest and brightest Latino influencers and newsmakers within the journalism, marketing, entertainment, brands and the blogosphere. Hispanicize 2015 is a partnership of the Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA), Hispanicize and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The conference will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Miami during the week of March 16 – 20th.
About Telemundo:
Telemundo, a division of NBCUniversal Hispanic Enterprises and Content, is a world-class media company, leading the industry in the production and distribution of high-quality Spanish-language content across its multiplatform portfolio to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. Telemundo's multiple platforms include the Telemundo Network, a Spanish-language television network featuring original productions, theatrical motion pictures, news and first-class sports events, reaching U.S. Hispanic viewers in 210 markets through its 17 owned stations, broadcast and MVPD affiliates; Telemundo Digital Media, which distributes Telemundo's original content across digital and emerging platforms including mobile devices and www.telemundo.com; an owned and operated full power station in Puerto Rico that reaches 99% of all TV households in that DMA; and Telemundo Internacional, the international distribution arm which has positioned Telemundo as the second largest provider of Spanish-language content worldwide by syndicating content to more than 100 countries in over 35 languages.
About NBC Universo:
NBC UNIVERSO is a modern general entertainment cable channel for Latinos, bringing the world's top sports franchises and edgy, emotional programming to more than 40 million households in the U.S. As one of the most widely available modern cable channels for U.S. Latinos, NBC UNIVERSO delivers a thrilling mix of exclusive sports action – including FIFA World Cupâ"¢, NASCAR Mexico Series, NFL, Premier League and the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio – along with signature series, blockbuster movies, music, must-see live events and strategic acquisitions, on TV, online and mobile devices. NBC UNIVERSO is part of Hispanic Enterprises and Content, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. For more information, please visit www.NBCUNIVERSO.com.


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It is rainy season in Japan and greens wield power everywhere. I've been feeling even busier since April, but I think this idea is one of my delusions. I am a lazy person and I could never be "busy" in the meaning you use this word for! I'm probably feeling busy because I don't want to work hard. That makes sense to me.
Meanwhile, I hope you've been doing super good!
I sewed a white sleeveless shirt from a Patrones pattern. The Patrones magazine was a surprising gift from Merche who super generously sent me a copy to try their patterns. Thank you, Merche, so much for your kindness! I knew you were very kind even before the gift but I can't tell you how much I am thankful to you for your idea of getting extra copy for me :)
If you are interested in the magazine that I'm talking about, you may like to read Merche's this post.
By the way, I always respect you and everyone who are nice to others in the on-line sewing community, and I'm also feeling so lucky that I can be a part of it. I'm not telling you that gifts matter, but I'm telling you about the atmosphere that we are creating there. I mean, supportive attitudes and environment. Thank you for the good air we breathe, you supportive hobby sewists!!
As for the shirt, this was my first use of Patrones patterns and it was also meant to be a check for sizing/fitting. It is always good to know how different my frame is from the new-to-me company's targeted body, and I wanted to check it by using a very basic garment with narrower ease like this shirt.
I usually care height of bust line, height of narrowest point in waist, ease above bust line, ease above shoulder blades, length between neck and shoulder point, angle of shoulder lines and room for busts in a pattern for upper body. Size charts hardly tell such information, because they aren't about the sizes but they are about the frames of maker's targeted bodies. It may sound that I'm nagging about fitting detail, but I have to say that I'm rather not interested in fitting garments perfectly on a human body like pasting rubber sheets on it. I'd love to tell that I am interested in skimming some volume from critical area or adding some to it of my garment (hoping to look *delusionally* better.)
I rarely keep actual patterns (because, eh, I rarely trace) but I keep notes about what I did for adjusting the patterns to my frame, written digitally along with some photos, on every garment I make so that I can read my history whenever needed for future projects.
Anyway, Patrones patterns seem to fit similar to the retailed garments and relatively true to the size. And also I had some adjustments to the shirt pattern for my frame, and I think these will be automatically applied to my future projects with their patterns.
I love Andrea's collarless placket shirt, and I'm thinking this pattern with those plackets at this moment. It can become a pretty summer vest kind of sleeveless blouse. I'll see.
Have a very happy weekend!
white sleeveless shirt
pattern: Shirt 45 from Patrones Extra, Easy Sew No.29 (Patrones Costura Facil) magazine, collar omitted.
fabric: cotton stretch shirting fabric, soft and thick, white, seersucker-like, with most subtle silver pinstripes, 110cm x 1.2m used


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Pet Store
We have many great products for your pet, that you will both love. The prices will blow your socks off if your willing in quantity. Go in with friend, Get multiple copies for yourself, or maybe you desire make a few quick bucks at the local flea market legally. You found the right place.
The more you buy, the more you save. We think our warehouse deals are better than Costco. In order to take advantage of the savings that Rolling shoe box has found for you, you must become a member. To become a member, all you need to do is unblock and white list rollingshoebox.com in your ad blocker. If you can't drop your shields, we can't fire opportunities your way. If you can't see us. We can't show you just how much you waste at Amazon for your everyday needs. If you don't become a member today, we can't save you any money.
Those of us traveling by RV drag our pets everywhere, but like our cars, RV, and spouses, they need attention from time to time. Notice I did not mention our kids, they will always make sure they are getting our attention one way or another. So we can ignore them for now. Today, it is time to do something for you best friend. Shop this site and buy your friend something nice, useful, or just plain fun. Do it today before your best friend goes the way of the car, the RV, or God forbid your spouse.
We have every think from anti bark collars, that do not shock and create epileptic pets, Chains, Clippers, grooming supplies, dogie balls with spikes, snacks, beds you name it, look for your self.


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A Little Moment of Bliss: Aromatherapy Associates Lavender & Peppermint Bath & Shower Oil
Without a great long-winded burst of enthusiasm, because if you are a regular BBB reader you will already know I love this brand, but a long steep in this fabulous oil is nothing short of utter bliss. I feel better for having it in my bathroom. Cooling in summer and just deliciously relaxing in winter, there really is nothing to beat it. I'll shut up now.
*all products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
Comment by Facebook
5 comments
Ooh I wrote a review of this last night. Not finished yet tho. Cured my headache!
Oh I have got to try this x
i got sent the bath oil set and I was pleasantly surprised by the Peppermint and Lavender oil. Loved it!
Now just have to limit the bf from working his way through my stash!
Have just purchased it, will let you know what I thinkxx
Sounds too divine. Maybe it can even wash away the bad feeling I have now we're living in new Tory world 🙁


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This article contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on a link I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Yamaha RX-V675:
Packing A Sound Punch Plus Huge Reviews
The Yamaha RX-V675 Network AV Receiver with Airplay is almost identical to the RX-V673 of last year. The receiver's front face has a majority of the controls that you would expect to be there, including presets, input select, tuner and tonal controls.
If you're like most people, you probably won't ever have a reason to use most of the buttons, given they can all be controlled using a Smartphone mobile app or the remote control that is included.
[highlight]Interestingly the Yamaha RX-V675 has 84% of 4.3 plus star ratings on Amazon, making it one of the most popular AV receivers[/highlight]
Benefits Of The Yamaha RX-V675 AV Receiver with Airplay
- 7.2-channel powerful surround sound in HD Audio format decoding
- Compatible with several audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, & FLAC/WAV 192 kHz playback
- AirPlay feature lets you stream music wirelessly from iPhone, iPod, iPad, and from iTunes on Macs & PCs
- Yamaha AV Controller App on iPhone & Android devices, enables controlling power on/off and volume, select inputs, and DSP modes etc
- New Virtual CINEMA DSP provides virtual 7.1-channel surround sound from front speakers (2.1-channel), without need for rear speakers
- MHL provides instant connection for compatible mobile phones. The front USB port allows convenient connection for minimal signal loss or interference
- 6 x HDMI In – 1 x HDMI Out
Click Here For Reviews And More Details On Amazon
Yamaha RX-V675 connection Options
The Yamaha RX-V675 provides a nice selection of connection options, with the highlight being the 6 HDMI inputs that include one compliant Mobile High Definition Link (MHL) on the front.
It case you aren't familiar with what MHL is, this enables you to play multi-channel audio and HD video through the RX-V675 so long as an MHL compatible device like a Smartphone or other device is connected. The front part of the RX-V675 also features a port for an iPod and USB input supporting WAV and FLAC files to 24-bit/192kHz.
Click Here For Reviews And More Details On Amazon
There are also several analog video/audio connections on the Yamaha RX-V675, in addition to one component and 2 coaxial and 2 digital optical. The RX-V675, like the younger Yamaha 673, provides you with plenty of connection options for you to use.
3D video is supported by the Yamaha RX-V675. The video 3D experiment really has failed miserably, so it doesn't say much. However, an additional feature supported by the RX-V675 is Ultra HD, which is relevant.
Both Ultra HD upscaling and pass through are supported by Yamaha RX V675. Ultra HD provides approximately 4 times more resolution than 1080p. Several Ultra HD television sets have recently been introduced into the marketplace. Also, price drops from Samsung and LG recently have made this new technology even more obtainable.
Ultra HD sets are not mainstream as of yet. However, it is inevitable that they will be overtaking the market soon. The RX-V675, in addition to supporting Ultra HD, also supports Audio Return Channel (ARC).
It isn't surprising that extensive network features are offered by the Yamaha RX V675. These features, for the most part, are identical to the terrific Yamaha RX V675 from last year. A decent selection of internet radio options are offered by the RX-V675 like Napster and vTuner radio. However this year's Onkyo offerings provide a broader selection.
Yamaha RX-V675 Features AirPlay For Streaming Your Favorite Music
Once again AirPlay support is available. It works flawlessly, just like the RX-V673 from last year.
If you aren't familiar with AirPlay, basically it lets you stream media from an iTunes account or Apple device directly onto the RX-V675. A built-in WiFi is a feature that we would have loved to see included. Many competitors of the RX-V675, such as Onkyo 626, have started to incorporate Bluetooth and WiFi this year. It's too bad that Yamaha didn't as well.
The Yamaha RX-V675 receiver has a great sound. The many digital sound processing modes have a nice sound and are also fun to experiment with in order to achieve different sounds.
There are numerous connectivity options on the Yamaha RX-V675. Most people will be pleased by this. However, the lack of WiFi or Bluetooth is disappointing, particularly since Sony and Onkyo are both offering them on some newer models. Despite all of this, if you are looking to buy a new receiver, you should definitely have the Yamaha RX V675 on your shortlist for sure.
Great Sound With The Yamaha RX-V675 Audio Visual Receiver
The Yamaha RX-V675 has a great sound and comes with a ton of sound processing preset modes that are a lot of fun to experiment with. There is also a wide selection of internet radio options for you to listen to.
One of the finest sounding mid-range AV receivers in 2012 was easily the Yamaha RX-V673. So the Yamaha RX-V675 had a lot for it to live up to. Fortunately, it does.
Click Here For Reviews And More Details On Amazon