#Australian Doctors Forum

[doctorseekaustralia]

Welcome to Doctor Seek, your trusted online platform dedicated to simplifying the healthcare experience in Australia. Our mission is to provide a user-friendly space where patients can effortlessly find qualified doctors, and where healthcare forum professionals can connect, collaborate, and engage in meaningful discussions with you.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Bernard Lane

Published: Jul 21, 2023

A rising star of Australia’s centre-right Liberal Party, Claire Chandler, has called for an independent expert inquiry into medicalised gender change for minors.

Senator Chandler suggests a national inquiry into the evidence for treatment of young patients diagnosed with gender dysphoria could be modelled on England’s independent review led by paediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass following controversy over the London-based Tavistock gender clinic.

In an interview with GCN, Senator Chandler said: “We know that in Australia there has been a huge explosion in the number of young children accessing care at gender clinics.

“We don’t necessarily know exactly how all of these children are being treated, whether or not the way they are being treated is beneficial for their circumstances, whether or not it’s having good clinical outcomes.”

The number of minors enrolled in state children’s hospital gender clinics rose from less than 500 in 2016 to more than 2,000 in 2021, with the biggest caseloads in the states of Victoria and Queensland.

In Australia’s federation, the states deliver health while also drawing on federal funding; states pay for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones enjoy federal subsidy.

Chart: Demand surges at Australia’s gender dysphoria clinics in children’s hospitals

[ The green line shows patient enrolments; orange tracks the number of children on puberty blockers; purple indicates the number on cross-sex hormones. Data was obtained under freedom of information law. It is not clear if these figures for hormonal treatment include prescriptions filled outside the hospital. Credit: Dr. Dianna Kenny ]

Europe’s turn to caution

Senator Chandler cited official findings in Finland, Sweden and England that the puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones given by gender clinics internationally are based on very weak evidence and carry risks of harm and troubling uncertainties.

In each country, the recent policy advice is to restrict access to these hormonal treatments for minors, especially puberty blockers, which England’s National Health Service will confine to clinical trials as an experimental intervention.

Senator Chandler has been raising concerns for more than two years about the risks to vulnerable children from invasive medical treatments and the lack of good public data on the operation of gender clinics.

In the last few months, an Australian child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Jillian Spencer has become a rallying point for growing clinical disquiet over the dogmatic “gender-affirming” treatment model and its poorly evidenced hormonal and surgical interventions.

She went public with her criticism of the American-influenced gender-affirming treatment model after she was stood down from her job as a senior staff specialist at a public children’s hospital in Queensland; she was reportedly accused of “transphobia” after an interaction with a young patient from the gender clinic.

Dr. Spencer has argued that the gender-affirming model forces clinicians to go along with the social and medical transition of children despite the evidence base not showing that the benefits outweigh the risks and harms.

“It is incredibly distressing to be forced into harming other people’s children, or otherwise face potential loss of one’s career, livelihood or to be cast out of the workplace, as has happened to me,” she said at a Sydney women’s forum last month.

Earlier this month Dr. Spencer began circulating a petition for health practitioners who want an independent inquiry “to guide Australian doctors in what treatments for children are safe to be delivered, at what age and under what conditions.”

By last night, she had signatures from 36 child psychiatrists, 33 adult psychiatrists, 22 general practitioners and 10 paediatricians straddling all six states, albeit mostly concentrated in the three eastern states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

“Sadly, lots of people have contacted me to say they’re too scared to give their details,” Dr. Spencer said.

In September 2019, after The Australian newspaper began subjecting gender clinics to scrutiny, doctors launched an online petition for a parliamentary inquiry as requested by professor of paediatrics Dr. John Whitehall. They collected 260 names in three and a half days before a spam attack by activists forced closure of the petition. The signatories included 20 professors or associate professors, 14 paediatricians, 20 psychiatrists (nine of them child psychiatrists), and “many other doctors with a shared concern about the epidemic of childhood gender dysphoria and the lack of scientific basis for its current treatment”, organisers said.

Exposure

This week, the medical indemnity fund MDA National, which on July 1 cut back its coverage of private doctors involved in risky medicalised gender change for minors, has noted the renewed push for an inquiry in Australia.

“We understand that there is a growing number of professionals and politicians requesting an urgent review of the research to ensure that children and adolescents presenting with gender dysphoria and incongruence have the very best medical care,” MDA National’s spokeswoman told GCN.

She was responding to a decision by the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) to disaffiliate from MDA National on the grounds that its July 1 policy change would reduce the supply of youth gender medicine. AMSA’s statement claimed that gender-affirming treatment was based on “high-quality evidence” but did not reply when asked for references.

MDA National said it was disappointed at AMSA’s decision—the insurer had spon.sored association events—but stressed that its main duty was to protect its doctor-members from “the risk of potentially high-value claims.”

The spokeswoman said the fund would “continue to monitor the legal landscape of this area of emerging risk and will update our policy coverage to reflect any changes in medico-legal risk as required in the future.”

Litigation by regretful detransitioners has begun in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.

“[The health professional defendants] lied when they told Prisha she was actually a boy; they lied when they told her that injecting testosterone into her body would solve her numerous, profound mental and psychological health problems; and they lied when they told her about the nature and effects of ‘breast reduction’ surgery, which in actuality was a surgery to remove her healthy breasts and render her incapable of nursing a child (should she even be able to conceive one, which, due to her taking testosterone for years, may not be possible)”—court complaint of 25-year-old detransitioner Prisha Mosley, North Carolina, U.S.,17 July 2023

Evidence rules

This week Australia’s National Association of Practising Psychiatrists (NAPP)—which in 2020 issued a cautious, less medicalised policy on managing youth gender dysphoria—restated its view that a proper inquiry into gender clinics is needed.

“We support an objective national inquiry headed by a panel of experts that allows all sides of the debate to be expressed,” NAPP president Dr. Philip Morris told GCN.

“But the bottom line is that the inquiry must be based on the evidence base, not opinion.”

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, a larger group than the NAPP, is expected to publish its updated position statement on gender dysphoria “later this year”, the president Dr. Elizabeth Moore has told members.

In 2021, the college adopted a more cautious policy, noting the “paucity of quality evidence” on treatment outcomes and acknowledging that “evidence and professional opinion is divided as to whether an affirmative approach should be taken in relation to treatment of transgender children or whether other approaches are more appropriate.”

The policy was denounced as “inappropriate and harmful” by a group of Australian and New Zealand advocates of the gender-affirming way.

From March-September 2019 the college’s LGBT mental health policy had explicitly endorsed the gender-affirming treatment guidelines promoted as “Australian standards of care” by the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, which is home to the country’s most influential gender clinic. Those guidelines have come under intense scrutiny.

Video: Senator Chandler denounces inquiries that went nowhere

In the hunt

After critical coverage of gender clinics began in mid-2019 in The Australian, the then health minister Greg Hunt asked the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) to conduct a review.

In March 2020 the RACP sent Mr. Hunt a four-page letter of advice. It did not describe gender clinic medical treatments, nor discuss their risks; there was no mention of less invasive treatment options.

Instead, the RACP asserted that the national inquiry being sought by some health professionals “would further harm vulnerable patients and their families through increased media and public attention.” No evidence was offered for this claim.

It emerged that the RACP, which trains paediatricians, had previously lobbied for cheaper, quicker access to the medical treatments it was called upon to evaluate for Mr. Hunt. The RACP did not reply when asked at the time if it had a conflict of interest.

Mr. Hunt then gave public assurances that a federal-state body of health officials—the Health Chief Executives Forum—would deliver a new, uniform model of clinical governance across Australia’s gender clinics and a common system for proper data collection. Nothing appears to have come of this.

GCN understands that in response to recent questions from members, the RACP has—

claimed that the Health Chief Executives Forum has not responded to its request for an update on the promised progress towards a national approach to gender clinics acknowledged that its 2020 advice to Mr. Hunt “did not comment on specific clinical issues such as the use of puberty blockers and other treatments” conceded that much has happened in the field of gender dysphoria in Australia and internationally but says it has no plans to update the advice it gave to Mr. Hunt stated that it does not intend to develop clinical guidelines or position statements on the treatment of gender dysphoria

Against this background, Senator Chandler said an expert inquiry independent of government was “clearly required to lay the facts on the table and stop the buck-passing and the culture of silencing that everybody from parents to medical professionals to journalists have experienced and have been targeted with in this debate.”

She said the inquiry would also have to be independent of “the youth gender industry.”

“We can’t be in a situation where the [gender clinic] industry, which has in effect created its own rules, is then put into a position of reviewing those rules,” she said.

“And [the inquiry] must be run in a very transparent and evidence-based way that takes into account some of those international findings that we’ve seen in other jurisdictions [such as Finland, Sweden and England.]”

In the Australian Senate’s next sittings, starting on July 31, there is expected to be a vote on a motion for a committee inquiry into youth gender medicine.

Moved last month by Senator Pauline Hanson of the populist-right One Nation Party, the motion urges inquiry into questions including—

“whether children are being rushed into gender reassignment treatment” “whether psychiatrists such as Dr. Jillian Spencer … who question the use of puberty blockers without an appropriate mental health assessment are being silenced” “whether Australia should follow the United Kingdom and many European countries in adopting a more cautious approach to the prescription of puberty blocking drugs, amid concerns the evidence base for their efficacy is lacking” “whether the Commonwealth should take a greater oversight and regulatory role in the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children following the admission from the federal government that it has no idea how widely the drugs are being prescribed off-label for gender dysphoria”

Asked about this proposal, Senator Chandler said a parliamentary committee inquiry would be better than no inquiry at all, but the numbers in the Senate would not favour an independent inquiry, and in any case, it would be better for an inquiry to be “removed from politics, if possible.”

The ruling centre-left Labor Party (with 26 of the total 76 senators) is seen as uncritically committed to the gender-affirming model, while the Australian Greens, with 11 senators, have lobbied for a taxpayer-funded expansion of these medical treatments.

The Liberal-National opposition, with 31 senators, will have a conscience vote on Ms Hanson’s motion. One Nation has two senators.

Note: GCN sought comment from federal Health Minister Mark Butler and Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride

--

Australia makes awkward moves in the same direction as the UK and other European countries.

Interesting that the medical side of is being - at least partly - driven by the medical insurance industry; that doctors who subject patients to risky medical experiments will not be professionally protected when the patient comes back and sues. Doctors themselves might be able to deny the results of evidence reviews, but their insurers damn well won't. It's surprising the US, a much more litigious country, hasn't done more of this.

Also notable that you can tell at a glance which institutions have been ideologically compromised. The claim that there is "high-quality evidence" to support self-diagnosis and self-prescription of treatment is an ideological one. But they're never in favor of systematic reviews, for some reason. If what they're doing is so scientifically grounded, you'd think they'd be pushing to resolve this once and for all. They never do.

[wikiuntamed]

On this day in Wikipedia: Saturday, 20th April

Welcome, 환영 (hwanyeong), benvenuto, hoş geldiniz 🤗 What does @Wikipedia say about 20th April through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?

20th April 2023 🗓️ : Event - SpaceX Starship SpaceX's Starship rocket, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, launches for the first time. It explodes 4 minutes into flight. "Starship is a two-stage super heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by SpaceX. It is the largest and most powerful rocket ever flown. Starship's primary objective is to lower launch costs significantly via economies of scale. This is achieved by reusing both rocket stages, increasing payload..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0? by Jenny Hautmann

20th April 2018 🗓️ : Death - Avicii Avicii, Swedish DJ and musician (b. 1989) "Tim Bergling (Swedish: [ˈtɪmː ˈbæ̂rjlɪŋ] ; 8 September 1989 – 20 April 2018), known professionally as Avicii ( ə-VEE-chee, Swedish: [aˈvɪ̌tːɕɪ]), was a Swedish record producer and DJ. At age 16, Bergling began posting his remixes on electronic music forums, which led to his first record deal. He..."

Image licensed under CC BY 3.0? by The Perfect World Foundation

20th April 2014 🗓️ : Death - Neville Wran Neville Wran, Australian politician, 35th Premier of New South Wales (b. 1926) "Neville Kenneth Wran, (11 October 1926 – 20 April 2014) was an Australian politician who was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 to 1986. He was the national president of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1980 to 1986 and chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth..."

Image by Parliament of New South Wales

20th April 1973 🗓️ : Birth - Julie Powell Julie Powell, American food writer and memoirist (d. 2022) "Julie Anne Powell (née Foster; April 20, 1973 – October 26, 2022) was an American author known for her 2005 book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen which was based on her blog, the Julie/Julia Project. A film adaptation based on her book called Julie & Julia was released..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0? by

Hesser_Nestle_DiSpirito_Powell.jpg: Jason Lam

derivative work: StAnselm (talk)

20th April 1924 🗓️ : Birth - Leslie Phillips Leslie Phillips, English actor and producer (d. 2022) "Leslie Samuel Phillips (20 April 1924 – 7 November 2022) was an English actor. He achieved prominence in the 1950s, playing smooth, upper-class comic roles utilising his "Ding dong" and "Hello" catchphrases. He appeared in the Carry On and Doctor in the House film series as well as the long-running..."

Image licensed under CC BY 3.0? by

LesliePhillipsBAFTA07.jpg: Caroline Bonarde Ucci at https://www.flickr.com/photos/caroline_bonarde/

derivative work:

20th April 1818 🗓️ : Event - Court of King's Bench (England) Four days after the Court of King's Bench upheld an English murder suspect's right to a trial by battle in Ashford v Thornton, the plaintiff declined to fight, allowing the defendant to go free. "The Court of King's Bench, formally known as The Court of the King Before the King Himself, was a court of common law in the English legal system. Created in the late 12th to early 13th century from the curia regis, the King's Bench initially followed the monarch on his travels. The King's Bench..."

Image by Unknown authorUnknown author

20th April 🗓️ : Holiday - Christian feast day: Theotimos "Theotimos (Θεότιμος) is a Greek name, derived from theos, meaning 'god', and timè, meaning 'honour (or honourable) gift'. Its Latinized form is Theotimus. Theotimus is also the title of an ascetical theological work by Francis de Sales, which devotes the first six chapters on the love of God and the..."

[medicannah]

The Legal Framework For Medical Marijuana In Australia: What Doctors Need To Know

In Australia, accessing medical cannabis legally involves a specific process and requires consultation with specialized healthcare professionals known as Authorized Prescribers or Special Access Scheme (SAS) doctors. These doctors have the authority to prescribe medical cannabis products for patients with qualifying medical conditions.

To find a suitable cannabis doctor in Australia, it's recommended to follow these steps:

Consult Your General Practitioner: Start by talking to your regular doctor about your medical condition and the potential benefits of medical cannabis. They can provide you with necessary medical records and may refer you to a specialized cannabis doctor if appropriate.

Specialized Clinics: There are specialized clinics and healthcare facilities in Australia that focus on medical cannabis consultations. These clinics have experienced doctors who are knowledgeable about cannabis-based treatments. Research online or ask for recommendations from local support groups or online communities related to medical cannabis.

Authorized Prescribers: Authorized Prescribers are doctors who have been granted permission by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to prescribe specific cannabis-based products for their patients. You can inquire with the TGA or check their website for a list of authorized prescribers in your area.

SAS Doctors: Some doctors are registered under the Special Access Scheme (SAS) Category B, which allows them to apply for access to unapproved therapeutic goods, including medical cannabis, for their patients. You can inquire with the TGA or consult online directories to find SAS doctors near you.

Patient Support Groups: Joining patient support groups or online forums related to medical cannabis in Australia can provide you with valuable insights and recommendations from people who have gone through similar experiences. They might share information about trustworthy doctors and clinics.

Remember, it's essential to work with licensed and reputable healthcare professionals and to adhere to Australian laws and regulations regarding medical cannabis use. Always consult with a qualified medical practitioner for personalized advice tailored to your specific medical condition.

[alienssstufff]

[ 2019 ] Aaand these are some of the fankids that are related to my fantroll’s universe >:]

GWEN [she/her]= >Daughter of two very busy and absent parents. The house is often left empty leaving her to look after herself (she was taught how to at a very young age) for days on end. >She doesn’t talk much unless necessary and keeps to herself most times, inheriting that ‘Strictly business’ attitude from her parents. >Her strife weapon of choice is an expensive golf bag, an accessory her father brings on events where he’s invited to go golfing with clients for meetings etc. >Erin and Gwen are neighbours. Even before the events of the game, Erin has tried multiple times to befriend Gwen for behind each person theres “A talent, a passion inside of them just waiting to shine!” -Erin

ERIN [he/him + any pronouns by the role he takes]= >The son of the mayor. His mother is a very outgoing, and kind woman who spends most of her time devoted to the community getting to know them and doing all that she can to make everyone’s experiences in [UNNAMED TOWN] a wonderful one.  >Her traits run in the family (well her only son), who she adores very much! She’s very supportive of his interests and was actually the one who pushed forward in establishing the town’s Theatre Club.  >Erin’s a theatre kid - acting and storytelling is his passion and the love for the stage!  >A big team-player and also very good at reading people - he likes meeting people eager to string them along in his elaborate fantastical adventures. He’s practically befriended every kid in town - excused for Gwen >He rarely ever sees her, he watches out for her hoping she’d come outside  and join him on a big adventure >Strife weapon is a wooden sword. The very first stage prop he’s ever made! >HOPE PLAYER

DANI [he/they]= >The twin brother of Aria - and the brains of the operation >Dani and Aria are siblings of a very large family - many of them living in a trailer park near the sea >A quiet kid but is actually the one who suggests all the adventures he and Aria go on - Aria being Aria is more than happy to tag a long >Loves nature - he gets tired easily but enjoys the thrill of the hike it’s his special escape from the commotion of people >Has a current hyperfixation of lands folktales and cryptids - he hopes to come across one one day [his cryptid bias is the mothman] >Dani and Erin met through an online forum about cryptids while Erin was researching them for an upcoming role  >No real strife weapon - has a nature book in his sylladex where a weapon is supposed to be. Also always has a first aid kit, a whole stash of trail mix, and bandages for when Aria gets hurt (which is a lot) 

ARIA [she/him]= >Twin sister of Dani - the stamina of the operation >VERY strong despite the doctors telling that he would grow up frail due to her poor heart >Her vision is also pretty sensitive to the light - she picked up those sunglasses at a surf shop once during a roadtrip and hasnt looked back since >Her eldest brother taught her kickboxing bc she really wanted to - “To protect dani from oncoming bears!!!” she says >There are no bears there. >Talks with a Australian accent bc I think that would be funny - gets it from his mother >Likes living ON THE EDGE!!! HIGH STAKES HIGH REWARDS!!! has had many near death experiences because of this but that won’t stop her from trying everything! >Strife weapon is a pair of boxing gloves, a hand me down from her older brother >HEART PLAYER

[boop-le-snoot]

neurodivergent statistics rabbit hole ramble

So currently I am working on a large document that includes statistics, particularly on SIDS. Out of here curiosity I logged into my country's health statistics database-

I would like to preface this with the fact that in my culture it is acceptable and encouraged to co-sleep with infants, especially if the child is breastfed.

In the year of 2020, we had only 8 (!) SIDS deaths. Which is 13% of all deaths of infants (61) aged 0 days to 1 year.

Most common causes are "other conditions originating in the perinatal period" (57%) which most often means the infant was stillborn or died shortly after birth, closely followed by birth trauma & asphyxia (27%). There were no documented incidents of "unknown cause of death" and 1 death caused by "suffocation" (which was discussed in the press - the father did it whilst intoxicated).

I have two godchildren so mommy forums aren't completely foreign to me. I vividly remember the toxic arguments that surrounded co-sleep, which led me down into the rabbit hole of SIDS statistics for the US where most of these people on the forums come from. The numbers were higher in the US (percentage, as well as I could only find data for 2019, not 2020), not drastically so, and I checked Germany as well, which fell squat in the middle between Latvia and US.

This led me to research further, and I corresponded with a couple of people in healthcare. I asked an Australian friend, a British friend and a NICU nurse from Norway. Anecdotal reports of course, but the common questions I was asked included an inquiry about prescribing drugs that have an effect on sleep & prevalence of excess weight in women of childbearing age.

Obesity is not a common problem in people of childbearing age in Latvia, as well as prescription drugs are moderated and doctors are wary of over-prescribing, esp when it comes to drugs that affect cognition (such as mental illness meds).

Which led me to the current point: could SIDS be an indirect side-effect of things such as excess weight and overprescription of drugs in the cases of SIDS resulting from co-sleep? I sit on this piece of (useless... I think) information, and wonder if any studies have been done to correlate the two?

I have not found any, at all, which seems more than a little strange. Antidepressant sleep is of corpse quality (it's not uncommon to sleep through alarms) and etc.

(⬇️ literally me atm)

Edit/upd: there is one Swedish study that concludes that increased maternal weight also increases risk for SIDS. But nothing on cognition impairing drugs, except for illegal opiates. 😐

[doctorseekaustralia]

https://www.doctorseek.com.au/doctors-discussion-forum-voluntary-assisted-dying-in-australia-an-ongoing-debate/

In recent years, voluntary assisted dying (VAD) has become a significant topic of discussion within the Australian medical community. According to a new report, around 1% of all deaths in Australia result from voluntary assisted dying, highlighting the growing acceptance and implementation of this practice. However, this statistic has sparked debate and discussion among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public alike

[hopscotchfriday]

Richard Stanley’s Color Out of Space

There was a clear intake of breath from film nerds at the announcement of Stanley’s Lovecraft adaptation. Here was the promise of a serious adaptation of the Providence native’s fiction that would not simply focus on gloopy ooze and cosmic horror (while at the same time serving it up), but be willing to add a critical dimension to Lovecraft’s work.

The rising popularity of the author’s fiction, resting on a bedrock of American bigotry distinct even for the period, is troubling as news of rising racial tensions around the world continues to assault us on our devices, our televisions – the gossip of workplaces. H.P. Lovecraft has found his cultural moment and I almost wish he hadn’t.

Richard Stanley, meanwhile, has spent the last two decades in the wilderness. A South African émigré to the United Kingdom who somehow managed to court controversy even as his interests were strictly marginal – reminiscences featured in the documentary Future Shock!: The Story of 2000AD indicates comic creators still remember his lifting of Steve McManus and Kevin O'Neill's story Shok! (featured in prog 612).

Indeed, Stanley endured a reputation for many years as a promising young director, whose career was marred by this accusation of plagiarism and a disastrous failure in the Australian rain forest.

Fired from the set of The Island of Doctor Moreau, Stanley missed his shot at a Hollywood career. Refusing to simply fade away, the rejected director haunted the Northern Queensland locations in disguise as one of Moreau’s creations. He was even rumoured to have made some black magic workings to curse the production. The film-maker has continued to pursue his interest in the occult with indie documentaries.

Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau released in 2014 was the perfect forum for a reappraisal of the troubled director. David Gregory presents Stanley as a bleakly whimsical naïf, crashing on the rocky shores of Hollywood business. Interviews with bemused cast members and crew paint a picture of a visionary incapable of communicating his ideas to the money-men, trusting instead to puckish confrontation.

It did not pan out, with John Frankenheimer being air-dropped in to complete a mediocre adaptation of the H.G. Wells tale.

Gregory also introduces concept art for Stanley’s excessive vision, presenting the experiments of Moreau escaping into the modern world, with hallucinatory chaos ensuing. His fascination with Wells’s themes of man playing god, and colonial contempt for indigenous people, inspired a spectacle of karmic revenge on the streets of London.

Color Out of Space (oh yes, that is what this is supposed to be about) features a similar inversion of the original work’s thematic concerns. The original story features working-class New England farmers, the Gardner family, doomed by a mysterious alien meteorite that contaminants their well and corrupts them physically and mentally. Lovecraft’s thematic nihilism is touched with a degree of class derision for the Gardners, their fate recounted to the reader by an educated visitor from Boston who pieces together the events of the story.

Stanley makes a number of changes that retain the cosmic nihilism and essential beats of The Colour Out of Space (why drop the ‘u’, does it signify his contemporising of the test?), while challenging the privileging of Lovecraft’s classist hauteur. Now the Gardner’s are urbanites-turned hipster land owners, clearly out of their depth in raising alpacas in the New England countryside. Nicolas Cage’s head of the household Nathan mentions cooking the meat of the animals in the following year, which daughter Lavinia (Madeleine Arthur) has to point out is exactly what you don’t do. Alpacas are raised for their wool; it is a waste to eat them.

Here the Gardner’s privilege marks them as alienated from the land. Their lack of experience with farming is underlined by how the household’s finances derive from mother Theresa (Joely Richardson), who works as an online stocks advisor and is frustrated by the poor internet.

As for the Gardner children, Lavinia has embraced magic ritual to affect an escape from the drudgery of her parents’ escape to the countryside. She is also introduced attempting a healing spell on behalf of her mother’s cancer. But of all the Gardners, Lavinia is the character most approximate to the otherworldly force that invades their farm. Son Benny (Brendan Meyer) is stoned, too online, and disaffected, while the youngest child Jack (Julian Hilliard) is overly attached to Theresa.

The stage is set then for Stanley theme of the self-proclaimed wholesome American family being torn apart when encountering something outside their regulated life. Theresa’s cancer is the spectre that haunts the passive aggressive sniping between the children and Nathan’s failures as a father. The cancer is an early corollary for the metastasising corruption of the ‘color’, which arrives via meteor and quickly mutates and assimilates animal and plant life, before enveloping the Gardners themselves.

There is a studied weirdness in the script to the interactions between the Gardners, hinting at the family’s already festering tensions and resentments. A scene of romantic banter between Nathan and Theresa descends into an exchange that emphasises his possessive hold over her as a literal sex object; Lavinia and Benny exchange insults exclusively focused on their respective genitals. In Stanley’s inversion of Lovecraft, it is the family unit that is already a corrupting trap.

The alien intelligence that plagues the Gardners manifests what is already working on the clan and their presumed normality.

Stanley’s other coup is to remove the passive epistolary tone of the story. Instead he introduces hydrologist Ward (Elliot Knight), who at first tries to rescue the family from what he regards as a water-born illness. For his efforts he is then targeted by the alien intelligence at work.

There’s plenty for gorehounds to enjoy here, from twisting masses of flesh, limbs being lopped off and the always reliable – murderous trees – but Stanley has also produced an evenly paced, visually exhilarating meditation on alienation and invasion.  

Color Out of Space is now available On Demand via Telstra, Google Play, iTunes, Fetch TV, Foxtel & Umbrella Entertainment plus DVD & Blu-Ray. 

[mostlysignssomeportents]

#1yrago Thousands of sleep apnea sufferers rely on a lone Australian CPAP hacker to stay healthy

An Australian developer named Mark Watkins painstakingly reverse-engineered the proprietary data generated by Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines and created Sleepyhead, a free/open piece of software that has become the go-to tool for thousands of sleep apnea sufferers around the world who want to tune their machines to stay healthy.

CPAP machines can require extensive tinkering to deliver exactly the right amount of air to their users; too little air and the patient can become chronically oxygen-deprived, leading to very serious health risks including early mortality. Too much air pressure can also kill you.

CPAP machine manufacturers like Resmed scramble the data generated by the machines and expect patients to physically transport the data on SD cards to their doctors' offices, which doctors use to tune the machines. This process is slow, expensive, and cumbersome, and time-starved docs are unreliable CPAP mechanics (there is a real shortage of sleep specialists).

Enter Mark Watkins and Sleepytime, whose existence is spread by word of mouth on forums for apnea sufferers, and these communities help one another interpret the data generated by the machines and make small adjustments to dial in the right settings.

However, Sleepytime may be illegal. CPAP machines -- like many other medical devices -- use digital rights management (DRM) to restrict access to their internals, which are a mix of copyrighted software and uncopyrightable data. Section 1201 of the DMCA bans bypassing access controls for copyrighted works, for any purpose, on penalty of 5 year prison sentences and $500,000 fines (for a first offense!). Watkins is Australia, but unluckily for him, the US government insisted on similar copyright laws as a condition of the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement in 2004.

In 2015, the US Copyright Office granted an exemption to the DMCA that permits bypassing DRM in medical devices, including CPAP systems (the FDA filed comments in the docket saying they didn't oppose the exemption).

But appearances are deceiving. The DMCA is an exceptionally poorly drafted rule: not only does it allow medical device manufacturers to abuse copyright to limit patients' access to their own data, but the exemptions that might act to correct these abuses are extremely limited and don't mean what you might think they mean.

The Copyright Office takes the view that it can only grant "use" exemptions to DMCA 1201, but not "tools" exemptions. That means that if you somehow get ahold of Sleepytime, the Copyright Office generously allows you to use Sleepytime. But the Copyright Office can't make distributing or contributing to Sleepytime legal. By hosting Sleepytime, Github is exposed to both criminal and civil liability, and anyone who contributed bug-fixes to Sleepytime is likewise at risk. Giving a copy of Sleepytime to a friend is an offense, and charging them for it (for example, as part of home nursing services) is a felony.

Sleepytime is a perfect parable of the problems of late-stage capitalism: overworked doctors under commercial pressures contribute to an epidemic of underserved patients with potentially life-threatening conditions; the manufacturers who profit off of those patients spend engineering dollars to ensure that they can't help themselves (and that doctors have to pay for site licenses for their decoding software), and so tens of thousands of people around the world have to rely on the willingness of a single person to risk his freedom and finances to write public-spirited software to jailbreak them out of the manufacturer's walled garden.

https://boingboing.net/2018/11/16/sleepytime-vs-dmca.html

[shefightslikeagirl]

CORSETS AND STRIPED STOCKINGS: OUTFITTING THE ASYLUM FOR WAYWARD VICTORIAN GIRLS by She Fights Like A Girl

These articles are best viewed on desktop, but are mobile friendly. Please excuse any strange formatting on your phone browser or the Tumblr app.

This article was longer than intended and image-heavy, so it’s been split into two parts.

PART V: AN ASYLUM MUSICAL

“And if I end up with blood on my hands, Well, I know that you’ll understand ‘Cause I fight like a girl.” - Fight Like A Girl (2014)

And now we're back to the relatively recent past, when this blog was in its infancy and the fandom couldn't decide whether to stick with the forum or run rampant on Tumblr. Fight Like A Girl (the album) was still being recorded, but Emilie did a few live dates Down Under and decided to feature the title song from the unfinished album.

To my understanding, the Harvest Festival was another one of those concerts where the show was considerably downsized because of the cost of shipping props and set pieces. But where the South American tours hadn’t pulled back in the wardrobe department, the Harvest festival did. Emilie and the Crumpets performed in one costume for the entire set. But to make up for the lack of glam, EA debuted the first costume of the FLAG era.

This costume was worn for the cover art of Fight Like A Girl, and acted as the signature corset for the very first Fight Like A Girl World Tour (2012). 

“Asylum Secrets: All of my costumes over the years have been made to look as though someone had been murdered in them and come back from the dead to enact a fabulous revenge. To achieve this, I have employed techniques from melting fabrics with an industrial strength heat gun to spraying them with solutions that no human should ever breathe. In the case of the corset pictured, I burned it mercilessly with sticks of incense before painting the fabric to make it look moth-eaten.” - EA on the creation of the FLAG corset (June 25, 2018)

Speaking of the 2012 FLAG World Tour! While there were a lot of changes from The Door Tour and Harvest Festival, this tour is probably best remembered as a transition phase between eras. There were new costumes, but… the Rat Queen still introduced the show with 4 o’Clock. There were new set dressings, but… the shadow scrim was still main stage center. The new corset was mixed in with the Rat Queen ensemble and the structure of the show hadn’t changed terribly. New, but… kinda not?

Except for that Warrior Mohawk, of course.

Upper: WVC content / eBay listing photo. Lower: Making of the Warrior Mohawk from Emilie’s Flickr account.

This is the only tour where Emile wore a mohawk for the entirety(-slash-majority) of the show. Later concerts would see her removing it after the third song. There was some slight skepticism in the fandom with its debut, sparking discourse about everything from cultural appropriation to thematic relevance, but EA didn’t make much comment on the criticism.

“[The Warrior Mohawk] signified the transformation from victim to warrior. I feel that it is important for me to let go in order that I may go on to transform yet again and create new bits of wearable magic to surprise you with... This headpiece symbolized the birth of a new era in the Asylum…. This is the headdress of a tribal Queen…” - EA, 2012 eBay auction description.

“The Mohawk headdress represents the tribal, wild element of the sisterhood that formed during the imprisonment of the inmates, and shows that, once we escape and are on the rampage to take down our oppressors, we have indeed transformed from individual, helpless victims into a strong and beautifully terrifying tribal warriors.”  - EA for Natalie’s World, 2013 (x) (x)

Another costume that debuted on this tour was the MC of the Ophelia Gallery, who had his own brand-new number: Girls! Girls! Girls!

And as for its history...

(My best guess is that this photo originated in 2009, based on her hair.)

This character is a hint at the structure of the tour (and album) to come, where it would be less about the mad girls existing inside the Asylum and more about the story of how they got there, and what happened once they were interned. Allow me to stray from the costuming topic for just a moment…

A TANGENT: OF STAGE SHOWS AND ASYLUM CONTINUITY Spoiler filled ramblings of a long-time fan.

I’ve got a running theory that The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls, in all its forms, runs in parallel to the concerts. But they match each other in reverse. [Spoilers for the book to follow.]

Emilie’s first concert of the Opheliac brand was in a small venue in Chicago, alongside Lady Joo Hee. In The Asylum… book, Emily-with-a-y’s final days in the Asylum were spent with Sachiko (a character based on and formerly named Joo Hee). 

The Opheliac shows of 2007-2011 were all about the women in an Asylum singing songs and welcoming others home. Cannibals, ballerinas, pyrate captains, nymphomanics -- they all ran rampant with no apparent oversight except from Emilie herself. Rats crept and crawled onstage unbothered; toys, crumpets, and cupcakes were in abundance, often served alongside “tea,” and there isn’t a single cell door in sight.

Especially in the earliest days of the concerts, the set design had an emphasis on appearing hand-made -- not only because it was, but because it should be for these girls. This was the world EA branded for herself: a world of freedom, without judgement, earned by their own hands.

In The Asylum… book, after the Inmates take over and kill the doctors, this is very much what they do: impersonate medical professionals and welcome sick and not-so-sick girls home to protect them, nurture them, and give them the best life that the Victorian Age fails to do. They take over the Asylum and make it their own.

Then in the FLAG performances (2012-2014), the storytelling shifts. EA’s Asylum world is no longer loosely themed with inmates running amok, but adheres to a more rigid storytelling structure, detailing the struggles and despair of the girls locked up in The Asylum(-with-a-capital-T). It mirrors the bulk of the content in The Asylum… book. The carefree, whimsical stage dressings shift to bars -- a representation of the cells and gates in The Asylum. There might be a bear tied to a dreary grey harpsichord; you might even see a single rat scratching about. But they don’t have dominion here. There’s no freedom. Just the story of the girls trapped behind the bars.

And now we’re stalled on both sides of the street. We’ve met in the middle. The concerts started at the end of the book, and ended at the beginning. 

Ok, I’ll put my soapbox away. Let’s get back on track.

BACK TO BUSINESS

Where were we?

Oh, yes: Girls! Girls! Girls! and new costumes.

So let’s jump forward a little more, because there isn’t much else to say about Emilie’s costume style in the 2012 FLAG World Tour. Moving on to the 2013 Fight Like A Girl: North American Tour (and following European and Australian tours), a brand new show was brought to the stage. Full new stage set-up, new costumes, and a full new setlist. 

A costume I’ll be referring to as the “armored corset” replaced the moth-eaten FLAG ensemble in the opening number. Both Maggots and Veronica were given new costumes as well, replacing the costumes they had worn for years. 

Armored Corset, with varying amounts of sparkled (2013)

Maggie Lally; Captain Maggot / Captain Maggots

Veronica Varlow; The Naughty Veronica

The show design of this tour had Emilie in the armored corset with the mohawk for the two opening numbers, Fight Like A Girl and Time for Tea. The mohawk and the armored plates on her chest and hip were removed during the 4 o’Clock Reprise, leaving her without her armor for What Will I Remember? as the narrative moves back to the beginning of the story, before the “Uprising.”

On the subject of the corset: structurally, it was outfitted with snaps to attach the armor and allow for easy removal (see corset detail above, bottom right). The mohawk proved a more difficult challenge to remove, as it was securely clipped, pinned, and secured into EA’s hair. This ended up being corrected in the redesign that produced Mohawk 2.0.

Back to the show! By the time we get to Veronica’s Dominant fan dance, EA has removed the armor corset completely in the interim to prepare for the Girls! Girls! Girls! costume change. After Scavenger, the entire cast changes into Asylum Inmate Rags to perform Gaslight and The Key, and then changes back into full costume for the finale. Emilie wears the full FLAG ensemble from previous tours to close out the show, with varying headdresses. 

But I’m skipping over something important.

The Scavenger.

Inspired by Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal, The Scavenger, a vulture-esque representation of Dr. Greavsely, appeared onstage for Scavenger. 

“This is the start of the original costume @maggotmagpie wears in our show, the one Greavesly wears in #AsylumMusical will be bonkers…” - EA on the Scavenger (February 7, 2016)

EA on Twitter/Twitpic 2012 (x)

The Scavenger was usually worn by Maggots as part of a stilt-walking performance, but if the venue couldn’t or wouldn’t allow for stunts onstage, Emilie would appear alone in the costume for the number. 

Scavenger has plenty of different “shows” (A show, B show, and C show for my theme park friends), with “A Show” being Captain Maggot on stilts.

Note: The Atlanta show featured here is a bit strange, as it uses the Stage Screen and the Asylum Bars during a tour that doesn’t feature the former. Emilie also isn’t in the normal costume for this number, using a personal scarf to cover her bloomers and bra.

“B Show” would be Emilie performing as the Scavenger, due to venue restrictions. This was actually the way Scavenger debuted, until Maggot’s first performance later in the tour. (See pictures and even more info here.)

“C Show” would be Moth’s performance in the final set of Fight Like A Girl tours, as seen below:

(There’s also “D Show,” (ha) which is this random dude performing as The Scavenger. I’ve yet to figure this out, but my guess is it was a technician stepping in at the last moment or a friend of EA from Oakland.)

Last, but not least, are the Asylum Rags. You’d think there wouldn’t be much to say here, but there is. Click on the continue link below to learn more about tattered costumes and the rest of the FLAG era, because Tumblr only allows 10 pictures per post.

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE.

Fly back… PART I: Enchant and the Faerie Queene PART II: Drowning Ophelia PART III: Vecona, Seamstress of the Asylum PART IV: Wayward Victorian Girls

Remember to visit Part III and enter our giveaway! Ends 12/1/19.

[SEE ALL CREDITS AND SOURCES HERE.]

[reallookingfakebills]

Passport to Wealth

Have you ever 'failed' at Network Marketing, or any kind of home business? I admit that I have. I ended up sinking close to $10,000 into Herbalife...about half of that was getting started and buying $4000 worth of products for a 'Supervisor' order...and the rest, my coaches/upline dragooned me into buying into their ridiculously-overpriced advertising coop ($500 buy-in gets you 5 leads, and you were supposed to buy 3 or more of these 'wheel slots'!).

I might have had about $5000 in income come in...but I spent countless hours calling my overpriced leads, calling my downline's overpriced leads, and training my downline, most of whom disappeared because they weren't making any money.

So you need not feel embarrassed in my company, if you have ever been unsuccessful in network marketing.

What Does it Take to Achieve Success With My Internet Business?

The financial fiasco with Herbalife taught me that although there IS a ton of money to be made with internet business, I needed to find the RIGHT business opportunity, and more importantly, the right Mentoring Group within that business to join.

A preliminary Google search revealed the Top-Tier Internet Businesses. Darren Gaudry's Passport to Wealth caught my attention immediately because of the products, which included a comprehensive suite of internet marketing software and resources, and the compensation plan: it is an Australian '2-up' plan, which means each new member you sign up will 'pass up' their first two sales to you, their sponsor. Their third sale, they keep 100% of the $997 profit.

Meanwhile, the two sales they passed up to you? Guess what...they both will pass up their first two sales to you too!! Do you see what I mean, about how you could just make a few sales yourself and still have lots of money flooding in?

Thus I began to do some serious research into Passport to Wealth...I was NOT about to get scammed again. Well, technically I didn't get scammed by Herbalife...it IS an amazing product, but I did feel that my mentors ripped me off by selling me $4500 in 'wheel slots' that cost $500 a piece for a lousy 5 leads, who were little better than flipping through the phone book. Seriously, I had leads who thought they were applying for a job at a doctor's office...

So I searched every work-at-home forum and ranking site that I could find for details about Passport to Wealth. I was looking with a critical eye, for some little piece of negativity that would dissuade me from spending $997 to join.

I didn't find it. Instead, I found some incredible testimonials from real people who had been taught how to Earn Money Online by the Passport Mentors4U team.

I will now share with you the pros and cons of the Passport to Wealth business opportunity. Let's start with the cons.

Passport to Wealth Cons

a) $997 to invest --Although this isn't so much of a barrier now, with the $600-$1200 tax rebates on the way as a result of the Economic Stimulus Plan, in the past this investment requirement could make it difficult for many aspiring entrepreneurs.

b) 2 Sales to Qualify --With Passport to Wealth, you pass-up your first two sales to your sponsor. Although this isn't actually a 'cash' expense, that is still $2000 that you are passing up to get qualified. Of course, if you can get two sales, you can get more...it's not the money itself that has the value, but the skills that you gained in the PROCESS of getting those first two sales.

Passport to Wealth Pros

a) No Phone Calling Required Coming from Herbalife, where the modus operandi is to 'Call your leads 3-4 times per day', it is SUCH a relief that I don't have to talk to people on the phone anymore. You can either have Professional Sales Associates (PSAs) call your prospects for you (for a commission on the sale), or if you join the Passport Mentors4U Team, the leaders call your prospects for you for FREE, as a service to members.

b) You have an automated system which will sort, educate and close your prospects WITHOUT you...you just have to fill your marketing 'funnel' by driving traffic to your website, and the system will have sales dropping out the other end. This works through a Lead Capture page, where prospects leave their details and go on to view the 14-minute Passport to Wealth video presentation, and then receive a series of educational autoresponder emails that also include free gifts and digital products to help your prospect make the decision to start the business.

c) The compensation plan is structured such that once you are qualified, each sale puts $997 in your pocket right away . If your downline is serious and motivated to Earn Money Online, they will succeed and pass up their first two sales to you, for another $2000 of pure profit for you. If your downline are bums and don't do anything or follow the instructions, then you still made $997! This solves the problem of spending countless hours trying to train your downline in the hopes that someday they will make sales and recover your advertising costs that you spent to recruit them!

d) Free Trial You can actually sign up for a free trial with Passport to Wealth and see the back office, access some of the products and software, and kick the tires so you really *know* what you are getting yourself into! Most of the other top-tier Internet Businesses wouldn't even TELL you about the details or the products unless you first paid an application fee! So, there are the pros and cons of the Passport to Wealth business opportunity itself...and although that might SOUND excellent, Real Looking Fake Bills I tell you that it is still not enough. I had learned the hard way from Herbalife that even more important than WHAT business opportunity you join is WHO you join with! It doesn't do you any good to have a powerful automated marketing system that can make sales while you sleep...if you don't know how to get interested prospects to your website! So after diligently researching the business, I began researching the Passport to Wealth mentoring teams with equal diligence. I continued to dig, Google Search, and investigate. I felt that I had learned very little in terms of network marketing from Herbalife, so this time I was going to choose which team I joined. I interviewed three potential sponsors, from the Passport Mentors4U Team and the Passport Gold Team. The Passport Gold Team seemed to have LOTS of help for new people...but only until they made their first two sales. After that, you were removed from the rotator and on your own for marketing. This sounded like the exact OPPOSITE of what I wanted...I didn't want anyone making my first two sales for me and then leaving me, because it was the SKILLS to create the first two sales that I needed, 

Real Looking Fake Bills not the sales themselves! The Mentors4U team, lead by Megan Vaillancourt and Stephanie Sammour, built their business around that exact principle. These two stay-at-home moms make incomes that make my own executive salary from my day job seem like chump-change. The Passport Mentors4U build you a lead capture page free of charge, complete with killer ad copy and integration into an autoresponder that sends out a series of educational emails complete with the occasional free gift to your prospects. These sales letters do the sorting and educating for you, and when the prospect is ready to hear more, the Mentors call them FOR you and close the sale! Since I joined Passport to Wealth 2 weeks ago, under the Mentors4U team, I have learned the fine internet marketing arts of Blogging, Article Marketing, Press Releases, Squidoo, Ezines, Craigslist, and more. I don't want to brag or make silly claims of my income, but to give you an idea, go to Google and type in 'MyInternetBusiness', and click on the 'Groundbreaking News...' ad (right now it is number three on page 1). Imagine...two weeks into this business and my site is already on the FIRST PAGE of Google! I'll leave it to the reader to determine the kind of business that is generating for me now...and the kind of business that could generate for you, too, but only if you join with the RIGHT MENTORING TEAM. So, in summary, Passport to Wealth , and the Mentors4U Team in particular, is definitely NOT a scam, and is in fact an incredible internet business opportunity where you can make $997 per month, or per week, or even per DAY once you get your search engine rankings high enough! To learn more, you may visit the link in the resource box below.

I hope this review has been helpful and informative, and like yourself I am looking forward to a bright future with My Internet Business!

[visaexperts]

Healthcare and Character Requirements for Australia Immigration

While Australia is all about open doors for immigrants from around the world, but for the purpose of Australia Immigration, the country has maintained an excellent benchmark for meeting health and good character standards for every newcomer. Let’s dive further into the details to understand both the requirements to migrate to Australia.

Who is entitled to meet Australia’s health and character requirements?

People who are determined to move Down Under are already aware about meeting the health requirement courtesy of a having an immigration consultant or advice from the immigration forums, and most of these individuals are potential skilled applicants with a PR provision under Subclass 189, Subclass 190, Subclass 489 or certain temporary visa applicants. But however, the requirement for a character certificate applies to all visa aspiring candidates.

What are the Health requirements for Australia immigration?

With world-class healthcare facilities, candidates for Australia immigration enjoy some of the finest Medicare systems in the world. Being a healthy-wealthy nation, the government of Australia has all the reasons in the world to keep the land of kangaroos safe by setting standards for the intake of immigrants who aspire to migrate to Australia.

What the Australian government aims to curb:

Keep the communities of Australia free from public health and safety risks - such as Tuberculosis (TB).

Marginalize expenses on healthcare and community services, including social security benefits and pensions.

Protection against minimal     healthcare and community services for Australian citizens and permanent     residents.

For these reasons, candidates who aspire for Australia immigration are scrutinized to be free from a disease or condition that is:

Considered as a threat to general public health in the Australian community.

Likely to carry significant cost on the Australian government for healthcare and community service.

Involved in the requirement of healthcare and community services that is already in short supply and would limit the access of Australian citizens and permanent residents to those services.

Meeting the health requirements

To know whether or not you meet the criteria for health standards, an applicant is required to undergo health check-up from a state designated panel doctor. Kindly note that each state has a specific requirement for health examination. You can vouch for a waiver, if you’re not meeting the health requirement for your Australia immigration application. And once you reach Australia you may be required to sign a health undertaking on the basis of further tests.

Health insurance

Certain short-term visas require evidence of health insurance till the time of your stay in Australia, which would be required after meeting the health requirements for streamlining the process to migrate To Australia.

Character requirements

To live peacefully in any country, you must be of good character and Australia is no exception. You must meet the following criteria to pass the character test for Australia Immigration:

A sentence with imprisonment for 12 months or more; or

Multiple sentences over the course of time which adds to 12 months or more in prison.

Smuggling;

Human trafficking;

Genocide;

War crime;

Crime against humanity that involves torture or slavery, or a crime that is of international concerns;

Whether or not you have convicted of such an offence.

On the basis of your past and present criminal records you may or may not be seen fit for Australia immigration.

The Australian government would keep an eye on you as you might still be a potential risk while you are in Australia, as you would engage in a:

criminal conduct

harass, molest, intimidate or stalk another person

defame the Australian community

stir up conflict in the Australian community or in a part of it

dangerous activities that might be of threat to the Australian community or a part of it.

Convicted or have been charged for one or more sexual offence involving a child.

You are subject to investigative interrogation by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

You’re a suspect to an Interpol notice, which is evident that you directly or indirectly pose threat to the Australian community.

How to prove your character

Almost all candidates who migrate to Australia and are above 16 years are required to provide a police clearance certificate to show that you are of good character and do not pose a threat to the citizens of Australia. One has to prove that they’re clear of any criminal charges in each country, where he/she resided for more than 12 months in the last 10 years prior to lodging their visa application.

Conclusion

Further summarizing the topic, we can say that for seamless Australia Immigration process the Australian government wants to make sure that its doors are open to immigrants who can contribute to a healthy economy of Australia and are of certain caliber to meet these requirements. Thus, a benchmark for health and character requirements is set in place for migrants to meet them.

[doctorseekaustralia]

Doctor Seek is an Australian-based platform that serves as a comprehensive resource for both healthcare professionals and patients. It’s more than just a directory for finding the nearest GP; it’s a vibrant virtual community where doctors can engage in meaningful discussions on health-related topics through online forums. In this offsite blog, we’ll explore some of the top trending topics on Doctor Seek and how this platform is reshaping the landscape of healthcare discussions in Australia.

The Role of Online Forums in Modern Healthcare

Online forums have become an essential part of modern healthcare, providing a space for professionals to discuss, debate, and share insights on various medical topics. Doctor Seek stands out as a platform that not only connects patients with GPs but also fosters a community where Australian Doctors can discuss pressing health issues, share their expertise, and stay updated on the latest medical research.

Top Trending Topics on Doctor Seek

1. The Evolution of Telemedicine in Australia

Telemedicine has been a game-changer in the Australian healthcare system, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Doctor Seek, Health Discussions about telemedicine are among the most popular topics. Doctors use the forum to explore how telemedicine is transforming patient care, especially in rural and remote areas where access to healthcare services can be limited.

Key Discussion Points:

Accessibility: How telemedicine bridges the gap between urban and rural healthcare.

Patient Satisfaction: Evaluating the effectiveness of virtual consultations.

Integration Challenges: The obstacles of incorporating telehealth into traditional healthcare models.

2. Voluntary Assisted Dying: Ethical and Practical Considerations

Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) remains a contentious issue in Australia, and it’s a hot topic on Doctor Seek. With several states legalizing VAD, healthcare professionals are discussing the ethical dilemmas, practical challenges, and the impact of these laws on their practice.

Key Discussion Points:

Ethical Concerns: The moral implications of assisting in a patient’s death.

Implementation: How doctors are navigating the legalities of VAD.

Communication: Approaches to discussing VAD with patients and their families.

3. Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals

The mental health of healthcare professionals has become an increasingly important topic, particularly as the pressures of the profession continue to mount. Doctor Seek’s forums offer a space for doctors to share their experiences, coping strategies, and advocate for better mental health support within the industry.

Key Discussion Points:

Burnout Prevention: Strategies for managing stress and avoiding burnout.

Work-Life Balance: The challenges of maintaining balance in a demanding profession.

Support Systems: The importance of mental health support networks for healthcare workers.

4. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Its Impact on Public Health

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern in Australia and globally. On Doctor Seek, doctors engage in discussions about the best practices for prescribing antibiotics and the public health strategies needed to combat AMR.

Key Discussion Points:

Prescribing Practices: Responsible use of antibiotics to prevent resistance.

Public Education: Educating patients on the dangers of antibiotic misuse.

New Treatments: Exploring alternative treatments and solutions to combat AMR.

5. The Importance of Vaccination in Public Health

Vaccination continues to be a critical component of public health in Australia, particularly with the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19. On Doctor Seek, doctors discuss the role of vaccines in preventing disease outbreaks, addressing vaccine hesitancy, and the strategies needed to ensure high vaccination rates.

Key Discussion Points:

Vaccine Hesitancy: Addressing concerns and misinformation that lead to vaccine refusal.

Public Health Strategies: Effective ways to promote vaccination in different communities.

Future Vaccinations: Planning for future vaccination campaigns, including boosters and new vaccines.

6. The Intersection of Lifestyle and Public Health

Lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise, and substance use have a significant impact on public health. Discussions on Doctor Seek often focus on how lifestyle changes can prevent chronic diseases and improve health outcomes for the population.

Key Discussion Points:

Preventative Care: The role of lifestyle modifications in preventing chronic illnesses.

Public Health Initiatives: Campaigns and strategies to promote healthier lifestyles.

Patient Engagement: Encouraging patients to adopt and maintain healthy habits.

Conclusion

Doctor Seek is not just a platform for finding a local GP; it’s a vital online community where Australian doctors can connect, share knowledge, and discuss the most pressing health issues of the day. The discussions on Doctor Seek reflect the evolving landscape of healthcare in Australia, from the rise of telemedicine to the ongoing challenges of antimicrobial resistance

Reference URL on Exploring Top Health Discussions on Doctor Seek: A Hub for Australian Doctors

[errors-head-blog]

(Has this been done yet?)

Welp....however here is my little meme contribution to the shitstrom happening to this little dude on the official overwatch forums...

!!! [ Also Hammond does not ruin the lore, if you are okay with: -a man that dissipates into smoke and reforms with literally infinite shotguns up his sleeve -a time traveling pilot -two ninjas that summon dragons out of thin air, one of which can deflect bullets and literal black holes -a russian woman who can literally create black holes -a talking gorilla who “is always angry” -an australian man who is unharmed by his own bombs -another one that is like 10 feet tall and inhales gas -a robot that can turn gold at any time and then turn normal colors again -a hulking German man that can shoot fire out of his 10 foot tall hammer -a gamer who contols a mech despite little training and can make things disappear with a computer -an environmentalist that summons walls out of the ground -a Swiss doctor that can revive people from the dead because science -a Brazillian DJ who can heal bullet wounds and direct rocket shots with music -a robot that floats in midair -a druid evil scientist woman that shoots balls of magic -little Swedish dwarf who goes ape-s**t and is engulfed in flames but is somehow completely fine -a sniper that heals and damages people at the same time without changing bullets -symmetra’s light constructions -a mexican woman who learned hacking with no training whatsoever, can go invisible with no visible technology that can help her do so, and can hack human beings which does things such as make american men forget how to roll or sprint ] !!!

[sterontribrun1972-blog]

Unless you forgot to sign out of your alt and are using your alt to respond to yourself on a fishing forum. Damn that sad. My response? PICS OR IT DIDN HAPPEN.. I like tiramisu, the streak, wrecking ball, s+c2, kings cake is my no.1 fave, cinnamon cereal, snickerdoodle, and milk and berries are also all fricken amazing. Just got vanilla clouds and on cloud custard so I waiting from them. Butterbeer is good it pre steeped. I wish you a happy election day tomorrow.Limebird27 40 points submitted 6 days agoPicked up this Birchbox at Walgreens the other day. It was $15 and came with a tote bag. I chose to addSand and sky Australian pink clay, I've heard great reviews about it. Aaaw so nice. I thought about adopting older cats and giving them a great last few years, or even cat hospice (a shelter near us was looking for a foster to take a dying cat, the shelter paid for all the vet trips and meds). But I not sure I can handle that, it would be so hard.. Thank you for posting this, it's really appreciated. Being someone with sensitive and dry skin, I don't use "natural ingredients" since they tend to irritate my skin. I now have a regimen with around ten steps consisting of what you would call "chemical" ingredients and my skin has never looked better and been less dry. I remember watching that 서울출장안마 movie and thinking the Ben Stiller character was the hero."hazelowl 1 point submitted 11 days agoI admit, I pretty much mocked my husband until he tried new things and told him to eat least try it, not reject it outright. Now he likes a lot of my cooking. I not usually really complicated it still pretty much basic stuff, but I play with spices.There are still things I don cook beans (which he hates) and most soups (which he won eat) in particular, because I don want to listen to the whining. When you are ready, I suggest getting into lifting weights. Doesn have to be anything crazy, but I am just going to be honest and say that having muscles I used to lifting with make certain movements easier for me. Some of my classmates were not physically active when they started but they made us do exercises at school every day and it really helped :)Your back will thank you later if you practice back hinging exercises ahead of time!! Good luck and feel free to message me if you have more questions!gufjoojuice 3 points submitted 2 months agoI don think it would be rude at all to just sit him down and say something along the lines of, "look I appreciate all the cleaning and supplies and the way you help keep things running here but I feel like you have been overspending and charging me for it." And explain to him what is fine to get, and just lay out all the examples of things you guys already have an abundance of and why you don need that. I have a service dog too! Of course I just have my doctors note from my previous doctor that is almost three years old, but I do plan on seeing a doctor here to get a new set of papers and a new doctor. Having a service dog while in the military community is nothing like going out to the general public with one. It's seems as if people have common sense on base! 서울출장안마 I've taken my dog to my husbands ceremonies that he has and he a favorite of the unit, that sometimes my dog will go have a boys hangout with them for a couple hours at work if I need to deep clean the house.

[dysthymiadysfunction]

The First Post

Starting a blog post is difficult.

I had the idea for this blog back in July 2018, and I’m only just writing/uploading the first post now. I’ve been thinking “I’ll write something when I feel a bit better” or “I’ll do it when I have the time.”. And I can assure you I didn’t do either. I’ve had the time, and my cycle has gone back to the good place and back into the bad place again so I’ve felt better. So I stopped to think why I’m actually not writing this thing.

I’m scared. I’m embarrassed. I’m wary of the very raw and nuanced subject of mental health. Especially when the mental health disorders are mine and a very large part of my life. And to add insult to injury I don’t know if this hesitation is actually because of my mental health problems. Honestly that’s a common theme in my life. Not knowing what’s me and what’s my brain’s wonky chemistry.

However, I’ve started now. That’s the important thing. I’ve taken the step I’ve been meaning to take for half a year. So I’ll stop talking about how I’ve started the thing and actually do the thing.

My name is Jennifer. I’m 26 years old. My job is administration. I’m a Libra. And I’m diagnosed with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression with dysthymia, anxiety disorder with obsessive compulsive disorder and recently had an episode of psychotic depression.

Yes I’m aware it’s quite a list (although I know many people with longer lists of conditions than I do, and honestly I am so proud of anyone who can keep up with it because it is exhausting). Sometimes I feel like I’m a hypochondriac, but I’ve never gone to a doctors explicitly looking for a diagnosis. Sometimes I feel like I’m lying for attention, but I rarely bring it up because I’m scared people will think I’m lying for attention. And sometimes I can barely hold myself together because each thing is pulling me in a different direction with all their might.

I’m likely to talk about each thing in depth later, but if anyone is interested I’ve included some links below along with a tldr of what they are for me;

Fibromyalgia - Everything hurts

NHS - Fibromyalgia

Chronic Fatigue - Everything’s exhausting.

NHS - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / ME

Depression - The Sad

Mind - Depression

Dysthymia - Always a little amount of The Sad. Sometimes a lot of The Sad.

Harvard University - Dysthymia

Anxiety - I know it won’t happen. BUT WHAT IF.

Mind - Anxiety

OCD - If I don’t do [action] then [Bad Thing] will happen.

Mind - OCD

Psychotic Depression- I’m seeing things and they’re after me.

NHS - Psychotic Depression

Obviously other peoples’ experiences with these conditions are likely to be different. Except fibro. That’s always pain. Forever.

Here’s a little more information about me so you know where my experience is coming from, because this is just a chronicle of my own struggle with my health. And it’s important to have context.

I live in a fairly nice market town in south west England.

I’m a university graduate.

I work part time because I can’t handle full time hours.

I still live with my parents.

My mother is disabled and has been for as long as I remember.

My younger brother is severely autistic, non-verbal and short tempered.

I probably have too many pets (two rabbits, four guinea pigs and a hamster) but I love them all with everything I have.

I’m engaged to my best friend who I met online over a decade ago on a Kingdom Hearts forum.

He’s also Australian and we were in a long distance relationship for nearly a year before we actually met in person.

Hopefully that’s enough to at least build a foundation for this blog to build upon in posts yet to come.

Turns out ending a blog post is difficult too.