Stand Up and be Counted

With just days left until Budget, we've frantically crunched the numbers on Prime Minister Abbott's Commission of Audit recommendations for Medicare — and what we've found is pretty sickening.

 



The proposed $15 Sick Tax for GP visits means that bulk billing patients — those Australians who can least afford it — will cop up to $1.4 billion per year in new GP fees. In certain electorates, this could mean communities coughing up as much as $20.5 million.¹

Why? Because Treasurer Hockey says there are some government benefits Australians have "come to take for granted", and that "nothing is free".²

But the key fact missing is that we already contribute to Medicare out of each and every pay. And together, our contributions have built a universal Medicare system that's the envy of many around the world. That's why, in just a matter of days, nearly 70,000 Australians signed onto the petition to protect our Medicare.

According to press reports this week, political backlash to the Commission of Audit is being felt in the Liberal party room. So with just 3 days to Budget, this is our chance to tip things over the edge. The Government needs to hear from us now — and big, round numbers always make an impression.

Can you sign this urgent petition to protect our world class Medicare system and help us get to 100,000 signatures by Monday — the night before Budget?

https://getup.org.au/protectmedicare

Not only do we already pay for Medicare through the levy, one in four Australians pay more than $1000 every year in out-of-pocket healthcare costs, for things like medicine and specialist services.³ One study estimates that households now directly pay as much as 25% of the nation's health costs.⁴

So while the sick are made to suffer, one clear beneficiary of Abbott's "Sick Tax" will be the private healthcare lobby. It's no surprise then that the idea came straight from an industry funded think-tank.⁵

The Government's heard from the industry lobbyists — now it's time they hear from us, 100,000 strong. Together, we can send them a powerful message: a tax on the sick is political poison.

Click here to join the fight to protect Medicare and let our politicians know that Australians will not stand for profit-driven, US-style healthcare.

https://getup.org.au/protectmedicare

Charging someone for being sick would be the end of the Medicare system we know and love. GetUp member Jade said it best: "Being Australian is not about kicking someone while they're down!"

Let's drive the message home,
Sam, for the GetUp team

PS - To see what the proposed $15 Sick Tax would cost bulk billing patients in your electorate, check out the complete breakdown of our analysis at: https://getup.org.au/SickTaxMap.

PPS - Are you a GP? Or other health professional? We'd love to hear from you! Send a few sentences on why you think the Sick Tax is a terrible idea to: medicare@getup.org.au.

[1] For full electorate-based data, including sources, on the cost of the Sick Tax for bulk billing patients, go to https://getup.org.au/SickTaxMap.
[2] Treasurer Joe Hockey warns of tougher means testing ahead of Commission of Audit's release, ABC News, 24 April 2014
[3] Curing Medicare's malaise, Australian Financial Review, 23 April 2014
[4] Mind the gap: $6 GP visit proposal ignores the evidence, The Conversation, 9 January 2014
[5] The end of Medicare as we know it, ABC News, 6 January 2014

Astrix Space Bride

Click on picture to enlarge

Violet Vixen Build

Kit Instructions

1. De-finning. Since you are reading this, we'll assume you got the box open. First lay out all your white resin pieces. Let's see. There's, uh...one. One big piece of resin, in a shape of a girl with a body that should be declared illegal. Find it? Good.

Now if you can quit oogling her body, it is likely you will notice casting fins and thin mold webbing holding things together. These need to be trimmed off carefully with an X-acto knife. The sketch to the left will help you identify all of them.

2. Small Parts Check. You should have a small plastic bag filled with these parts in your kit. Black netting for covering her head (she's very shy you know.) Five small metal rings, one is an oversized easy-access "pull tab" for zipper. Two dangle from her ankle straps (we can only dream what these are for) and two more for either side of her choker belt. Also a small length of black rubber hose (operates as power feed from the back pack to her baton.)

3. Cleaning. Now that you've cleared your little vixen of those pesky webs and located her little bag of accessories you can begin assembly. Okay, so there's no assembly. Find something else to do. Maybe look for tiny air bubbles that need filling. Or lightly sand her with some extra-fine 400 grit sandpaper. If you don't see anything else, either rub her down with alcohol, or give her a warm soapy bubble bath. This will remove any mold release that will prevent paint from sticking. As you're cleaning, be sure to reach into all her little crevices. (She likes Q-tips, they tickle.)

4. Replacing heels. This lady can stand on her own two feet just as she is, but sometimes, when she meets up with a ham-handed brute, one of her heels may break off. That makes her really mad. If you are a ham-handed brute and don't wish to see her really mad, you can fix her up good by replacing her resin heels with steel nails. It's easy.

Snap off about half of the existing heel. Using a 3/32" bit, carefully drill 3/8 inch deep into the bottom of each heel, making certain to get the same angle as the broken-off heel. Now, clip off the pointy ends of two 4D finishing nails so they are only 1 inch long. Note that you still have the nail heads; don't cut them off. Push the nails into the drilled holes unglued and stand her up on a smooth (formica) level surface. Letting the nails slide freely, adjust her to the point where she will be balanced, and use a rapidograph or other sharp marking device to mark the point where the nail disappears into the resin. Now, you can take out the nails, apply super glue and push them back in, only as far as your marked points. Notice that the tiny nail heads replicate perfect heel soles. Now just putty and retaper bulk of heel to flow naturally. Ta Da! Invincible stiletto heels! And, ooh boy, is she gonna' thank you later.

5. Painting. First, prime all with White primer. If you want the look of the reference pic, (super-shiney pants) these will need to be painted first. Go to an automotive supply store and get a small can of Gloss Black retouching Lacquer. It's the shiniest paint you can get! You'll love it. Tape-mask all belts, skin, hair. Spray her with a first coat, the INSTANT it looks wet, STOP! You do NOT want runs! Allow to dry for one hour at room temp only (don't use heat!). Apply the second coat, as soon as you get that glossy look again, STOP! Even though this paint will feel dry to the touch in minutes, do NOT handle for several hours. Also, do not clear coat this paint. It's tough enough for automobiles, it'll take any abuse YOU can dish out on her for years to come.

Now mask off pants with liquid frisket (Maskoid). Paint violet's flesh a pale orangey-tan with a darker rosey blush on the apples of her cheeks. We suggest airbrushing creamy white over her, uh... chestal globes. We also recommend spraying just slightly darker flesh tones into the crevices of her muscles. After her skin tones are perfect and smooth, seal lightly with flat lacquer (dull coat).

With a tiny brush do her face. Go slow. Seal with flat lacquer. Paint her hair opaquely with a base coat of light pink-tangerine and let it dry throughly. Do not seal. Now, mix a darker reddish brown wash, adding a few drops of cleaner to make the paint flow. Test a small area, the wash should puddle into the crevices. If it looks good, apply wash quickly all over hair. If the wash drips onto the face, its okay the clear flat lacquer will protect you.

Paint all belts on skin black, belts over pants, dark grey. The buckles and zipper are silver. Now she's ready for her final dating acessories.

6. Final Accessories: Metal Rings.

We'll start with the five metal rings. These little guys can get away from you, so you may want to take only one out of the bag at a time, or put them on a piece of tape. Each ring requires clipping a small section out to fit over the resin nub. Also, to get a really good glue contact, scrape the paint off either side of the tiny resin nub so that bare resin is revealed. The collar rings fit under the floatingbelt (see sketch bottom of this column.). Let the pant zipper ring dangle naturally down away from the pants. Same with the ankle rings.

7. Final Accessories: Cable.
There is a short Cylinder coming out of the left side of the power back pack. Stick one end of the power cable (black rubber cord) in here, gluing securely. You may cut the rubber cord to any length you think looks right, and test fit into the top of her power baton. If you put a little twisting tension into the cord you can get it to make a nice flowing "S" shape. Glue in place.

8. FinalAccessories: Netting.
If you rub the netting between your hands you can work out some of the starchiness. Then it'll be easier to work with Lay it over her head with the majority of the material in the back. Grab all the edges at the back of her neck and pinch it so that it stretches tightly across the face. Try to keep wrinkles off her face and keep the bottom netting above the choker strap. It may take a couple of tries to get it right but it will get easier each time. Once everything looks good, twist it together as tightly as possible with one hand and put a couple drops of super glue on your Lightly twisted knot. Hold in place as it sets (one minute). You can make the knot even smaller by wrapping tightly with black thread. Trim excess with scissors to make a sort of bow.

Dark Knight Rises

The plot for ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is currently being kept securely under lock and key. Judging by this weeks new theatrical trailer and the previous two films, I think it’s safe to say that we can expect something A W E S O M E!

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Tom Hardy as Bane, Gary Oldman as Commissioner Jim Gordon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake, Michael Caine as Alfred, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, and Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate. Juno Temple, Josh Pence, Daniel Sunjata, Nestor Carbonell, Tom Conti, Joey King, Brett Cullen, Chris Ellis, Josh Stewart, Christopher Judge, Adam Rodriguez and Rob Brown co-star.

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is scheduled for release July 20th. Christopher Nolan directs the film from a screenplay he wrote with Jonathan Nolan. The official synopsis for ‘The Dark Knight Rises is below. Expect to see official posters and character posters for the film soon.

Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Returning to the main cast, Oscar® winner Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

The screenplay is written by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on “Batman Begins” and the record-breaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight.” The executive producers are Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. The film is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by Bob Kane.

Behind the scenes, “The Dark Knight Rises” reunites the director with several of his longtime collaborators, all of whom worked together on the “The Dark Knight.” The creative team includes director of photography Wally Pfister, who recently won an Oscar® for his work on Nolan’s “Inception”; production designer Nathan Crowley; editor Lee Smith; and Oscar®-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (“Topsy-Turvy”). In addition, Paul Franklin and Chris Corbould, who both won Oscars® for the effects in “Inception,” supervised the visual and special effects, respectively. The music is composed by Oscar® winner Hans Zimmer (“The Lion King”).

In helming the film, Christopher Nolan is utilizing IMAX® cameras even more extensively than he did on “The Dark Knight,” which had marked the first time ever that a major feature film was partially shot with IMAX cameras. The locations span three continents and include the American cities of Pittsburgh, New York and Los Angeles, as well as sites in India, England and Scotland.

“The Dark Knight Rises” is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Legendary Pictures. Slated for release beginning July 20, 2012, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

She's Gonna Get....

Thor

Red Riding Hood