Unregulated internet not an option: Conroy - iTWire

Leaving the online world as an unregulated distribution medium actually "weakens all that is good about the internet," Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has told the Sydney Institute in a detailed defence of the Rudd Government's digital policy agenda.

Internet filter not censorship: Conroy

Senator Conroy said ISP level filtering alone was not enough to help fight child pornography or keep children safe online, which was why the government supported the block of content such as child sexual abuse imagery and material advocating terrorism.

"This is a modest measure, which reflects long held community standards about the type of content that is unacceptable in a civilised society," he said.

"Those who claim the government's approach is akin to the sort of political censorship practiced by authoritarian regimes are simply misleading the Australian public."

Filter unnecessary: US ambassador

The United States' ambassador to Australia last night said there were "other means" available to achieve the goals of the Federal Government's internet filtering project, adding to the impression that the US disapproved of the project.

US Ambassador Jeff Bleich (Credit: US State Department)

US Ambassador Jeff Bleich responded to a question on the ABC's Q&A program last night, saying the US had told the Australian Government that it had been able to accomplish the goals of the filter — which Bleich described as capturing and prosecuting child pornographers and others who use the internet for a "terrible purpose" — without using internet filters.

"We have other means and we are willing to share our efforts with them in order to allow them to at least look at a range of choices, as opposed to moving in one particular direction," he said.

Just a wrap up of recent comments. Necessary, not-necessary, effective, not effective. Will help, won't work, Is mandatory, can be bypassed - legally.

And how much is this costing me Senator Conroy?

Sounds a bit dodgy to me!

Sylvestor

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Stem cell expert confident of diabetes cure

Posted 3 hours 16 minutes ago

The head of the world's richest stem cell research fund says he expects to see a cure for diabetes in little more than a decade.

Professor Alan Trounson has highlighted research that has transformed human embryonic stem cells into insulin-producing cells to treat diabetes in mice.

He says the technique could work equally with humans.

"I do think we'll get a cure to diabetes," he said.

"We've got a lot of work to do because diabetes itself is a complex disease.

"Its got an auto-immunity component, its got a cell replacement.

"I think it will happen. We'll use stem cells to do that. Im sure of that."

Tags: diabetes, research, stem-cells, australia

Just another reason why stem-cell research is so important in this day and age. Diabetes is just one. So many scientific opportunities that cannot be ignored.

Surely it is vital to continue these sorts of investigations to help people rather than debate about silly issues like 'state imposed censorship'!

I would rather a cure to diseases like diabetes well ahead of a state built broadband network! Sometimes I think Government has their head in the wrong pile of sand.

Sylvestor

Health officials are probing the case of a Chicago plague researcher who died after contracting a rare infection which may have been caused by a weakened laboratory strain of deadly bacteria.

An autopsy found the bacteria in the blood of Malcolm Casadaban, who died shortly after he was admitted to hospital on September 13, university officials said.

The weakened laboratory strain is not known to cause illness in healthy adults and has been used as a vaccine to protect against plague

Somewhat disconcerting for those in need of "Plague Vaccines" I would imagine...oh it seems our scientist died from the plague strain I am about to inject you with!

Plague is a nasty. But then so is a lot of disease. It is important, I think, to remember that these nasties are still prevalent in our world (Plague, Tuberculosis, Dengue etc etc).

And as for vaccinations? Don't let the "unbelievers" sway you to not vaccinate children. The only reason many diseases are non-existent or held-back in our world is because of the effectiveness of vaccination. If you don't agree, visit a children's hospital!

Sylvestor
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