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Call EPA 24 hours a day.1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC)
Air quality is important to the health and wellbeing of all Victorians. Most air pollution comes from industry, motor vehicles and domestic wood burning.
EPA plays a role in protecting the community from noise pollution.
Human health and wellbeing relies on the quality of our environment every day.
Our reporting system lets you dob in litterers in cars.
Many industrial activities require works approvals and licences from EPA.
EPA helps protect Victorians' health from potential environmental hazards.
EPA works to protect Victoria from pollution during major infrastructure projects.
EPA periodically reviews environmental policy and regulation.
Guidance for business and industry, including licensing, works approvals and planning.
Information about the fees and charges levied by EPA.
EPA's organisational strategy sets out five goals and how we'll work with Victorians to achieve them.
EPA welcomes the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into EPA.
EPA works with the community, businesses and other organisations to protect the environment.
EPA recognises staff who are leaders in the areas of air quality, inland water, marine water, waste, landfill, land and groundwater, and odour.
The process to submit complaints about the conduct of an EPA authorised officer.
The client engages an auditor to conduct a 53V audit and the auditor notifies EPA of their appointment within seven days. The pre-audit phase involves the client and auditor defining and agreeing on the audit objectives and scope. The objectives must include consideration of risk to the environment, water, substance or noise. The scope should identify the activity being audited, the relevant segment of environment and uses to be considered, and the audit criteria.
A risk assessment can also be conducted to refine the audit scope to focus on issues of concern and/or assess the risk of harm to beneficial uses.
Page last updated on 3 Dec 2013


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Recent breakthroughs in machine learning and artificial intelligence mean AI-enabled technologies are gaining traction. The billion-dollar cybersecurity industry is no exception, as vendors begin to scale and automate their processes intelligently - all while locked into the early stages of a security arms race with professional hackers.
A recent report from analyst firm ABI Research estimates that machine learning in cybersecurity will enormously bolster spending in big data, intelligence and analytics, reaching as much as $96 billion (£71.9 billion) by 2021.
Vendors are likely to find buyers in large enterprises, and more than likely, across industries that are especially prone to attack: think government and defence, banking, and across the technology sector. At the moment, ABI's report says, User and Entity Behavioural Analytics - using machine learning for threat detection by analysing data at scale - is the driving force.
"Using static machine learning models to detect previously unknown malware is the only use case I'm aware of that offers clear evidence of effective results," says cybersecurity analyst at 451 Research, Adrian Sanabria.
"Most machine learning use in the industry right now is experimentation and seeing what sticks," Sanabria says. "The fact that machine learning has had some success in one area of infosec practically guarantees that this industry will attempt to use machine learning anywhere and everywhere it can be shoehorned in."
But threat detection is not a trivial matter: in Cisco's recent annual cybersecurity report, it noted that the vast majority of companies are working to improve their threat detection capabilities.
See also: Why machine learning could be the next frontier for data centre operations
There are plenty of public breaches where not only was the organisation unaware of the intrusion until it was far too late, they had no idea about the true extent of the breach. A case in point is the devastating Yahoo hack - where eventually the company discovered 1 billion email account details were compromised.
The author of the ABI paper, Dimitrios Pavlakis, tells Computerworld UK that to understand why machine learning is useful for detection, it's important to define the two primary distinctions for machine learning.
Supervised applications of machine learning tend to mean that you have clean and structured data - for example, anything that could be read in Excel - where you treat the model with what you know and what you then expect the software to do. In this case you tell the algorithm what to do and where to look.
But unsupervised applications can examine unstructured data from multiple data sources. "With unsupervised models in machine learning you can then teach a model using neural networks and deep learning," says Pavlakis. "You can teach a machine learning algorithm to detect the unknown. The algorithms are being trained, models are being stacked and trained all together.
"So you feed them data and tell them this could be normal, for example, and if something strange happens, the unseen threat can then be flagged."
Some cybersecurity vendors in the machine learning space include Splunk, Gurucul, and Vectra, Trend Micro, Symantec, Invincea, and CrowdStrike, and giant enterprises like IBM are also doing work in the field.
Many eyes
"What machine learning offers is the 'many-eyes' option," explains Gunter Ollmann, CSO at Vectra Networks. "You can use machines to observe the network continuously in real time, and correlate that across hundreds of millions, to trillions, of events on a daily basis.
"A traditional approach from a security practitioner perspective is to take logs, drop them into some central database, and then, offline, mine that data for events that we have a feeling might be there," he says. "What machine learning offers is that all of the work can be done in real time, live in a network wire and without that human oversight."
Andrew Gardner, senior director for machine learning at Symantec, explains that where machine learning will really help is in scale and automation. Think of the difference, he says, between two humans playing chess and two computers playing chess. And the computers can play each other at very high speeds.
"One thing that's useful for is it allows us to do predictive testing," he says. "We can, in a sandbox, use AI machine learning in the same way that an attacker might do, to predict and explore possible exploits on a scale that humans just can't achieve."
See also: Cybersecurity trends 2017: Malicious machine learning, state-sponsored attacks, ransomware and malware
Today, machine learning is best suited for solving problems external to customers, says 451's Adrian Sanabria.
"Web reputation and malware prevention, for example, involve analysing publicly accessible data, whereas any use of machine learning internally by a customer may require extensive customisation and training before it can be useful or effective," Sanabria says.
That's not to say internal applications will not be useful - but it is probably the sole domain of large enterprise-level organisations for now.
If threat detection is the most pertinent use of machine learning technologies today, what might this level of intelligence be able to achieve tomorrow? Developments that are on the horizon suggest machine learning could soon help with other security applications.
"When repeated actions can be automated in a trusted way, we'll see machine learning making incremental steps moving from detection, into remediation and then mitigation," says Vectra's Gunter Ollman.
"A key part about this is that they are learning systems," he says, adding that when Vectra's systems are deployed in a live environment they never stop learning.
"They observe how the end user, the customer security expert behind that pane of glass is responding to things that are there," Ollman says. Picture someone on the security team receiving a threat rating of 80 percent, and reacting by rating it much higher - the systems begin to learn the human processes of the organisation.
Symantec's Andrew Gardner adds that augmenting human talent will be a major part of the "natural evolution" of machine learning.
"We have an email product and one of the key features people are interested in now is finding targeted spearphishing attacks," he says. "These mostly come through emails - it's a tricky problem, machine-learning wise, because a really well-targeted spearphishing attack is crafted programmatically at a level that's really hard to detect. It's targeted to the right person at the right time, it probably doesn't spam everybody and it may even be unique.
"We have analysts that can review suspicious emails, but without machine learning, they're going through them one to ten at a time," he continues. "We've built tools where you meld the human and the computer together, and the machine learning system learns to hunt for the person. It's saying: 'I can't detect the threat, but I can detect what the user looks for - I can cut through this in vast swathes of the time'."
Gardner says without hyperbole that the developments we've started to see in machine learning are the first steps towards a self-evolution of technology - although he stresses that he doesn't mean that "quite like a Terminator movie".
"We have a system in our backend that teaches one of our antivirus detection engines how to improve itself," Gardner says. "The engines are set up in an automated fashion, so it learns: 'hey, you've made a mistake from this kind of data, you need to be focusing on this,' etc."
Rogue AI
The tendency for attackers and vendors to develop their capabilities in parallel complicates matters somewhat. If these incredible technologies can be used to defend, they can also be used to attack. It's uncontroversial to say that vendors and attackers are locked into an arms race with no real end in sight.
According to ABI's Pavlakis, the flock towards adopting machine learning is evidence of a reaction against the increasing sophistication and scale of attackers.
"Machine learning in cyber security is, of course, a natural evolution of the technology," he says. "But it is also a reactionary measure. Attackers by definition are always on the offensive, and they often have access to the same products that users and companies do - AV, security protocols, IP systems - they can study these inside and out.
"So attackers train algorithms to break into these products, they can buy an AV system, and they can test them - until their final product could be an algorithm that can break the antivirus, and until the final product is ready to work on a larger percentage of machines and systems out there.
"Companies now make use of more sophisticated machine learning models as a result of higher threat factors."
Splunk specialises in user behaviour analytics for threat detection. Matthias Maier, security evangelist for Splunk, predicts a more forbidding future for threats that make use of machine learning, especially as machine learning models become more accessible.
"What we expect will come up - though it's not there yet - is that attackers might use machine learning to automate very targeted attacks," Maier says. "Today they run a lot of complex attacks manually, and once they start using machine learning, they'll be able to merge attacks like social engineering, research, phishing, delivery, credentials theft, and ransomware payouts. Once they start using machine learning to connect those different attack types they can automate manual processes."
Vectra's Gunter Ollman warns that professional attackers are studying machine learning very closely - and many of them are already data scientists.
"This is no different from 10 years ago when behavioural learning systems came out that the bad guys invested their own time, and they found ways to detect and bypass the sandboxing technologies," he says. "I expect we'll see that same level of thought and actions going into machine learning and artificial intelligence."
Ollman says attackers are already automating parts of their large-scale offensives. Worse still, there's every possibility that malware equipped with artificial intelligence could be set loose online, a rogue, intelligent design that automatically and silently infiltrates systems for data.
Traditionally, Ollman explains, the command and control server - used to remotely send malicious commands to botnets or other compromised systems - has been the "Achilles' heel" for attacks.
"The area we're most worried about is that many of today's malware threat detection systems are focused on the command and control aspects of malware, VPNs, and other devices that have been installed inside corporate networks," he says. "The scary part is that as AI and machine learning advances, it is inevitable that these learning modes will be planted inside the malware. Once the malware has got inside the network, it will do away with the command and control necessity, and it will be automatically intelligent, and programmed to hunt out and seek data.
"The only time network traffic will be observed is when it's completed the infiltration of that data."
Snake oil
So it's not all hype. Machine learning is concretely being used to protect enterprise-grade infrastructure today. But as with the development of any new technologies there is always a danger some vendors will latch on to the buzzword. What can organisations do to avoid buying into snake oil?
"I fundamentally believe that one of the best ways, and the best vehicles for understanding the scope and the capability of a technology from a vendor, is to look closely at their security research team and data science team," says Vectra's Gunter Ollmann. "First of all, if they don't have either of those, then there is no way they can be doing machine learning or artificial intelligence.
"The second one," he says, "is that effectively all the successful technologies that are out there in this space are products that are based on the capabilities of their research team - and the product is that research team wrapped into code, or into tin.
"So there are no security products out there that are more than what those research teams are capable of putting into that. Particularly when looking at the startup world but even some of the larger vendors in the security space, a closer look at their security research teams and science teams, what their pedigree and what the sizes are, has proven to be a clear indicator of their capabilities, the product performance, and their ability to detect and mitigate a threat."
It's important, then, to have layers upon layer of protection, prevention and detection, says 451's Adrian Sanabria - and not to be suckered in by slick marketeering that paints machine learning as an all-curing panacea.
"We know from experience that attacks will simulate what infosec vendors are doing," Sanabria explains. "I wouldn't be surprised if they've already duplicated the industry's machine learning work, and are working to determine ways to get around it, if they haven't already.
"Machine learning models depend on a degree of likeness, so if attackers find a way to produce malware that looks significant different from what models expect, machine learning-based detection methods could become ineffective overnight. This is one of the reasons it is important to have many layers of prevention, detection and hardening."
This story, "Machine learning in cybersecurity: what is it and what do you need to know?" was originally published by Computerworld UK.

subset: commoncrawl


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I am intrigued by this statement by Kirsten Howard, who just received her master's degree in environmental policies from the University of Michigan: "We wanted to see adaption to climate change through the everyday decisions of people and communities," Howard said. "And we wanted to get that perspective to inform our future policy work." (Aspiring policymakers hit the road to learn about climate change adaptation, 5/23/2013) Great Lakes Echo)
Kirsten Howard and Allie Goldstein's summer project Great American Adaptation Road Trip is "Uncovering stories of people and places using their wits and resources to adapt to the impacts of climate change." An idea marvelously simple and profound, these two intrepid thinkers are actually going out and asking folks around the country what they're doing about Climate Change. It's so obvious one wonders why climate scientists and policy makers haven't done the same thing: Instead of just gathering environmental data, modeling it, and suggesting policies for adapting to Climate change that assume the public will hop on board, go and find out what the public is already doing and is likely to do.
Most Climate Change studies include recommendations on adapting to and mitigating Climate Change. And while ambitious and certainly reasonable these recommendations have almost no chance of getting widespread public support, as many are draconian and costly, like updating or replacing our water, transportation and telecommunications infrastructures. Widespread public support isn't just a neat idea. You aren't going to solve Climate Change without it. It's like deciding to change your country's currency; if the public doesn't buy it, you've got a lot of useless paper lying around.
Many groups are noodling through this lack of public support on the Climate Change conundrum:
The US disconnect over climate change Amid growing scientific proof that global warming is man-made, we look at why the public gives credence to the sceptics. As scientists become more overwhelmingly convinced that climate change is man-made, why do politicians and the public give credence to global warming sceptics? A review of scientific literature published this week has found that 97 percent of peer-reviewed papers taking a position on global warming say humans are causing it. Yet, a large proportion of the US public still seems unconvinced. (May 18, 2013) Aljazeer
This American Life devoted an hour program– 495: Hot In My Backyard –trying to get at the Big Disconnect. In one segment, a climatologist who is supposed to be helping farmers plan for the future hesitates mentioning that the recent spate of floods and droughts might be due to Climate Change, thus sustaining the delusion that these extreme weather events are cylindrical instead of a spiraling out of control. Yes, it would be alarming to talk about climate change to a room full of farmers who need to believe that better days will come, but what's the whole point of the Climate Change issue except to raise alarm about an unprecedented situation that needs all hands on board?
Many leaders seem to fear that if they evoke the words 'Climate Change' in their community they will suddenly get thrown out of a closet of sorts and their lives will dramatically shift from their comfort zone to a very uncomfortable zone—the Unknown Zone. Recently, President Obama and NYS Governor Cuomo have outted themselves on Climate Change. But if Obama allows the XL Tar Sands Pipeline to pass through the US and Cuomo allows New York State to get Fracked, they might as well go back in the closet and close the door.
Solar power, a good climate/energy solution, is exploding in Rochester, NY but the media is loathe to mention Climate Change, even as we lay in limbo on the NYS Fracking decision, a bad climate/energy solution. In fact, there is much going at the Rochester, NY level and around country on Climate Change, but it's not exactly what the recommendations of all the Climate Change studies suggest will actually solve the problem. So, taking a trip around the country and finding out what Climate adaptation looks like at the local level is a really good idea. It could be a great insight as to what our collective will to address this challenge will look like.
Find out more about Climate Change at the local level:
"Do the Math | The Movie" The "Do the Math" documentary is a 42-minute film about the rising of the movement in the United States to change the terrifying math of the climate crisis and challenge the fossil fuel industry. You'll come away inspired to act! Sunday, June 30th at 7:30PM at the First Unitarian Church, 220 S. Winton Rd. Rochester, NY 14610 Additional Details: See Bill McKibben at this best. Panel discussion follows the movie. Free and open to the public. More Info at 350.org/math


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Primary Care
A growing and ageing population, with complex multiple health conditions, means that primary care and our GPs are central to our health system.
There is a shift towards groups of practices working together and being open for longer, which makes it easier for people to access care.
We also need to invest in our workforce, infrastructure and primary care to help meet the needs of our growing population and the need to care for people with more complex needs, who are living for longer.
In the BOB ICS area, delivery of the General Practice Forward View takes place at local area level with oversight by BOB ICS.
Learning will be shared by Berkshire West Integrated Care System, (part of a national workstream for primary care), as well as Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, to ensure improvement across the BOB ICS area.
Our priorities include:
- Extended access for 100% of the population by 1 October
- Workforce
- BOB share of additional 5,000 doctors and 5,000 other staff in primary care
- BOB share of 600 doctors via international recruitment campaign
- Bob share of 500 clinical pharmacists in general practice
- Increase in physicians' associates
- Increase in mental health therapists in primary care
- Every practice to be part of a primary care network of 30,000 – 50,000
- Completion of Estates and Technology Transformation Fund transformation schemes
- Ensure 75% of sustainability and resilience funding is allocated by December 2018 and 100% by March 2019
- Ensure every practice implements at least two of the high impact "time to care " actions
- Deliver primary care provider development initiatives, including on line consultations
- Commission medicines optimisation for care homes via pharmacists and pharmacy technicians funded by the Pharmacy Integration Fund.
- Work with current NHS England and Health Education England to understand current baseline across the BOB area
- Identify areas that are key risks, or that might benefit from action at BOB level


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When you are shopping for gifts, have you really sat down and thought about really what gifts people want to receive for Christmas 2013?
Of course your individual case is different. Mom might want to receive gifts for her kitchen. Dad might want to receive photography-related gifts. However, it's still very interesting to see generally what people want to receive. That's why I look at the research that's done by the National Retail Foundation.
Fifty-nine percent of the people would like to receive gift cards for Christmas, closely followed by clothing with 51%.
The great thing is that 8 in 10 people are planning to add gift cards, perhaps as the sole gift, but also part of the whole gift package. According to National Retail Foundation's Gift Card Spending Survey, holiday shoppers will spend an average of $163 on gift cards, up 4% over the $157 they spent last year and the highest amount in the survey's 11-year history. I suppose people are starting to overcome the stigma that gift cards are impersonal. After all, it's just silly that you don't give gift cards when someone wants to receive them and you want to give them.
What are the choices of gift cards? More than 40% will get department store gift cards, while more than 34% will get restaurant gift cards. Other favorites are coffee joints, electronic store and online merchant gift cards. Some ultra practical people will even give gas gift cards. I can't blame them; just take a look at the sky-rocketed gas price! I am sure your loved ones would appreciate you helping out in a practical way.
In general, gift givers are pretty in tune with gift receivers. Fifty-nine percent of gift givers are planning to get gift cards, while 61% of them are planning to buy clothing items. However, even though lots of people would like to receive computer and electronics, the people who want to buy are negligible (not big to enough to make the chart). Also, a third of the people will give food items, which are not on the "want to receive" wish list.
Comments? What Christmas gifts are you planning to give and want to receive? Tell us your experience? Do share!


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Do you claim to be a Bible Believer? Here's a test.
To test whether your claim to being a Believer is Biblical, let's first see what the apostle Paul has to say about being a Believer:
"Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. 29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds." (Acts 26:28-29)
"Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers [lit. imitators] of me." (1Corinthians 4:16)
"Be ye followers [lit. imitators] of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1Corinthians 11:1)
"Brethren, be followers together [lit. "imitating together"] of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample." (Philippians 3:17)
In the above passages, Paul tells us clearly that being a 'Believer' is equivalent to being as he is, except for the bonds or shackles with which he was chained as prisoner. Paul also calls on us to follow ["imitate"] him, and the other Disciples, as they are our examples.
What does it mean to be as Paul was? What did Paul and the other Disciples believe — what were they 'DO-ers' of?
Let's look at some more words of Peter and Paul:
"Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself [Paul] also walkest orderly, and keepest the law." (Acts 21:24)
Here Peter tells us that Paul walked orderly, and that Paul was keeping [guarding; observing] the Law.
"But this I confess unto thee, that after [according to] the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing [being a 'do-er' of] all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:" (Acts 24:14)
Here Paul tells us that he 'believed' [was a 'DO-er' of] all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. And so if we are to be as Paul was, we too must do as Paul did — by learning to become a 'do-er' of all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.
Now, lest we think that this is a misunderstanding of what Peter and Paul wrote, let's be as good students, and look for two or 3 witnesses of Scripture to confirm what we think we see.
Let's look at some words written by Peter:
"This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:" (2Peter 3:1-2)
Here Peter tells us also to be mindful, and to 'remember' (a prophetic allusion to the 4th commandment) — to remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets.
Peter is exhorting us to remember to become 'DO-ers' of the words of the Prophets.
Notice that ALL the Prophets called for Yahuweh's people to be obedient to the Law ['Torah'].
Are there any other witnesses to confirm what we have seen? Let's listen carefully to the words of Yahushua Messiah, who Himself [as the WORD of Yahuweh] gave the words of Torah to Moses, and who Himself put the words into the mouths of the Prophets:
"Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:" (Luke 24:25)
Yahushua is telling us that the foolish ones are those who are 'slow' or dull of heart — who are slow to believe [be 'DO-ers' of] all that the prophets have spoken. Here Messiah is telling us the identity of the 'Foolish' virgins of Matt 25:2.
ALL the Prophets continued to plead with Yahuweh's people to not forsake the keeping of the Law ['Torah']. Yahushua and His Disciples likewise continue to plead with Yahuweh's people, not to forsake the keeping of the Law ['Torah'], which would be sin — but to love Him, by keeping His commandments (John 14:15; 1John 2:3-4; 1John 3:4; 1John 5:2-3).
Yahushua's Disciples explained that through the Grace of 'Messiah-in-you,' the ability to bring forth the Fruit of Righteousness was now present (2Cor 9:10, 13:5; Php 1:11; Col 1:27).
The Disciples assembled together with Paul for a full year in Antioch. It was there that Paul taught them what he himself believed:
"Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: 26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." (Acts 11:25-26)
Notice that it was in Antioch that the Disciples were called Christians, perhaps because after a year of teaching, they had become like their teacher. Perhaps they were even becoming like their Master.
We have no doubts about what Paul taught the Disciples — he taught them what he himself believed!
We saw in Acts 24:14 that Paul believed all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets, so we know that Paul taught that obedience to the Law can only be by Grace. But what exactly did Paul believe and teach?
First, Paul condemned all attempts to achieve Justification by one's works (Rom 11:6; Eph 2:8; Titus 3:5).
We then see Paul's main theme throughout the New Testament: that we are saved only by Yahuweh's Grace.
This Grace comes to us first as the initial repentance and forgiveness of Sin. Then as we grow in Grace, we see the indwelling power of Messiah-in-us, giving us the ability to further repent, and enabling us to walk in obedience to the Torah and the Prophets (Rom 7:22; Rom 8:4-7; 1Cor 9:21a; 1Cor 10:14; Rev 14:12; Rev 22:14).
From the above Bible passages, we can find renewed encouragement to hear and obey all that the Law ['Torah'] and the Prophets have spoken, just as Paul did and taught.
Notice in the following passages, that Paul taught that the whole purpose of Yahuweh's Grace, and the goal of our sanctification, is our obedience (Rom 1:5; 1Pet 1:2):
"By whom we have received grace … for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:" (Romans 1:5)
"Elect … through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…." (1Peter 1:2a)
Paul also taught that it is our obedience to Torah that brings forth fruit in our lives (Lev 25:18-21), but this fruit-bearing will occur ONLY when we rely on the Grace given to us by Messiah-in-us, enabling us to walk in obedience (Php 1:11).
Therefore Believers today, having Yahushua's Grace available to them, have no excuse — unless they have been deceived by their Leaders into thinking obedience to Torah is not part of the New Covenant.
Pastors, Ministers, and spiritual Leaders, are you a Believer? Are you a 'DO-er' of all things which are written in the law and in the prophets?
Pastors, Ministers, and spiritual Leaders, are you teaching what the apostle Paul taught?
Pastors, Ministers, and spiritual Leaders, are you teaching what Peter taught?
Pastors, Ministers, and spiritual Leaders, are you teaching what Yahushua taught?
Pastors, Ministers, and spiritual Leaders, do you teach your people to obey the Law ['Torah'] — or do you teach your people what you learned in the corrupted Bible School or Theological Seminary — that the Law and the Prophets have been done away with? (See Jer 50:6; Jer 50:36)
The Prophets tell us the Law ['Torah'] is for ever, and is eternal, and will NOT be done away with, for as long as the heaven and earth exist (Ex 31:16; Deut 29:29; Ps 105:8; Ps 119:44; Isa 24:5; Jer 31:31-33; Mat 5:18; Luke 16:17; and many more). So it would contradict the words of the Prophets — it would be a 'lie' — to say that the Law ['Torah'] was done away with, or somehow removed!
Many on the wide road will continue playing 'Churchianity.' Many will follow the spiritually-Blind Leaders, and will themselves end up in the ditch.
A few will become pricked in their heart, and will read the words of the Prophets for themselves — words that speak to us today, in this last generation.
These few will turn around, and will forsake the wide road that leads to destruction. They will then choose the narrow way, the Way of walking in the Torah, according to the New Covenant — walking in all that the Prophets have spoken. These will be among the 'Wise' virgins.
This, my friend, is The Faith that Paul walked in, and taught!
How does your Faith line up with that of Paul?
Related Articles:
- If You Love Me, Keep 'My' Commandments – Do we show our love for Messiah, in the way He has told us — or have we lost sight of His identity?
- What Are the Ten Commandments? – Also called The Ten Words, these Scripture passages are shown in both Hebrew and English, enabling us to see for ourselves what these Commandments actually say. When we as New Covenant Believers understand whose words they are, we can better know how to respond to them.
- Obeying Torah is Not About Salvation – Obedience to the Torah [Father's House Rules for His family] is not about our redemption by Yahushua's blood. Instead, it is Messiah's New Testament instruction to all Born-again Believers in how to abide in Him, how to love Him, and how to walk as He walked.
- Seven Biblical Guidelines for Studying the Bible: Using Scripture to Interpret the Scriptures – What is the source of our current understanding of the Bible? The pure Truths of Scripture are of highest importance — how we understand the Scriptures will affect our eternal condition! To avoid being deceived by man-made doctrines, we must not rely on Preachers, Teachers, Bible notes or commentaries. Instead we must study and understand the Bible for ourselves — not looking through the lenses of tradition or man-made Bible study methods — but relying only on what the Bible actually says about how to study and understand the Scriptures! Here are 7 Biblical Guidelines that show us the way!
- Contending for The Faith – We are exhorted to contend, to fight to remain in The Faith that was originally given. Scripture shows what The Faith is, and shows why and how we must contend for The Faith. Overview of how the adversary attacks the foundation of The Faith, with examples of contending for The Faith.
- The Wise and Foolish Virgins – Yahushua tells us why many today are not prepared.
- The Wise and Foolish: According to Yahushua – Messiah tells us in clear and simple terms for our instruction, who the wise and foolish are today!
- The Wise and Foolish Virgins: The Separation of the Wise – The Scriptures reveal a 2-step process of separation from the multitudes, for those who would grow in Wisdom.
- Let No Man Steal Your Crown – Reveals there are men today trying to take away, and steal your Bridal veil, and your crown; things that allow your crown to be stolen; the Doctrine of Balaam, and how it will steal your crown.
- Who is the Chaste Virgin? – The Bridegroom is coming for His Bride — one who is chaste, and without corruption. The Scriptures warn us of the many forms of corruption, and how to remove them, in order to remain chaste, and ready for the Bridegroom.
- The Wedding of the King's Son: A Parable – A parable revealing the astonishing – and magnificent – nature of the New Covenant.


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Ready 2 Rumble: Round 2 Movie 1
Check out the cinematic intro to this boxing game.
Since the game's AI is relatively simple, you'll quickly learn all of the little tricks that'll lead you to a win with little or no thought put into it at all, which ultimately makes R2RB: R2 a game that's better suited for rental than purchase.
Multinational publisher picks up comical boxing license; fighting specialists AKI developing first R2R game for "various videogame platforms."
Check out the cinematic intro to this boxing game.
Check out the cinematic intro to this off the wall boxing game.
The sequel to Midway's arcade boxing game is appearing on both the Dreamcast and the PS2. So does the Dreamcast version hold water compared its PS2 brother? Check out our ...
Midway's over-the-top boxing game comes to the PlayStation 2. Previews Editor Ben Stahl takes a look at Midway's star-studded boxing game.
Midway's over-the-top boxing game makes a return - and this time it's coming to the PlayStation 2. Will Michael Buffer be a hidden character?
The sequel to Midway's over-the-top arcade boxing game is not just for the next-generation consoles.
GameSpot's Presidents' Day Salute
Midway's arcade-style boxing game is making its way to the GBA. We had the opportunity to see how the game translates from the Dreamcast and the PS2 to the GBA.
Midway plans to release Ready to Rumbe 2 Round 2 two days before the PS2 launch.
Midway is preparing a follow-up to Ready 2 Rumble for the US launch of the PlayStation2.
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How does Mahler set the cry of mercy and forgiveness? More freygisher scales, more that's redolent of Judaism, with a God that is both terrifying, and takes up these questions in a way that signals that perhaps his judgement will be more Jewish than Christian...
The cry for mercy and forgiveness sounds fearful in our ears. The wailing becomes gradually more terrible. Our senses desert us; all consciousness dies as the Eternal Judge approaches.
Mahler again:
The trumpets of the Apocalypse ring out. Finally, after all have left their empty graves and the earth lies silent and deserted, there comes only the long-drawn note of the bird of death. Even it finally dies.The second symphony was one of the only pieces whose performances were praised in Mahler's own lifetime. It was said that at the premiere, the entire audience exhaled together at what followed.
Mahler again:
What happens now is far from expected. Everything has ceased to exist. The gentle sound of a chorus of saints and heavenly hosts is then heard. Soft and simple, the words gently swell up: "Rise again, yes, rise again thou wilt! Then the glory of God comes into sight. A wondrous light strikes us to the heart. All is quiet and blissful. Lo and behold: there is no judgment, no sinners, no just men, no great and no small; there is no punishment and no reward. A feeling of overwhelming love fills us with blissful knowledge and illuminates our existence.
Mahler converted to Catholicism two years after this piece premiered, but this is an extremely un-Catholic vision of resurrection. What it is, however, is a vision that is full of Christian mercy, in which all sins are forgiven and mankind is redeemed, is extended to everyone. If redemption was not to be, as Beethoven dreamed, here on earth, then perhaps it can happen in the next world. This is far closer to Judaism, where everybody eventually gets into the next world after a brief period lasting less than a year during which the sins are purged and the mourners say a prayer, the Kaddish, let them get to Olam HaBaa sooner. But that in Judaism, there is very little mention of the particular type of redemption. This is the best of Judaism and Christianity combined, in which redemption is extended to everyone. Accomplishing in music, and in the Symphony, a divine love for which no Western religion ever allowed.
This is the moment when I should probably talk about Mahler 8, but that's the one Mahler symphony I don't care much for, so let's leave it there and talk about a much more radical work, his first symphony. In every Mahler Symphony, there is so much to talk about that any one of these would take an entire class's worth of material.
But Mahler is something special in music history. What makes Mahler's music extraordinary is not necessarily the pure music of it - I don't think anybody will claim that Mahler has anything the sheer musical invention of Bach or Mozart. And I doubt he was any more expressive than Beethoven or Schumann. He wasn't even necessarily the philosopher through music that Wagner was. But think of Mahler in comparison to a number of these other composers:
When you listen to Bach, however divine you find the music, those of us who are perhaps from another religious tradition or from no religious tradition at all can't fail to notice the sheer religious dogma that's attached to all his vocal music - it's not the worst thing, it's probably a large part of what inspired him, but it's there, and you have to make a conscious effort to ignore it. When you listen to Mozart, you realize that a large part of Mozart's talent was that he found a way to negotiate his way around the fact that the tastes of his time prevented him from expressing emotions in his music that were too dark - so he found ways of expressing melancholy through joy. When you listen to Beethoven at his greatest when he reaches a kind of infinity of the imagination - perhaps in the late String Quartets or Piano Sonatas, you realize that even Beethoven couldn't afford the full instrumental means to let his imagination run quite as wild as he could, except in two pieces: the Ninth Symphony and the Missa Solemnis. Ditto Schumann, as great as his piano and vocal music was, he rarely figured out a way to get that infinite imagination to his orchestral music - and certainly not in the symphonies. And in Wagner? Well... with Wagner, you know what you're getting. Infinite musical imagination, tied to a philosophy that is very militant and a dramaturgy that is unremittingly ponderous.
Mahler transcended all those problems. He lived at the time when what we now call classical music mattered the most to the most people, and until he died, he was perhaps the preeminent conductor of his generation - his two rivals were Arthur Nikisch, who created the modern Berlin Philharmonic, and Arturo Toscanini, who became the first mass celebrity conductor in his oldest age. Had Mahler lived another forty years, it's quite possible that he, not Toscanini, would have been the great celebrity conductor, and given his track record, he probably would have been much more open to new music and other genres of music (particularly popular music, which is so important in Mahler's music), and have been a much healthier influence on classical music who might have prevented it from becoming the museum and cultural backwater classical music is today. Not to mention, we'd have forty more years of his music.
Mahler is perhaps the freest composer who's ever lived. Everything in his music is a kind of stream of consciousness in which we seem to hear Mahler's thoughts. He gets distracted, he gets confused, and then he picks up his thoughts again, sometimes in a later movement, sometimes even in a later symphony. Sometimes much later. Let's take one example. Here's something that happens at the end of the first movement of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony. (Rattle/Birmingham) And now, here is the single most important phrase in Mahler Six, (Bernstein/Vienna) more on that next week. The major/minor modal shift, which is incredibly important in Mahler, Schumann, and all manner of composers going back another two-hundred fifty years. Now let's hear a quick moment Mahler 1. And now let's go straight to the beginning of Mahler 9, which we'll talk about in two weeks.
So let's begin with that Star Trek theme again. (MTT/San Francisco) So what the hell are those weird clarinets doing with what sounds like a military fanfare? Need I remind you of the last trumpets in the Resurrection Symphony? (Bernstein/New York)
So why clarinets? I have no poetic answer to that, I can merely point you to an earlier version of the symphony, Mahler made three. (Hengelbrock/NDR)
There are a number of reasons that I'm one of the only people in the world who prefers this second of the three versions. But this is one of them, because the horns make the military feel of it much more explicit. I have no doubt that Mahler thought it was too explicit. He begins with the strings playing one note, in seven octaves. No one had ever used an effect like that before. You feel the chill of the morning midst. Now let's hear the next two phrases. It becomes something like a melody, and most definitely, you hear that it's now a military barrack, accompanied with unmistakable birdcalls. And finally, let's go to one of the most ominous notes in music, where the seven octaves of violin midst are interrupted by ... what? A tuba?
It's worth remembering, Mahler came from a small town that nobody would ever remember were he not from there, Iglau, in what's now the Czech Republic but is really in an Austro-Hungarian no-man's land: German speakers, Hungarian speakers, Czech speakers, and Yiddish speakers all rubbing up against each other. Mahler was a mutt in the middle of this yet again, because he was a Jew who's family was trying to assimilate, so he spoke only German. He had no sense of his real identity, he only knew that he existed at the crossroads and tensions of a world so multifaceted that he could never find a place within it. We hear military drills, we hear nature - both organic and inorganic, and we hear... Beethoven. (Klemperer/Philharmonia)
That's the opening of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony. Now in case Beethoven's influence isn't clear enough, let's first hear the second theme from the Fourth's opening movement. (Harnoncourt/COE) And now, the first theme of Mahler 1.
And to add a new level of complexity, here's a song that Mahler wrote shortly before he wrote the first symphony.
Listen to the lyrics, it could be sung by Belle in Beauty and the Beast.
Mahler said of his music that whoever listened to it intelligently would hear his life story. Revealing the deepest parts of yourself in art is not necessarily a great idea - all you have to do is read any number of personal essays in magazines these days to see that the insights you get are not necessarily that great. What makes it great is the self-awareness and imagination to keep it entertaining.
I walked across the fields this morning;dew still hung on every blade of grass.The merry finch spoke to me:"Hey! Isn't it? Good morning! Isn't it?You! Isn't it becoming a fine world?Chirp! Chirp! Fair and sharp!How the world delights me!"
Richard Strauss would dramatize ideas in music, and the results, while mindboggling, has a definite way of turning philosophical concepts into something kitschy. The ideas in Mahler come from everywhere, the deepest philosophy is most certainly there in Mahler, but he would just as soon take it from the cheapest popular music. Music in Mahler is the truest liberal democracy that any musician has yet come up with. For many highbrow composers, perhaps most, music is an aristocratic dictatorship in which everything is highbrow. In most popular music, it's populist democracy, and while a lot of it is extremely impressive, let's face it, 99% of creative musicians working in other genres don't . Don't think I'm being any less condescending to classical music - 95% of composers don't either, and the average classical instrumentalist makes most jazz or rock musicians seem like Einstein.
But Mahler was one composer, ever, who almost always took the highest musical genre to its highest aspirations, and he did it because he realized that in order to be a highbrow, you need to stand on the shoulders of lowbrow art. We are emphatically not here to serve music, music is here to serve us. Other human beings, not ideas, must be the priority of our lives, because whenever ideas become more important than human beings, humans become trivial enough to be sacrificed to an idea.
So with that in mind, let's hear some of the third movement. It starts with a funeral march. But listen to the theme. And listen to how it's being passed around the orchestra. Is this a funeral march? Or is it a children's round? (Bernstein/Vienna)
What I'm about to bring up may be particularly difficult for some people, so I apologize in advance because I don't know your life stories. But in order to talk about the particular tragedies of Mahler's life, we have to talk about child mortality, and be warned, this will come up each of the next two weeks as well. Mahler had eleven brothers and sisters, but five died in infancy, another three died in childhood, and still another committed suicide. This is funeral music to a child's folk song, Bruder Martin - the German version of Frere Jacques, sung as children would, in a round.
Let's add to this that his father was abusive, and his mother was correspondingly anxious and depressed. Mahler's father, as so many Jews of the 19th century did, ran the town tavern, and the family lived upstairs. Listen to just a bit of the second movement and stomp your foot on every downbeat. (Dudamel/LA) This is clearly tavern music. So let's now hear a song Mahler wrote when he was twenty. Never mind the words, just wait for those upward swoops.
These are yodels! German gentiles, or goyim, are getting drunk in the Jewish tavern. So now, go back to the second or third subject of the third movement. So what's happening here? Perhaps two Jewish melodies are going on. Upstairs, perhaps one of the children has died and the mother has to keep the children singing in order to keep everybody from breaking down. Downstairs, other people, other Jews, are happy in a way that they can't possibly know how brutal they're being. While the tavern-keeper is burying yet another child, Tevye and Lazar Wolf are dancing downstairs. One table of drunk Jews sings one melody, then another table of Jewish shikkers sings a different melody.
So now let's go to the final of Mahler's Wayfarer Songs, from which the song from the first movement comes too. Let's hear about two minutes of that and then compare it to the next passage.
I went out into the quiet night well across the dark heath. To me no one bade farewell. Farewell! My companions are love and sorrow! On the road there stands a linden tree, and there for the first time I found rest in sleep! Under the linden treethat snowed its blossoms onto me - I did not know how life went on, and all was well again!And now the passage in the First Symphony.
No matter what brutalities happen, perhaps the greatest brutality of all is that life goes on. The cycle of life and nature continue, and none of us exists outside of it. We find nature comforting because we're part of it, and the same nature that comforts us is all too happy to kill every one of us.
So speaking of nature, we're now going to move to my very favorite symphony, Mahler Third. The first movement of Mahler 3 is, maybe, the single most ambitious piece of orchestral music ever conceived even to this day. We obviously don't have the time to listen to the whole thing, but the idea behind it is literally what Mahler calls 'Summer Marches In.' It's so extreme, so over the top, so unbelievably dramatic, that it's impossible to take seriously. It's both extreme in its seriousness and it's humor. It's so over the top that you have no idea whether or not to take any of this seriously. But you hear every possible nature effect, the stillness of winter - rendered earlier in the movement as a funeral march, you hear the breezes and dew of spring and its gentle rain, perhaps the blooming of flowers, and of course, you hear the grand marches of summer, and once again you hear two marches intersecting with each other, perhaps like two weather systems, which results, as in life with a thunderstorm. (Inbal/Frankfurt) We're going to hear an unbroken seven minute sequence that sounds so serious that it's impossible to take seriously.
Should we take something like that completely seriously?
And now, what about this song? Is this comedy or tragedy? Look at its lyrics?
The cuckoo has fallen to its death
On a green willow,
[The cuckoo is dead! The cuckoo is dead!]
Who should then the summer long
Help us pass the time?
Oh, that should be Mrs. Nightingale!
She sits on a green branch!
[The small, fine nightingale,
The lovely, sweet nightingale!]
She sings and springs, is always joyous,
When other birds are silent!
[We await Mrs. Nightingale,
Who lives in a green glen,
And when the cuckoo call is at its end,
Then does she begin to sing!]
Mahler even manages to make a song about cuckoos and nightingales depressing. But now, listen to the orchestral version of the same material. (Kubelik/Bavarian Radio)
But this being a Mahler symphony, he takes the material so much further than he ever could in a song. And then comes one of those subtle, almost imperceptible Brahmsian transitions to a middle section with a melody of a completely other character. Before you realize it, the music has completely changed into something completely different.
So then there's this incredibly odd posthorn solo - a posthorn sounds like a trumpet, but in fact it's to a valveless horn what a piccolo is to a flute. An extreme treble instrument. It's more often though played by flugelhorn, and some trumpeters use a cornet, sometimes even just, heaven forbid, a regular trumpet. The solo is supposedly based on a particular German poem, but more importantly, I think, is the little-remembered fact that the instrument was called a posthorn because it was played by postmen to signal the fact that they've arrived in town and the mail was here. So you have to picture Mahler in the woods, away from his family, hearing all the sounds of nature, and then hearing that the mail's arrived. But what was that there at the end? Possibly an organgrinder or an accordian? And what's the organgrinder playing? Some variation on Ach, Du Lieber Augustin?
Now this was a very important melody for Mahler. In 1910 he had a session with Siegmund Freud, and he remembered a scene from his childhood in which his parents had a particularly horrible fight, followed by Mahler's running out of the house in horror, to hear a barrel organ playing Ach, Du Lieber Augustin. The juxtaposition, as always happens in Mahler, of high tragedy and low comedy. Perhaps the organgrinder is there to get tips because he knows that there will be lots of people grouped around the postman trying to get their mail. Later in the same movement, there's an infantry bugle call, and it's also worth remembering that Mahler grew up near a military base.
So let's go to the masterpiece of this movement, when Mahler brings back the storm of the first movement.
This is a symphonic level of thinking past what anybody could ever imagine before Mahler, including Beethoven.
The last movement is one of the great glories of the repertoire, so much so that we're going to talk about it in the last class. Instead, let's talk about Mahler's still underrated 7th Symphony, which recalls his early symphonies in many respects.


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Archive for October, 2010
Brett Favre faces more allegations – sexting – Jets game plan
Posted by TopOfTheThread on October 9, 2010
There are many articles around about Brett Favre texting some hotties when he was a NY Jet. The timing is interesting. Hmmm… The week the Vikings play the Jets. Was this released this week as a part of the Jets "Psychological Game Plan"?
Posted in sports | Tagged: Brett Favre, NFL, NY Jets, Vikings | Leave a Comment »
Protectionism Today – Germany – United States
Posted by TopOfTheThread on October 6, 2010
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states, through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to discourage imports, and prevent foreign take-over of domestic markets and companies.
This policy is closely aligned with anti-globalization, and contrasts with free trade, where government barriers to trade and movement of capital are kept to a minimum…
So we're heading to a business conference in Berlin Germany. We need to ship our giveaways for the conference. I get notification from UPS via my hotel, the shipment is being delayed in customs. A Customs Tax of 19% must be paid before they will release our boxes.
That's a great example of Protectionism! Of course we pay the tax. We have no choice. We need the giveaways for the conference. We had already paid for and had our logo put on these Memory products (our giveaways.)
I ventured to try to figure out the import tax to bring a similar product into the USA.
(I would not be surprised if I am wrong figuring this import tax.) I visited the USITC – Tariff Information Center at http://www.usitc.gov/tariff_affairs/. I ended up looking at section 8542.32.00. I believe, if this is the correct product classification, there is no tariff for bringing memory into the USA. No tax.
19% versus 0%
Does that make sense? Is that good for us? The USA is one of the world's largest markets and we allow other countries (Germany in this case) to charge an exorbitant fee for imports into their country? And we are not charging any tax on the same product coming into the USA from their country?
I am not an economist but this cannot be good for our economy.
(Note: I know I am correct with the 19% customs fee into Germany because I just paid it. If someone can help verify or correct my import into the USA tax information, it will be greatly appreciated. )
Posted in politics, Uncategorized | Tagged: customs tax, exports, germany, imports, protectionism, tariffs, taxes, USA | Leave a Comment »
Hey Lebron: Do you REALLY believe it's your color…
Posted by TopOfTheThread on October 2, 2010
… or are you, in retrospect, simply so embarrassed how you handled the transition to the Miami Heat?
This week Lebron James played the race card as to the decline in his popularity and criticism on the manner in which he moved to the Miami Heat.
Jason Whitlock penned a great article on Foxsports.com titled "Point the finger at yourself, Lebron". From the article:
With his self-aggrandizing, narcissistic one-hour TV exit – The Decision – LeBron James ruined his public image, not racism. LeBron inflicted more damage to his image Wednesday night when he told CNN's Soledad O'Brien that race is a factor in the public backlash against him since The Decision.
Lebron, just between us, do you really believe it's race? Come on. Really. Tell me. It's just between you and me.
When I watched the beginning of The Decision, it brought back memories of Rocky's Apollo Creed coming into the room in an Uncle Sam costume.
I cannot know what it's like to be a person of color in America. I cannot know what it's like to be a multi-millionare at age 23. I cannot know what it feels like to have people kissing my butt since I was a little kid because I was going to be a world class athlete.
I can give you a bit of advice from John Q Public.
People are smarter than you think. Do not underestimate them. (Example:) Nobody fell for The Decision being a fundraiser for The Boys and Girls Club. We all know it was about you.
You can't fight the press. And with the number of microphones being stuck in your face, you are bound to make some errors.
Take ownership. Take a step back. Hire a top public relations firm. You should worry about playing basketball.
Posted in sports, Uncategorized | Tagged: basketball, clevelan cavaliers, face, face card, lebron james, Miami Heat, NBA, racism, Soledad O'Brien | Leave a Comment »


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Gentian is for depression and feeling of insecurity because some "known things" didn't go as they expected.
Gentian belongs to the group of essences for those people who have doubts, indecision, or they are discouraged or downcast because of their skepticism. When we feel that things are exceeding our strength, when we feel each obstacle that appears makes our world collapsed, and we feel disappointed, no doubt there is lack of faith in ourselves. This it is the fault that Gentian helps to counteract.
This flower shows in its negative state, the model of Failure. For people in negative Gentian state it is very difficult to release (either people or things). When they have a misfortune, they are carried along by inertia and they do not do anything to change things. They cannot see the experience they can get from their errors. They become very complaining and they don't allow themselves to see the good things that are running in front of their eyes. Gentian causes that the person becomes aware that must let things be, without clinging to them. It connects us with the desire to live life with optimism. It gives us the opportunity to learn from our mistakes, to grow spiritually, to connect with our Internal Wise. Formerly, Gentian was used like a digestive herb. Bach demonstrated that it also could help the spirit to digest the misfortunes of life.


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I should have known better.
The day did not start well. I stumbled down the steps and landed in not quite fresh cat-puke. The coffee maker malfunctioned and leaked coffee all over the counter. Not once, but three times. (I kept trying to make it work… addicted, much?) After sopping up the coffee and drinking what could only be called a slurry of grounds and hot water.. I landed on the couch.
I thought the dog was being extra friendly…. cuddling up right next to me… wriggling to get comfortable…. I was wrong. She was getting ready to throw up. On the couch. While I ran for the spot cleaner and paper towels.. she tried to help clean it up.. in that wonderful way that dogs clean up barf…. I almost threw up.
After cleaning up the mess (and cleaning myself) I realized the garbage hadn't made it's way to the curb. I opened the garage door to find bags blocking the path… I tossed the one nearest the door- attempting to clear a path and it opened like dandelion.. sprinkling garbage seeds all over the garage.*Sigh*. The sound of approaching garbage trucks pushed me on… Must. Beat. Truck.
I did. After waking up a college boy to help. Which is a little like waking a hungry lion. Dangerous. Cranky.
When I noticed that a shower was no longer an option but a necessity (garbage bags leak.Hate that.) I decided that it would be a good idea to multi task and dye my roots while my youngest ate breakfast.
I was wrong. I should have read the signs…. today was not a good day to dye my hair.
I should have rinsed it out when I noticed the goo was exactly the color of cat litter clumps.
"It never turns out the way it looks while its developing" I thought.
I waited the recommended 10 minutes, and then showered. I hoped a long hot shower and fresh hair color would refresh my day. The "dark chocolate" color I'd chosen sounded like a fat free dessert treat for my roots. I should have known from the smell that the box had lied. It was a little more gassy beagle than dark chocolate… but I remained hopeful. I rinsed. And rinsed. As I watched the murky muddy water rinse down the drain I told myself… "it can't be that color… that's not dark chocolate.. "
I toweled it dry and noticed that the roots and ends were somewhat different. (Think a nice cheap 1972 ombre' yarn dark parts and light parts… browns and reds with some black.) "It's just that it's wet. It'll be fine once it's dry."
It wasn't.
My "dark chocolate" is more "accidental goth." Which is ok.. if that's what you want.. but it's not what I had in mind for Thanksgiving… and it's a little too late for Halloween.
Yup. Today is one of those days… where everything goes wrong and you keep trying to make the best of it… as an accidental goth.
Ever have one of those ?
What do you do?
I think I'll hit the bookstore…although with all those sharp pages I could end up dying of papercuts…


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Understanding the Economic Impact of the H-1B Program on the U.S.
John Bound, Gaurav Khanna, Nicolas Morales
NBER Working Paper No. 23153
Over the 1990s, the share of foreigners entering the US high-skill workforce grew rapidly. This migration potentially had a significant effect on US workers, consumers and firms. To study these effects, we construct a general equilibrium model of the US economy and calibrate it using data from 1994 to 2001. Built into the model are positive effects high skilled immigrants have on innovation. Counterfactual simulations based on our model suggest that immigration increased the overall welfare of US natives, and had significant distributional consequences. In the absence of immigration, wages for US computer scientists would have been 2.6% to 5.1% higher and employment in computer science for US workers would have been 6.1% to 10.8% higher in 2001. On the other hand, complements in production benefited substantially from immigration, and immigration also lowered prices and raised the output of IT goods by between 1.9% and 2.5%, thus benefiting consumers. Finally, firms in the IT sector also earned substantially higher profits due to immigration.
A non-technical summary of this paper is available in the April 2017 NBER Digest.
You can sign up to receive the NBER Digest by email.
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Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w23153
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text: Someone asks: I've heard that Wing Chun practitioners practice something called chi sau. What is that? What is it good for? Chi Sau (also spelled chi sao) literally translates as "sticky hands". It's traditionally been termed this due to the connected bridge which begins the exercise's rolling hands (poon sau). It's also been identified (or… Continue reading What is Chi Sau?


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show ur Firefox Roadpro Street bike pic
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text: There have been tons of articles about it over the past few years – Multitasking is not as efficient as we would all like to believe. We have reached a time where it is not only common to be doing 4 or 5 tasks at once, but it's pretty much expected. Job descriptions list it as a required skill! We are encouraged with "open door" policies to stop by our coworkers' desks. We have opened ourselves up to phone calls, email, IM, text messages, tweets, pokes, & about a billion other ways to be distracted, and that's even before we start working on a bunch of things at once. Continue reading


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aggregate revenues from Central taxes, the States will be
able to
share the aggregate buoyancy of Central taxes;
without the need to consider whether a tax is sharable in
the states
or not;
be felt
alike by the Central and the State Governments;
part of this arrangement, there will be greater likelihood of
their being
tapped; and
ambit of tax sharing arrangement is enlarged so as to give
greater certainty of resource flows to, and increased
flexibility in tax reform.
6. The above scheme recommended by the Commission is in national interest as it helps to remove a perceived inter-tax in the tax mobilisation effort of the Government of India while leaving sufficient flexibility for meeting Centre�s exclusive needs by keeping Cesses and Surcharges outside the pooling arrangement.
7. A Discussion Paper bringing out various aspects of the scheme was laid on the table of both the Houses of Parliament on the 20th December, 1996 with a view to generate an informed debate.
8. On the basis of a consensus reached in the Third Meeting of the inter-State Council held on the 17th July, 1997, the then Government had agreed in principle to accept the scheme recommended by the Tenth Finance Commission subject to certain modifications.
9. The Government had decided to ratify the decision taken by the previous Government according in principle approval for the scheme recommended by the Tenth Finance Commission with some modifications.
10. Firstly, the percentage share of State is to be reviewed by the successive Finance Commissions instead of freezing it for fifteen years as suggested by the Tenth Finance Commission.
11. Secondly, Government had decided to change the sharing of �gross proceeds" as recommended by the Tenth Finance Commission to the sharing of �net proceeds" in order to maintain consistency between articles 270, 279 and 280 of the Constitution. However, this will not result in any consequent loss to the States because the Government has also simultaneously decided to compensate the States by suitably enhancing the percentage share beyond 29%.
12. Thirdly, as intended by the Commission, no amendment is sought to be done in article 271, which authorize the Central Government to levy surcharge on Central taxes and duties for the purpose of the Union.
13. The scheme will be effective from 1st April, 1996. The percentage share of net proceeds during 1996-97 to 1999-2000 will be such that the States� share is 29% of the gross proceeds. The recommendations of the 11th Finance Commission, which has been mandated to give its final report by 30th June, 2000, will cover the 5 years period w.e.f. 1st April, 2000.
14. In order to implement this decision, this Bill seeks to amend article 269, 270 and 272 of the Constitution so as to bring several Central taxes and duties like Corporation tax and Customs duties at par with personal income-tax as far as their constitutionally mandated sharing with the States is concerned.
The 25th February, 2000.
[9th June, 2000]
An Act further to amend the Constitution of India.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-First Year of the Republic of India as follows:-
1. Short title: This Act may be called the Constitution (Eightieth Amendment) Act, 2000.
2. Amendment of article 269: In article 269 of the Constitution, for clauses (1) and (2), the following clauses shall be substituted, namely:-
`'(1) Taxes on the sale or purchase of goods and taxes on the consignment of goods shall be levied and collected by the Government of India but shall be assigned and shall be deemed to have been assigned to the States on or after the 1st day of April, 1996 in the manner provided in clause (2).
Explanation.-For the purposes of this clause; -
(a) the expression �taxes on the sale or purchase of goods" shall mean taxes on sale or purchase of goods other than newspapers, where such sale or purchase takes place in the course of inter-State trade or commerce;
(b) the expression �taxes on the consignment of goods" shall mean taxes on the consignment of goods (whether the consignment is to the person making it or to any
other person), where such consignment takes place
takes place in the course of inter-State trade or
For article 270 of the Constitution, the following article
shall be substituted and shall be deemed to have been substituted with effect
from the 1st day of April, 1996, namely:-
`270. (1) All taxes and duties referred to in the Union
List, except the duties and taxes referred to in articles 268 and 269,
respectively, surcharge on taxes and duties referred to in article 271 and
any cess levied for specific purposes under any law made by Parliament shall
be levied and collected by the Government of India and shall be distributed
between the Union and the States in the manner provided in clause (2).


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Here's to disprove all you doubters out there: I got a Portrait of Spam up JUST AS I SAID I WOULD! Self-validation aside, meet Dr. Ikenna Abuchi. He seems to be a rather nice man, expressing strong concern regarding my inheritance that is apparently caught in limbo at the bank. All he needs to process the papers are the necessary documents, including identification and banking information; too bad he forgot to include his address.
Monthly Archives: January 2011
Week In Review — 12/19/2010 – 01/22/2011
With a huge sigh of relief I finally get back to my much neglected Week In Review feature. As mentioned previously, this "week's" worth of links is a selected bunch covering the time between my last Review and now. Check it … Continue reading
Portraits of Spam — Jed Major
"Are you quitting on me? Well, are you? Then quit, you slimy fucking walrus-looking piece of shit! Get the fuck off of my obstacle! Get the fuck down off of my obstacle! NOW! MOVE IT! Or I'm going to rip your balls off, so you cannot contaminate the rest of the world! I will motivate you, Private Pyle, IF IT SHORT-DICKS EVERY CANNIBAL ON THE CONGO!"
— Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, Full Metal Jacket
(As promised, here is the latest entry in my Portraits of Spam series. I'll be sure to post at least one next week, or you can take one of my fingers.)
SNC Becomes a Toddler
As of tomorrow (according to my calendar, not yours crazy WordPress) Straight, No Chaser officially becomes two years old! Ice cream cake for everyone!
The question of whether I should continue keeping up with this thing continues to arise almost daily — hence the inconsistency in my activity here — but a certain amount of stubbornness refuses the notion of giving up. Yes, I may (too frequently) say I'll be putting something up only to go ahead and not follow through; over-thinking to the point of doing nothing is something I've suffered from for years, just ask anyone who's known me long enough.
I'm going to post a "Week" in Review that will cover some items from the weeks passed that I consider worth looking at, even if they are a ripe old age in internet years. I also do have that previously mentioned, nearly completed Portrait of Spam — I swear, I do — and I'll have that up within the next couple days.
New Years Resolution: More consistent activity on this c*ck sucker.
Calendar Me Surprised
Every morning, I check my mailbox in the anticipation of receiving something. Usually it's a bill, which is pretty lame and not the sort of thing I'm looking for. Yesterday, however, was a day of joyous surprise: a padded envelope from Studio on Fire. While my eyes were still blurry with sleep, anything with an SoF stamp on it gets my anticipation bubbling. Continue reading
Happy New Year
A few days late — as usual — but the sentiment is still there. I've got a new Portrait of Spam to post by the end of the week and I'll be resuming my regular-ish blogging activities now that the holidays are over. You may have noticed I prematurely put up a new header in mid-December. I couldn't wait.
Sharing a feeling similar to that which many of my friends are expressing, "Good riddance 2010, I'll hardly miss thee."


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By Andrew Liszewski
I'm not entirely sure why Mobile Mechatronics decided to name their iPhone tripod adapter the Blur, when that's exactly what it's designed to eliminate. It's kind of like naming an anti-nausea medication Vomit, or a fire-extinguisher the Raging Inferno. But nevertheless, I like the idea. It basically gives the iPhone a standard tripod mount allowing it to be attached to everything from a monopod to a Steadicam in theory. (Though there'll probably be balance issues.)
For just $14.99 you get the adapter which attaches to the bottom of the iPhone (presumably using the dock connector) a pocket-friendly though somewhat useless mini tripod and the Blur Tripod iPhone app which gives you a shutter timer, what sounds like an intervalometer and even a level. The app can also be purchased on its own for just $0.99.
[ Blur Tripod Adapter ] VIA [ Gear Diary ]


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Nothing would have changed if I hadn't opened the door to my classroom.
I might have satisfied 'my students' in 'my classroom' and nothing would have changed.
It is only by working/learning out loud and understanding that the classroom walls are virtual that things have changed.
The majority of the students that we work with have English language skills which are limited by their limited access to English speaking communities.
If you have family who is connected to English speakers or who has the means to send you on a language exchange your privileges guarantee less limited skills.
It is a question of access.
As there is a 'digital divide' so there is a 'linguistic divide'.
If learners already have a network of English language speakers (not especially) natives then this is reflected in their social media networks and also their digital literacies.
Research carried out for the CLAVIER project demonstrates that the challenge which faces us is to build the bridges between learners and (language) learning communities via afffinities.
The practices of language teachers (as other teachers) in the public sector here in France are largely protected and linked to the interests of institutional deciders, publishers, testers, and education equipment suppliers.
There are many good reasons for teachers to continue practices which have hardly evolved and where 'new' technology has largely reinforced existing practices of teacher controlled/centred closed classrooms.
Learners are a captive audience for a captive educator, behind 'closed doors.'
Learners may well also be a captive audience for 'individualised learning paths' behind the closed doors of the walled garden of a 'Learning Management System.'
What a teacher does (once the door is closed) may be largely unknown.
Younger teachers (good students) largely reproduce teaching that resulted in them becoming good students encouraged by traditional peer teachers.
Bridging the connection between digital practices in informal learning and in formal learning may well be considered as largely incompatible.
Research into inservice and preservice teachers perceptions of Online Intercultural Exchanges reflect stories of informal learning/formal learning in business and individual experiences of education.
Learners with innovative teachers remember them.
Teacher centred teaching produces teacher centred teachers.
It is a question of first "educational culture" and second access to innovative networks.
"Teaching space" architecture often encourages 'closed door policies'.
Research into alternative spaces, research into alternative teaching/learning organisations has resulted in open learning spaces and ,networked enhanced team teaching.
Research into meaningful networked enhanced active learning, have resulted in making global connections which are reflected in transformation of the learning space.
How do we transform pockets of innovation into wider uptake of innovation?
What can be learnt from studying the 'learning spaces' and practices of the most innovative companies?
Working out loud, sharing photos of new spaces inspire others...has succeeded in opening a little more than space.
"Networked market-led/PISA innovation"
What a teacher does in some institutions (once the door is closed) is largely his problem until standardised testing of some sort is introduced and a compulsory course book imposed.
What a teacher does increasingly in many institutions is fill in forms for data retrieval and centralised analysis and control.
American language testing services impose technology specifications to become a recognised tester.
Out go the French keyboards in comes Qwerty.
The language training market is enormous.
A quick Google search brings up astronomical figures: the market is projected to rise $193 billion by 2017.
The students that we work with are not necessarily the most connected in terms of network.
The students that we work with are not necessarily going to benefit from foreign language certifications - even if obliged to study for them (unless they become passports to advancement).
Education or protection racket?
The question I ask myself at times is do we want education for our children or a corporate protection racket?
Note references to the research publishing mafia.
"Academic publishers the most profitable obsolete technology in history"
Note response of Steve Wheeler:
"Inspire to learn."
Meanwhile there appears for many of them to be a yawning gap between their 'education' and what they call in France 'La Vie Active' (the rest of their lives).
La vie inactive
I am never quite sure what one might term education - 'La Vie Inactive'?
Work is done largely for a grade. No grade. No work. No grade. No degree. No degree? Anxiety.
Anxiety: what am I going to do next?
Networks are everything.
The challenge is enormous.
The importance of meaningful networked learning can hardly be understated.
As Steve Wheeler says: "Networks are everything."
The unattractiveness of unmeaningful commercial networked teaching and testing can hardly be understated.
Peer support.
A recent interview of an ex-student underlines the challenge.
What students need he says is meaning, and dialogue with their peers and elders.
As, I connect with Working Out Loud via Bruno Winck, as I attempt to connect students struggling with English with Working Out Loud Week #wolweek, I wonder if we face an impossible task to really open up public education.
Will these students take an opportunity to share their learning with a wider network seriously?
Will these students think of it as a reason to pander to the whims of an unrealistic teacher?
Will the other learners be patient with their faltering attempts to communicate their learning?
Will we be able to go a little further to bridge the divide between active more expert learners and those who need their advice, their encouragement, their ideas most - these young students who waiting to enter into what they term 'La Vie Active.'
As I see the classroom open up, as I see more and more students connecting with their peers around the world, I see reasons for hope.
These are our children.
Please help.


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Paris, mon amour. It's been a while that I last visited the city of love…love of food that is. Having been to Paris a few times before I didn't come for any sightseeing this time. I came for the food, sunshine and a few days of relaxation with my boyfriend. As with every big city, the culinary scene is constantly changing and with the health trends finally reaching Europe, I knew I would have a delicious time. With some research and the help of my amazing Instagram community I had bookmarked a few places that I wanted to visit and made a food itinerary for each of our three days. The result? A quick food guide to Paris.
Naturally, I wanted to eat the very best of Paris, a mixture of healthy and vegan as well as buttery and traditional. What I found was new and trendy places as well as more established ones that have been there for years. You certainly won't find any tourist traps in here, neither bland and boring restaurants that serve average food to average tourists. This is a guide for the foodie who values a fresh acai bowl as much as a crispy croissant. During my travels to Paris I had amazing food and average meals but in this quick food guide to Paris I only share my favorite spots. Bon Appetit.
A quick food guide to Paris
Where to eat breakfast
134 r.d.t. Boulangerie
On the hunt for the best croissant in Paris, I stumbled over this authentic and very French bakery in the neighborhood of Marais. It was my first morning in Paris and I was longing for a perfect and very French croissant. The bakery 134 r.d.t. is small with a beautiful storefront and sells all the good things for a breakfast to go. At 1.35 EUR the croissants were not only decently priced but also a true French breakfast dream come true. Take a coffee with you and head to the nearby Square du Temple (5 min walk) for a breakfast picnic in the park.
134 rue de Turenne, Marais, 75003 Paris, France
Wild & The Moon
Many of my followers on Instagram recommended Wild & The Moon, a vegan eatery that serves local, season and ethnically sourced food and drinks to a health-conscoius crowd. I was surprised not to find more places like this one in Paris – urban, trendy, raw vegan with a wide variety of slow foods. So, this is probably the best vegan eatery you find in Paris – food- & vibe-wise. First it took me forever to decide because I wanted to order the whole menu and then I tried to eat very slowly so that I would enjoy every bite of my acai bowl and my Almond Latte.
55 Rue Charlot, 75003 Paris, France
If you want to have breakfast where personalities like Marcel Proust and Coco Chanel dined regularly, I recommend Angelina. It is probably Paris' most famous tea house located at the Tuileries and well known for its thick hot chocolate and delicious pastries. Don't think that Angelina is yet another Paris tourist trap but this beautifully-decorated French tearoom is not only popular among tourists but also locals alike. Come early in the morning, Angelina opens its doors at 7.30, and enjoy a Angelina breakfast with a choice of pastries, coffee, baguette, jam, eggs and fruit salad. Sit with local business men and women as well as newspaper reading gentlemen and start your morning in relaxing (though somewhat sophisticated) way. The quality of food justifies the slightly pricy menu but the atmosphere and service is simply wonderful.
226 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
Where to have Lunch/Dinner
Hank Vegan Burger
It doesn't happen often that at 34°C/93°F I crave burger for lunch. But if I do I appreciate a good vegan burger (there are many bad ones out there) like the one of Hank Vegan Burger. It's small eatery serving up…. well…burgers, (burgers and only burgers), three choices of sides, same number of desserts and drinks. I went with my meat-eating, beef burger loving boyfriend and after the first bite he nod his approval. A little hole in the wall, so not for the ones admiring lots of space but that only adds to the cozy setting because burger and fries are the ultimate comfort foods.
55 Rue des Archives, 75003 Paris, France
Breizh Cafe
One Cafe that I heard a lot about before I went to Paris was the Breizh Café. A Crêperie that is located in the heart of Paris and worth the wait if you come during peak hours. We went for an early dinner at 6 p.m., the perfect time to get there before the 7 p.m. crowds start rolling in and occupying every little table. As crêpes and galettes (not the cake put the buckwheat pancake) are one of my favorite French foods (I always think of it as a French pizza, very delicate and chic) my expectations were high. The crisp outside, the fresh ingredients, the authentic waiter and the perfectly baked egg made this one delicious galette. The good thing about eating at a Crêperie is that dessert is almost always guaranteed because I would want to miss a crepe with lemon juice and honey (they don't use white crystal sugar like most places do – a real plus if you ask me).
109 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003 Paris
A Paris visit wouldn't feel complete without dining at a Brasserie. We found Camille by luck, on an evening when we were hungry and didn't feel like doing lots of research. We knew we wanted to eat French food because this is always a safe option, at least far away from tourist hotspots. The vegetarian option were limited and the vegan ones non-exciting but I eat fish and the occasional beef when I'm abroad. And Camille looked like to it was worth the try. We got the last table outside and soaked in the evening atmosphere in one of Paris' many picturesque streets.
24 Rue des Francs Bourgeois, 75003 Paris, France
Where to eat French pastries and drink good coffee
L'Éclair de Génie
If we share the same éclair experience you had it a few times abroad but never liked it. You had tried it from a friend who ordered it for dessert at a restaurant. The taste was always rather dry, sticky and except for much air inside and a sweet frosting outside it wasn't anything special. Sounds about right? Well, let me tell you, éclairs in Paris are a different word. And éclairs from L'Éclair de Génie are close to an outer world experience. The flavour is intense and tasteful, the pastry ist moist and fresh and the frosting (though its not officially a frosting but much much better) is the cherry on the cake. Counting calories is not a good idea because you want to have at least two…. or three like me.
Various locations all over Paris
Café Loustic
A quick food guide to Paris wouldn't be complete without a coffee shop recommendation. Just a stone-throw away from our Airbnb apartment, we only found Café Loustic on our last day. From the outside it seems like any other urban coffee shop, small and sometimes crowded. Regulars and new visitors fill the tables along one wall and opposite a super friendly international staff makes and serves coffee and small bites. And here comes the reason why this is not any other coffee shop – because of the COFFEE. We ordered a cold brew for two and got a perfectly smooth, aromatic iced coffee served from a Chemex that tasted like nothing I had ever tried before…and I did have many coffees in my life. So if you are in the neighbourhood stop by Café Loustic for an Café glacé.
40 Rue Chapon, 75003 Paris, France


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