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By Michael Gagne
Mike Plasski, an instructor in weatherization at Bristol Community College's Green Center in the Commonwealth Landing building, had a few more bodies in his classroom than usual on Thursday afternoon.
Those extra people -- U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, state Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard Sullivan, a handful of state representatives and senators, college leaders and a few media members -- received a brief rundown on how homes can be weatherized, during a tour of the center.
The tour came before the announcement that BCC will receive a $100,000 grant to fund its partnerships with local high schools, area clean-energy companies and government agencies to provide training for science, technology, engineering and math education.
While he had the attention of the gathered dignitaries, Plasski held a foam insulation gun as he pointed to a small model, which looked like a box, on a table near the front of the classroom. He spoke about the energy loss that comes simply from air moving through ceilings and attics.
"There's a lot of warm air going through your ceiling," Plasski explained. Learning how to stop or reduce that airflow can result in significant energy savings.
So students at Bristol Community College's Green Center are not just getting lessons on solar and wind energy. The grant is specifically directed toward programs meant to educate high school students in science, technology, engineering and math.
"This is a very important grant," BCC President Jack Sbrega said after the tour. "The term "workforce development' and the term "green energy' are virtually synonymous now."
Sullivan said Massachusetts is a leader in clean energy, with 5,000 companies in the industry operating in the commonwealth.
Sullivan said the industry employs 72,000 people. Statewide, the number of jobs in the sector increased by 11 percent over the year.
The purpose of the grant, Sullivan said, is "to invest in the training and retraining of our workforce so that we can meet the needs of the industry that is in fact fast growing.
"We have... really grown this industry," he said. "We have made really smart decisions on our energy policy so that the focus on new clean energy is also an economic model to create jobs."
"We saw what Bristol Community College will be doing with this money," Sullivan said. "Working with high school students and the retraining, working in the field of not only renewables, wind and solar, but energy efficiencies, insulation, are all very important parts of the economy.
"Congratulations. I know you will use these dollars very wisely, moving forward," he said.
Plasski's class includes a laboratory, which includes "mock-ups" of two different kinds of roofs. One was the typical roof that might be found atop a typical Cape-style home.
Plasski said, "One of the questions I get asked is what is weatherization? And what we're really looking at is the installation of air sealants."
More simply put, it's "stopping drafts," Plasski said.
In another room, BCC instructors explained a program and learning lab meant to help high school instructors impart renewable energy related lessons in their classrooms. Students in BCC's engineering program go out to middle and high schools to teach hands-on lessons, instructors explained.
"Make no doubt about it, we are national leaders in the field of clean energy and energy efficiency," Sullivan said. "We have been recognized as number one in the field of energy efficiency and our best days are ahead."
"If we want to be leaders of developing clean energy, we have to make that investment. Good business is clean energy, that's protective of the environment. Front row, center, it begins with education," said Kennedy.
"The people in Fall River like to work, the people know how to work, and the people want to work," said state Rep. Paul Schmid. "We need the training and you are helping us advance. I guarantee the people of Fall River will put that to use."
Source: http://www.heraldnews.com/news/education/x369949017/BCC-gets-100-000-grant-for-science-math-and-clean-energy-training?zc_p=0


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The Earl of Shrewsbury: My Lords, will the noble Lord give way for a moment? Perhaps I may correct him
Lord Thomas of Gresford: My Lords, I take the noble Earl's point. There has been a general cry that the illegal possession of guns must be tackled and it is the illegal possession that is the problem. However, no one in the debate this afternoon has suggested how that should be done. I agree with my noble friend Lord McNally, who said that we must reverse the rising tide of the gun culture in this country and that gun control is the way to do it. If it requires the toughest gun laws in the world, as the noble Baroness, Lady Blatch, said, so be it. Britain should lead on the issue and not follow. For example, we should not follow the United States where, as my noble friend pointed out, some 35,000 deaths from gunfire occur on an annual basis. We certainly do not want trigger-happy police officers. It would surprise your Lordships to know how many guns are issued on a daily basis in the London area to plain clothes policemen for carrying out their proper activities.
Dunblane was a terrible tragedy. It was even more terrifying because the perpetrator of the tragedy was a man who was a registered holder of guns and had been trained at a gun club. But the fact that the tragedy happened--and it was not an isolated event--must not conceal the fact that guns are used increasingly. When the noble Lord, Lord Williams of Mostyn, opened the debate, he correctly pointed out that handguns are lethal and that even .22 guns and lower are quick-firing and easy to conceal.
The noble Lord, Lord Monson, referred to the assassination of Robert Kennedy and President Rabin. He said that we must distinguish between those cases because those men were assassinated at close range by people who came up to them and shot them at point blank range. From my own professional experience, I can think of a number of cases where precisely that happened.
The first example that came to mind when the noble Lord made that remark was not a case in this country but in our former colony of Hong Kong. At a goldsmith's shop in Nathan Road, a man walked up to the two armed guards who were carrying shotguns outside the shop. He produced from his belt a handgun and assassinated the two guards at point blank range.
Lest it be thought that that is something which only happens abroad, I can recall another case in Liverpool about 18 months ago. In a busy shopping centre at lunchtime on a Saturday in the Aintree area, a man walked up to someone sitting in a car and shot him through the head. A third example that comes to mind is more recent, within the past 12 months, in Birmingham, where the act of stepping on a man's toe led to a quarrel
The Earl of Stockton: My Lords, on those three occasions, can the noble Lord tell the House whether the guns were legally or illegally owned?
Lord Thomas of Gresford: My Lords, that is the precise point I seek to make. One must start by reversing a rising tide of gun culture in this country. There are more armed police, more armed robbers, and more people who are ready to use guns, particularly in the large metropolises of the country. One must start somewhere to tackle the problem. Making the holding of guns altogether illegal is a first step which I commend to the House.
The Earl of Haddington: My Lords, I am sorry to intervene, but I suggest that the proper place to start is with the illegal gun trade, not with legally held guns.
Lord Thomas of Gresford: My Lords, that is the question that I seek to address. Although the point was made by a number of noble Lords in today's debate who are rightly concerned about the loss of their sport, no one has put forward any practical step to attack illegal possession of guns. What does one do?--search every house in the country to find out where arms are hidden? That is impractical. One has to say that guns must cease to be held in this country, handguns which are lethal--
Baroness Blatch: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for giving way. He made much of a rising gun culture in this country, as did his colleague. Does he agree with greater censorship? It is my view that a great deal of the cultural promotion of violence comes through video, television and film and not through law-abiding people going about a legal sport.
Further, given that the noble Lord made much of the point, and he cites evidence, does he have evidence that there has been an increase in crime with the use of legally held guns or even guns that were held legally which have been stolen to be used illegally?
Lord Thomas of Gresford: My Lords, I cannot give the noble Baroness figures on that. I have to rely on my own experience over many years to inform your Lordships that there is a rising tide of gun culture, particularly fuelled by the drugs trade. But perhaps I may answer the noble Baroness. She--or at least her department--promoted in the previous Parliament a Bill for banning knives. Knives were thought to be something which had to be tackled, although they could be used for legitimate purposes--for diving purposes and for hunting purposes. Nevertheless, one of the last Acts of the previous government was to ban the possession of knives. One could say equally in relation to those knives that one has to start somewhere. One has to change the culture that carrying knives will produce with people.
If the problem is approached from that angle and not from the sporting angle, which I entirely respect--I respect the views that have been put forward--the
This is not a party matter. As my noble friend pointed out, the Liberal Democrats have not advanced a particular party position on it. But I, for my part, fully support the Bill.
Earl Attlee: My Lords, before making any comments on the Bill, I should like to say that my heart still goes out to the families in Dunblane. What worse disaster could befall a small town.
When Parliament last looked at this matter, possible courses of action were constrained by public opinion being that "something had to be done"--that is clearly true--and that it had to be done before the anniversary of the Dunblane disaster. My right honourable friend in another place who was then Home Secretary had the unenviable task of striking a balance between the two interests while being under extremely effective political pressure from the Labour Party in the run-up to the general election. One was to satisfy the public's proper sense of outrage, which could not, of course, be vented upon the perpetrator; the other was to keep as much viable sport as possible. The noble Lord, Lord Kimball, pointed out that some sport was retained under the existing arrangements of the 1997 Act.
But, as a result, Parliament and in particular this House were not able to take a holistic view of the firearms legislation for which many had argued. Because of time constraints, your Lordships' House decided not to send the whole matter upstairs to committee. There is little point in doing so with this Bill because its Long Title, for good reason, is tightly drafted. Parliament also decided that disassembly was not the right solution, largely because of the judgment that public opinion would not be satisfied. It is interesting to recall that in your Lordships' House the then Opposition had some sympathy for one particular dismantling scheme.
Opening the debate, the Minister gave me some cause for hope. He claimed that a single shot pistol is too dangerous to permit. Perhaps he can explain why a single shot .22 pistol is more dangerous than a shotgun when it has been illegally modified to be a sawn-off shotgun.
The noble Lord, Lord Howell, in his interesting speech, pointed out with characteristic vigour the difficulties facing the organisers of the Olympics and
The Minister will claim that the police are above all suspicion. I have to remind him of the article which appeared in the Evening Standard on 2nd February last. It concerned the case of a police constable who appeared in court charged with seven counts of stealing various guns. It took three years for the offences to come to light. What kind of checks and controls did the chief constable have in place?
Given the concerns of the noble Viscount and others, perhaps the Minister can be tempted to agree to allowing partial destruction before guns are handed in. At present, the Minister claims (in correspondence) that that would be illegal. What guarantee can the Minister give that surrendered guns will not be exported, other than in very small quantities to museums?
Given that the Bill now before us honours an important manifesto commitment and is supposed to be popular and wise, it is a little surprising to note how few noble Lords from the Government Back Benches have spoken in support of the Bill. In fact there has been none. It reminds me of the time when the noble Lord, Lord McIntosh of Haringey, in winding up at Second Reading, was extolling the virtues of the 1997 Act. If my memory serves me aright, he had only the noble Lord, Lord Stoddart of Swindon, for company. Thankfully, the Minister enjoys a little more support today, but it is not from his own Benches.
After all this legislation has been implemented, Parliament will want to measure its success or otherwise. We shall ask questions to measure the dramatic falls in gun crime and injuries that many supporters of the Bill claim will ensue. No doubt the noble Lord, Lord McNally, will look forward with interest to the figures, as will my noble friend Lord Stockton.
Throughout the passage of the 1997 Act, the Labour Party was remarkably consistent in demanding even tougher legislation, including a complete ban on handguns. It was in its election manifesto as a specific commitment and is trumpeted as the Labour Party's answer to the problem of illegal use and possession of firearms. Its position, as I understand it, is that if legal handguns are banned, then in some miraculous way, as suggested by the noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford, illegal ones will disappear. If that is not enough, public opinion, at least for the moment, clearly believes the Government's claims for the Bill. In these circumstances, the Salisbury convention will click in. Consequently, we on these Benches will not oppose the question that the Bill be read a second time, despite the fact that we believe it is a rotten measure.
The noble Lord, Lord Stoddart, suggested that these Benches should oppose the Second Reading, as was done in another place. He also complained that the debate in another place was truncated. He makes a very important point. But although we cannot attempt to stop the Bill, we can debate it properly, as we did with the
These Benches will not table wrecking amendments. However, my noble friend Lady Blatch outlined our very serious concerns regarding the compensation amendments. From what we have heard today it seems that the Government will have to reconsider the whole matter of compensation, as so many businesses and clubs will have to close. If this measure is a moral imperative, it would seem to be immoral to drive its blameless victims into bankruptcy.
Not only do we have the problem of bankruptcy; we also have one in the surrender scheme. The Minister's response to the Starred Question from my noble friend Lady Blatch was far from reassuring. We are told that the scheme will work well and on time. The reality is that the Home Office keeps changing the paperwork which is making it difficult for the police to ensure that they will be able to implement the scheme properly. For instance, documents from one force invite certificate holders to sign away their rights when there is no obligation to do so, as so well described by my noble friend Lord Haddington. If police forces had been given more time to consult and implement, they might have been able to avoid those pitfalls.
Although the various police forces are independent, as is the nature of our policing system and as was pointed out by the Minister at Question Time, one would expect some consistency in approach. However, impressions are mixed. One police force appears to be abusing Section 29(1) of the 1968 Act to impose a blanket condition on certificates by means of a letter that the holder attends with his hardware at a specific time--which happens to be within working hours--at the police headquarters only. That specific police force covers one of the largest counties in the land.
The attitude of the letter was extremely hard and authoritarian and not user friendly. There was no suggestion that alternative arrangements could be made. That contrasts with the pleasant letter from another force which explains the background, draws attention to the compensation scheme and asks the certificate holder to attend at a reasonably local police station. Furthermore, the letter makes it clear that alternative arrangements could be made.
Sadly, I am told that the chief constable of that force is abusing his position by refusing to grant variations to certificates which only relate to handguns. That means that the certificate holder will have to outlay another £75 or so if he would like to move to rifle instead of pistol shooting--a point picked up by my noble friend Lord Balfour. That does not sound either fair or efficient. Bearing in mind the Minister's comments at Question Time, does he feel that it is reasonable not to grant variations to a certificate?
The reason for the difficulties is that the Minister is attempting to impose the surrender scheme before it is properly developed and tested. Quite why officials have not devised a satisfactory scheme in the time available is a mystery. At Question Time the Minister pointed out that officials have had since February to perfect the scheme.
Not only are we faced with those problems; there is also a cash flow problem that goes to the heart of the Government's ethos on business standards. When we discussed the compensation order two weeks ago, the Minister was not as helpful as perhaps he would have liked to have been. I should like the Minister to commit himself to paying all claims within 30 days from receipt of the hardware, complete with valid claims, under both the 1997 Act and this Bill. That would fit in well with the Government's policy on business ethics. However, he may not be able to do that and I therefore ask this question, of which I have given notice. Will he pay all valid claims within 60 days of the end of the handing-in period or will it be by the end of the calendar year or perhaps the financial year?
My noble friend Lord Stockton mentioned the possibility of further firearms legislation. I hope that this is the last piece of firearms legislation that we see in this Parliament, for two reasons: first, it ignores the need for the holistic approach to which I referred earlier; secondly, I understand that there is no manifesto commitment to make further changes. In conclusion, we think this Bill a rotten one but will not oppose the principle.
Lord Williams of Mostyn: My Lords, I am grateful for the contributions that have been made which have been full, detailed and often informed. I gather from the remarks of the noble Earl, Lord Attlee, that he now supports the 1997 Firearms (Amendment) Act.
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Joseph Leonard Bornino, native son of Ohio and resident of South Lake Tahoe, died Sunday, January 26, 2014 peacefully in his home at the age of 86 with his wife of 40 years, Margaret (Marge). Born in Cleveland on December 4, 1927, Joe was the third son of Italian immigrants. Bornino served his country as Military Police in the U.S. Army. After his service, Joe had various sales jobs and owned a religious articles store, Bornino's Religious Articles, first located at 80 Broad Street, with his father Sam (Saverio) Bornino.
In 1961, the store was relocated to 606 Middle Avenue, until the Bornino family moved to California in June 1968. Concurrently Joe worked a career with the U.S. Postal Service. Joe started working for the U.S. Postal service by sorting mail on trains running between Buffalo and Chicago before aerial transportation and computer technology modernized to the mail system we have today. After moving from Ohio to California in 1968, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Accounting at Long Beach State University. Joe eventually became the Postmaster in Bell, California. Joe capped his career by becoming Post Master in South Lake Tahoe (1982-1985) after working 33 years for the U.S. Postal system. Joe's interest in history was evident with his collection of fact sheets for each stamp in his collection. In addition to being a diligent collector Joe encouraged stamp collecting, as he collected soaked, dried and traded thousands of stamps for local stamp clubs each year. Joe Bornino loved living in snowy Tahoe, but found warmth of friends and entertainment in the local casinos.
Joe is survived by his wife. Marge; sister, Rose; children, Carmen, Joseph, Lydia, Robert, Gina; step sons, Bob, John and Bill; nine grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; and his first wife, Vincenza.
The Bornino family is appreciative of the support and help they received from the Barton Hospice Association and contributions to the association may be made at www.bartonhealth.org/main/hospice.aspx


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After counseling countless adult adoptees in couple's therapy I've found that far too many are susceptible to choosing partners who will eventually abandon them. The choice is usually an unconscious one. After all, who'd knowingly marry someone who was going to leave them? But if adult adoptees can come to the realization that they may have a tendency to replicate the adoption process of being "given away," they might be better able to avoid choosing a partner that will someday leave them. If you're an adult adoptee here are eleven red flags that may indicate that a potential partner "may" one day put you back up for adoption:
Although some of these signs may not resonate with all adult adoptees, being more vigilant about potential losses may help to prevent replication.


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January 5, 2009
Mabton Police Chief Robert Perales is seen in this August 2008 file photo holding marijuana plants seized this past summer. Perales said that drugs were a major focus for the Mabton Police Department in 2008. 1 Lynda Jo Gross 1/5/2009 2:34 PM
Stories this photo appears in:
Year-ending crime stats in Lower Valley reveal encouraging numbers
Now that 2008 has come to pass, how did Lower Valley cities fare when it comes to crime? Sunnyside, Grandview and Mabton saw a collective decline in major crimes.
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Read reviews about clubbing and nightclubs across the UK and Ireland. Whether you're on holiday, a school trip or it's the town where you live, don't miss the best clubs and nightlife. Search our Clubs National category by country, country region and city or town. Compare consumer reviews, services, prices and more. Use dooyoo - be informed about the UK and Ireland! You can also add your own opinion about a British or Irish Night Club you've been to.
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text: From 2 – 4 p.m., Osteria Mattone's Sommelier Daniel Pernice will lead you through a taste of his favorite spring wines, discussing flavor profiles and ideal pairings. For $29, guests will enjoy a variety of wine plus chef's selection of salumi & formaggi on Osteria's patio (weather permitting)! Tickets are limited and available for purchase online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2839501. For more information, please call (678) 878-3378. 1095 Canton St, Roswell, Ga. 30075 osteriamattone.com | 678.878.3378 Connect on Facebook and Twitter!


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Phil Mickelson has picked up several labels over his golfing career. He is "classmate" to alumni of University of San Diego High School, "Lefty" for being the first left-hander to win a U.S. Amateur title and "winner" 39 times over on the PGA Tour. He's a "godsend" to parents of 10,000 needy San Diego County children who have received back-to-school clothes and supplies courtesy of the Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation.
Add two more labels: "golf course designer," as in Scottsdale's new Whisper Rock course, and "San Diego boy who cares."
The Torrey Pines North Course merits a renovation after 55 years, although a decision is still to be made. Mickelson has told Mayor Jerry Sanders he is willing to donate his design services and present a proposal. In private conversations, he has expressed the desire to update the scenic North Course, keeping both professional and average golfers in mind.
That's appropriate; after all, Torrey Pines is a municipal golf course. How apropos, too, for him to be quietly taking on a new challenge. Many admire his determination in facing diagnoses of breast cancer in his wife and mother and his own psoriatic arthritis.
If golf is a game that builds character, consider Phil Mickelson Exhibit A.


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Jeffrey David Gunselman, CEO of the failed Absolute Fuels biodiesel business, pleaded guilty Friday to all 79 counts in a federal indictment.
U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings accepted the guilty plea and ordered a presentencing report to be prepared — a process that usually takes at least 35 days.
Gunselman was indicted earlier this year on 51 counts of wire fraud, 24 counts of money laundering and four counts of making false statements in violation of the Clean Air Act.
Cummings did not set a sentencing date. Gunselman faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 1,268 years in prison, and a possible fine of $19.75 million.
Each wire fraud count carries a 20-year sentence, while the money laundering counts have a maximum sentence of 10 years each. The Clean Air Act charges each carry a four-year sentence. Each of the 79 counts carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
The charges against Gunselman, 30, stem from the rise and fall of his Lubbock-based biodiesel company and the sale of more than $41 million in renewable fuel credits to oil refiners and distributors between September 2010 and October 2011 without actually making the biodiesel to match the credits.
The "credits" are actually lengthy batch numbers that were to be matched with quantities of fuel produced by a refiner. Under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rules for increasing renewable fuel use, fossil fuel refiners and distributors were expected to buy biodiesel and mix it with traditional diesel fuel.
The credits were to be reported to the EPA to show how much biodiesel was being blended with regular diesel and sent out to the market.
Biodiesel is chemically identical to traditional diesel, but is meant to come from a variety of renewable sources, including animal fat, tallow discarded from restaurants, and various kinds of vegetable oil.
Gunselman's company is the second biofuels business nationally to be prosecuted for selling credits without making the fuel.
In June, the owner of a business near Baltimore was convicted after a weeklong trial in federal court of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with the sale of $9 million in fraudulently issued renewable fuels credits.
Gunselman was accused of making 51 illegal transactions and grossing more than $41.7 million.
As part of his plea deal with federal prosecutors, Gunselman has agreed to forfeit all property he bought with the biofuel money.
Prosecutors estimate he spent more than $12 million on real and personal property in 14 months, including a Gulfstream private jet, several luxury cars, a demilitarized Patton tank, a corporate sponsorship with the San Antonio Spurs basketball team and several pieces of real estate.
Agents with the EPA's criminal investigation division and the U.S. Secret Service raided Gunselman's home, office and other business locations in October 2011. Prosecutors initially held off on charging him because he agreed to help them recover money and assets.
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I want to know how do we calculate PF adminstration charge while filing the monthly returns of PF
Establishments employing 20 or more persons and engaged in any of the 180 industries / Classes of Businesses specified.
Co-operative Societies, employing 50 or more persons & working without the aid of power.
Establishments not coverable statutorily can come under the coverage of the Act statutorily.
An establishment continues to be covered under the Act, irrespective of the fall in the employment strength.
Since the Act applies on its own force to the establishments, the employers are required to file the particulars in the specified format for registration and allotment of business number.
Financial Obligations:
Statutory rate of contribution is 12% of emoluments (basic wages, dearness allowance, cash value of food concession and retaining allowances if any,) in the case of 175 establishments.
Rate of contribution shall be 10% in the case of the following:
Brick, beedi, jute, guar gum factories, coir industry other than spinning sector.
Establishments declared as sick undertakings by BIFR.
A matching contribution is to be collected from the emoluments of the employees.
Out of 12% (or 10% as the case may be) of the employer's share of contribution, 8.33% is to be remitted towards pension fund.
Employer is also required to pay a contribution of 0.5% of the emoluments towards EDLIS'1976.
Administrative Charges:
An employer is required to pay administrative charges at 1.10% of emoluments towards provident fund charges and 0.01% towards EDLI Scheme 1976.
No separate administrative charges for pension scheme
Inspection Charges:
In respect of exempted establishment under P.F. Scheme employer is liable to pay only inspection charges at the rate of 0.18% of emoluments.
In the case of establishment exempted from EDLI Scheme, the employer is required to pay only inspection charges at the rate of 0.005% of emoluments.
Interest Liability:
For belated remittances of contributions, administrative / inspection charges interest at the rate of 12% on such remittances for the period of delay is to be remitted.
For all the belated remittances of contribution and administration/inspection charges damages are also payable as penalty ranging from 17% to 37% p.a. depending upon delay.
Duties of Employer
Enrol all categories of employees including the employees engaged by or through contractors and also piece rated, hourly rated employees.
Remit the contributions and administrative charges before the 15th of the following month.
File the initial returns of Form 9, Form 3(P.S.), form 5A.
File the monthly returns in Form 12A, Form 5, Form 10 and Challans for remitting the dues.
Maintain the contribution card in respect of each employee in Form 3A and submit the annual returns in Form 3A and 6A after reconciliation with Challans and form 12A.
The employer has to ensure that statutory dues in respect of contractors employees are remitted and returns filed.
Employer should attest the form No.2 and the claims forms submitted by the member/ legal heirs/ nominees.
Make available all relevant records for inspection of visiting officials with due authorisation.
Exemptions under the Schemes
Provident Fund
An individual member getting Provident Fund benefits on par with or better than statutory provisions can apply for exemption in Form 1 under para 27.
Employers can apply for exemption in respect of a class of employees getting similar or better benefits than the statutory P.F. Scheme under P. 27A subject to the conditons governing grant of exemption.
The employer can seek exemption from P.F. Scheme for the entire establishment if the majority of the employees also consent for exemption, subject to certain conditions governing grant of exemption and certain formalities.
Pension Scheme
Employer can avail exemption for the establishment as a whole, with the consent of majority of employees, if an alternative pension scheme is formulated by the establishment with benefits either on par with or superior to the EPS '95 and subject to certification of the viability and long sustenance of the scheme by an independent qualified actuary and satisfying the other conditions prescribed governing the grant of exemptions.
There is no provision for exemption of individuals or for class of employees.
EDLI Scheme
The establishment can get exemption from the EDLI Scheme, if the employees therein are entitled for a benefit in the nature of insurance whether linked to their P.F. deposit or not and without paying any contributions.
Its very clear that 12% is deducted on allowances other than exempted ones like Conveyance Rs 800/m , Child allowance Rs 200/m for two children,Medical allowance Rs 15,000/ per annum & LTA.
Don't panic..what you do is calculate the cost or impact of the same and negogiate with them for the payment.
Ask for the copy for the judgement as they have claimed..couldn't find it..and let me know as i would put you across the right people in this field.
The PF contribution is 12% of Basic salary from both employee and employer. For the calculation the maximum limit of Basic is Rs 6500/-. It means even if the employee's basic salary is above Rs 6500/- the employer is liable to contribute only on Rs 6500/-, that is Rs 780. However if an employee so desires he may voluntarily contribute more than 12%. Apart from it an employer also has to pay some administration charges. I explain you the various accounts of PF challan.
A/c No 1: PF contribution Account
A/c No 2: PF Admin account
A/c No 10: EPS account
A/c No 21: EDLIS account
A/c No 22: EDLIS admin account
PF admin charge = Employer has to pay 1.1 % of basic
EDLIS: Employer has to pay 0.5% of basic
EDLIS admin charge:Employer has to pay 0.01% of basic
Total additional percentage employer has to pay: 1.61% of basic
So employer has actually to pay 13.61 % of Basic and employee has to pay only 12% of basic.
Employees complete 12% goes to PF account while employer contributions' 8.33% goes to Pension fund and 3.67% goes to PF fund.
Now I am confused Do I have to deduct @ 12% on basic or 12 % of 6500 that is Rs 780 Can you please help
Total likes : 2 times
Dear Sir/Madam
To know how to calculate Account No.21 & Account no.22, & on what base? . is there any limit ?.


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About La Mer
The genesis of La Mer emerged from the discovery that sea silt has a significant beneficial effect on skin regeneration. That premise is the basis for todays acclaimed range of La Mer skincare products. Sea silt is a sediment found in calm parts of the sea shore and is found along the North Sea coast. It is rich in oxygen, sea salt, therapeutic clay, trace elements, sulphur and a mixture of organic components. Paul Gojny – the founder of La Mer – developed the intricate process needed to distil the beneficial extract from natural sea silt. All La Mer products include sea silt extract as the main ingredient blended with other natural marine components and rich nourishing moisturisers. La Mer products are categorised into six different categories, each of which specialises in the individual needs of different skin types. Flexible Care skin care products
are for women of all ages and skin types. The range includes cleansing products, facemasks, special care treatments for sensitive areas such as eyelids, body care products to normalize skin deficiencies, forming products to help in skin firming and bath oils and salts to nourish your skin.
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Bioshock - Ken Levine Interview @ Evil Avatar
Evil Avatar has posted a great two-part interview with Irrational's Ken Levine. The first covers a little of his background and wanders into some interesting territory:
That interviewer is an idiot.
Bioshock worries me whenever I read interviews about it nowadays. I wasn't too impressed by the demo video that they showed off at E3 either. The gameplay is looking very DeusExInvisibleWar-ish to me. The story looks very cool, but I think that it's going to be totally inacessible to most people.
Thanks Dhruin, great read. :)
I don't know if I agree on either point.
First we have all kinds of reviewers is it wrong to have a different style, to ask about philosophy when your talking to a dev that makes some of the most philosophically intriging games?
To try to learn what movidates KenL make the kinda of games he makes, where he gets his ideas from how they apply to current culture?
Speaking of Tolkien still today people deabte how much was based on WWII, even though Tolkien says it had nothing to do with Lord of the Rings Series.
Why not ask now?
Secondly I don't know what you actually refering to as I see no comparison from the Demo to DX2, unless you mean being caught between struggles of power which I don't see DX2 as defining.
As KenL puts it, "what makes a player want to continue?"
How about survival or their very humanity?
Maybe that is too much for most causual gamers, though it seems to be the perfect for great gamming.
Of course I could just have misunderstood yoiu. ;)
I like Ken :)
I like Barbie better.
But no really, Levine ist really a cool guy.
The gameplay in the Bioshock video looked DX:IW-ish to me. And by that, I mean simplistic and dumbed down for consoles in a similiar way, with mediocre implementation of action elements. The role-playing system appears to consist only of replaceable upgrades, like what Invisible War had, and every time that I see an interview with Ken Levine he uses the same language that Harvey Smith and Warren Spector were using back in 2003. He's right about System Shock 2 being an inaccessible game for a lot of people, but I still cringe when I hear that word expression "making the game more accessible". It's just a bad sign.
In the meantime, I think that the game's unique setting and weird story will keep mainstream and casual gamers away from it. Hardcore gamers will be unsatisfied by the dumbed down gameplay and casual gamers will stick to Halo 3 or "button mashing fantasy RPG #38". Irrational is one of those companies that I'll give a chance on anything based upon their track record, but I'm not very optomistic. I thought that Ion Storm couldn't fuck a game up but I was wrong. I think that any studio can.
Perhaps the reviewer wanted to check out if Levine is a comi.
Well, to be fair on that end, Ken Levine has said that Bioshock is somewhat of a political allegory. (Is allegory the word that I'm looking for?). I'm not sure what you call it, but there's a very intellectual political theme to Bioshock's story, supposedly. That's one of the reasons why I'm so interested in it. Also, that's one of the reasons why I think that lots of casual gamers won't get into it.
Well, i have to say that Bioshock is the game i'm anticipating the most atm.
I like political allegories too. It will certainly be a game for adults and not for the immature audience.
Allegory for capitalism? Bloody hell. Can something be allegorical when it simply shows the antithesis of the thing it's supposedly an allegory of?
Surely thievery isn't allegorical to capitalism, it's one of the main things opposed to it. If you violate laws regarding personal property then you're pretty much violating and/or denouncing capitalism. That's not allegorical, it's obvious, in plain sight.
Odd shoe-horning of meaning aside, I'm not sure I like the direction Levine seems to want to take.
I understand he needs his games to sell as much as possible, that's how business works, but all this talk of simplification and hand-holding worries me. Some things are irreducibly "complicated" or "difficult". That's the nature of challenge and depth, and of learning.
If you over-simplify or babysit too much then the thing you originally wanted to convey or create becomes something else. The sense of learning and accomplishment is reduced or trivialised. Some things can't, and shouldn't be given on a plate.
He seems to be in a general state of contradiction anyway. On the one hand he wants his product to sell well (who doesn't?), so he's aiming to make the game mechanics easy to grasp for everyone. On the other hand, he sees Bioshock challenging us with social commentary on the nature of man and the "hero", politics, power etc. If you can't grasp game mechanics that could today be considered, I don't know, "intermediate" difficulty to learn and understand, why would you want to/be capable of engage/ing with a story that operates on a number of levels? He seems to believe the market can grasp deep political satire/commentary, but can't grasp "choose your skills, they dictate your character type and the way you can approach challenges", or whatever.
I mean, the person who can play the game and go "Ahhh, I see the actions of this character are clearly derived from Machiavelli's work 'The Prince'. And look here, the foyer scene is clearly an homage to Bosch's seminal 'Hell'." is unlikely to be phased by the challenge of PC skill development or fork-roads in the plot.
In contrast, the player who sees the above and just thinks "that guy's selfish…this place is weird" isn't served by Levine's ideas on narrative and subtext. It just comes off to me as him wanting to present iconoclasts and idealogues, morals and all that challenging stuff; wrapped in a game that he wants to make simple so it'll appeal to everyone. Which could compromise the whole thing, as the gameplay might not appeal to those who can grasp these narrative themes, and the narrative themes don't appeal to those to whom the gameplay appeals.
Of course I could just be reading too much into a fun little interview, and be completely wrong on all my thoughts :)
I think its a fair question since it seems like, especially in sci-fi or modern rpgs, corporations are the devil. From Kotor to Bloodlines, business is bad. I can't think of one game that had "the good" corporation.
But who cares? As long as the hippies are killing things or making games where you can kill things, they'll have less time to protest.
Yeah roqua you're riiite. For example in System Shock I and II TriOptimum is the big bad company, or let's say in Resident Evil it's Umbrella. Corporations are rarely or never good in games. But in Bloodlines i really don't know what you are meaning with corporation. I'm playing Bloodlines atm after a long time again and i'm enjoying it like if i would play it for the first time.
doctor_kaz, ahh I see more of what you mean but I hope you are just overly worried. ;)
I sence that KenL is smart enough to avoid the obvious (even back then) pitfalls commited by Ion Storm.
This would be easy to accomplish with a Tutorial/Hint helper on and off switch. :)
Yeah I disagree Dyne.
Capitalism is not about punishing thieves, like all soicalities there has been ways addressing or preventing theivery, thoughout history.
Capitalism is about (at least here in the US) about privatizing public asssets through bribery of officials and subversive deregualtion of laws intended to protect the public and the lands.
Laws like those of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Enviromental Law, Labor Law and Food and Drug Saftey to name a few, which are all under attack for the last 12 years as an example.
Political intrigue and corruption are huge targets ripe for story tellers.
corporations have done far worse things in real life than in games. that aside their are no bad/evil corporations…just those in them who do such deeds. enron for example had plenty of "normal/good" people working in it who got used. a corporation is simply one of societies largests assets/tool/weapon that holds a lot of power over people and money. no corporation is benign, unless non-profit, so if a corporation is portrayed in a game developers have to push it towards the 'evil' side since an average company would not be intersting or have any 'power' urges that would lead it to do things that would affect the story.
but yes im not sure what corporation is in bloodlines either. comparing the camarilla to a corporation is kind of a stretch since it is a society of people/vampires. and there are 'good' people in the camarilla that don't have the same 'goals' as those in charge. just like there are people in the anarchs who aren't all that 'good' either.
these games give you actual choices. they don't say which is 'right' or 'wrong' like so many things try to.
@roqua-if people(not me) aren't able to make comments about christians, i think you should not talk about 'hippies' in a derogatory manner, or cheapen words like protest, simply since you obviously disagree with anything those stand for.
and yes ken levine has 'brainwashed' me into wanting to buy any game he makes.
bioshock bioshock bioshock
good doctor, ken levine doesn't make rpgs. he makes games that have some elements of them but he strives to make different games. personally i think the swat games let me 'role play' more immersively than a lot of 'role playing games'. a story has to be about something. i've never read any any rand myself (more than a chapter anyways) but i'm sure i will fully be engrossed in the story he tells. the thing about a great story/game is that it can have many depths/paths to it but also the option to forgoe all that if the person doesn't want to any just enjoy the 'surface' of the game. a good game story doesn't force these themes down your throat but if you 'get' them it can be rewarding and add to the realsim/humanism of the game. and like levine said, he doesn't plan on these things they just manifiest themselves into the game/story once its creation is underway emerging from the layers of consciousness of him and others in irrational games.
In kotor 1 they also have the evil capitilistic pig merchant in the undercity of the starting city, nevermind the big evil corp that is also in part 2 (where you have to be a good guy and side with the tree hugging race, or a bad guy if you side with them).
Plenty of examples in NWN and millions of other games. But who cares, game devs work for corporations for the most part, are anti-piracy for the most part, and make money through capitalism. The only game to come out of a communist country that I know before the curtain fell was Tetris. How many games come from Cuba and North Korea?
But I would much rather talk about how game mechanics now-a-days sucks, despite the political leanings of the game makers. ToEE could've been made as a combined effort by Hitler, Stalin, Saddam, Bin Laden, and Satan with a theme of how everyone in the US should be raped and slaughter, and I would have still bought it and loved it.
I enjoyed the interview, but I doubt I'll buy the game. I generally dislike FPS games, so it has little appeal!!
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Charlie Sheen dating another adult film star?
Mexico City: Actor Charlie Sheen, who is no stranger to dating adult film stars, is now reportedly dating porn star Brett Rossi, whom he was spotted kissing at a hotel balcony here.
Sheen sparked rumours of a romance with Rossi when the couple was spotted locking lips. He even posted a picture of him with his arms around the porn actress holidaying in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico over Thanksgiving.
Sheen captioned the picture: "Best Thanksgiving ever. I am thankful for `giving` the world another face-load of planet jealous! Hashtag HowYaLikeMeWow. (sic)"
However, later even Rossi took to Twitter to share an update, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
"Finally in Cabo with my love," before later adding: "Beautiful ending to a beautiful day. Period. The end."
The 48-year-old treated 24-year-old adult actress Georgia Jones to a romantic break in December last year, also in Cabo San Lucas. They were reported to be living together in January.


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Street photography on your smartphone
Much has been said -- both good and bad -- about the explosive growth of mobile devices in photography. But whether you're a staunch supporter of the mobile movement, or one of its detractors, there's no denying that there's one genre of photography that mobile devices seem absolutely perfect for: street photography.
Devices like smartphones are tailor-made for taking candid pics of strangers in public. They're small, discreet and always with you. And while some may argue the lack of optical zoom in most smartphones (don't even bother with digital zooms, please) is a con for street shots, I vehemently disagree and say it's actually a plus. Smartphones allow you to get super close to the action, and become part of the scene -- delivering much more personal and therefore meaningful photos. Optical zooms are great for shooting safaris, concerts, sports and other things you can't normally get close to. But street photography is about shooting people, and if you can't get close to them to take your photograph, then you're just not connecting with your subjects to begin with. It's that intimate connection that really makes a difference in street shots. As Robert Capa once said: "If your photos aren't good enough, you're not close enough."
So what exactly is street photography? Wikipedia defines it as "a type of photography that features subjects in candid situations within public places." A common misunderstanding, however -- especially in the mobile photography community -- is that street photography can mean any photo that's taken on a street. But that's not exactly accurate. For example, photos of just buildings, graffiti on a wall or flowers in a pot -- while technically shot on a street -- are more accurately defined as architectural, documentary or nature photography. There are numerous types of photography that can be taken on a street, but street photography generally involves people and is candid.
Street photography has been popular for over a century, and became widespread (for obvious reasons) once cameras became more portable. Well-known masters of the genre include Henri Cartier-Bresson (who popularized the term "the decisive moment"), Robert Frank (known for his groundbreaking book "The Americans"), Helen Levitt, Garry Winogrand, Elliott Erwitt and many more, too numerous to name here. Street photography is considered a raw reflection of regular life and society around us. It's often ironic, can sometimes evoke an emotion, or simply give us insight into the human condition. The best street photographers, in my opinion, have a clear respect for their subjects -- even if those subjects aren't always aware that they are being photographed. The more respect you have, the better (and easier) your street photography will be -- especially when shooting with a mobile device.
This article will break down some of the basics you'll need to know before you try street photography yourself, while also discussing the philosophy and approach of shooting candids that's quite different than most other types of photography out there.
Using the right device
I'll refer primarily to the iPhone here (and related iOS apps) as that's what I personally use. It's also been rated highly in numerous tests and reviews (see Connect's own review of the iPhone 5). Sure, there may be smartphones with more megapixels (like Nokia's 808 Pureview), but megapixels alone are not what's most important in street photography. Besides having an incredible lens and sensor, the iPhone also features the unbeatable Apple App Store that contains thousands more (and better) camera and editing apps than any other mobile system out there -- many of which offer fine-tuned control over focus and exposure. It's the total package -- the combination of camera, software and hardware -- that just can't be beat for street photography.
The iPhone 4, 4S and 5 are all great cameras (though I still managed to take great pics even when I was on my first generation iPhone -- there's something to be said for the lo-fi charm of earlier models). The latest iPod Touch's 5MP camera is similar to the iPhone 4 and very capable as a camera too (especially with that handy-dandy loop it now comes with to help ensure you won't accidentally drop your device).
That said, a lot of the tips mentioned here can apply to any mobile device (or camera, for that matter), as the best street photography has always been about capturing the right moment, and not necessarily super-sharp, perfectly-exposed images. Just do not try taking street photos with your iPad, please -- or any other tablet on the market, no matter how good a camera it may have. Not even the new iPad Mini. It's still too large and by no means "discreet." The most effective street photography is when you're as "invisible" as possible.
The basics
1). Before you take a single shot, make sure the sound on your phone is off (you can always switch to "Vibrate on Silent" in the Settings app so you don't miss any important calls). This may seem super obvious, but I've been surprised to learn how many people don't actually do this first. Trust me -- you don't want your camera's "shutter" sound to go off when you're trying to be sneaky and discreet.
2). If you're planning to shoot for a while, try turning off all notifications for the duration to avoid any unnecessary distractions. (There's nothing more annoying then when you're in the middle of framing the perfect shot, and suddenly you get an alert saying it's your turn to play on Words With Friends). Better yet, if you don't expect to get any important phone calls, switch your phone to "Airplane Mode" to ensure no interruptions whatsoever. An extra bonus is that you'll use less battery power while you're at it!
3). Speaking of power: if you plan to be out all day shooting, make sure you don't run out of it. Keep a power cord handy in case you need to recharge somewhere. Or consider investing in a battery case or external charger -- they are lifesavers!
4). Street photography needs to be captured quickly, which means you need to fire up your preferred camera app as fast as possible whenever you see those amazing moments unfolding. On the iPhone, the built-in camera app has the quickest access of any other app, as it's just an upwards flick of the camera icon from the lockscreen. However, the native camera app is still very limited. It may be the fastest, but it doesn't offer pro controls such separate focus and exposure. Try using some more advanced shooting apps such as ProCamera, Camera+, 645 Pro, PureShot, etc. (or Camera ZOOM FX on Android) -- but make sure they are easily accessible and at least on your first home screen (and not in a folder). Better yet, place your favorite shooting app in your dock so it's always there no matter what home screen you're on. And for even faster access, pre-load the app and have it open and ready, and then put your phone back in your pocket so when you take it out later and unlock it to shoot, the app's already on.
Holding your phone
How you hold your smartphone will make a huge difference in how effective you are taking candid street shots. One of the most important tips? Learn to shoot one-handed.
I know what you're thinking: "But I get more steady shots when I'm holding the camera with both hands!" This may seem like the case, but it's not always true. First of all, you're going to look twice as obvious that you're taking a photograph when using two hands -- and you don't want that. Remember, the idea is to be "invisible." When you hold the phone with one hand, while tapping at a shutter button on the screen with a finger of your other hand, it's a clear signal to everyone around you that you're trying to take a pic. Second, the fact that you might "jab" at that button may mean you're slightly moving the phone, which could result in blurrier images. Practice using one hand only to hold and trigger a shot (with your thumb).
An important thing to also consider, is that in most shooting apps (ProCamera being an exception), a photo is actually taken when your finger is released from the shutter button, not when you first push down on it. This will help greatly in taking quicker, more stable shots.
Also try holding the phone at angles that aren't directly in front of you. You may want to practice taking photos while the phone is closer to your waist, for example. But try to look somewhere other than down at your screen, so as to not arouse suspicion. I know it may be hard to imagine shooting "blind," but it's possible -- though it takes a lot of trial and error. Try taking shots of friends or inanimate objects (that would be at the same height/distance of people on the street), and see how well you do with your framing. If you're off a bit, adjust your angles accordingly until you get it right. This is a "safer" approach to take at first, but the more comfortable you get at taking candids later on, the more bold you'll find yourself getting -- and you'll start to care more about achieving the perfect composition before any concern of whether or not anyone "spots" you.
Finally, try shooting in landscape mode whenever possible. Not only will this produce more eye-pleasing street compositions, but simply holding the phone this way will be slightly less conspicuous. Think about it: most people taking a picture with their phone hold it in portrait mode, as it's the most "natural" way of holding the device. So when others see you holding it that way, it seems more likely you might take a photo. In contrast, usually the only reason to hold it sideways is if you're playing a game, looking at a map, texting someone to use the bigger touchscreen keyboard or some other activity not usually associated with picture-taking. Take advantage of this belief!
Zone focusing and exposure
In most instances, your phone's native camera app might be the quickest to fire up, but you'll have to wait for the combined focus/exposure to read adjust each time for every shot, and the automatic settings won't always reflect what you want. Unfortunately, you won't be able to split focus and exposure separately -- resulting in some not-so-perfect shots each time.
A better way to shoot is by using one of the more pro shooting apps mentioned above, and then pre-adjust the focus ahead of time. If you plan to shoot only subjects that are 5-6 feet in front of you for example, then use a wall (or the back of a person that's standing still) that's at that same distance to pre-focus on first, and then lock that focus into place (different apps have different ways to lock focus, so consult the app's instructions). Now, when you walk around and photograph people, you'll know that anyone who enters an area of space about 5-6 feet in front of you will be in focus. You can also stand still at a crowded spot and wait for people to come to you and only shoot people while they're at that same distance.
The same pre-adjusting can be done with exposure too, but it's a bit more tricky. Depending at what angle the sunlight is shining down, and what angle you're facing at any given time, you may need to re-adjust the exposure accordingly. If an area is extremely well lit, and you plan to only photograph people while in sunlight, aim the camera toward the sky and lock the exposure there. When you bring it back down to street level, you'll notice only the people directly in sunlight will be beautifully illuminated (but not overblown), while everything else will be in dark shadows -- creating a very dramatic look.
What you don't want is for any area of your photo to be blown out with white highlights. It's almost better to slightly under-expose an image, because at least all of the digital information will still be there (and can then be brought back to life in photo editing apps like Snapseed (now on Android as well as iOS), Filterstorm, Camera+, Perfectly Clear and many others). Otherwise, when an area is blown out, that digital info is lost forever -- and no amount of editing can bring it back.
Be aware of backgrounds and surroundings
Street photography has to be fast and spontaneous most times, and so it's not always easy to get the "perfect" background with every shot. But it's important to be mindful of backgrounds whenever possible and adjust your position/composition accordingly.
When focusing on a single subject, you want the background to be as "clean" with as few distractions as possible. If you're photographing an interesting character who's walking down the street towards you, try to not get a shot that's just straight down the sidewalk, as there's a strong chance there will be other people behind that person, which will draw the viewer's attention away. Instead, try to step toward the curb, and angle your frame toward a building so that the building (instead of the long length of the sidewalk) becomes the background. Hopefully it will be more appropriate and cleaner, and therefore spotlight your subject even more. Don't wait too long, however, as the closer the subject is to you, the harder it will be to get a non-blurry shot.
Be careful of any elements that are sticking out from behind your subjects, especially around their heads. If there's a pole or something else that looks like it's coming out of their ear, it can ruin what may have been a great shot.
Also be very mindful of light and where it falls within the frame of where you're shooting. If your subject happens to be in the shade, but there is sunlight on background elements, your subject will end up too dark, while the background will become overblown. Try adjusting your angle so that the entirety of the frame is within the shade to allow for a more even exposure throughout. If it seems too dark, you can always brighten it back up when editing.
Find your story
Now with all the technical considerations out of the way, let's talk about some of the most important elements of street photography, like finding a "story" to tell, and your overall attitude and approach.
While street photography is technically any candid photo of one or more people in a public place, a photo of an average person just walking or on the phone isn't all that exciting. Knowing the basic elements of good photography (great lighting, excellent composition, etc.) is helpful, of course -- and there is a ton of information on the Internet to help you get started with those basics. But really, the key to amazing street photography is simply finding a good story.
So what is it that you hope to say with your photographs? If you were to describe your pics to someone else, without actually showing them, would they sound interesting? A common mistake people make when starting out is simply to shoot anything they see on the street, without much rhyme or reason. They shoot, shoot, shoot at anything that moves, and hope that something interesting ends up in their photo roll. Often there may be a couple of shots that end up having nice lighting, or an interesting aesthetic, and so those are the images that end up being shared on social media. But those photos don't actually show anything that interesting happening, or don't have compelling characters. They don't have a story. So while some may be pretty or interesting, they're ultimately forgettable.
A good way to "train" your eye to find good stories happening around you is to go to public places and observe, and to not take out your camera to shoot. Instead, watch what's happening around you and look for interesting characters or "decisive moments" that catch your eye. Yes, it will be painful to only observe these moments and not capture them with your camera, but trust me, this will help you in the long run. Keep a journal in a Notes app of the best "photos" you witnessed but didn't take. Read them back to someone else later. If this other person agrees these would have made good photos, then you're on to something. If not, keep trying.
The point of this exercise isn't to suppress your instinct to shoot. If you feel inclined to press the shutter button, there's usually some reason for it. But by training yourself to look for those moments that really matter, or those subjects that really stand out and that tell some sort of story, then you will strengthen your focus -- and you'll find yourself with much more meaningful shots in your camera roll that make more of an impact upon your viewers.
In this day and age of mobile photography, there is an over-saturation of people sharing images on social media channels. You really want your photos to stand out and SAY something, and for people to stop and take notice.
Attitude and approach
Taking candid shots of total strangers can seem quite intimidating. Many first-timers (and even people who have been doing it for years) often fear that they'll be "caught" taking photographs of others, either by the actual subjects themselves or by other people nearby. It's important to ask yourself why you're taking candid photos in the first place. Are you planning to use these photos for nefarious purposes? Are you stalking someone? We would really hope that's not the case.
Most likely, your purpose is the same as most other street photographers -- an attempt to capture the magic of life around you, document your city, create beautiful art, etc. -- and therefore you should have nothing to worry about. The right frame of mind makes all the difference, and it's also important to treat your subjects with the utmost respect. When you take someone else's picture, ask yourself that if it was you, would you be OK with it being "out there" for the public to see? Always try and get honest portrayals of people whenever you can.
With noble intentions on your side, you'll become more confident and secure when you're shooting candids. You'll notice that the better you feel about what you're doing (and provided you've mastered all the technical aspects above), the easier it will be to achieve street photography without your subjects being aware of you (or if they are, not caring that much).
What you don't want to be while shooting is nervous, self-conscious or feeling guilty about what you're doing. As soon as any of these emotions enter the picture, it starts to become reflected in your body language and affects your photo-taking -- and it will throw off your game completely.
If you're using the above techniques and methods, while having the right attitude, you'll be surprised by how "invisible" you become. But in the rare case someone does spot you, the worst that can happen is they might ask you if you took their picture. And the worst way to react to this question is by lying and looking suspicious. This will just make the situation worse.
So don't ever let it get to that point! Instead, approach the situation with a completely different attitude. Be upbeat, and very positive, and tell them you took their photo because you liked their look. Show them the pic, and ask them if they'd like a copy sent to them. Being super friendly and direct with them will usually catch the person off guard, and make them less likely to be mad at you. Be sure to have a folder on your phone already set up with any other candids that you've taken so you can show examples and explain to the person that you're trying to practice your street photography skills. By this point, they probably won't ask you to delete the photo -- but if they still do, by all means delete it! You can always get other great photos.
Permissions and the law
Many people wonder if permission is needed before taking someone's picture, and whether it is even ethical to take someone's photo without them knowing. You can certainly try asking someone if they wouldn't mind that you took their photo -- however, be aware that by doing this the type of photography that you do will change from "street photography" to "street portraiture." It's an important distinction to make. Both approaches can yield amazing results, but they are different. Once someone is aware that you are taking their photo, they often put up a "shield" and their attitude can completely change as they put on a "camera face," which isn't usually what attracted you to the person in the first place. It's then an entirely different skill to get people comfortable enough to be photographed in their "true" state again.
It's also important to understand the laws of shooting candids of people on the street where you live. In the United States, it's perfectly OK to take photos of anyone as long as it's in a public place. Download the Photographer's Rights app for iOS (or seek out a similar one if you use a different platform) for information specific to any country. It ultimately comes down to whether or not you feel it's necessary to ask permission or not. As for ethics, that's debatable. Just remember that all of us are being recorded in public almost all the time, especially in big cities -- there are security cameras virtually everywhere we go. It's very hard not to be captured on camera these days, and no one is ever "asking" us for permission in those instances.
Usually when someone is bothered by the thought of their picture being taken, it's because they're uncomfortable with the notion of where the picture will ultimately end up. That's why it's important to know where you can ultimately share your photos, and what you're ultimately allowed to do with them (the following applies at least to the U.S.):
What's allowed:
- Taking people's photos in a public place without their permission.
- Sharing such photos in any kind of social media.
- Using photos for any journalistic purpose, as in a magazine, newspaper or blog.
- Printing photos in a book that serves a specific artistic purpose to represent the photographer's style.
- Displaying photos in a gallery, and even selling one-time prints.
What's NOT allowed:
- Using images of people in any form of advertising that implies an endorsement for a product or service.
- Using someone's image in a way that misrepresents them in a way that's damaging to their reputation, or displays them in a negative light (another reason to always treat your subjects with the utmost respect).
- Using someone's image for continual commercial profit, such as in printing postcards, T-shirts, and other products.
You can, however, get around the "not allowed" restrictions above by getting someone to agree to fill out a standard "model release." You can do this if you've asked their permission first, or even try to do it after you've taken a candid shot of them. No need to carry these releases with you -- just search "model release" in your app store and you'll find plenty of free (and paid) apps suitable for your needs that you can always have with you. Be aware that most of these apps will ask for a ton of personal information from your subject, which most people won't be willing to do for a total stranger. However, if you can manage to get people to sign a release, it will free you to do a lot more with those photos. (But again, this then becomes "street portraiture" which is much different than "street photography.")
Practice, practice, practice
I can't stress how much continued practice makes perfect. I used to be terrified of taking photographs of strangers, but now it's just second nature. Again, as mentioned above, attitude and your intent is very important. Once you have the right approach, the rest is easy.
Anton Kawasaki (@anton_in_nyc), has become known for his intimate and candid street portraits, which capture the people of New York in "moments" that express love, despair, humor, and the multitude of emotions that make up daily life. His images have been featured in several magazines and in exhibitions in various cities around the world. He co-teaches a series of online workshops on mobile photography, and is a visual storyteller/mobile photographer for hire. He currently resides in Brooklyn with his husband Sion Fullana -- a pioneer in the mobile photography movement.
Jan 16, 2016
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Jan 12, 2016
Interesting article, thanks!
the tip on taking pictures on the sly -- this is deceiving and totally dishonest, I would think. Being "in the picture" means, as far as I am concerned, that your subjects accept you as part of the experience. I take pictures with a camera and i let my subjects know it. 95 % of the t ime they do not object. If they do, then don't take the picture. Unless it is a newsworthy image (reportage, an accident, etc) then you don't need permission. But if it is a highly personal interaction (like the lead picture for this article), I think one owes the couple at least the knowledge that they were a part of your experience.
The majority of the great street photographers take photos on the 'sly' so that they can capture the spontaneity and unpredictability of the human experience. As Anton clearly stated it's perfectly legal to take photos of people in a public place in the US. I agree that it's a nice thing to do to share the top photo with the couple.
I think you have in the US the right to take photos but not the right to publish the photos, look here: http://lifehacker.com/5912250/know-your-rights-photography-in-public
in germany it is different and simple: you have not the right
Awesome piece, thank you! An explanation of permissions and the law was what I was hoping to find here most and you indeed did a great job covering that. An app I might recommend for those intimidated by snapping candid shots is one called SpyPic. Not the best name, I know, and I'll probably get a lovely comment from some Dick about using such an app...but it's perfect for shooting in situations when you'd like to capture what's going on when there is no way people around you won't notice (I use it mostly on metros, buses). BTW, if you'd like a real Words with Friends challenge in between your shots, look for LarryLare.
Frankly, and IMO, the vast majority of street shots aren't worth a second look, or usually a first one. I've seen enough backsides of people walking away, people eating at sidewalk cafés, people sitting at bus stops, and I don't get the interest of them.
While there's definitely a lot of uninteresting street photography out there, the same can be said about ANY genre of photography. Obviously you're not looking in enough of the right places to be inspired! ;-)
While many people often lump street portraiture under the "umbrella" of street photography, it's VERY important to note that taking candid shots of people and taking posed shots are two extremely different skill sets -- and should be distinguished accordingly. Both types are quite difficult to do in a way that makes an effective and well-done "photograph" (while it's quite easy to take just a "snapshot" using either style). There are some people who can do only one style well, and others who are good at both -- but they ARE very different, even if they "seem" similar on the surface.
Take Eugene Atget: among the pioneers of "street photography", yet he seldom photographed people. His thing was buildings (windows/doors, yards, etc). Street photography isn't strictly about taking "candid shots of people". That's just one sub-genre. Anyway, a random stranger off the street agreeing to informally pose for you is also a "candid shot of a person". You can call it "street portraiture" but it falls under the umbrella of "street photography", as does snapping pics of buildings, sewers, windows, people's backs, whatever.
Your own "be bold and snap away while asking for directions" photo is, by your own definition, a street portrait. While you may not have asked for permission, the kid is obviously granting it to you anyway while being aware that you are taking photos of her. And, according to you, once someone is "aware", it's no longer "street photography".... still, you've included it in your "street photography" article as an example of "street photography".
@Rage Joe: my passion is "the decisive moment" and what I like to call "the stolen portrait", but since we are defining "street photography" and trying to remain objective about it, then yes, a shot of a pavement is a street photograph. Whether I like that kind of street photography or not (hint: about as much as I like pics of people on the street doing nothing interesting) is another topic :-)
@io_bg: why isn't it street photography? Are you talking about a random person striking a cheesy pose for the camera, or something of a commercial nature? Sure, a photo shoot with a model at some intersection is a major set-up gig, with thousands of shots taken just to get a few that are good for a mag cover (or whatever), but a candid portrait of someone who's aware that they're being photographed (and is even putting on a pose) is by all definitions a street photograph.
In the end, what really matters is the approach. If you have the skill to immerse yourself in a crowd, chances are you'll get some great street photos. If you're willing to sink to "shooting from the hip" or "telephoto" street shooting, you'll get crap... but hey, it's still "street photography", whether you like it or not.
@Rage Joe: I agree with you, I basically wrote the same thing earlier, somewhere down below. But, the question isn't what we personally like or don't like, the question is what is "street photography". Since it's beginnings, it's been pretty much a loose ideal but those that pursued it, pursued it with much more thought than those who are pursuing it nowadays... but unfortunately, it's still "street photography".
Regarding "connecting with people", I see it more like staying under the radar while still being fully exposed in public. It's an honest approach. Asking for permission is cowardly, however, being seen and chased also means you're not doing something right :-). However, to establish a repertoire with a street gang, to be able to photograph them is, at least to me, more along the lines of "documentary photography" or "reportage".... which I also enjoy viewing and do consider a lot of it as a type of "street" photography.
after this article you should read this here on dpreview: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/3981014128/street-photography-street-robbery
New York. New York. New York...
The rest of the world is just wild bush with no people at all. Not even animals.
There are billions of streetshoots from New York. I think we´ve already seen it all.
Using a mobile is just a gimmick trying to make yourself interesting while you are actually doing the same thing all over again.
On the You Tube there are tons of "courses" in Street and every second another 36-roll is uploaded somewhere on the net.
Mobiles will just dilute the whole thing even more.
Anton, I am a big fan of your mobile street photography, really fantastic work, respect. Glad to see your post here. Great tips
>>For me, my main concern is what's actually happening IN the photos - the story. If you look at some of the well-known masters of street photography, you'll find plenty of blurry, not-perfect photos here and there -- but all amazing moments.<<
totally agree :)
Some good tips for street photography, of which most are generally valid (with any camera) and a few are mobile-photography specific.
There was not much new here for me, but it is a nice summary of useful information, especially for those who are new to street photography.
They might want to consider checking out some of the forums on DP Review for more inspiration.
Thanks! This was definitely written mostly for people who are just starting out. I get asked a ton of questions on how I approach taking street shots, and this addresses almost all.
And yes, people should definitely check out the forums on DP review (as well as studying well-known street photographers in general) for more inspiration! The only problem I find with most photography forums is that the discussion often devolves into talk about "tech" aspects over story and actual content. What I like about using a mobile device for shooting street is that people can forget about the device, and just focus on getting a good moment. So when people peruse the forums, just please keep that goal in mind!
"That said, a lot of the tips mentioned here can apply to any mobile device (or camera, for that matter), as the best street photography has always been about capturing the right moment, and not necessarily super-sharp, perfectly-exposed images"
Just as well you said that, as i only see maybe one of your images that was reasonably sharp and did not have blown highlights, although maybe that was the point?????
Well I could mention the fact that many of these photos were taken on older devices, going all the way back to the iPhone 3G. But yeah...that's not really the point.
I know from previous comments you've made that your main concern with photography seems to be "quality" of photos. For me, my main concern is what's actually happening IN the photos - the story. If you look at some of the well-known masters of street photography, you'll find plenty of blurry, not-perfect photos here and there -- but all amazing moments. If technical "perfection" is so very important to you, then clearly mobile photography just isn't your thing...
My own speciality is audio, I was researching cameras for a replacement (addition) for my beloved but well-aged 9-year-old Konica Revio 510z (I got an RX100, wow!), and some of the teminology I came across was puzzling me.
"For me, my main concern is what's actually happening IN the photos - the story. [...] you'll find plenty of blurry, not-perfect photos here and there -- but all amazing moments. If technical "perfection" is so very important to you, then clearly mobile photography just isn't your thing..."
For me, this more than anything else helped me to understand what people mean when they say 'pixel peeping'. You helped me understand that 'pixel peeping' is somewhat analogous to the way audiophiles strongly prioritise gold connectors and suchlike.
I'm sure this wasn't in your mind when you created this piece, but it did help me a lot, so thank you very much for that. :)
Oh, and also, having come across it for the first time, I just want to say I <3 your work. :)
@Dédéjr, I feel truly sorry for you if your enjoyment of photography is coupled with the technical quality of a photos. Photography is an art, not a science.
@Anton, I enjoyed the article.
It's amazing how so many negative replies people throw up on a post like this. While the work here may not be 'your thing' that doesn't make it worth of your zealous dismissal. We need more posts like this, not just endless posts about new gear and f'king mindless ISO bickering.
Anyone saying that NY street photography has been done already should look at EVERY avenue of photography, Its all been done a million times, you don't have to change history every time you press the shutter.
Perhaps if what people chose to say would include something to contribute to a greater dialogue, some examples of your own work or work of others that you consider do it right, and a modicum of modesty to perhaps show "well, this is what I DO think, but I'm open to admit there are other points of view out there".
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Just because we have an open box it doesn't mean we have to always just pop out every negative thought that we bear inside.
Because is there anything at all in the article that you didn't dismiss or that you found at least interesting or accurate or anything positive at all? If so, why not say that too, instead of only focusing on what YOU think it's bad?
well i did mention Robert doisneau......
No reason to be negative of course but no reason not to not to be so...
Anyone can look me up on dpreview no-one has to like my photos either, do not care, my ego can take rejection.
taylor swift sells millions of records but patsy cline she aint...
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Agarest: Generations of War Review: A little bit of history repeating
There is definitely something about generational, tactics, role-playing games that catches my attention. Agarest: Generations of War goes through a massively deep five generations of gameplay. Your main character, Leonhardt, will start the game by making a pact with a mysterious woman to give him the power to battle evil. In return, he and his future generations will have to sacrifice their souls to seal the evil away. This is the premise of Agarest: Generations of War.
If you're thinking that this game sounds identical to Record of Agarest War, you're absolutely right. The different title is simple due to this being the PC/Steam version and not the PS3 version you're familiar with. Other than that and some slightly upgraded graphics, the two games are literally identical. Thus, if you liked the old one, you're going to love the version that was released on October 3rd of this year.
In the first four generations, the game displays a system it calls the "soul breed" system. It all comes back to Leonhardt and his supernatural ability to draw women to himself. During the first generation, you'll build relations with three specific women, and at the end you have to choose one to produce a child with. This child will be the main character in the next generation, and will have a choice between three new women. The child receives stats/appearance based upon his two parents and how strong of a bond the two had. This character's weapon is also decided by the parents. Keep in mind, by the 5th generation your parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and great-great grandparents all play a role in how your character will turn out stats and weapon wise; there are lots of different factors and possibilities towards the end of the game.
A beautiful aspect of this game is that no two playthroughs will be identical. I'm not even talking about character design, but how every choice you make and how many turns you take affect the game and that generation – sometimes the entire game. It is possible to miss out on certain characters, not have all three women fall for you, miss certain events, take different paths, fight different battles, and miss out on loot. While this does mean there are different endings, there aren't as many as you might expect.
Decisions and relationship building all occur off the battlefield. If your light/darkness gauge is at a certain point after certain events, new events will appear that you can go to. Your choices will change this gauge as well as how the women view you. Showing too much favor to one can lower the interest in the other two. All of this factors into the path you'll take in that generation and even possibly the outcome of the ending. Do you go all in for one gauge direction or keep it balanced? Do you give all your attention to one of the women, or do you try to balance them out? These are all decisions Leonhardt and his offspring must make.
The battlefield is where the true meat and potatoes of the experience is. As far as tactics games go, the Agarest series is rather complex. If this is your first game in the franchise, prepare to be somewhat confused at first. Thanks to the "Extended Area" feature, where you put your troops heavily matters. During the movement phase, you'll see lines connect to characters that are in each other's extended areas. When connected, these characters can all act at the same time, combo with each other's moves, and make combinations that a single character isn't capable of. Each enemy has a "Break" bar that once broken will cause them to take double damage from attacks. This bar resets after each volley, so it is imperative and often necessary on bosses to have every character attack at once to defeat the foe.
A turn in battle consists of you moving all your troops first on a grid. Then the enemy moves, then your AP determines when you act on that turn. Through the Extended Area system, even characters far down the turn order can act if they are connected to a high AP character – this is where the majority of the strategy lies. You can set the battles to "Auto", but your characters aren't often strong enough for you to trust the AI not to get them killed. In Agarest: Generations of War, you spend nearly no time grinding if you're trying to get the "True Ending" (~less than 100 turns per generation).
During "Quests", your characters won't heal and you have to truck through an environment where you randomly get attacked. There are treasure chests hidden here that give you powerful weapons, skills, and tomes. I abhorred these quests – especially the ones with bosses at the end. If you die, you have to do 0-3 fights without saving and do it all over again. That is nightmarish. Usually I'd get all the items, leave, save, and then just rush the boss. I had played Agarest War: Zero before this game and even though the quests were still long, you could heal and save in-between.
While I'm usually all for this level of complexity, this game becomes incredibly repetitive in battle. Going through five generations makes this an incredibly long game, and towards the 3rd-5th generation I got tired of the repetitive nature. Nearly every boss is fought by having one character tank the boss, either getting healed or revived after every turn, and just waiting for every party member to build up their most powerful attack. Sure, you're getting a slew of new characters every generation with different weapons and skills… but the gameplay stays relatively the same.
This is probably a personal preference, but I'm not a fan of the Blacksmithing system. Besides starter weapons/armor and what you find in chests during quests, you have to make every piece of equipment you use in this game. These patterns are found through tomes, and there is no direction on where to get them or the monsters you need to overkill in order to obtain materials for them. In a game with 5 generations, there are a lot of monsters you can potentially miss. If you happen to miss one blacksmithing book during a quest, you could miss out on that generation's go-to weapons, and if parts of THOSE weapons are needed for the next generation, you are double boned. I'm not usually one to look where to find things on my first playthrough, but the wiki is a godsend for this game.
The fact that this remake is only $20 and is on Steam makes this game convenient and affordable. If you're a fan of the Agarest franchise, looking to spend 50+ hours on a game, or just want to try a different tactics type game, I recommend Agarest Generations of War. I rarely say this, but the game is too long. For $20 you are definitely getting your money's worth, and if you're in love with the gameplay, that's a whole lot of content. This game is definitely one part tactics/RPG and one part dating-sim. I love that there are so many options, different game routes, and different main character combinations; so while there is an endless amount of replayability, I could never see myself playing it a second time.
Above Average


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Korean cooking forum topics
Home › Forums › Korean food discussion › Korean Cooking Class/Restaurant Job in NYC
This topic contains 0 replies, has 1 voice, and was last updated by msnyc 7 years, 2 months ago.
I am interested in finding a korean cooking class in NY that is held regularly. I checked ICE and they didn't have anything for 2010-11. Also, I am looking to learn how to make homemade doenjang.. I know it takes a long time to ferment and is not for those with sensitive olfactories, but I love love it and want to learn. I would also be into learning how to make korean food from a chef in a restaurant, but find it difficult to even figure out how to do so. My korean in not that good..
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