After reading an article on wired.com about telecommunications selling spy data to governments (that is posted on my blog here) I checked out the blog mentioned in the wired.com article and man was it FULL of important information! Everything below is the work of the original author on slight paranoia. (The original article can be found here) I’ve only copy and pasted it onto my blog because it is VERY important that you read this information. Explore all the links in the article below. And please visit slight paranoia for any questions you may have and to read all his other posts or to just send him a quick thank you message.

Disclaimer: The information presented here has been gathered and analyzed in my capacity as a graduate student at Indiana University. This data was gathered and analyzed on my own time, without using federal government resources. This data, and the analysis I draw from it will be a major component of my PhD dissertation, and as such, I am releasing it in order to receive constructive criticism on my theories from other experts in the field. The opinions I express in my analysis are my own, and do not reflect the views of the Federal Trade Commission, any individual Commissioner, or any other individual or organization with which I am affiliated.

UPDATE 12/3/2009 @ 12:20PM: I received a phone call from an executive at TeleStrategies, the firm who organized the ISS World conference. He claimed that my recordings violated copyright law, and asked that I remove the mp3 recordings of the two panel sessions, as well as the YouTube/Vimeo/Ikbis versions I had embedded onto this blog. While I believe that my recording and posting of the audio was lawful, as a good faith gesture, I have taken down the mp3s and the .zip file from my web hosting account, and removed the files from Vimeo/YouTube/Ikbis.

Executive Summary

Sprint Nextel provided law enforcement agencies with its customers’ (GPS) location information over 8 million times between September 2008 and October 2009. This massive disclosure of sensitive customer information was made possible due to the roll-out by Sprint of a new, special web portal for law enforcement officers.

The evidence documenting this surveillance program comes in the form of an audio recording of Sprint’s Manager of Electronic Surveillance, who described it during a panel discussion at a wiretapping and interception industry conference, held in Washington DC in October of 2009.

It is unclear if Federal law enforcement agencies’ extensive collection of geolocation data should have been disclosed to Congress pursuant to a 1999 law that requires the publication of certain surveillance statistics — since the Department of Justice simply ignores the law, and has not provided the legally mandated reports to Congress since 2004.

Introduction

“[Service providers] have, last time I looked, no line entry in any government directory; they are not an agent of any law enforcement agency; they do not work for or report to the FBI; and yet, you would never know that by the way law enforcement orders them around and expects blind obedience.”
– Albert Gidari Jr., Keynote Address: Companies Caught in the Middle, 41 U.S.F. L. Rev. 535, Spring 2007.

“The reason we keep [search engine data] for any length of time is one, we actually need it to make our algorithms better, but more importantly, there is a legitimate case of the government, or particularly the police function or so forth, wanting, with a Federal subpoena and so forth being able to get access to that information.”
– Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, All Things Considered, NPR interview between 5:40 and 6:40, October 2, 2009.

Internet service providers and telecommunications companies play a significant, yet little known role in law enforcement and intelligence gathering.

Government agents routinely obtain customer records from these firms, detailing the telephone numbers dialed, text messages, emails and instant messages sent, web pages browsed, the queries submitted to search engines, and of course, huge amounts of geolocation data, detailing exactly where an individual was located at a particular date and time.

These Internet/telecommunications firms all have special departments, many open 24 hours per day, whose staff do nothing but respond to legal requests. Their entire purpose is to facilitate the disclosure of their customers’ records to law enforcement and intelligence agencies — all following the letter of the law, of course.

‘Juking’ the stats

If you were to believe the public surveillance statistics, you might come away with the idea that government surveillance is exceedingly rare in the United States.

Every year, the US Courts produce the wiretap report which details every ‘intercept’ order requested by Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies during that year. Before the police, FBI, DEA or other law enforcement agents can tap a phone, intercept an Internet connection, or place a covert bug into a suspect’s home, they must obtain one of these orders, which law professor and blogger Orin Kerr describes as a “super warrant,” due to the number of steps the government must go through in order to obtain one.

The official wiretap reports reveal that there are approximately 2000 intercept orders sought and approved by judges each year.

As you might expect, the vast majority of these intercept orders are for phone wiretaps. Thus, for example, of the 1891 intercept orders granted in 2008, all but 134 of them were issued for phone taps.

The number of electronic intercept orders, which are required to intercept Internet traffic and other computer assisted communications is surprisingly low. There were just 10 electronic intercept orders requested in 2008, and only 4 of those were from the Federal government — which was itself a massive increase over the one single order sought by the entire Department of Justice in both 2006 and 2007.

This graph, and the information contained within it, simply does not make sense. The number of electronic intercepts should, like the number of phone wiretaps, be going up over time, as more people purchase computers, and as criminals or other persons of government interest start to use computers to communicate and plan their business activities. Why were there almost 700 total (federal and state) electronic intercept orders obtained in 1998, but only 10 in 2008?

While I have no way of proving it, I suspect that there have never been a large amount of electronic intercept orders obtained in order to monitor computer communications. The electronic intercept orders, as reported by the US Courts, include those used to monitor computers, fax machines, and pagers. The wiretap report doesn’t break down the numbers for these individual technologies — but I suspect that the nearly 700 electronic intercept orders granted in 1998 were largely for fax machines and pagers. Thus, as these technologies died out, it is only natural that the number of electronic intercept orders declined

That still leaves us with one large question though: How often are Internet communications being monitored, and what kind of orders are required in order to do so.

The stats don’t cover all forms of law enforcement surveillance

As I described at the beginning of this article, the government routinely obtains customer records from ISPs detailing the telephone numbers dialed, text messages, emails and instant messages sent, web pages browsed, the queries submitted to search engines, and geolocation data, detailing exactly where an individual was located at a particular date and time.

However, while there are many ways the government can monitor an individual, very few of these methods require an intercept order.

In general, intercept orders are required to monitor the contents of real time communications. Non-content information, such as the To/From and Subject lines for email messages, URLs of pages viewed (which includes search terms), and telephone numbers dialed can all be obtained with a pen register/trap & trace order.

While wiretaps require a “superwarrant” which must be evaluated and approved by a judge following strict rules, government attorneys can obtain pen register orders by merely certifying that the information likely to be obtained is relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation — a far lower evidentiary threshold.

In addition to the fact that they are far easier to obtain, pen register orders are also not included in the annual US courts wiretap report. Not to fear though — a 1999 law requires that the Attorney General compile annual statistics regarding DOJ’s use of pen register orders, which he must submit to Congress.

Unfortunately, the Department of Justice has ignored this law since 2004 — when five years worth of reports were provided to Congress in the form of a single document dump covering 1999-2003. Since that one submission, both Congress and the American people have been kept completely in the dark regarding the Federal government’s extensive use of pen registers.

Since we don’t have any pen register stats for the last five years, it is difficult to do a current comparison. However, for the five years worth of data that we do have, it is possible to make a few observations.

First, in 2003, Federal agents used 15 times more pen registers and trap & traces than intercepts. Perhaps this was because each of the 578 Federal intercept orders obtained in 2003 had to be thoroughly evaluated and then approved by a judge, while the 5922 pen registers or 2649 trap & trace devices each received a cursory review at best.

Second, the number of pen registers and trap & trace orders went down after 9/11, at a time when the FBI and other parts of DOJ were massively increasing their use of surveillance. 4210 pen registers were used in 2000, 4172 in 2001, and 4103 in 2002.

It is important to note that these numbers only reveal part of the picture, as these statistics only cover the use of pen registers/trap & traces by the Department of Justice. There are no public stats that document the use of these surveillance methods by state or local law enforcement. Likewise, these stats only cover the requests made for law enforcement purposes — pen register surveillance performed by the intelligence community isn’t reported, even in aggregate form.

Stored Communications

The reporting requirements for intercepts and pen registers only apply to the surveillance of live communications. However, communications or customer records that are in storage by third parties, such as email messages, photos or other files maintained in the cloud by services like Google, Microsoft, Yahoo Facebook and MySpace are routinely disclosed to law enforcement, and there is no legal requirement that statistics on these kinds of requests be compiled or published.

There is currently no way for academic researchers, those in Congress, or the general public to determine how often most email, online photo sharing or social network services deliver their customers’ data to law enforcement agents.

While these firms deliver sensitive customer data to government agents on a daily basis, they go out of their way to avoid discussing it.

“As a matter of policy, we do not comment on the nature or substance of law enforcement requests to Google.”

“We do not comment on specific requests from the government. Microsoft is committed to protecting the privacy of our customers and complies with all applicable privacy laws.”

“Given the sensitive nature of this area and the potential negative impact on the investigative capabilities of public safety agencies, Yahoo does not discuss the details of law enforcement compliance. Yahoo responds to law enforcement in compliance with all applicable laws.”

Only Facebook and AOL have publicly disclosed the approximate number of requests they receive from the government — 10-20 requests per day and 1000 requests per month, respectively.

Follow the money

“When I can follow the money, I know how much of something is being consumed – how many wiretaps, how many pen registers, how many customer records. Couple that with reporting, and at least you have the opportunity to look at and know about what is going on.
– Albert Gidari Jr., Keynote Address: Companies Caught in the Middle, 41 U.S.F. L. Rev. 535, Spring 2007.

Telecommunications carriers and Internet firms do not just hand over sensitive customer information to law enforcement officers. No — these companies charge the government for it.

Cox Communications, the third largest cable provider in the United States, is the only company I’ve found that has made its surveillance price list public. Thus, we are able to learn that the company charges $2,500 for the first 60 days of a pen register/trap and trace, followed by $2,000 for each additional 60 days, while it charges $3,500 for the first 30 days of a wiretap, followed by $2,500 for each additional 30 days. Historical data is much cheaper — 30 days of a customer’s call detail records can be obtained for a mere $40.

Comcast does not make their price list public, but the company’s law enforcement manual was leaked to the Internet a couple years ago. Based on that 2007 document, it appears that Comcast charges at least $1000 for the first month of a wiretap, followed by $750 for each month after that.

In the summer of 2009, I decided to try and follow the money trail in order to determine how often Internet firms were disclosing their customers’ private information to the government. I theorized that if I could obtain the price lists of each ISP, detailing the price for each kind of service, and invoices paid by the various parts of the Federal government, then I might be able to reverse engineer some approximate statistics. In order to obtain these documents, I filed Freedom of Information Act requests with every part of the Department of Justice that I could think of.

The first agency within DOJ to respond was the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), who informed me that they had price lists on file for Cox, Comcast, Yahoo! and Verizon. Since the price lists were provided to USMS voluntarily, the companies were given the opportunity to object to the disclosure of their documents. Neither Comcast nor Cox objected (perhaps because their price lists were already public), while both Verizon and Yahoo! objected to the disclosure.

I then filed a second request, asking for copies of the two firms’ objection letters. Those letters proved to be more interesting than the price lists I originally sought.

Click here for the complete Verizon price list letter.
Click here for the complete Yahoo! price list letter.

First, Verizon revealed in its letter that it “receives tens of thousands of requests for customer records, or other customer information from law enforcement.”

Assuming a conservative estimate of 20,000 requests per year, Verizon alone receives more requests from law enforcement per year than can be explained by any published surveillance statistics. That doesn’t mean the published stats are necessarily incorrect — merely that most types of surveillance are not reported.

In its letter, Verizon lists several reasons why it believes that its price list should remain confidential. Of these reasons — two stand out. First, the company argues, customers might “become unnecessarily afraid that their lines have been tapped, or call Verizon to ask if their lines are tapped (a question we cannot answer.)”

The second interesting reason is that:

“Our pricing schedules reveal (for just two examples) that upon the lawful request of law enforcement we are able to [redacted by USMS]. In cooperation with law enforcement, we do not release that information to the general public out of concern that a criminal may become aware of our capabilities, see a change in his service, correctly assume that the change was made at the lawful request of law enforcement and alter his behavior to thwart a law enforcement investigation.”

I’m not sure what capabilities this section is referring to — but I’d love to find out more.

Yahoo!’s letter is far less exciting, and doesn’t even hint at the number of requests that the company receives. There is one interesting tidbit in the letter though:

“It is reasonable to assume from these comments that the [pricing] information, if disclosed, would be used to “shame” Yahoo! and other companies — and to “shock” their customers. Therefore, release of Yahoo!’s information is reasonably likely to lead to impairment of its reputation for protection of user privacy and security, which is a competitive disadvantage for technology companies.”

Geolocation

“Federal officials are routinely asking courts to order cellphone companies to furnish real-time tracking data so they can pinpoint the whereabouts of drug traffickers, fugitives and other criminal suspects, according to judges and industry lawyers.” Ellen Nakashima, Cellphone Tracking Powers on Request, The Washington Post, November 23, 2007.

“Law enforcement routinely now requests carriers to continuously ‘ping’ wireless devices of suspects to locate them when a call is not being made … so law enforcement can triangulate the precise location of a device and [seek] the location of all associates communicating with a target.”
– Christopher Guttman-McCabe, vice president of regulatory affairs for CTIA — the Wireless Association, in a July 2007 comment to the Federal Communications Commission.

As mobile phones have become ubiquitous, the law enforcement community has learned to leverage the plentiful, often real-time location information that carriers can be compelled to provide. Location requests easily outnumber wiretaps, and as this article will reveal, likely outnumber all other forms of surveillance request too.

In terms of legal requirements, this information can often be gained through the use of a hybrid order, combining a Stored Communications Act request and a Pen Register request. As noted before, the former law has no reporting requirement, and the law requiring reports for the Pen Register requests has been ignored by the Department of Justice since 2004.

In March of this year, telecommunications lawyer Al Gidari, who represents many of the major telcos and ISPs, gave a talk at the Berkman Center at Harvard University. During his speech, he revealed that each of the major wireless carriers receive approximately 100 requests per week for customers’ location information.

100 requests per week * 4 wireless major carriers (Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) * 52 weeks = 20k requests per year.

While Gidari’s numbers were shocking when I first heard them, I now have proof that he significantly underestimated the number of requests by several orders of magnitude.

Hanging with the spooks

Several times each year, in cities around the globe, representatives from law enforcement and intelligence agencies, telecommunications carriers and the manufacturers of wiretapping equipment gather for a closed door conference: ISS World: Intelligence Support Systems for Lawful Interception, Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Gathering.

ISS World is no stranger to the privacy community. Back in 2000, FBI agents showed off a prototype of the Carnivore interception system to attendees at ISS World. Days later, stories appeared in both the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times after one attendee leaked information to the press.

ISS World had been on the list of events that I’d wanted to attend for a long time, even moreso after my research interests started to focus on government surveillance. Thus, in October of this year, just a month after moving to Washington DC, I found myself at the Washington DC Convention Center, attending ISS World.

Looking around at the name badges pinned to the suits milling around the refreshment area, it really was a who’s who of the spies and those who enable their spying. Household name telecom companies and equipment vendors, US government agencies (both law enforcement and intel). Also present were representatives from foreign governments — Columbia, Mexico, Algeria, and Nigeria, who, like many of the US government employees, spent quite a bit of time at the vendor booths, picking up free pens and coffee mugs while they learned about the latest and greatest surveillance products currently on the market.

The main draw of the event for me was two panel discussions: A presentation on “Regulatory and CALEA Issues Facing Telecom Operators Deploying DPI Infrastructure”, and a “Telecom Service Providers Roundtable Discussions”

Not knowing ahead of time what the speakers would say, and not wanting to be called a liar if I later cited an interesting quote in a research paper, I decided to make an audio recording of the two panels.

One wireless company, 50 million customers, 8 million law enforcement requests for customer GPS information in one year

Both panels are fascinating, and worth listening to in full.
Click here for an mp3 of the complete the Deep Packet Inspection Panel.
Click here for mp3 of entire telecom panel.

However, by far the most jaw-dropping parts of the telecom service providers roundtable were the following quotes:

“[M]y major concern is the volume of requests. We have a lot of things that are automated but that’s just scratching the surface. One of the things, like with our GPS tool. We turned it on the web interface for law enforcement about one year ago last month, and we just passed 8 million requests. So there is no way on earth my team could have handled 8 million requests from law enforcement, just for GPS alone. So the tool has just really caught on fire with law enforcement. They also love that it is extremely inexpensive to operate and easy, so, just the sheer volume of requests they anticipate us automating other features, and I just don’t know how we’ll handle the millions and millions of requests that are going to come in.
– Paul Taylor, Electronic Surveillance Manager, Sprint Nextel.

“In the electronic surveillance group at Sprint, I have 3 supervisors. 30 ES techs, and 15 contractors. On the subpoena compliance side, which is anything historical, stored content, stored records, is about 35 employees, maybe 4-5 supervisors, and 30 contractors. There’s like 110 all together.”
– Paul Taylor, Electronic Surveillance Manager, Sprint Nextel, describing the number of employees working full time to comply with requests for customer records.

“Cricket doesn’t have as many subscribers so our numbers are going to be less. I think we have 4.5 – 5 million subscribers. We get approximately 200 requests per calendar day, and that includes requests for records, intercepts. We don’t have the type of automation they do, and we can’t do the location specificy that they can, because we don’t have GPS.”
– Janet A. Schwabe, Subpoena Compliance Manager, Cricket Communications

“Nextel’s system, they statically assign IP addresses to all handsets … We do have logs, we can go back to see the IP address that used MySpace. By the way – MySpace and Facebook, I don’t know how many subpoenas those people get, or emergency requests but god bless, 95% of all IP requests, emergencies are because of MySpace or Facebook… On the Sprint 3G network, we have IP data back 24 months, and we have, depending on the device, we can actually tell you what URL they went to … If [the handset uses] the [WAP] Media Access Gateway, we have the URL history for 24 months … We don’t store it because law enforcement asks us to store it, we store it because when we launched 3G in 2001 or so, we thought we were going to bill by the megabyte … but ultimately, that’s why we store the data … It’s because marketing wants to rifle through the data.”
– Paul Taylor, Electronic Surveillance Manager, Sprint Nextel.

“Two or three years ago, we probably had less than 10% of our requests including text messaging. Now, over half of all of our surveillance includes SMS messaging.”
– Paul Taylor, Electronic Surveillance Manager, Sprint Nextel.

Conclusion

As the information presented in this article has demonstrated, the publicly available law enforcement surveillance statistics are, at best misleading, and at worst, deceptive. It is simply impossible to have a reasonable debate amongst academics, public policy makers, and members of the public interest community when the very scale of these surveillance programs is secret.

As an example, consider the following quote from the November 4, 2009 markup hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, which is currently considering a bill to expand the government’s PATRIOT Act surveillance powers. During the hearing, Rep. Lamar Smith, the Ranking (Minority) Member said the following:

Unlike other tools which actually collect content, such as wiretaps, pen registers and trap-and-trace devices merely request outgoing and incoming phone numbers. Because the government cannot collect any content using pen registers, a minimization requirement makes no sense. What is there is there to minimize?

After reading this article, it should be clear to the reader that pen registers and trap & trace devices are used for far more than just collecting phone numbers dialed. They are used to get email headers (including To, From and Subject lines), the URLs of web pages viewed by individuals, and in many situations, they are used (along with a Stored Communications Act request) to get geolocation information on mobile phone users.

The reason I’m quoting Rep. Smith isn’t to poke fun at his expense, but to make a serious point. How can we have a serious public debate about law enforcement surveillance powers, when the senior most Republican on the committee responsible for the oversight of those powers doesn’t understand how they are being used? Likewise, this paragraph should by no means be read as an attack on Rep. Smith. How can he be expected to understand the extensive modern use of pen registers, when the Department of Justice continues to break the law by failing to provide yearly statistics on the use of pen registers to Congress?

My point is this: The vast majority of the government’s access to individuals’ private data is not reported, either due to a failure on DOJ’s part to supply the legally required statistics, or due to the fact that information regarding law enforcement requests for third party stored records (such as email, photos and other data located in the cloud) is not currently required to be collected or reported.

As for the millions of government requests for geo-location data, it is simply disgraceful that these are not currently being reported…but they should be.

SOURCE: http://paranoia.dubfire.net/2009/12/8-million-reasons-for-real-surveillance.html

PSD Vâlcea a rupt protocolul cu PD-L existent la nivelul Consiliului Judeţean
Râmnicu Vâlcea, 26 nov /Agerpres/ – Protocolul de colaborare existent la nivelul Consiliului Judeţean între PSD şi PD-L a fost anulat, joi, de Ion Câlea, preşedintele organizaţiei judeţene a social democraţilor vâlceni.
“După atâtea atacuri şi jigniri la persoană, după ce am fost acuzaţi de fraudarea alegerilor, am fost definiţi ca mincinoşi, de către membri ai PD-L chiar şi de domnul Mircia Gutău, era cazul să punem punct acestui protocol. S-a umplut paharul, spun eu. Până acum am preferat să tăcem şi să nu luăm poziţie. Este cazul să ne spunem cuvântul. Da, începând de astăzi protocolul dintre noi şi democrat liberali a căzut”, a precizat Ion Câlea, într-o conferinţă de presă.
La aceeaşi conferinţă de presă a luat parte şi deputatul PNL, Cristian Buican, preşedintele liberalilor vâlceni, care a vorbit despre acordul semnat la Bucureşti între Crin Antonescu şi Mircea Geoană şi despre o ulterioară colaborare la nivelul Consiliului Judeţean Vâlcea, între PNL şi PSD.
“Vom nominaliza în aceste zile persoana care va fi vicepreşedinte din partea Partidului Naţional Liberal şi care îl va înlocui pe Romulus Bulacu, vicepreşedintele Consiliului din partea democrat liberalilor. Funcţia de vicepreşedinte al Consiliului Judeţean este una politică, trebuie să se ştie acest lucru”, a spus Buican.
Ion Câlea şi Cristian Buican au mai vorbit despre demersurile pe care le vor întreprinde cele două partide, în zilele care preced turul doi de scrutin, pentru a “convinge electoratul vâlcean să dea votul pe 6 decembrie lui Mircea Geoană, singura garanţie a scoaterii României din criză”.
“Un cabinet format din social-democraţi şi liberali, condus de Klaus Iohannis va avea toate premisele pentru a revigora economia românească. Zvonurile pe care PD-L le-a lansat în aceste zile, că PSD se va dezice de Iohannis în câteva luni, vreau să le infirm azi, aici”, a mai spus Ion Câlea.
Imediat după alegerile locale din 2008, judeţul Vâlcea a fost primul unde s-a semnat un acord, la nivelul Consiliului Judeţean, între PSD şi PD-L.
Preşedinte al CJ a fost ales, prin vot, Ion Câlea, liderul PSD Vâlcea. În urma protocolului de atunci funcţiile de vicepreşedinţi au revenit lui Dumitru Persu (PSD) şi Romulus Bulacu (PD-L). AGERPRES

“Lumina ce calea-mi arată,
Se stinge în tăcerea veşnic întunecată;
Mergând uşor pe drumuri
Cu greu găsesc prin fumuri,
Ce căutam odată…
Lumina cea curată
Ca să-mi aducă mie,
Din ce în ce mai multe
Gânduri de bucurie.”

Versuri:Gherasim Andrei

Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA)

Assistance capability requirements for wireline, cellular, and PCS telecommunications carriers

1. (a) Definitions.
1. Call identifying information. Call identifying information means dialing or signaling information that identifies the origin, direction, destination, or termination of each communication generated or received by a subscriber by means of any equipment, facility, or service of a telecommunications carrier. Call identifying information is “reasonably available” to a carrier if it is present at an intercept access point and can be made available without the carrier being unduly burdened with network modifications.
2. Collection function. The location where lawfully authorized intercepted communications and call-identifying information is collected by a law enforcement agency (LEA).
3. Content of subject-initiated conference calls. Capability that permits a LEA to monitor the content of conversations by all parties connected via a conference call when the facilities under surveillance maintain a circuit connection to the call.
4. Destination. A party or place to which a call is being made (e.g., the called party).
5. Dialed digit extraction. Capability that permits a LEA to receive on the call data channel a digits dialed by a subject after a call is connected to another carrier’s service for processing and routing.
6. Direction. A party or place to which a call is re-directed or the party or place from which it came, either incoming or outgoing (e.g., a redirected-to party or redirected-from party).
7. IAP. Intercept access point is a point within a carrier’s system where some of the communications or call-identifying information of an intercept subject’s equipment, facilities, and services are accessed.
8. In-band and out-of-band signaling. Capability that permits a LEA to be informed when a network message that provides call identifying information (e.g., ringing, busy, call waiting signal, message light) is generated or sent by the IAP switch to a subject using the facilities under surveillance. Excludes signals generated by customer premises equipment when no network signal is generated.
9. J-STD-025. The standard, including the latest version, developed by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) for wireline, cellular, and broadband PCS carriers. This standard defines services and features to support lawfully authorized electronic surveillance, and specifies interfaces necessary to deliver intercepted communications and call-identifying information to a LEA. Subsequently, TIA and ATIS published J-STD-025-A and J-STD-025-B.
10. Origin. A party initiating a call (e.g., a calling party), or a place from which a call is initiated.
11. Party hold, join, drop on conference calls. Capability that permits a LEA to identify the parties to a conference call conversation at all times.
12. Subject-initiated dialing and signaling information. Capability that permits a LEA to be informed when a subject using the facilities under surveillance uses services that provide call identifying information, such as call forwarding, call waiting, call hold, and three-way calling. Excludes signals generated by customer premises equipment when no network signal is generated.
13. Termination. A party or place at the end of a communication path (e.g. the called or call-receiving party, or the switch of a party that has placed another party on hold).
14. Timing information. Capability that permits a LEA to associate call-identifying information with the content of a call. A call-identifying message must be sent from the carrier’s IAP to the LEA’s Collection Function within eight seconds of receipt of that message by the IAP at least 95% of the time, and with the call event time-stamped to an accuracy of at least 200 milliseconds.

1. In addition to the requirements in section 1.20006, wireline, cellular, and PCS telecommunications carriers shall provide to a LEA the assistance capability requirements regarding wire and electronic communications and call identifying information covered by J-STD-025 (current version), and, subject to the definitions in this section, may satisfy these requirements by complying with J-STD-025 (current version), or by another means of their own choosing. These carriers also shall provide to a LEA the following capabilities:
1. Content of subject-initiated conference calls;
2. Party hold, join, drop on conference calls;
3. Subject-initiated dialing and signaling information;
4. In-band and out-of-band signaling;
5. Timing information;
6. Dialed digit extraction, with a toggle feature that can activate/deactivate this capability

In October 1994, Congress took action to protect public safety and ensure national security by enacting the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (CALEA), Pub. L. No. 103-414, 108 Stat. 4279. The law further defines the existing statutory obligation of telecommunications carriers to assist law enforcement in executing electronic surveillance pursuant to court order or other lawful authorization. The objective of CALEA implementation is to preserve law enforcement’s ability to conduct lawfully-authorized electronic surveillance while preserving public safety, the public’s right to privacy, and the telecommunications industry’s competitiveness.

May 3, 2006 Second Report, Memorandum Opinion, and Order — The primary goal of the Order is to ensure that Law Enforcement Agencies have all of the resources that CALEA authorizes with regard to facilities-based broadband Internet access providers (ISP) and interconnected voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) providers.

Ipocrizie – cumpătare, tu alegi !

Ma indoiesc de crestinismul celui care este intr-o relatie mai buna cu ingerii si cu serafimii, decat cu copiii, sotia si vecinii sai… decât cu soţul, prietenii, Oamenii, dar ipocrizia le orbeşte * văzul * !

Mi-e silă, uneori, da, MILĂ, de cei ce pozează-n ceea ce NU sunt, au timp critici, au timp de alţii, au timp de multe, dar NU au timp să se privească-n oglinda propriei conştiinţe… s-ar îngrozi!

Se spune că, dacă nu-ţi place noroiul, nu te rogi pentru… ploaie, la fel şi tu, ipocritule/o , nu cere altora să fie ceea ce tu NU te strădui să Devii, căci fără de mască, eşti poate nu la fel ci, mai rău ca alţii, abia când eşti Model altora, vei ştii că Tăcerea Vorbitoare e mai de preţ decât o mie de… vorbe-n vânt ! Ce zici, încerci ? Nu uita, faptele sunt cele ce… vorbesc !

( Sibilla )

Cumpatarea

www.ablog.ro/

Enya – We are free now!

Cer Senin, ferestrelor sufletelor voastre ! Duminică Rouă !

Sibilla

muzica – Enya – youtube

Pilde – www.ablog.ro

imagini preluate de pe google.ro

On September 21, 2001, the FCC released Order FCC 01-265. In the Order, the FCC granted in part the relief requested by CTIA by temporarily suspending the September 30, 2001, compliance date for wireline, cellular, and broadband PCS carriers to implement two punch list capabilities mandated by the Third Report and Order FCC 99-230. Also, the FCC denied CTIA’s request for a blanket extension of the September 30, 2001, compliance deadline for these carriers to implement a packet-mode communications capability. However, due to the imminence of the packet-mode compliance deadline, the FCC granted these carriers until November 19, 2001, either to come into compliance or seek individual relief. You can read the news announcement regarding Order FCC 01-265.

Read more here.

As for the Communications Assistance For Law Enforcement Act, virtually all common carriers and telecommunications companies are subject to the regulations under CALEA. This means all telephone communications can be monitored as part of legal, warranted, surveillance by law enforcement agencies. However, fiber optic communications are a possible exception for some wiretapping purposes because detecting transmission through the fiber optic cables is very difficult.

All telecommunications companies as defined by the Communications Assistance For Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) must maintain updated system securities plans with the Federal Communications Commission. Internet providers and VOIP service providers were required to submit their initial plan by March 2007 and now must provide updated material as mandated by CALEA. Virtually all common carriers and telecommunications companies are subject to the regulations under CALEA. This means that all VoIP phone service, including toll free providers using VoIP, is subjected to the surveillance provisions under CALEA.

In 1994, the United States Congress approved the Communications for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). The regulations were intended to preserve a wiretapping law put in place in 1968 and allow wiretapping over digital phone networks. CALEA requires telecommunications carriers to modify their equipment, facilities, and services to aid surveillance capabilities. Initially there was some question as to whether this would apply to VoIP—Voice Over Internet Protocol service—but in 2005 the courts ruled that indeed VoIP must comply with CALEA.

Foto: Alice Drogoreanu

Despre Palatul Bunelor Moravuri s-ar putea ca Dumneavoastră să nu fi aflat încă, în principal datorită faptului că înfiinţarea sa este de dată relativ recentă. Scopul edificiului menţionat este acela ca, păşind în el, cetăţeanul, sub supravegherea şi cu ajutorul unui personal calificat, să afle răspuns celor mai arzătoare întrebări care-l mistuie, precum: cine sunt? încotro mă îndrept? ce aşteptări am? ce-mi doresc cel mai mult? – şi alte astfel de îndoieli răvăşitoare. Metoda de lucru a personalului – atent selectat – este aceea a argumentării temeinice, după cum oricine poate verifica.

Trecând de curând pe-acolo, ca să-mi încasez procentele (mă rog, chestiuni personale, care mă privesc!), am auzit, răzbind din camera numărul 6, următorul fragment de dialog:

- Te faci, bă, portocaliu? Te faci?…

- Mă fac, dom’ Colonel, mă fac!

„Iată un om care a găsit Calea” – gândii, în vreme ce avansam pe coridor.
În dreptul camerei 12, am surprins o altă frântură interesantă dintr-o discuţie:

- De ce-ai vorbit, găozarule, necuviinţe despre doamna ministru la telefon?

- Ba n-am vorbit necuviinţe!… – încerca acela să nege.

- Minţi, bulangiule! – tună o voce aspră. Chiar noi te-am ascultat!…

„Această persoană este în pragul aflării Adevărului” – îmi fulgeră prin minte. Mulţumit, înaintai către camera 18, unde aveam de discutat ceva cu domnul plutonier-major Roman. Îl găsii ocupat cu îndatoririle profesionale, dialogând cu un cetăţean:

- Mai dai, bă, şpagă la oligarhi?

- Nu mai dau, dom’ plutonier!…

- Da’ cui o să dai tu şpagă?…

- Numa’ lu’ ăia care ţine cu Dom’ Preşedinte!…

- Aşa, bă! – zise mulţumit domnul plutonier şi, părinteşte, îi cârpi individului o pereche de palme, probabil ca într-un fel de pecetluire a legământului, dar şi cu un evident rol anamnetic. Acum, du-te la Recepţie şi achită taxa pentru consiliere şi tratament … – mai spuse domnul Roman, încheind şedinţa.

„Iată om care şi-a scăpat Viaţa” – gândii iarăşi, după care-am început să-i expun domnului plutonier-major pentru ce anume venisem.

It may be because I practically lived in Bacolod my whole life but for me it’s still the best place to grow up in.  Being in Manila for nearly a year no w has been a roller coaster ride filled with joyful moments, depressing memories and of course new adventures lurking just behi nd every corner.  Nothing compares to the thrill of living in Manila and all of the endless possibilities that life can offer. Well.. that is.. almost nothing.  Only if there were still s ome more to add to this almost perfect city.

Here is a list of the th ings in Bacolod that I crave for the most. If they may be already here in the city, I haven’t encountered them yet and would like to do so.  If only they were here, then Manila would feel just like home:

1.  Bob’s Bulalo Steak and Sate Babi-Imagine your ordinary bulalo soup but this time on a sizzling plate.  Hot and so tender.  Yummy… For the Sate Babi, pork barbecue topped with Peanut Butter sauce.  Bob’s specialty since 1940s.

2.  Ericka’s Cup’s Very Berry Sundae (too bad they closed already)- definitely very berry. Vanilla and Strawberry sundae topped with Blueberries, Strawberries and Raspberries.. A sinful delight in every spoon!  Better than sex. Hehehe. (You know the saying that Chocolate and Ice Cream are two items that we can all live without but we simply just can’t resist? And that those two delightful desserts are comparative to sex in that way?)

3.  Pepe’s Dynamite Sticks- oozing with mozarella cheese with a touch of spice. Bursts in your mouth! A perfect appetizer or pulutan!

4.  Kaisei’s Chicken Teppan, Unagi Terriyaki, Sukiyaki- imagine the taste of Manila’s Tempura Restaurant with the same price range but with the perfect high class ambiance… This is Kaisei. Everyone’s favorite Japanese restaurant in Bacolod.

5.  Gypsy Tea Room’s Garlic Cheese Dip, Smoked Cheese Dip, Chocolate Fondue, Raspberry Tea Shake, Negros Coffee- looking for a place to chillout with the company of friends?  Gypsy’s is the perfect place.  Occassionally they have live performances from various artists.  You can also hold your poetry sessions in the venue. Gypsy’s is the perfect “tambayan” for the budding artist.  It surely is a place to inspire.  They also have Card/Palm Reading, Henna/Permanent Tattoo, and items for sale.  Their furniture are made of throw pillows and sofas. The Gypsy Tea Room is located in Level 1, Piazza Sorrento Bldg., Lacson St., Bacolod City

6.  Kuppa’s Wimpy’s Burger, Pesto Pasta, Minestrone Soup- Their Wimpy’s Burger is the perfect burger with cheese and mushroom sauce.  Such a wonderful delight!  A perfect view of St. John’s Institute.

Kuppa’s Wimpy’s Burger

7. Nene’s Spareribs, Burger Steak, Sisig- located across USLS-IS, it brings back memories of my childhood years. With a budget suited perfectly for the budding student, it would be perfectly alright to buy two heaping servings.

8.  Pendy’s Corned Beef Saucer and Pendy’s de luxe Sandwich- Everyone has a certain place that will remind them of their childhood. For me, it’s Pendy’s. It brings back memories of my younger years when my mom was still alive.  Pendy’s is an old time favorite of my family.  My mom was their number 1 customer.  I will never forget the goodness of their tasteful delights…

9. Bar 21’s Batchoy and Crispy Crablets- I enjoy eating in restaurants that will remind me of my past.  Bar 21 is another favorite of my family.  It has been a witness of my life.  Since I was a young girl dining in the restaurant after my class in Christian Academy of Bacolod, when I partied with my friends at age 13, and until I sat outside Cafe Bob’s Lacson and tried to sketch the newly renovated Bar 21 at age 20.  It’s something I would definitely look forward going home to.

21 Restaurant’s Kare-Kare

10. L’sea’s Beef Brisket and Shrimp Rolls- Chinese cuisine at its best.  Affordable too!

L’Sea’s Deep Fried Shrimp Balls

L’Sea’s Beef Brisket

11. Calea’s Cream Puff- Anyone knows how famous Calea cakes are.  Even people from Manila have heard of Calea.  Do try their cream puff for a change.

Calea’s Cream Puff

Calea’s Triple Chocolate Mousse

12. Bascon Cafe’s Bubba Cake- Another delicious delicacy.  Bascon Cafe also offers a wide range of food plus its homey atmosphere. Perfect for laid back attitudes of the Bacolodnon.

Bascon Cafe’s Babba Cake

(Counterclockwise from Left)

Babba Cake, Black Sambo, Decadent Cake by Bascon Cafe

13. Vienna Kaffehaus’ Sausages and Blackout Cake- Definitely try the cake guys.  It’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted before. It’s my favorite cake by the way.  And sadly, I haven’t had a taste of this wonder in years. Will somebody in Bacolod please send me a whole cake? I’ll refund the expenses, I swear!

That completes my list.  If you’ve got anything to add, feel free to do so using the reply form below.

* Viata este o lupta, dar nu un razboi… *

Actor, rol, decor… actor, un nou rol, alt decor… scena, masti, justificari * firesti *… A devenit, plictisitor. Joc pevizibil, actor prea… vizibil. Despre culise, umbre ori toane? Nimic. Nu merita. Biet actor jucandu-se de-a… viata. Ce trist ! Ramane s-astepte sa-i scoata vreo * nimfa * din focurile-i imaginate, cusute de-a valma… castane…

Ce-a pierdut? Ramane de simtit, vazut… A jucat cea mai slaba * carte *, iar viata… viata merge mai departe. Undeva, o lacrima se-ncranceneaza sa tresara zambet… altundeva, doar un actor si… replici ce-au ramas frant icnet… Pacat, de Undeva de Sus, primise rolul principal si cale-nspre Lumina. Nu a catat atent la lacrimi nevazute, ori vreun suras curat, s-a intrecut pe sine-n… vina… Viata, viata se curge, cu bune, cu grele, cu soapte, cu ziua si noapte… viata se trece, nainte si mai departe…

Morala: cand te-ncapatanezi sa sezi cu  curu-ntre doua, trei, patru… luntre, ai toate sansele ca propria-ti prostie, sa te piarda, minciunile cu care candva ai jonglat, crezandu-te artist, sa te…  scufunde.

Laura Stoica – Un Actor Grabit… :

Nu există roluri mici, există doar actori netalentaţi.   ( Konstantin Stanislavski )

Teatrul nu este viaţă în miniatură, ci viaţă mărită enorm, viaţă exagerată înfiorător.   ( H.L. Mencken )

Unii oameni trăiesc zeci şi zeci de ani şi totuşi, când inchid ochii, nu pot spune că au trăit aievea, căci au fost simpli trecători prin viaţă sau spectatori străini de înţelesul lumii.   ( Liviu Rebreanu )

opening-petals.blogspot.com/ : imagine preluata

Umbrele clipocesc ades, sa nu fug… soptesc fire de lumina… Cand fi-va vremea, lumina va tasni. Si-am invatat sa fiu prieten umbrelor si vesnicul cruciat, in cautarea luminii. N-am ales rolul, as fi fost  anonim in multime, pe scena vietii. Imi urmez rostul si, bine fac, caci pilda maicii Darinka am deslusit-o : * Tine minte, lumini si umbre sunt mereu si, pretutindeni. Tu, esti… tu. Dumnezeu ne iubeste pe toti si, mai ales, pe fiecare din noi in parte. Urmeaza-ti Calea si ramai Tu… ca-i plina lumea de actori, cu majka, de ce sa fii unul din ei in… plus… fii Tu, traieste-ti viata, fii alaturi de toti, dar ramai mereu .. Tu…*.

Viata este o lupta dar nu un razboi.   ( John Burroughs )

Sibilla

imagini preluate de pe google.ro

Un Actor Grabit – youtube

citate preluate de pe www.citapedia.ro

Lorem Ipsim Dolor

Doamne, cât sunt în stare să… beau!

http://laurentiudumitru.ro : imagine preluată

Am băut. Şi-am băut şi-am băut… Doamne, cât sunt în stare să beau!

Şi n-am tresărit măcar, ură. Uneori, vreau, dar… nu pot. Deseori spun. Da câte nu spun eu…  Şi-am ajuns de voie de nevoie, în punctul în care n-am intenţionat să ajung vreodată, însă, nici nu m-am opus. Nici măcar nu-mi pasă de aude cineva tăcerile-mi grăitoare, dincolo de tăcerile mele smintite cu iz de doină,  licărite spre cine ştie unde, şi, cine ştie ce… Deasupra cuvintelor mele, rostite, niciodată întâmplător, către pretutindeni, habar n-am de-a poposit careva, aspect ce nu face obiectul interesului unui suflet zămislit aripă din.. mereu frângeri. Mă-ncrâncenez şi beau, continui să beau. Nu beau cu furie, nici a tristeţi dinainte rostuite cum patima masochistului, nici precum boul mereu jinduind înspre… vreo poartă nouă, beau cu seninătate, cu ceva din arderea iubirii înrourată-n descântecele ploilor cununate-n munţi, firişoare de nemurire. Pământ sunt eu, din taine şi cântec şoptit întrupată. Evadările-mi sfâşie din toane, ori mă plesnesc, îmi biciuie-a zâmbet, neputinţele.  Ştiu că, pământ fiind, apa mă susură modelându-mă forme, prin furcile focului mă dezvălui culoare, metalul mă unduie-n fărâme cu gust sau miros ori nimic, renaşterile-mi repetate din fiecare şi toate laolaltă mă-nalţă, deasupra prafului de nouri,mă surâd, cum am eu obiceiul a zice : arc peste hule-n Lumină. De aia beau, da, beau !

Nu discut despre dependenţă, nu e potrivit şi nu se-asortează cu dorul, nu se cuvine să-ntinez Altarul unde mă-nchin, sub semnul lui 7, cum roua dimineţii mângâierii Soarelui, cum boarea nopţilor cu Lună plină, răscrucii gândurilor şoapte.

N-am să dau dovadă de ipocrizie, dese au fost clipele de zvâcnet, de răbufniri, m-am înfruntat şi împăcat cu mine… după ce am înţeles că beau ca să înţeleg înţelegerea şi că, nimeni nu mă v-a-ntreba de vreau au ba să beau, e Calea ce singură am ales. N-a venit Îngerul Păzitor să mă servească vreodată şi eu să spun ” vodka Rasputin, sec ! ” iar răspunsul să fie ” tu nu eşti slabă, tu bei ce poţi duce, că poţi… altceva bei … ”, singură m-am dumirit, limpezirile s-au răsărit Miracole în timp, după căzături, ridicări, lupte, înfrângeri, şi peste toate o voinţă de neclintit, cu iz de învingător, cândva… poate acolo, ” tamo daleko ”… acolo departe, dar eu. Şi-am să o fac, îmi stă-n putinţă, ba mai mult de-atât, am să-nvăţ şi pe alţii, asta-i menirea mea, misiunea mea. Să arăt că e singura Cale să bei, să tot bei, şi, să nu cunoşti beţia. Nu te îmbeţi şi nu te rătăceşti, nu-ţi pierzi minţile, te scuturi de dependenţă pe măsură ce înaintezi în înţelegerea că, nu trebuie să te opui, ci să bei iubind, iertând, zâmbind, ajutând, împăcându-te cu tine, cu ceilalţi şi respingând ce nu vine de la El. Simplu şi stă-n putinţa oricui se străduie să încerce, nu pierzi nimic, ce câştigi e poate aici, poate acolo, cum am spus, ” tamo daleko ”, dar e, şi , asta e tot ce contează.

Azi, am băut din nou… de voie, de nevoie, de cine ştie ce… O Doamne şi tot trează sunt ! Şi-am mai descătuşat un lacăt, să mă curgă şi-apoi să mă clipocească tot eu, dar, un eu mai.. curat.

Cum să te-mbeţi cu… propriile lacrimi!

Credinţa mea e că, Dumnezeu a dăruit lacrimile aşa : ” Tu, Omule, învaţă să răsai zâmbet din lacrimi, iubind, iertând, luptând, culegând fărâme de Lumină din tot ce-ţi stă-n putinţă, că-ţi stă şi.. n-ai să ştii aceasta până ce nu încerci, Eu sunt lângă tine, doar cheamă-mă şi voi fi acolo ! ” Şi, poate că a mai zis : ” nu căta-nspre cele trecătoare, că nu-n ele ai să găseşti nemurirea şi pacea sufletului… ”.

Beau, căci beau Viaţă, cu seninul însetatului de linişte cuminte, uneori cu patima flămândului de răspunsuri, care vin, sau nu, sau le-oi desluşi când e să fie vremea lor… Ce-am câştigat până acum? Renunţarea la renunţare, zâmbind zâmbet şi altora. Dacă doare să bei, când bei? Nimic nu e mai dureros decât să doară absenţa durerii, durerile-mi sunt pilde şi mă-ntăresc, pentru… tamo daleko…

Sibilla

fotoraimi.blogspot.com: imagine preluată

” Ceilalţi lupi, m-ar sfâşia dacă ar şti că urletul meu e mai degrabă un plâns … ”   ( Octavian Paler )

Nicoleta Voica – Arda-l focu da iubit – Doina:

” O lacrimă întotdeauna are rădăcini mai adânci decât un zâmbet. ”   ( Emil Cioran )

” Când cineva plânge, nu ştii cum să-l ogoieşti, cum să te apropii de el. Este atât de tainic tărâmul lacrimilor. ”   ( Antoine de Saint-Exupery )

” Nu există feţe mai adevărate ca  acelea pe care le inundă plânsul. E cu mult mai bine să plângi de bucurie decât să te bucuri de lacrimile altuia. ”   ( William Shakespeare )

Nicoleta Voica – Când mi-s tare năcăjită :

” Lacrima este distilarea sufletului. Este cea mai profundă emoţie a inimii umane exprimată în soluţie chimică. Este un extract concentrat, este produsul final al căderilor şi al suferinţelor. Lacrimile adevarate nu sunt un camuflaj, ci sunt tabloul sufletului desenat pe pânza emoţiilor. Ele sunt portretul celor mai adânci aspiraţii umane. ”   ( M.R. de Haan )

Nicoleta Voica – Cin’iubeste,sa iubeasca..(doina banat):

” Când lacrimile curg dintr-o rană primită în inimă, brazdele pe care le sapă sunt frumoase şi nobile. ”   ( Emile  Zola )

Sibilla

citate preluate de pe www.citapedia.ro şi intelepciune.ro

Doine din Banat – youtube

imagini preluate de pe google.ro

]]> http://occiputeye.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/re-calea-day-1/ Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:03:21 +0000 clayclocked http://occiputeye.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/re-calea-day-1/

As advertised, nothing much to report yet.  It was suggested to me that the effects of the Calea would probably take 4 days to a week before bearing much significance.  I  slept enough, but I do not feel very rested today.  However, besides that, I’m feeling good, more or less.  I am not looking forward to tonight’s assuredly vile trial.

It kind of helps to pretend that I’m in some kind of man-made hut or shack, high on the slopes of cloudforests.  Say, I could be some kind of questing voyageur or whatever (someone brave, maybe also trekking the road to destiny).  Yeah, and the mystic, stolid shaman prepares the necessary brew, awful though it is – it’s all part of my journey.  What a persevering hero I am.

Anyway, I did note that, as I was falling asleep, I was experiencing increased ability to visualize, and the mental imagery itself was more vivid.  I’m not an expert on the lucid state, but I believe I was also intermittently falling in and out of a lucid dream.  I have been experiencing this more often in the past several months, actually, but these episodes are usually accompanied by an uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty/anxiety.  By contrast, this time, I was feeling much more at ease.  I briefly experimented by attempting to move my “dream body”.  It worked… to a point, I suppose, as I think I was able to at least view my own arm by deciding to lift it into my view.  Who knows.

I’m going to skip the customary quashing of my erratic, irregular style of updating so far.  I have been strangely busy lately.  I suppose it shouldn’t be strange, since I have deadlines looming for school, but actually school has not been stealing away with all of my time, I admit.  I have been a little reckless lately with my indulgances, but I haven’t the usual glee or begrudgingly satisfied hangover to show for it.  Not that I haven’t been enjoying myself, but that’s another story and this isn’t the place to tell it.

Since updating last, I came into some Thai Kratom, which I enjoyed together with my girlfriend, as well as a couple of doses (? We shall see if it’s enough for two people: I have my suspicions that it isn’t) of Heavenly Blue Morning Glory seeds.  We haven’t partaken of the Morning Glory yet.  I’m not a very intuitive person, but I’m not totally seized to get into the LSA right away, so I shall keep an eye out for that “right” moment.  In the meantime, I have gotten a 24-days’-supply of Calea, the “dream herb” of the Oaxaca, which I’ve already penned on.

I had been putting off trying it out, completely unaware of what I should have been preparing to endure.  Blissfully unsuspecting, I enjoyed myself while I brewed up a few grams (eyeballed it) of the loose leaves and then let it steep for about 15 minutes.  It was very interesting to observe the surface of the tea, as little drops of oil would bead there and float amidst each other.  By the time it was done, they had all clustered together, shimmering funnily in a layer.  This would be the end of any “blissfully” anything, because holy shit, this shit is horrid.

Acrid.  Detestable.  I had visions of spiders being cruelly hairsprayed, that’s what the cells lining my alimentary canal were impressing, nay, burning to me to understand their torture.  They struggled, freaked out a little, but ultimately, could only screw up into pathetically scrunched balls of “Why?”  It took me a while, and I finished about 90% of it, I guess (pausing to sip water and rinse my mouth, courageously bearing the prod of pre-nausea).  Another 23 days to go.

It’s been over 40 minutes since I finished the tea, and I have to say that it’s very… relaxing.  Although I’m not sure if this is induced drowsiness (I was sufficiently sleepy before downing the brew), but I am going to say that it probably is.  And now I am off to sleep.

About: Demeter Partners, an AMF-accredited independent asset management company, manages funds investing capital in SMEs in the eco-industries sector (water, waste, polluted sites) and in the eco-energies sector (renewable energies, energy efficiency, environmentally-friendly buildings). Founded in Paris in June 2005, Demeter Partners is a pioneer in France in the Cleantechs’ field. The first FCPR Demeter fund manages assets of €105 million invested entirely in 22 companies. The FCPR Demeter 2 fund is targeting €200 million. Demeter Partners has offices in Paris, Madrid and Berlin.

www.demeter-partners.com

Key Personnel:
Olivier Dupont, Chairman of the Board
Partner: Stéphane Villecroze, Sophie Paturle, Michel Ronc, Lionel Cormier

Portfolio:
IGIP, SolFocus, Burgeap, Le Floch Group, Solaire Direct, 3S Soluciones y Sistemas Solares, TREZ, Panosol, JMB Energie, Sulfurcell, FCT (subsidiary companies Controlab and Testwell), Ambene, Eurener, Ternois, Ventilation Industrielle de Bretagne, Green Gas, IES Synergy, Aerowatt, Vergnet Groupe, Paprec Group, Methaneo, Caléa, Artesys

News: On 24 July, 2009, Demeter Partners, a Paris-based European private equity firm, announced the intermediate closing of Demeter 2 at €182M. Demeter Partners is dedicated to expansion capital operations, but to early stage operations and majority acquisitions as well, in eco-energies and eco-industries in France and other European countries. The fund was launched on November 18th 2008 with a target size of €200 million and a 1st closing at €125 million. Demeter 2 is the successor fund to Demeter, a fund of €105 million fully invested as of today. Investors in Demeter 2 include 2 sponsors (CDC Entreprises, IFP Investissements), about ten faithful investors already present in the 1st Demeter Fund (the main are Robeco, Cardif, CIC, CNP Assurances), but new investors as well: Total, Crédit Coopératif, Dahlia, European Investment Fund (EIF), GDF Suez, Pictor (a fund in which members of the Halley Family are invested) and Neotec (Spanish Fund of Fund).

On 9 July 2009, Demeter Partners carried out the 3rd investment of Demeter 2 by bringing 7 million dollars to SolFocus Inc., based in California, on the occasion of Series C funding amounting to $77.6 million. This round table was led by Apex Venture Partners, a management company based in Chicago. Follow-on participants in the round included New Enterprise Associates (NEA) who led the A and B Rounds for the company, NGEN Partners and Yellowstone Capital. New investors in the round include Demeter Partners, affiliates of Advanced Equities, and others.

Aceasta postare se datoreaza faptului ca mi-am dat seama ca unii nu cunosc, in adevaratul sens al cuvantului, ce inseamna ADEVARATA INCHINARE.

Vreau sa marturisesc ca si eu am avut aceasta problema dar Dumnezeu a lucrat intr-un mod minunat si mi-a aratat ce inseamna aceasta inchinare pe care eu trebuie sa i-o aduc Lui deoarece El o merita.

In textul biblic care se gaseste la Ioan 4:20-24 Dumnezeu ne arata clar si intr-un mod explicit ce inseamna Adevarata Inchinare, ba chiar mai mult, El ne arata ce fel de inchinatori doreste Dumnezeu.

1.Ce inseamna inchinarea?

Inchinarea ta inaintea lui Dumnezeu o reprezinta acea relatie care se stabileste intre tine si El, o relatie de la care nu te distrage nimic, o relatie in care tu i te inchini Lui. Inchinarea este o modalitate prin care il slavesti si ii dai ciste lui Dumnezeu care o merita din plin. Deci inchinarea este o relatie intre tine si El prin care tu ai posibilitatea sa te conectezi la cer si sa-i dai slava celui ce este DOMNUL OSTIRILOR, IMPARATUL SLAVEI!

2.Care este inchinarea adevarata?

A spune “inchinare adevarata” este sinonim cu a spune “inchinare placuta lui Dumnezeu” deci la asta m-am referit cand am spus inchinarea adevarata. Dar totusi daca inca nu ai deschis biblia la pasajul pe care l-am mentionat mai sus te-as indemna s-o faci acum, deoarece acolo Dumnzeu spune ce fel de inchinatori doreste. Acolo spune Dumnezeu ca El doreste inchinatori care se inchina in duh si adevar, deci daca astfel de inchinatori doreste Dumnezeu putem spune si noi ca o inchinare adevarata(placuta lui Dumnezeu) este o inchinare in duh si adevar. Haideti dar sa descoperim impreuna ce inseamna fiecare din acestea doua.

A. Inchinarea in duh

a. Inchinarea in duh este inchinarea pe care un om o face din toata inima lui. Atunci cand el canta o cantare prin care doreste sa se inchine lui Dumnezeu, dandu-I slava(asta fiind chiar scopul cantarilor), un om ar trebui ca sa ajunga la inchinarea adevarata cantand-o din toata inima lui, nu dintr-un sfert sau din jumatate de inima ci din toata inima lui, avand convingerea ca ceea ce spune prin cantare il slaveste pe Dumnezeu. O alta inchinare in duh ar fi rugaciunea facuta din toata inima prin care sa-L slavesti pe Cel ce te-a creat, si sa-I aduci onoarea cuvenita.

b.Inchinarea in duh reprezinta si atitudinea pe care o ai in momentul inchinarii. Nu conteaza in unde te inchini, cum te inchini sau cand te inchini ci conteaza sa ai o atitudine corecta fata de acel timp de inchinare. Aceasta atitudine corecta ar fi aratarea respectului fata de Dumnezeu, iar prin asta intelegem seriozitate si multe alte lucruri.

Pot sa spun ca adevarata inchinare in duh izvorasre din inima si cu o atitudine corecta, iar daca tu prin bataia din palme sau prin ridicarea mainilor simti ca te inchini cu adevarat nu te sfii s-o faci deoarece Dumnezeu astfel de inchinatori doreste.

B.Inchinarea in adevar

Daca vrem sa stim ce este inchinarea in adevar trebuie sa stim in primul rand care este adevarul, iar Biblia ne spune in Ioan 17:17 Cuvantul lui Dumnezeu e adevarul, deci daca acest Cuvant al lui Dumnezeu(Biblia) este adevarul atunci si inchinarea in adevar ar fi cunoasterea Cuvantului lui Dumnezeu, deoarece n-ai cum sa te inchini in adevar daca tu nu cunosti pe deplin adevarul. Dar citind acest Cuvant descoperim ca Isus e calea, adevarul si viata, rezulta deci ca noi trebuie sa-l cunoastem pe Isus, care El fiind din Dumnezeu, trebuie sa-L cunoastem pe Dumnezeu ca sa avem o inchinare “cu adevarat in adevar”.

Cum pot sa-L cunosc pe Dumnezeu?

Aceasta ar fi o intrebare pe care poate unii si-o pun si nu-i gasesc raspunsul. Eu va spun ca Dumnezeu ne-a lasat Biblia ca sa putem sa-L cunoastem asa cum este El sa-i cunoastem voia Sa si ceea ce vrea El de la noi. Daca n-as fi avut Biblia n-as fi avut cum sa aflu ce inchinarea vrea Dumnezeu de la mine, tot asa ca sa Il cunosc pe El trebuie sa citesc si sa aprofundez pana in cele mai adanci taine ale Bibliei si Dumnezeu nu ramane ascuns ci El se descopera deoarece chiar El spune “cautati si veti gasi”.

In concluzie ADEVARATA INCHINARE are doua izvoare: inima si adevarul, care la randul lor apartin ambele lui Isus, insa inima ta poate sa apartina lui Isus doar daca i-o dai Lui.

Acum daca ai inteles adevarata inchinare ti-as recomanda sa cazi pe genunchi in fata stapanului, sa-i ceri sa-ti ierte superficialitatea cu care ai tratat pana acum inchinarea sau poate chiar ignoranta ta fata de inchinare si in clipele urmartoare sa i te-nchini Lui in duh si adevar, sa i te-nchini cu-adevarat. Lauda-L si sa slaveste-L pe Dumnezeu!

Mi-as dori ca aceasta postare sa te fi ajutat sa intelegi si ca Dumnezeu sa se descopere in viata ta din ce in ce mai mult.

Inchina-te in duh si adevar! Inchina-te cu-adevarat!

Hari ini gw hari pertama masuk KP.
Kantor gw di Surapati Core M20 , Bandung.
Ini tuh, kalo gw bilang kantor gak jelas. Kantornya aja di Ruko. Trus gak ada papan nama perusahaannya gitu. Nah, tempat KP gw tuh adalah konsultan di bidang telekomunikasi.

Hari pertama, gw dateng jam 9 pagi. Trus, sama orangnya gw dkasi meja + kompie + koneksi inet lumayan kenceng tapi aneh.
Gak tau deh ini meja siapa, pokonya gw dsuruh duduk d situ ( maaf buat yang punya meja).

Setelah 1 jam nganggur, browsing2, dan gw merasa bosan, akhirnya gw berinisiatif nge YM si bos yang punya tempat ini :
wicax : ” pak saya udah di kantor”
bos : ” oke”
bos : ” kamu browsing bahan2 dulu aja “
wicax : ” ho oh aja “

dan sampai berita ini d tulis, gw masih berkutat dengan wikipedia dan mbah google. Capek mbaca ini. Arrrghh..
Dan gw masih bertanya-tanya, ini d kasih makan siang gak sih?
Kalo firasat gw sih, gak. Soalnya pegawainya d sini aneh, trus sempet d godain sama mbak-mbak gitu ” iiihh,,, kq ada berondong”
Hahaha,,,

Lucian Blaga (1919)

Eu nu strivesc corola de minuni a lumii
şi nu ucid
cu mintea tainele, ce le-ntâlnesc
în calea mea
în flori, în ochi, pe buze ori morminte.
Lumina altora
sugrumă vraja nepătrunsului ascuns
în adâncimi de întuneric,
dar eu,
eu cu lumina mea sporesc a lumii taină -
şi-ntocmai cum cu razele ei albe luna
nu micşorează, ci tremurătoare
măreşte şi mai tare taina nopţii,
aşa înbogăţesc şi eu întunecata zare
cu largi fiori de sfânt mister
şi tot ce-i neînţeles
se schimbă-n neînţelesuri şi mai mari
sub ochii mei-
căci eu iubesc
şi flori şi ochi şi buze şi morminte.