Too many CCTV cameras are useless, the government's surveillance camera commissioner has warned.
Tony Porter also told BBC Radio 5 live the public did not have a true understanding of the current nature of surveillance.
Local authorities with many CCTV cameras needed to inform the community about the exact number and how effective they were, he said.
He also expressed concern about drones and police officers wearing cameras.
The UK has one of the largest totals CCTV cameras in the world. The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) estimates there are between 4-5.9 million cameras.
Mr Porter, the surveillance camera commissioner for England and Wales, said organisations and local authorities were meant to carry out annual reviews of their CCTV capacity but many failed to do so.
He said when a West Midlands local authority held a review, it reduced the number of ineffective cameras and saved £250,000 in the process.
"You can still maintain the balance of excellent surveillance but not have a propagation of surveillance that is actually useless," he said.
"Surveillance can be an extremely good thing and run well, it's a useful tool for society.
"But to quote a former information commissioner, 'we should not sleepwalk into a surveillance society'."
He told the BBC News website that he regarded cameras as "useless" if they were redundant, having served the purpose they were intended for, such as public safety, crime deterrent or traffic management.
They might also be useless if they were situated in the wrong place, damaged or the old analogue versions with inadequate visibility, he went on.
Mr Porter, a former counter-terrorism officer, said he was concerned about the use of drones and police wearing cameras on their uniforms.
"Technology can support law enforcement and protect society," he said.
"My concern is about the introduction of poor surveillance that doesn't benefit society."
He called for a public debate and greater regulation to ensure cameras "do not proliferate unnecessarily".
"We have millions of cameras in this country and Europeans look at us askance that our society actually accepts the volume of cameras we do," he added.
While some councils have cut their CCTV budgets to save money, there has been a rise in private and domestic cameras.
Meanwhile, Dyfed-Powys police - which covers more than half of Wales - could stop monitoring CCTV after a review found the cameras did not deter crime.
The report found that the removal of Powys Country Council CCTV cameras did not result in a significant rise in crime or anti-social behaviour and there was little evidence the cameras deterred violent or alcohol-related crime.
A Local Government Association spokesman said town halls consult with residents, businesses and police on whether CCTV is appropriate in an area, and operate their systems in accordance with the code of practice, which is overseen by the surveillance camera commissioner.
"In tough financial times, councils are not going to spend money on installing and running CCTV cameras unless they genuinely believe they will work and have local support and many are actually scaling back CCTV operations," he said.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Bates, national policing lead for CCTV, said the "location and number of cameras should be determined by the potential risk of harm to the public, rather than by a quota approach".
"I have no desire for us to creep towards a surveillance society - that is not in anyone's interests, but the efficient use of CCTV, in the public interest, is a key weapon in our arsenal of evidence which can help us apprehend offenders, reduce crime, protect the public and obtain justice for victims," he added.
The end of the CCTV era?


It’s doing just the opposite.
Earlier this summer, the biggest news in the food world seemed to be about a hamburger. But not just any hamburger — a burger that, despite being made entirely from plants, could bleed, sizzle, and taste just like its cow-based brethren. Vox wagered that it might become the “Tesla of food.” Food and Wine declared that, with the Impossible Burger, we had entered “the era of plant-based meat.” The wall between plant-based protein — long pushed aside as the tasteless dominion of dedicated vegetarians and vegans — and meat-based protein seemed to be crumbling. The idea that the world could truly enter a post-meat world didn’t seem quite as far-fetched as it might have years ago.
As it turns out, that world is probably not going to materialize any time soon. Americans still love to eat meat — and in 2015, they increased their consumption of it faster than any other year in four decades.
According to the research and advisory firm Rabobank, the average American in 2015 ate around 193 pounds of beef, chicken, or pork annually, a five percent increase over 2014. And Rabobank predicts that by 2018, meat consumption will reach historic levels, with an average American eating around 200 pounds of meat per year.
That is bad news, and not just for the handful of meat-replacement food start-ups that have snatched headlines in recent months. Study after study has shown the detrimental affect that large-scale meat production has on our environment. Meat production has a huge carbon footprint, whether it’s the methane from ruminants like cows and the manure that they produce, or the fossil fuels spent shipping, processing, and packaging meat. Meat production has a huge water footprint, with a single four-ounce hamburger requiring around 450 gallons of water to produce. Meat production also has a huge impact on other animals — according to a 2015 study, meat-associated land use changes are probably the leading cause of modern species extinctions.
The list of environmental problems created by industrial-scale meat production goes on and on. According to a report released earlier this year by Environment America, an environmental advocacy group, five big meat companies — Tyson, JBS, Cargill, Smithfield, and Perdue — produce a combined 162 million tons of manure every year. Combine that with the amount of fertilizer needed to grow the feed grain that sustains large-scale animal feeding operations, and it’s easy to see how the waste from our industrial meat complex can literally seep into our waterways, causing everything from local water pollution to massive dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico. Another Environment America report found that Tyson, one of the biggest meat producers in the world, is responsible for dumping more toxic pollution into waterways than companies like ExxonMobil or Dow Chemical.
The Rabobank report does have a silver lining, which is that Americans continue to gravitate away from beef and toward proteins like chicken and pork. Beef used to be the most popular animal-based protein consumed in the United States, peaking at 91 pounds of beef per person per year in 1976. By 2012, however, that number had fallen to 52 pounds per person per year — a 46 percent decline.
Animals like chicken and pork tend to be more efficient to raise, and therefore have smaller carbon footprints than cows. According to Vaclav Smil, scientist and author of the book Should We Eat Meat? Evolution and Consequences of Modern Carnivory, it takes 3.3 pounds of feed to produce a pound of chicken meat, 9.4 pounds of feed to produce a pound of pork meat, and 25 pounds of feed to produce a pound of beef — and every pound of feed that is saved keeps both greenhouse gas emissions and fertilizer runoff from making their way into the atmosphere or water. Chicken and pork also tend to come out ahead on their water footprint compared to beef — according to a 2014 from Bard College, beef uses 11 times more water than chicken, pork, dairy, and eggs.
Which is not to say that pork or chicken are perfect, either. Industrial-scale pork production in North Carolina — which is the nation’s second largest producer of pork — has had a major impact on both local air and water pollution, so much so that residents near hog operations have filed a civil rights complaint with the EPA. Maryland, which is one of the largest chicken-producing states in the country, has such an excess of chicken manure that the state has had to literally put itself on a pollution diet, limiting the amount of manure that can be applied to farmland in an effort to staunch the flow of phosphorous and nitrogen into the Chesapeake Bay.
There are a lot of reasons why Americans eat so much meat: all of that industrial-scale production has made meat extremely cheap in America, even more so than in other developed countries. According to Rabobank, meat consumption is also increasing thanks to an increase in the amount of pork and chicken being produced, and the strength of the dollar.
But over-indulging in meat is also a uniquely American tradition thanks to the extreme political power of the meat industry, which has opposed any legislation or regulation that might increase the cost of production or decrease the appeal of eating meat altogether. The livestock industry was a strong force behind blocking the EPA’s first real attempt to regulate carbon and other greenhouse gases in 2008. And when the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee suggested updating dietary guidelines to encourage consumers to choose vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts over animal-based protein, the meat industry sprung into action, lobbying for the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services to ignore those recommendations when crafting their guidelines. In the end, sustainability — and a move away from meat — was cut from the updated guidelines.
The Netherlands did the same thing last year, urging citizens to eat no more than two servings of meat per week in its most recent dietary guidelines. That amounts to about 500 grams of meet per week — only 100 more grams weekly than an average American consumes on a daily basis. The U.K. has also directed its residents to cut back on meat consumption, releasing dietary guidelines earlier this year that suggested residents switch from meat-based protein to plant-based proteins, and cut their dairy consumption by 7 percent. And Sweden has been recommending that residents make environmentally-friendly food choices — like cutting meat consumption — since 2009.
None of this is to say that meat production, worldwide, should cease entirely. Livestock production is the primary economic livelihood for 987 million poor people living in rural areas, according to the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization. That means that roughly 70 percent of the world’s “extreme poor” depend on meat production to survive.
One of the easiest ways to reduce the environmental footprint of meat, while still ensuring that those that need access to livestock can have it, would be for people in developed nations that don’t depend on meat for food security or their economic livelihood to simply start eating less of it. A handful of countries have already started doing just that — but the United States still isn’t one of them.


Unions representing Auckland bus drivers who rejected their employer's latest pay offer say there is no immediate threat of further industrial action.
The 353-284 rejection by NZ Bus drivers on Tuesday afternoon follows action last month that saw drivers locked out for a week and caused disruption for tens of thousands of commuters.
The company and unions also spent more than three weeks in mediation facilitated by the Employment Relations Authority.
The Auckland Combined Unions, which represent the drivers, were surprised at their rejection of the offer.
The unions had encouraged them to accept an increase of 11.5% over three years.
Spokesperson Karl Andersen told Checkpoint the unions saw the offer as good progress towards an appropriate wage, but members saw otherwise.
Mr Anderson says at the end of the day, the democratic process has to prevail and the rejection does not mean more industrial action is likely.
He says he expects to meet with NZ Bus to arrange further pay negotiations by early next week.
NZ Bus says it is immensely disappointed at the rejection and the decision by union member "beggars belief". It says it will take the next few days to consider its position.
Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee says he has washed his hands of ongoing negotiations, saying he is disappointed but it is not the council's role to step in.
There were angry scenes when it was suggested the ballot be taken again, with some bus drivers storming out of the meeting.
One says he is pleased with the courage shown by the workers, especially considering the Christmas holidays are coming up.
But North Shore bus driver Phil Morgan, who voted for the proposal, say it seems like the other drivers do not care that people are struggling to live.
While Wednesday's meeting was underway at Alexandra Park Raceway Metrolink, North Star, Waka Pacific, Go West, Link and City Circuit off-peak services were unavailable.


(Reuters) — Adobe Systems, the maker of image-editing software Photoshop, is in negotiations to buy Marketo, a privately held cloud-based marketing software company, according to people familiar with the matter.
The deal would boost Adobe’s cloud-based software offerings as it takes on larger peers Microsoft and Oracle. Marketo offers business-to-business marketing applications that would complement Adobe’s marketing business.


The Rotundus GroundBot is a dual-camera security bot that returns 3D video feeds to a security team located nearby. I think I'll call him Wheelie from now on. Wheels? You tell me.
Ideal for environments with plenty of flat spaces, like airports.
The smooth rubber surface provides smooth sailing and speeds of up to 6mph on flat surfaces.
Those little nubs help the GroundBot wheel uphill.


UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: DE Ziggy Ansah, DT Ricky Jean Francois, LB Eli Harold, RB Zach Zenner, TE Levine Toilolo, TE Luke Willson, WR TJ Jones, CB DeShawn Shead, RB LeGarrette Blount, WR Bruce Ellington, FB Nick Bellore, QB Matt Cassel, OL Andrew Donnal, LB Kelvin Sheppard, CB Marcus Cooper, OG T.J. Lang.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: DE Kerry Hyder.
NEEDS: Detroit desperately needs edge rusher to replace Ansah, who won't likely be re-signed after oft-injured player was on franchise tag last season. DE Romeo Okwara recently signed two-year deal to stay, keeping restricted free agent off market after he had team-high 7 1-2 sacks last year. Lions will also be looking to upgrade at tight end year after letting Eric Ebron go and watching him flourish with Indianapolis.
AVAILABLE SALARY CAP SPACE (approximately): $35 million, which Lions say is most team has had in GM Bob Quinn's three years with franchise.


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Bank of Ireland Chief Executive Richie Boucher. He received a total package of €898,000 in 2011, of which he waived €67,000.
ANY GOVERNMENT REVIEW of bankers pay must address the fact that over 1,700 bankers in institutions with explicit state support are currently earning over €100,000, Fianna Fáil’s Finance Spokesperson has said.
Michael McGrath TD, who obtained the figures after submitting a parliamentary question to the Minister of Finance Michael Noonan, said that he hoped an expected review would result in more realistic levels of executive pay rather than a pay hike.
“Over 180 of these executives are on basic salaries in excess of €200,000. In my view, there is no justification for such a large number of bank employees earning salaries of this order” said McGrath.
The government is expected to begin reviewing bankers salaries soon, with Canadian consultant firm Mercer hired to look at pay at all levels in the banks. Despite a government limit of €500,000, some banks have continued to pay their staff more, most notably in the case of Bank of Ireland Chief Executive Richie Boucher. He received a €898,000 pay package in 2011.
“I very much hope, rather than resulting in any increases in the remuneration of bankers, that this review results in more realistic levels of executive pay across the banks that continue to owe the State and its citizens for their very existence” he said.
Taxpayers are currently paying the €64bn bill required to bail out the Irish banks.
861 bankers in AIB, 61 in Permanent TSB, 143 in IBRC and 644 in Bank of Ireland are currently paid over €100,000.
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At last, a scientific explanation for why bookworms always seem to end up needing glasses.
Despite what helicopter parents may have you believe, there’s pretty solid evidence that kids should be encouraged to spend a lot of time outside. Access to greenery boosts health and energy, and gets kids’ brains turning in creative ways that screen time doesn’t.
Now, here’s another reason: Researchers at Northwestern University found that kids who spend too much time indoors may develop myopia. And the potential short-sightedness has nothing to do with them being cooped up and not going outside to look at faraway things, and everything to do with an existence lived under artificial light.
What really determines the eye’s ability to focus is the length of the retina. If it’s long, the person becomes short-sighted; too short, and they become far-sighted. “The eye needs to stop growing at precisely the right time during childhood,” assistant professor of ophthalmology Gregory Schwartz told Northwestern Now. Schwartz is the lead author of a study locating the cell which tells the retina when to stop growing, and it’s that cell that’s affected by how long kids spend indoors versus outside.
This particular cell is highly sensitive to light. To determine focus, it detects contrast, like a camera’s auto-focus. Contrast denotes sharpness, but the actual work of determining if the image is, in fact, in focus is done by a specialized circuit in the brain, which researchers also isolated. One the circuit is happy that the retina can make sharp images, it tells the retina to stop growing.
Artificial light, the researchers found, messes with this process. Because indoor light has a lot of contrast in the red-green area of the spectrum, it can trick the cells into thinking that the eye is focusing when it isn’t. This leads the cells to instruct the retina to keep growing, which results in myopia.
While their existence was expected, the actual cells responsible for this mechanism had not been identified before this study. To do so, the Northwestern researchers used tiny electrodes to monitor the retinal cells of mice while they watched patterns of light. The next step for researchers will be to find the gene responsible for these cells, so they could develop gene therapy for humans to improve eyesight.
The other takeaway from this research is the obvious one: that kids should spend more time outside. And perhaps, this research finally offers a scientific explanation for why nerdy kids always end up needing glasses.


Apple's iPad will lead Android in a 2011 tablet market that should hit 24.1 million, according to Forrester Research. The note comes as the Consumer Electronics Shows gets underway.
While many expect the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show to be a big coming-out party for the Android tablet, Forrester Research has revised its previous conservative estimates and now expects the 2011 tablet market to be 2.5 times what it was in 2010.
Forrester analyst Sara Rotman Epps said Jan. 4 that she expects tablet sales to top 24.1 million, more than double the 10.3 million she estimates were sold through 2010.
"When Apple's iPad first debuted, we saw the device as a game-changer but were too conservative with our forecast. Since then, we've fielded additional consumer surveys and an SMB and enterprise survey, conducted additional supply-side research, and seen more sales numbers from Apple. We've had briefings from many companies that will release new tablets at CES. All of these inputs have led us to revise our U.S. consumer tablet forecast," she said.
Epps was certainly conservative in her June forecast, when she predicted 3.5 million tablets would sell. In fact, her 2010 revision was greater than her 8.4 million tablet estimate for 2011.
Just one small thing: even the 10.3 million tablet tally for 2010 feels conservative. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster estimated iPad sales of 14.5 million for 2010. Throw in at least 1 million units of the Samsung Galaxy Tab sold, and Epps is still shorting the tablet pie.
One thing she hasn't done is backed off her stance on the iPad as market leader. She said the lion's share will be iPads in 2011 and even into 2012 despite "many would-be competitors that will be released at CES."
One reason is that adults will give their children hand-me-down iPads next year, and buy the iPad 2 with front- and rear-facing cameras and other new perks for themselves, Epps said.
"We think a significant number of first-generation iPad buyers will buy iPad 2 when it comes out this year-many first-gen iPads will end up entertaining the kids in the back of the car while Mom and Dad get the shiny new (likely Facetime-compatible) model," Epps said.
On that score, Epps and Munster agree. He expects the iPad to command a 53 percent market share through 2011, with Google's Android platform grabbing 32.5 percent.
Ultimately, by 2015, 82 million U.S. consumers will be using a tablet, and not all of them will be iPads, Epps concluded.
Epps was dead on about the iPad rival frenzy at CES, which eWEEK is covering this week. There will be a lot of iPad rivals there, mostly from the open-source Android front.
Vizio announced an Android tablet Jan. 3. Asustek unveiled three Android 3.0 tablets on Jan. 5, ahead of CES. Motorola is expected to unveil a new Android machine. Lenovo is unveiling its LePad Slate, which runs Android 2.2 and Windows 7.
To wit, don't discount the appearance of Microsoft tablets either. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is giving the keynote speech tonight and is likely to introduce long-awaited Windows 7 tablets.


Following today’s Dover vs Pocono Celebrity Softball game, the Senators entered a rain delay. During the delay, Mark Butler (President/CEO of Ollies Bargain Outlet and an owner of the Senators) challenged Kevin Harvick to tarp dive around the bases. By accepting the challenge, Butler will donate $5,000 to The Kevin Harvick Foundation.


Uff-Da! Island Norske Spotted Flogging Tacos on TV!
No surprise that islander John Norby is on TV. Sue Frause photo.
Being a TV star hasn’t changed John Norby one iota.
OK, star may be a bit of a stretch. But John does appear on a TV commercial here in the Pacific Northwest and there are more coming up.
“I’m a Norske flogging tacos!” laughed John, stomping his feet in delight.
John and I are having late afternoon tea at Useless Bay Coffee in Langley.
The 61-year-old islander, who moved to Whidbey in 1969, admits his new “career” is something of a surprise.
“I’ve never done any acting,” said John, whose long resume includes cheese factory worker, carpenter, merchant marine, machinist and shipwright to name a few. He’s been in unions since he was 17 years old and is currently employed by the Washington State Ferries.
The commercial came about when his sister spotted a casting call notice at the Sons of Norway lodge in Olympia. Taco Time was looking for a gaggle of Norwegian-looking fellas for a commercial to be shot in Seattle. She passed along the information to John, he made an appointment with Jodi Rothfield Casting in Seattle, and the rest is entertainment history.
So what did he have to do for the audition, his best Stan Boreson/Uncle Torvald impersonation?
Nope, he simply spoke in Norwegian; sang a Norwegian folk song; and told Sven and Olly jokes in his spot-on Norwegian dialect.
The gig turned out to be an all-day fish taco shoot at the Buckaroo Tavern in Fremont.
“One guy was a real actor, and the rest of us were Norwegians — except for one Swede,” said John. He provided his own wardrobe, including his late father’s stocking cap and a hand-knit blue and white sweater made by a cousin in Norway.
For John, the commercial was a lark.
And when he mentions it to people, they smile. He likes that part best.
John will also appear in the new Xbox 360 game Alan Wake, coming out in 2008. He’ll be digitalized and there will be no remnants of his Scandihoovian garb: he’ll play an older biker decked out in a leather vest.
Oh, and there’s a big party next month in Ballard. That would be the 17th of May celebration, in honor of Norwegian Constitution Day.
John will ride on the Olympia Sons of Norway boat in the annual parade, tossing herring to the kids along the route.
Then he laughs that John Norby laugh and stomps his feet.
If you don’t own a TV, can’t stand TV, or TIVO out the all commercials on TV, you can watch the commercial right here. Just click I SAW JOHN NORBY ON TV and then click on the cactus. You may have to watch it a few times to catch John. He’s sitting on a stool in the back, wearing a cap and the handmade blue and white sweater made by his cousin in Norway.


The Rev. Edward Pinkney, political prisoner, was transferred on Sept. 7 from the Marquette Branch Prison in the far north of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Some 11 months after arriving at that prison and suffering months of threats and abuse from guards, he was sent to West Shoreline Correctional Facility outside of Muskegon. His new location is only 90 miles from the home of his spouse, Dorothy Pinkney. The distance to Marquette, in comparison, was 500 miles.
Rev. Pinkney has now served 22 months of his 30-month minimum sentence. On Dec. 15, 2014, he was given a 2 ½ to 10 year sentence for supposedly altering dates on a recall petition against then Mayor James Hightower of Benton Harbor, Mich. Rev. Pinkney was convicted with no evidence, simply for being the leader of the recall effort and a well-known activist in his home town. His case has drawn the support of the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Lawyers Guild, as well as many groups and individuals across Michigan.
Attorney Tim Holloway filed an “Application for Leave to Appeal” with the Michigan Supreme Court on Rev. Pinkney’s behalf on Sept. 3. This reporter visited Rev. Pinkney at his new location on Sept. 30 and asked him about his long sought after transfer. He acknowledged the efforts of his supporters, who worked tirelessly to draw attention to the mistreatment, harassment and abuse he faced every day in Marquette Prison.
This campaign included picketing the Michigan Department of Corrections in Lansing, protesting across the state, including outside Marquette’s prison gate, contacting state legislators to intervene for Rev. Pinkney’s safety and telephone barrages to Gov. Snyder and Heidi Washington, MDOC director.
According to Rev. Pinkney, “What I think was the final straw was when state Rep. Dave Pagel showed up at Marquette Prison during the last week of August. He is the chairperson of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of Corrections. And the first thing he did was to ask to see me! This kind of blew the minds of the prison officials.
Less than two weeks later, Rev. Pinkney was told to pack his things because he was leaving the next morning. “They wanted to get rid of me and all the scrutiny that comes with housing a political prisoner,” he stressed.
Even with a possible appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court, which will take many months, Rev. Pinkney is looking for his earliest release to occur in June 2017. He is enjoying many more visitors already — and his supporters are not letting up on their organizing.
Detroit activists from the Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice (MECAWI.org), the Moratorium Now! Coalition Against Foreclosures, and the Detroit Active and Retired Employees Association joined together on Sept. 23 to carry out an all-day fish fry fundraiser for Rev. Pinkney’s defense. It raised hundreds of dollars.
Plans are also in place to distribute leaflets about Rev. Pinkney at a regional conference of Amnesty International in Dearborn, Mich., on Oct. 8.
Rev. Pinkney will celebrate another birthday behind bars. Oct. 27 is his 68th birthday. A campaign is underway to have hundreds of people send hundreds of cards and letters to him to express support — and to let the West Shoreline prison administration know they are being watched by Rev. Pinkney’s supporters around the country, who are paying attention to how he is being treated.
Send cards and letters to The Rev. Edward Pinkney #294671, West Shoreline Correctional Facility, 2500 S. Sheridan Drive, Muskegon Heights, MI 49444.


Integration of maternal mental health in antenatal and postnatal care necessity to fight postpartum depression.
On Wednesday evening, the bodies of Swara Kaskar, 42, and her eight-month-old boy were found in their flat. While Kaskar left a handwritten suicide note stating she was depressed, doctors said apathy towards maternal mental health is the reason behind the incident.
Four out of 10 new mothers slip into depression in the first few months of childbirth, said psychiatrists. Pre and postpartum depression are common medical conditions, but detection and screening is relatively poor, said doctors. “Something was missed in this (Kaskar’s) case. Her symptoms would have been taken for granted,” said Dr Shubhangi Parkar, head of psychiatry department in KEM Hospital.
A scientific review of maternal mental health and child behaviour over the last five years, published recently in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, indicated the prevalence of both antenatal and postnatal psychological distress is high the world over, with a higher prevalence in developing countries including India.
Studies published in international medical journals on pregnant women in Goa and rural south India, detected depressive disorder in 23% and 16% of the women screened, respectively.
Dr Deepak Goel, a psychiatrist, estimated that as high as 50% of women develop depression, post childbirth. “Many women and their families fight diagnosis because of the stigma attached to the condition which worsens the situation,” he said.
I ntegration of mater nal mental health in the overall antenatal and postnatal care is a necessity if such cases are to be prevented, said Goel.
Nursing staff, doctors said, are often the first to identify a woman having this condition. “Hormonal change is one of the factors that trigger postpartum depression. Our doctors and nurses always look for signs and women who show symptoms are referred psychiatric help,” said Dr Ashok Anand, professor of gynaecology department at Sir JJ Hospital, Byculla.


It's one of the signature scenes in Baltimore sports and one that could play out for the final time Sunday when the Ravens host the Indianapolis Colts in an opening-round playoff game.
Ray Lewis, No. 52, circles his teammates and stomps from one to the next, pressing his face within inches of each man, looking deep into their eyes.
"What time is it?" he shouts.
"Game time," they chant in unison.
"Any dogs in the house?" he bellows.
"Woof, woof, woof," they bark before taking the field at M&T Bank Stadium.
Lewis, who announced Wednesday that he would retire at the end of the season, is by consensus one of the greatest players in NFL history and one of the greatest athletes to play in Baltimore. But as the Ravens reckon with life after No. 52, they talk more about his wisdom and the ways he has touched them personally than about his on-field skills, which have slipped in recent seasons.
The familiar pregame ritual is the most visible sign of Lewis' leadership, but teammates and coaches say it only scratches the surface of his efforts to guide those around him. In fact, some regard the act as misleading, a bit of vaudeville that distracts from the qualities that really make Lewis important — the example he sets with tireless offseason workouts, hours of at-home film study and his willingness to talk teammates through tough times.
"To me, what you see sometimes is Ray is a very motivational guy, very motivational when he talks, when he gives a speech, when he comes onto the field — all those kinds of things," Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees said. "But the things that we see or I see as a coach — and I've been blessed to be around a lot of really excellent linebackers — the thing Ray is, he is the best example anybody could ever be as a teammate. For every young player that comes in, to watch a guy that has been in this league 17 years sit there and take notes and look like a rookie back there in the meeting room, to me, it's phenomenal."
It might not be terribly difficult for the Ravens to replace Lewis as a guy who runs around the field and makes tackles. Statistics show their defense this season has been better without him in many ways. But as the leader of a perpetually successful franchise? Teammates say no one man will fill his shoes.
"The leadership quality goes beyond just football," cornerback Cary Williams said. "He's a great motivator. He can motivate you to get off the streets. He can motivate you to get up and do something in your life. He's touched a lot of lives. He's touched mine and those of some of my family members who don't even know him."
Williams said there are other leaders in the locker room, from outspoken linebacker Terrell Suggs to quarterback Joe Flacco.
"But a vocal leader of Ray's caliber is virtually unreplaceable," Williams said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime deal. You don't find those around the league. I don't think there's another one like him."
Leadership is a quality often tossed around in sports but rarely well-defined. Lewis makes an interesting case study because he so nakedly sought the mantle, both inside the locker room and in public view.
Many players refuse to engage when asked about their leadership qualities. But Lewis frequently refers to the Ravens as "my team" and to his unit as "my defense." He began to describe himself as a leader as early as his second season. By the middle of his career, he had decided he was a shaper of men as much as a football player.
"I realized that I can do a lot of things to be great individually, but I wanted to be known differently," he said Wednesday in describing his legacy. "I wanted to make men better. I wanted to figure out ways to challenge men to not let the game dictate your emotions and not let the game dictate if you are mad, you're glad, you're sad — no. Be who you are as a man. Walk with who you are as a man and be OK with being a man. So, my whole focus changed, kind of almost in the middle of my career."
Lewis loves to talk about the locker-room leaders he studied as a young player — Shannon Sharpe, Rod Woodson, Michael McCrary and Rob Burnett. They taught him everything from how to center himself spiritually to how hard he had to work in the offseason.
"I was blessed to have some great guys who took me up under their wing and said, 'This is the way you should pray about life. This is the way you should live life,' " he recalled.
Lewis badly wanted to be that figure for younger players on the Ravens and eventually, for players around the league.
He even announced his retirement in a way calculated to make his trademark dance from the tunnel during player introductions on Sunday an inspirational moment for teammates and fans.
Fellow Ravens buy into Lewis' leadership style to differing degrees. Running back Ray Rice, who sits beside him in the locker room, talks about Lewis as a second father who shaped him emotionally through long talks about their respective personal stories. Other Ravens are more apt to stand quietly on the periphery while Lewis gives his fire-and-brimstone talks about seizing the moment. Some take a middle road, gently poking fun at his histrionics while paying homage to his overall importance in the organization.
"We joke about it sometimes," Williams said. "But it's all in good fun, and at the end of the day, those words that he said set in. It takes root in your heart."
The concept of charismatic leadership goes back to 19th-century German sociologist Max Weber and is often discussed in the business world, especially when a renowned executive, such as Apple CEO Steve Jobs, hands over power.
The consensus among those who study leadership is that such transitions are perilous for organizations, especially when the force of the leader's personality is a major factor in driving performance. Sony and Microsoft are among companies that have lost momentum in recent decades after the departure of deified CEOs.
The transitions tend to be more successful, analysts say, when the leader has imbued the organization with enduring principles.
Losing Lewis is not comparable to losing a CEO, said Gilad Chen, a professor of organizational behavior at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.
"I think the more relevant comparison there would be to losing a charismatic coach," Chen said. "This is more a case of losing an internal leader. The impact on the fans who love him, and the players who look up to him is noticeable. But it's easier to replace a player like Ray Lewis, especially when his ability to do his job on the field has diminished, than it is to replace the leader at the top of the organization."
There's no questioning the force of Lewis' personality. Anyone who has watched his pre-game speeches knows they have the feel of tent revivals. But Ravens teammates and coaches say he's the type of leader who goes beyond mere charisma and actually models effective behavior for those around him.
Players noticed, for example, how Lewis worked out up to seven times a day in the offseason and came to his 17thtraining camp 25 pounds lighter. They saw how hard he pushed to come back from a torn triceps, usually a season-ending injury.
"All he has ever been is a Raven, so to me, he exemplifies what you want to be as a Ravens defensive football player," Pees said. "For the guys like the Josh Bynes and the [Dannell] Ellerbes, [Jameel] McClains and all those guys to be around somebody like that, of that caliber, not only as a player but as guy in the classroom, just how to be a pro ... yeah, it'll have a long-lasting effect on us."
Williams, who has played four seasons with Lewis, called him the ultimate professional.
"All the little things mean so much to him," the Ravens cornerback said. "And you look at that as a young guy, and you model yourself after that as best you can."
"I think the model's more important than the vocalness," linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo added. "I mean, the vocal makes him kind of a spiritual leader, but the model, the blueprint … he's the greatest of all time, so you can't really refute that."
Lewis believes in himself as a leader to such a degree that he has taken his show on the road in recent years, giving pregame talks to everyone from the Stanford basketball team to the little-known football team at Elon University in North Carolina.
One such talk came this spring, when Lewis met with the Loyola men's lacrosse team the week before its NCAA playoff game with the University of Denver. The talk was arranged by Ravens vice president Pat Moriarty, whose son, Kevin, played on the team.
Loyola coach Charley Toomey had never seen his players give such rapt attention to a speaker. "The only problem was that we had to tone our guys down after he was done," Toomey recalled. "We didn't want them to run through a wall the Wednesday before the game."
Toomey saw in Lewis a rare and genuine ability to connect, one that would work as well in sales as in sports. The Greyhounds went on to win the national title. But Toomey is now dealing with the same issue the Ravens will confront post-Lewis — how to replace J.P. Dalton, the captain who kept everyone else on track last season. He said such leadership is a tangible asset.
"I haven't seen it very much, but boy, when you've got it, you want to bottle it," Toomey said.
He then segued back to a moment from Lewis' speech. Lewis noticed a few of the Loyola players cradling jugs of water for pre-practice hydration. That was the right way to prepare, he barked. Why didn't he see similar jugs in every hand?
"The next day," Toomey said in his final verdict on Lewis' leadership, "every guy in the room had a jug of water."


PARIS–French nationals are likely fighting alongside the self-proclaimed jihadist group Islamic State which has captured large swaths of Iraq, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Wednesday.
“There are probably some of them in Iraq since the Islamic State, which has recruited these young nationals, takes them to all the areas where fighting is happening,” Mr. Cazeneuve said in an interview with radio station France Info. Nationals from other European countries are in Iraq.
About 900 French nationals are either in Syria or Iraq with jihadist groups or on their way to Syria, Mr. Cazeneuve added.
The dozens of youths traveling to Syria to join Islamist fighters is a concern for governments in many European countries where authorities fear they may lead terror attacks back home. Mehdi Nemmouche, the suspect arrested for a murderous attack on the Jewish Museum in Brussels in May, spent months in Syria a year before the incident.
Islamic State has been persecuting Christians and Yazidis, a Kurdish-speaking group that follows a pre-Islamic religion, as a part of its campaign to wrest control of Iraq from the government in Baghdad.
The French government is pushing European Union partners to answer to a call for arms and humanitarian aid to Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State in northern Iraq. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius Tuesday said France supports the delivery of weapons to Kurd militias called Peshmarga.
U.S. President Barack Obama last week authorized airstrikes against jihadist groups in Iraq.


A council is considering having larger English and maths classes to help it balance its budget.
The proposal for larger classes in the first and second year of secondary school comes from East Renfrewshire Council.
The council says having bigger classes could help it save nearly £750,000.
Overall, the local authority aims to save £8m from its education budget by 2018.
It currently has an average of 20 students in S1 and S2 English and maths classes - well below the national average.
A relatively prosperous area, East Renfrewshire has some of the most academically successful state schools in Scotland.
In its budget consultation, the council says: "This proposal will bring East Renfrewshire Council in line with many other Scottish councils and will increase class size to 30.
"We are confident that attainment will not be affected by this proposal and will continue to focus on improving the quality of our teaching and learning experiences to maximise pupil attainment and not class size."
A series of proposed cuts and savings to the education budget is detailed in the council's ongoing consultation on ways to save money between now and 2018.
Another option involves using senior pupils to help run school libraries and having fewer dedicated full-time librarians. This could save £131,000.
Reducing the number of classroom assistants in primary schools could save a similar amount.
The council says half of the £8m education savings will come from internal efficiencies, with the rest coming from changes to services.
Can councils save on education budgets?


New Hampshire’s tourism industry is gearing up for a strong Independence Day holiday weekend.
The state tourism forecast, produced by the Institute for New Hampshire Studies, calls for more than 900,000 visitors over the three-day weekend, spending over $140 million.
Those numbers would be in line with the state's overall summer forecasts, which project a 3 percent rise in the number of visitors and the amount of money those visitors will spend over last year. Those forecasts are slightly higher than other recent projections.
Analysts say the increased amount of tourism is due in part to a stronger job market and gas prices that remain lower than those of recent years.
AAA of Northern New England is expecting New England travel to exceed national averages over the three day weekend.
New Hampshire’s tourism industry is preparing for a busy Memorial Day weekend.
New Hampshire’s tourism industry is looking at opportunities to reach out to Canadian visitors as part of a two day annual conference.
New Hamsphire tourism officials say they’re concerned about the impact of proposed cuts in the state’s next two-year budget.
The plan put forth by the House Finance Committee last month cut nearly $3.8 million from $4.7 million Gov. Maggie Hassan requested for each of the next two years for the Division of Travel and Tourism Development.


Roy, listed at 6-4 and 202 pounds, was a finalist for QMJHL defensive forward of the year and was named Chicoutimi’s 2015-16 most valuable player and the team’s captain.
Roy scored three goals and had four assists in six playoff games as the Sagueneens fell 4-2 in their first-round series against Cape Breton.
The Hurricanes drafted Roy in the fourth round, 96th overall, in the 2015 NHL Draft.


Days after being elected mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has given London’s commuters and visitors – at least those who frequently travel by bus – reason to rejoice. In his first policy act, he has introduced a 'hopper fare' that will allow bus passengers to change from one bus to another over a one-hour period for the flat-rate cost of a single bus ticket: £1.50.
Launching in September, the rate will be applied automatically whether customers 'touch in' using Oyster cards or contactless payments; London buses stopped accepting cash payments two years ago. The initiative is expected to particularly benefit Londoners on lower incomes who rely primarily on the bus network to travel around the city.
Initially the hopper fare will be capped, with commuters benefitting from free transit on the second bus they use within the hour but charged again for subsequent bus journeys thereafter. This is apparently owing to technological limitations that prevent Transport for London from applying successive discounts. However, upgrades to the systems that govern ticketing are due to be carried out next year and it is expected that TfL will deliver unlimited flat-rate bus journeys within one hour by the end of 2018, if not earlier.
On current estimates demands for the capped fare is certainly there. Last year there were an estimated 2.5 billion bus journeys completed in the capital, including 600 million pay-as-you-go journeys. Of these bus journeys, an estimated 86 million went on to make another bus journey within one hour.
Though the hopper fare is a first for London, it has long been recommended by the Liberal Democrats as a means of making public transport more affordable to workers on lower incomes. Then-mayor Boris Johnson rejected that suggestion in 2009, saying its implementation would prove too costly.


January 31, 2019 (La Mesa) – A lightning bolt between Lemon Grove and La Mesa this afternoon produced a prolonged thunderclap loud enough to be heard as far away as Fletcher Hills, Lake Murray, Mission Gorge and Rancho San Diego. The noise startled residents and terrified pets, but fortunately the bolt did not result in any reported damage.
At my Mt. Helix home, the whole house shook as rumbling continued for approximately 30 seconds after the initial roaring jolt.
November 10, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--In many places throughout the country, thunderstorms—and the rain, wind, hail, and lightning that come with them—are unavoidable. And in fact, according to the National Weather Forecast Office, lightning from thunderstorms causes “several hundred million dollars “ in property damage each year, while hail causes $1 billion in damages each year.
You might think that since there is nothing you can do to prevent thunderstorms, there’s nothing—other than staying indoors—that you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your home from their, sometimes, devastating effects.


Women love jewellery. Women love large, shambling, goo-filled undead creatures. Combine the two and you've got a one-way ticket to a night of messy romance, thanks to this charming Left 4 Dead Boomer necklace.
Video game jewellery artist DeadlyPretty is a big fan of Valve's Left 4 Dead series, and as it happens she creates charms, rings and necklaces for big fans of Valve's Left 4 Dead, along with Resident Evil, Kirby, Ghostbusters and more. This particular piece caught our attention because who wouldn't want a ticking time bomb of virulent pus hanging about their neck? As DeadlyPretty herself puts it, "He's kinda lovable and who wouldn't want to give him a big squish."


Snap’s shares jumped 12 percent Thursday, reaching a six-month high after a high-profile upgrade from a Wall Street analyst.
BTIG’s well-known Snap bear Rich Greenfield changed his recommendation from “neutral” to “buy” and upgraded his price target from $5 to a Street-leading $15 — representing what would be a 50 percent increase from the stock’s Wednesday price of just over $10.
“Virtually everything that could go wrong for Snapchat over the past couple years since going public has gone wrong,” Greenfield wrote, referring to the disastrous redesign that was panned by famous users like Kylie Jenner.
Still, Greenfield said advertisers see the platform as a worthy place to spend their money and believes the social network is in a good position for success.
“Performance advertisers are laser focused on return on investment and spend where they see a compelling return,” he wrote.
Snap shares climbed $1.23, to $11.28.


Deploying robotic process automation for modern applications.
There is a lot of discussion in the industry around AI and the coming robot invasion. I’ve talked a great deal in my blog about some of the different forms of AI including machine learning and chatbots. One of the rapidly growing areas of AI today is robotic process automation. Robotic process automation, or RPA, usually focuses on the highly repetitive tasks that don’t require as much cognitive processing or human judgement, but rather are often “boring” tasks.
Some years ago, the focus in IT was the implementation of large scope (and hence large dollar) systems for projects like enterprise resource planning. These were expensive, long term projects. In many of these cases, humans became the glue between the various large scale system—people would pull data from system one, massage it in excel, upload it into system two. It was cheaper for the humans to absorb this role as facilitator between the many different large monolithic systems than to automate it. In other cases, humans needed to “check” things… compare, contrast, report. Again, humans were called on for these more glue like tasks. RPA is about redistributing these mundane tasks to robots. Let’s focus our human experience on doing the difficult cognitive work and reduce the time we spend on rote tasks.
In the world of AI, if machine learning is the robot’s brain, RPA represents the hands of the robot. Examining data, moving it around, and enforcing controls. Forrester estimates that the RPA market will be $2.9 billion in 2021.
At first blush, RPA sounds a lot like the many digitization efforts businesses have embarked on over the years. The difference is simple; the technology has matured to the point where bot development is fast and more proficient at handling more complex interactions. This real power goes beyond lower cost rote robotic automation; however when you start to combine machine learning models with RPA, suddenly the brain (machine learning) can provide direction, enabling the hands (RPA) can do more complex, cognitive tasks than before. This confluence of traditional digitization and AI drives smarter automation solutions.
In my view, here are some of the things you need to consider before you embark on your RPA journey.
Controllership is key: Well-designed robots can deliver real tangible benefits to almost any company. Poorly designed robots have the potential of wreaking havoc with your data, processing errors faster than ever before. Pick an approach, create a COE, and take the time to get your controllership right up front. It will pay off in the long run.
Understand the human implications: Automation is often implemented as a productivity play, and this often means impact to people’s jobs. Do you need to re-skill workers? How do you plan to retain the IP for the work that the robots don’t do? Automation is just one step of the journey that involves your entire workforce – including humans.
Bring the brain into the mix: You can greatly improve your benefits when you start to combine AI technologies together to provide a level of cognitive thinking to the robotic process automation. A machine learning model may simply direct the robot down one of a few paths, but this is a significant step forward from executing the same steps every time.
Use your technology architecture skills: Use your COE to create “metabots” to do common tasks. Don’t program basic things like logging into a core system into each bot, leverage metabots to speed your bot creation the same way you leverage microservices to speed your development.
In summary, RPA isn’t a magic bullet. It requires the same diligence as many technology projects. However, when executed properly, today’s RPA technology combined with a little cognitive AI can deliver significant benefits. Remember, you are essentially introducing a robotic workforce, but once again, this robot workforce augments the human workforce – it doesn’t fully replace it.
Reach out to me and let know your robot workforce stories!
Greg Simpson is CTO at Synchrony. He has had an extensive IT career that spans more than 30 years with GE, most recently as GE’s CTO, prior to joining Synchrony as it spun off into a separate company.


How old is Jessie Ware, who is the Soccer Aid 2018 pundit's husband Sam Burrows and when was her album Glasshouse released?
How old is Jessie Ware, who is the Soccer Aid 2018 pundit’s husband Sam Burrows and when was her album Glasshouse released?
SHE'S the south London singing sensation whose soulful voice is loved by music fans across the world.
But how old is Jessie Ware and what are her biggest hits?
Who is Jessie Ware and who is her husband?
Jessie Ware, 33, is an English singer and songwriter who was born in Hammersmith and raised in Clapham, London.
Her father is John Ware, a TV journalist who split from her mother Helena when Jessie was 10.
In August 2014, Jessie married her childhood friend, Sam Burrows, the pair met when they were still at school.
Jessie and Sam got married on the Greek island of Skopelos, which was the same location that they had become engaged.
Jessie gave birth to the couple's first daughter in September 2016.
When was Jessie Ware's album Glasshouse released and what are her biggest songs?
Jessie's third studio album Glasshouse was released on October 20 2017 and was supported by her singles Midnight, Selfish Love and Alone.
In an interview with The Fader, Jessie commented on the message behind the album, saying: "I've written with a lot of different people, but I think what's bringing it all together is my voice, and the storytelling.
"It's quite a personal record, which I didn't realise [when writing it].
"I thought I was just writing songs, but it's become this record that's for my husband and my baby. It's been a wild couple of years, and I feel like this album represents those ups and downs, the fear, the beauty, and the celebrations."
Jessie has released a previous two albums, Devotion in 2012 and Tough Love in 2014.
She will make a guest appearance on new show Sounds Like Friday Night.
What is Sounds Like Friday Night?
Sounds Like Friday Night is a new music show hosted by the BBC which aims to follow in the footsteps of Top of the Pops.
Each week, a celebrity host will join the main two presenters for a series of sketches, music performances, games and interviews.
The show will also embrace an interactive element, with questions and games played through Twitter hashtag #SLFN.
Every episode will air live from BBC Television Centre.
Soccer Aid kicks off on June 10, 2018, and will be held at Old Trafford in Manchester.
The match will also be screened live on ITV at 8pm.


The answer for society is not to give in. It is essential that citizens defy the cynicism and resignation that autocrats and power-hungry politicians depend upon to subvert resistance.
Not a bad resolution to begin with in 2019. With common sense and independent thinking on the issues, we can make a difference.
Democrats want to regain control of power and will do and say anything to achieve their goal.
They still can’t accept the results of the 2016 election and will obstruct and resist any program President Donald Trump advocates. Not one Democrat voted to cut our taxes. Their plan is to increase our taxes when they regain control of Congress. When it came time to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court, Trump had 25 possibilities and the Democrats said they weren’t voting for any of them, even though he hadn’t selected anyone.
Democrats advocate open borders, allowing anyone to enter our country, including terrorists and gangs like MS-13. Democrats are more concerned with rights of illegal immigrants than the safety of Americans. They want to abolish ICE. They want free income and jobs for everyone, free college, welfare, free health care. They never mention the costs or who’s going to pay for these programs.
After living in a capitalist society, do you think you could live in a socialist country? If you prefer socialism over capitalism, vote Democratic.


Rwanda's president said the country had become "a family once again", while marking the 25th anniversary of the genocide that killed 800,000 people.
Paul Kagame, who led a rebel force that ended the slaughter, lit a remembrance flame in the capital Kigali.
Rwandans will mourn for 100 days, the time it took in 1994 for about a tenth of the country to be massacred.
Most of those who died were minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus, killed by ethnic Hutu extremists.
"In 1994, there was no hope, only darkness," Mr Kagame told a crowd gathered at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where more than 250,000 victims are thought to be buried.
"Today, light radiates from this place. How did it happen? Rwanda became a family once again."
The commemoration activities began with the flame-lighting ceremony at the memorial. The flame will burn for 100 days.
The 61-year-old president, who has led the country since 2000, then delivered a speech at the Kigali Convention Centre.
He said the resilience and bravery of the genocide survivors represented the "Rwandan character in its purest form".
"The arms of our people, intertwined, constitute the pillars of our nation," he said. "We hold each other up. Our bodies and minds bear amputations and scars, but none of us is alone.
"Together, we have woven the tattered threads of our unity into a new tapestry."
He added: "The fighting spirit is alive in us. What happened here will never happen again."
Mr Kagame then led a vigil at the Amahoro National Stadium, which was used by United Nations officials to try to protect Tutsis during the killings.
About 2,000 people marched together on a walk of remembrance from parliament to the stadium, where candles were lit.
There was a moment - when all the candles were lit, and their lights bobbed around the stadium, when people were taking pictures with their smartphones - when it was almost possible to forget the horror that brought thousands of people together on this warm evening in Kigali.
But then I turned to the man next to me, and asked him what tonight meant to him.
"Well," he said, "it's important." In the understated way which so many people in Rwanda speak he said: "I lost people. I lost my parents. I lost my siblings."
We had already heard the names of entire families wiped off the map read out, accompanied by a promise never to forget. We had watched students march in silence from the parliament to the stadium.
But it was as the final speaker took to the stage, to describe how he survived to grow up and give his children the names of the four siblings he had lost, that the emotion seemed to bubble to the surface, and anguished cries were heard above the crowd.
Sometimes on this day, my neighbour said, it is hard to keep the emotions in.
A number of foreign leaders are in the country for the events. They are mainly African, although Prime Minister Charles Michel represented the former colonial ruler, Belgium.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also attended.
French President Emmanuel Macron did not go, however. This week he appointed a panel of experts to investigate France's role in the genocide.
France was a close ally of the Hutu-led government prior to the massacres and has been accused of ignoring warning signs and training the militias who carried out the attacks.
France was represented by Herve Berville, a Rwandan-born MP.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was also absent. He has been accused of backing Rwandan rebels who oppose Mr Kagame.
The vast number of people attending were ordinary Rwandans, including those who lived through the slaughter.
Olive Muhorakeye, 26, told Reuters: "Remembering is necessary because it's only thanks to looking back at what happened [can we] ensure that it never happens again."
How did the genocide unfold?
On 6 April 1994, a plane carrying then-President Juvenal Habyarimana - a Hutu - was shot down, killing all on board.
Hutu extremists blamed the Tutsi rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). It denied the accusation.
In a well-organised campaign of slaughter, militias were given hit lists of Tutsi victims. Many were killed with machetes in acts of appalling brutality.
One of the militias was the ruling party's youth wing, the Interahamwe, which set up road blocks to find Tutsis, incited hatred via radio broadcasts and carried out house to house searches.
Little was done internationally to stop the killings. The UN and Belgium had forces in Rwanda but the UN mission was not given a mandate to act. The Belgians and most UN peacekeepers pulled out.
The RPF, backed by Uganda, started gaining ground and marched on Kigali. Some two million Hutus fled, mainly to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The RPF was accused of killing thousands of Hutus as it took power, although it denies this.
Dozens of Hutus were convicted for their role in the killings by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, based in Tanzania, and hundreds of thousands more faced trial in community courts in Rwanda.
The genocide has cast a long shadow over regeneration and talk of ethnicity remains illegal.
But the country has recovered economically, with President Kagame's policies encouraging rapid growth and technological advancement.
Growth remains good - 7.2% in 2018 according to the African Development Bank.
But Mr Kagame's critics say he is too authoritarian and does not tolerate dissent.


What's Microsoft's big secret about Kerberos?
My first Patch Panel column was written just as Microsoft Windows 2000 was released. I had been testing Release Candidate 2 and had just enough time to install the shipping version of Win 2000 Professional. A few weeks later, it was reported that Microsoft Corp. had left out some important information about the Kerberos security tool it had pre-announced and that I had described in my column.
Kerberos is a widely used standard, and many systems administrators were anticipating using it as an easier way to integrate Windows users with others in enterprise-scale virtual private networks.
But it appears Microsoft quietly decided to alter the way Win 2000 implements Kerberos so that its version works with only Win 2000, not with any of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Kerberos-compliant systems out there.
I would like to share more details of Microsoft's explanation, which are available at www.microsoft.com/technet/security/kerberos/default.asp, but Microsoft has made this file a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) document. And because the company has challenged at least one Web site'www.slashdot.com'that posted information from the document, I'll leave the explanation for the reader to discover.
But, because of the NDA clause, I haven't read past the legal preface to this document. My information comes from other sources, so I can share it.
Kerberos is an Internet Engineering Task Force standard for user authentication. It operates by issuing tickets that let users access system services.
What Microsoft has done is to use a proprietary privilege access certificate (PAC) in its Win 2000 Kerberos tickets, which means they won't work with any other Kerberos implementation, even though they are technically using the standard Kerberos Version 5 specification.
In the auth-data field portion of a Kerberos ticket, Microsoft has placed a secure ID that makes tickets valid only for Windows access control lists.
Other Kerberos implementations also put user identification data in the auth-data field, but most software makers disclose the data format. Microsoft hasn't made its data format publicly available except under the NDA.
I know of no workaround for this problem that wouldn't violate Microsoft's claim to intellectual property rights.
If you don't license the PAC from Microsoft and live with whatever restrictions the company puts on the license, then how do you integrate Win 2000 with existing Unix networks? If you do license the proprietary PAC from Microsoft, then just how open is the Kerberos standard?
Although it once appeared that Microsoft was opening up Windows networks to other systems, it now looks as if the company, with a few minor tweaks of widespread standards, could be taking the same approach to the enterprise network world it has taken in the desktop PC world.
Of course, this may all be a misunderstanding that will blow over in a few days.
But, without agreeing to that NDA, I can't be certain what Microsoft's position is and, of course, if I did agree, then I couldn't say anything here anyway.
Just a guess off the top of my head: Microsoft has gone one better than getting the camel's nose into the Unix tent'it snuck in a three-headed dog instead.
John McCormick, a computer consultant and free-lance writer, has been working with computers since the early 1960s. E-mail him at poweruser@mail.usa.com.


Stitchmaster is located at 1655 Boston Rd, Springfield, MA. This business specializes in Alterations & Tailoring.
Stitchmaster is located at 1655 Boston Rd in Springfield and has been in the business of Manufacturing - Embroidery Products, Except Schiffli Machine since 2011.


2014’s Selma launched Ava DuVernay to a whole new level of fame and acclaim, but the filmmaker hasn’t been content to rest on her laurels. For the past couple of years she’s kept mostly off the radar, plugging away at her next few projects. This fall, we finally get to see two of them come to fruition. One is the OWN drama Queen Sugar, which debuted earlier this month to high praise. The other is The 13th, a documentary about mass incarceration in the United States.


up barbed wire along the neutral zone between the countries.
digging trenches, stacking sandbags and erecting fences on the Thai side of the border.
All three requested anonymity because they feared repercussions from higher officials.
when several hundred Thai troops were deployed to the border area at around 10 p.m.
to visit the temple. As a result, Cambodia declared its side of the border closed.
the tensions had been sparked by Thai troops clearing landmines close to the border.
a meeting, but that no written request had been made.
of good conduct," San said.
ease the situation had already begun.
top officials," said the RCAF source by phone, on condition of anonymity.
on why an incursion would be good.
on the law," Banh said.
to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in 2000.
informing Cambodia in advance," Visalo said.
authorities and the Phnom Penh-based government ministers.
Ministry of Defense to discuss their comments before making statements to the media.
said the attack was personally motivated, but Cambodia has urged a full investigation.
formed Supreme National Council of Border Affairs (SNCBA) in Beijing.
acknowledged that Cambodia had lost ground to its neighbors.


The Save Our Springs Alliance says on its website that it works to protect the Edwards Aquifer, its springs and contributing streams, and the natural and cultural heritage of the Hill Country region and its watersheds, with special emphasis on Barton Springs.
"Ten years ago the Austin Water Utility used a total of 240.3 million gallons. Every summer since then our peak day of water use has been lower."


Apple Inc.’s iPhones shouldn’t be banned from the U.S. even though they infringe a patent owned by Qualcomm Inc., a U.S. International Trade Commission judge found Friday.
Judge Thomas Pender found that Apple infringed one of three Qualcomm patents in the case but declined to recommend the import ban sought by Qualcomm. The judge’s recommendation “makes no sense,” Qualcomm said.
The judge’s findings are subject to review by the full commission, which has the final say. If the commission goes along, it would eliminate a powerful bargaining chip Qualcomm could use to push Apple into agreeing to pay license fees.
Qualcomm is seeking an import ban of Apple’s iPhones that have chips made by Intel Corp. This is the first of two cases brought by Qualcomm before the trade agency in Washington.
“We are pleased the ALJ found infringement of our patented technology, but it makes no sense to then allow infringement to continue by denying an import ban,” Qualcomm General Counsel Donald Rosenberg said in a statement, referring to the administrative law judge.
Qualcomm will look to the full commission decision and will pursue more than 40 other patent-infringement cases brought against Apple globally, he said.
The trade agency doesn’t have the authority to force Apple to pay patent royalties. Qualcomm is seeking that in district court, and the judge’s infringement finding, if upheld by the commission, could help the chip-maker there.
During the trial, Apple argued it wouldn’t be in the public’s interest to have phones with Intel chips kept from the U.S. market. While the judge’s full findings won’t be public until both sides get a chance to redact confidential information, America’s role in developing the next generation of mobile communications was a key issue in the case.
The commission’s job is to protect U.S. markets from unfair trade practices and it has to balance patent rights with what’s best for the economy. It’s scheduled to make a final decision by January. A different trade judge is scheduled to release her findings in a second case that same month, and the public’s interest is a prime issue in that case as well.
Apple has phased out its use of Qualcomm chips during the dispute and its latest phones don’t use any of the San Diego-based chip-maker’s products. In urging the agency not to block its phones with Intel chips, Apple contends that the competition between the two dominant chip-makers is crucial to propel development of the next generation of communications, known as 5G.
Qualcomm argued that Intel wouldn’t give up billions of dollars of work and get out of a global market just because it can’t import into the U.S. Instead, Qualcomm contends, Apple will be forced to ensure Qualcomm gets paid for the use of its inventions.
Intel said its track record in innovation counters Qualcomm’s accusations that its technology has only made its way into the mobile industry and Apple products via unfair means. The company was awarded more patents than Qualcomm by the U.S. Patent Office last year, Intel’s General Counsel Steven Rodgers said in a posting on its website.
Qualcomm is the dominant player in the development of ways mobile devices communicate. While many of its patents relate to industry standards, the three in this case do not. Still, Qualcomm contends that they are part of all iPhones since they involve ways to improve the use of battery power even as devices demand more energy.
Apple contends Qualcomm charges too much for its patents on fundamental telecommunications technology, and has directed its suppliers to stop paying royalties until a better deal can be reached. The unpaid fees could total $2.5 billion to $4.5 billion, according to an analysis by Larson.
Pender retired from the agency Aug. 31, and the case was temporarily assigned to a different judge. He instead decided to return to finish issuing his findings in this case.
In all, there are some 100 legal proceedings around the world between Apple and Qualcomm, including patent challenges at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and lawsuits in China and Germany. Qualcomm also is facing an antitrust lawsuit filed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
A federal judge in California on Thursday ruled that consumers who also filed antitrust cases against Qualcomm could have their cases considered a class action, which could increase potential liability for the chip-maker.
Meanwhile, it’s been a good legal day for Apple. An appeals court on Friday threw out a patent-infringement verdict won by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s licensing arm, eliminating a case that would have cost the iPhone maker more than $506 million.
The case is In the Matter of Certain Mobile Electronic Devices, 337-1065, U.S. International Trade Commission (Washington).


Catch us up. What have you been up to since?
The last few years have been fun! I won a national contest with Angie’s List and Ariana Huffington’s book The Sleep Revolution. I had to compete against three national designers and it was another “America votes” kind of thing. I was very fortunate to win. Then this past fall I was in London for four design shows with the National Kitchen and Bath Show as an “insider” meeting with global brands and tastemakers as to what is fresh in the world of design. And as if that is not lovely enough, I have been a spokesperson for Flooring America and am designing a line of soft flooring with Carlisle Wide Plank Floors. All the while filming Military Makeover on Lifetime Channel and taking care of my amazing local design clients with my team of helpers.
Do you think clients expect certain things after seeing you on TV?
I love to share the reality of design. I think the concept of TV makeovers inspire homeowners to love their home, take on what they can or want to, and still bring in the experts when needed. I often teach people that if you do not have a total design plan, you can spend more money because you go one step forward and two steps back. I think most people understand the silliness and the false reality TV can portray. Most of it is entertainment design, but I adore that there is something for everyone.
Of the social media that you use—Facebook, Twitter and Instagram—do you have a favorite?
I have to admit, I love all social media because I feel like they all have different vibes. On Facebook, I love, love, love to do live videos. I want to share wherever I am and whatever I’m doing. On Instagram, I enjoy showing a little bit more of my kooky, artistic side. Currently, Kansas City has embraced grays and whites, but on Instagram I’m forward thinking to color and what it can do for your mind and environment.
You’ll be at the Kansas City Home Show March 23rd to 25th. What should people expect?
I get to be like the Hugh Jackman ringleader of the Home Show. I’ll be emceeing all weekend and sharing all of our amazing local and national talents. We have some Q+A, a student design challenge, and some DIY demos. I have to admit, I am a big fan of (Flipping Out’s) Jeff Lewis, who will also be there. I am already giggling wondering what he will do and say. His dry sense of humor only adds to the fun.
Tamara Day, who is also presenting, is not a fake host on Bargain Mansions. She gets into her design makeovers and rolls up her sleeves, and the end result is always breathtaking.
Also speaking are Jeff and Chrysalyn Huff, owners of Restoration Emporium. They are always inspiring Kansas City to layer textures and materials in unexpected ways. They have big surprises up their sleeves.
Some people don’t know this, but I have a master’s degree in education, which is why I am so excited for the Home Show’s first ever student design competition. It’ll be highlighting the creativity and talent that is flourishing in our schools.
That is why I love this home show. Every part of it is created with love, wanting to share what we find cool and different. Plus this year there will be an evening beer and wine tasting event. I am so excited to play with this lovely group of people.


?At the end of a three-month period, DeBortoli Pubs of the Month are acknowledged (9-10 in all) and from this the best four are chosen as the finalists for DeBortoli Pub of the Year.
As a generalisation, it has been a good start with all pubs reviewed hitting the mark: some better than others.
Pub staples are still there, and the irresistible surge in croquettes/arancini continues. From a pricing POV, burgers/parmas of superior quality are fairly entrenched around the $23-25. (You will pay less/more obviously).
New boy East Brunswick Hotel has resumed trading and is going beautifully. A stack has been spent on the Braybrook Hotel and I doubt if I have encountered a pub trying harder to change perception. Good luck to them.
My only comment on pricing is that wine (glass/bottled) of a decent and reputable quality is rarely seen under $8/glass or $40 /bottle. To be fair pubs are not alone here, but clearly the working rule of 100% on full retail no longer applies and I’m not sure why.
Second time visit after it exploded from the blocks in 2009.
Table service, napery/cutlery, the dining rooms are so neat (a little cramped in front bar) that you are at ease from the get go.
But (and more power to it), the lovely old world bar welcomes locals and strangers alike.
Genuine spoil on the menu for a fully plated meal. In top form.
Second time visit. One of the genuine champions, bordering on religious zealotry of craft beer with snappy, different food offerings.
The pub, in which a small fortune was spent, looks fabulous. Wedding parties Good times all rolled into one.
The Woodlands is one of Melbourne’s best.
Durable, Reliable, Comfortable, Consistent are four trademarks pubs strive to achieve.
Here’s another: Vibe. TSE is just a destination pub for a good night out – No PubTab/No Pokies – and aims all ages without bells and whistles.
Great small plates, going beautifully all in a top notch space.


The month of May is when the nation honors older Americans and the theme for 2012 —Never Too Old to Play!— recognizes the value that older adults continue to bring to our communities through spirited participation in social and faith groups, service organizations, and other activities. Throughout May, Fulton County will shine the spotlight on the important role older adults play in our community. The celebration officially begins May 2, when the Fulton County Board of Commissioners issues a proclamation honoring senior adults living in Fulton County.
The observance continues on May 3, 2012, at 12:10 p.m. at Turner Field. The Atlanta Braves will take on the Philadelphia Phillies as they honor Fulton County Seniors through the donation of 200 tickets to senior multipurpose facilities. Seniors can also listen to the game on WNNX 100.5 NN 680 or tune in to SPSO (Television). County staff will distribute tickets through raffles for multipurpose facility participants. The tickets are a part of the “Reach Out, Be our Guest Program. Braves players who have contributed to the “Reach Out, Be Our Guest Program” include Tim Hudson, Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, Craig Kimbrel, Michael Bourn and Martin Prado.
With a population of 177,755 persons age 55 years or older, making up 19.3% of the total Fulton county population, older adults represent one of the fastest growing and most vibrant groups in the population.
As large numbers of baby-boomers reach retirement age, Fulton County is among many communities that have increased efforts to provide meaningful opportunities for older adults—many of whom remain physically and socially active through their 80s and beyond. Current trends show that people over age 60 account for an ever-growing percentage of participants in community service positions, faith-based organizations, online social networking as well as arts and recreational groups.
Lifelong participation in social, creative, and physical activities has proven benefits that support healthy aging. Older adults have built and continue to build healthy and vibrant communities for all of us to enjoy. May 2012 is one of many opportunities to say “thank you” to a generation that has enriched the lives of the community.
The month-long celebration will also feature events at the four senior multipurpose facilities. Activities include appreciation luncheons to express thanks to those who provide volunteer services at the facilities, Community Days to introduce the surrounding community to the services and resources provided by Fulton County Senior Multipurpose Facilities, Mother’s Day celebrations, fashion shows and health and fitness activities.


Castro almost outlasted 11 US presidents. . . Perhaps he just couldn’t bear the thought of President Donald Trump. Having been sanctimoniously lectured by all 11 US presidents on what constitutes proper democratic procedure, he might have thought Trump, about to take office with a minority of the vote and with significant voter suppression, a vindication. . .
In recent years, since he gave up power to his brother Raúl, Castro has dedicated himself to writing lengthy thought pieces, many of them on global warming, war, the fascism of neoliberalism, poverty, and other threats to humanity. Castro was a famous optimist and an irrepressible strategist, finding ways out of the grimmest situations . . .
In all his goodness and badness, Castro was a full man of the Enlightenment. It’s fitting, though depressing, that’s he’s left us on the cusp of a new darkness.
He forgot Castro’s commitment to curing cancer, advancing the cause of transgenderism, and solving the Israel-Palestinian conflict.


July 29, 2016 (San Diego) - Caltrans announced that the connector ramps from westbound Interstate 8 (I-8) to northbound and southbound State Route 125 (SR-125) will be closed for bridge work Saturday from 9 p.m. until Sunday at 9 a.m. on four consecutive weekends beginning July 30.
August 19, 2015 (La Mesa)—An 88-year-old man was struck and killed after his pickup truck broke down in La Mesa Monday afternoon. The victim, Reynaldo Nava of Coronado, had pulled his disabled vehicle onto a section of land between I-8 and State Route 125.


Grass Gourmands: A Herbivore Food Mystery On The African Savanna : The Salt A new study sheds light on a longstanding ecological question: How do so many species like impalas and elephants co-exist when they're all feeding on the same limited foods?
Scientists used a relatively new technique called DNA metabarcoding to analyze the diets of impala and other herbivores in southern Kenya.
What do large herbivores like elephants and zebras eat? And if – as researchers assumed — they eat many of the same things, then how do they share the spread of grasses and other plants across the savanna?
You'd think this would be pretty easy to figure out: Just watch them eat or inspect the poop, right? But large animals are wily. They travel long distances and can be too dangerous to observe up close.
Sorting out what they're eating through binoculars is akin to trying to sort out what somebody is eating in a diner from across the street. And when scientists look at the poop under a microscope, the plant bits are often too mashed up to identify. Says Eeva Soininen, an ecologist at the UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø: "You get a lot of porridge."
Tyler Kartzinel, an ecologist at Princeton University, figured there might be a better way. So he spent weeks offroading around a 93-square mile swath of savanna in southern Kenya grabbing bits of dung along the way.
Then Kartzinel and his team used a relatively new technique known as DNA metabarcoding to identify all the plants present in animal dung. In southern Kenya, there are 80 to 100 species of grass alone, says Kartzinel.
In a study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they found that large herbivores in southern Kenya munch and graze on a whole lot of different species. And that could have important implications for wildlife management in the region.
The team ultimately collected 292 dung samples from dik-diks (a type of antelope)and six other species.
For instance, plains zebras and Grevy's zebras both eat grass, but a third of those grasses are different. Likewise, only about half of the diets of buffalo and domesticated cattle overlap, despite the widespread belief that buffalo eat grasses that would otherwise go to cattle. Maintaining the region's plant diversity could be key to both maintaining species diversity and easing food wars between livestock and wildlife, Kartzinel says.
The team ultimately collected 292 samples from seven animals, including elephants, Grevy's zebras, plains zebras, impala, dik-diks (a type of antelope), buffalo and cattle. Back at the lab, they extracted and then sequenced the DNA present in each sample and compared each strand to those in a reference library that Kartzinel has spent years building up.
The findings shed light on a longstanding ecological mystery – how do so many species of herbivores co-exist when they're all feeding on the same limited foods? In theory, "if two species had completely identical diets, then in a world of limited resources the one who is better at competing for those resources ... should persist," Kartzinel says. But his study suggests that the herbivores live together by divvying up plant species in the savanna.
"A tool like this is what has been missing from the study of food webs for the longest time," says Rob Pringle, a co-author of the paper who is also an ecologist at Princeton.
Without adequate tools to assess wildlife diets, ecologists have resorted to lumping animals together into broad categories, such as grazers who eat grass and browsers who eat leaves, bark, and green stems from plants, says Soininen, the Norwegian ecologist who was not involved with this study. It shows that "even two grazers can actually eat quite different foods. Or a grazer and a browser may be more similar to each other than to browsers," she says.
DNA metabarcoding is, by design, dirty work. Getting fresh dung (which is best for sequencing) means finding animals mid-meal. Often animals would defecate and then just stand there, Kartzinel says. Going under an elephant to bag a sample is too dangerous. Then there's antelope, who do their business in waist-high grasses. "How do you find it?" Kartzinel asks.
Researchers are starting to use DNA metabarcoding to analyze other food webs, which both satisfies basic curiosity about what wildlife eat, as well as serves as an important precursor for conservation efforts. Soininen has been using the technique to study the diet of rodents in the Arctic. And Laura Bertola, a geneticist at Leiden University in the Netherlands, would like to apply the technique to lions and tigers.
Kartzinel, meanwhile, has been studying the diets of lizards in the Bahamas. Unlike large herbivores, he can simply capture the lizards and wait until they go. "If only," Kartzinel says, "we could put an elephant in a plastic bag and wait."
Sujata Gupta is a freelance science writer based in Burlington, Vermont. Her work has appeared online and in print in the New Yorker, BBC, NovaNext, Scientific American and others. Follow her on Twitter @sujatagupta.


They were born after their parents' protests brought down the shah of Iran in 1979, when enthusiasm gave way to the hard years of U.S.-led isolation and a bloody, eight-year war with Iraq.
More than half of Iran's 80 million people are under 35, and all of them deal with the legacy of the uprising, especially as the country struggles anew under re-imposed U.S. economic sanctions after President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of Tehran's nuclear agreement with world powers last year.
"We had some goals and still believe those goals were right," Farzad Farahani, a 22-year-old university student, told The Associated Press. "We had demands and still think those demands were fair, but the revolution failed to fully realize our demands."
Besides installing the Shiite theocracy that governs today, the Islamic Revolution touted independence from both the West and the East. It also came with a host of plans pushed by the leftists who joined forces with Iran's clergy, including economic development, education and social justice. Its leaders promised the people a share of Iran's lucrative oil sales.
But at least one in four can't find work, according to the International Monetary Fund, amid Iran's 11 percent unemployment overall. Those who do find jobs often take positions below their means, such as those with doctorates driving taxi cabs.
Mania Filum, a 27-year-old student, said the revolution did produce more educated Iranians, but now she and her friends are determined to leave if there's an opportunity abroad.
"Everybody plans to win funds for Ph.D.s and leave Iran," Filum said. "Those who are staying, it's because they have rich daddies, or dads that own factories or good jobs. They can have a job and have a stable situation."
Iran has a large youth population, in part because family planning clinics were dismantled after the revolution. The government aimed for an "army of 20 million" of loyalists to confront "global arrogance" and lead the Muslim world.
"The economic situation is very bad. My father went to the war and was wounded in action, he was ready to sacrifice his life, and he loved Imam (Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini)," said Kimia Zakeri, a 20-year-old student. "Even now, when we talk, he doesn't want to accept the reality and the bad situation," Zakeri said. "My parents are very unhappy. They think that the economic situation should have been much better. People's beliefs are a bit less firm than before."
Zakeri added: "You can't have any fun or buy anything. You just have to make ends meet so that you can breathe and survive."
The younger generation has known times of incredible political pressure — and a brief thaw.
Western sanctions have been a fact of life for decades in the wake of the storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and the 444-day hostage crisis that saw Iranians chanting "Death to America!"
There was a sense of optimism in 2015, when Iran reached the nuclear deal in which it limited its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. But that hope has now faded under Trump, who withdrew from the agreement over Iran's growing role in the region and its ballistic missile program.
Shayan Momeni, a 27-year-old dentistry student, blames Iran's current problems on the United States.
"It mostly doesn't have anything to do with the revolution. It's mostly America's muscle-flexing," he said. "America likes to dominate the Middle East, but it can't achieve that. Now it's struggling to bring us to our knees, but it hasn't succeeded."
Filum, the other student, disagreed. "Japan could have cut its ties with America forever after Hiroshima and could have kept saying, 'Death to America' until now, but it kept its ties, enjoyed the benefits, and this greatly helped its progress," she said. "But Iran is not like that. It still insists that America is bad, it's our enemy. Britain is bad, it's our enemy."
She asked: "This is independence at what price? At the cost of our lives getting worse?"
Those views are shared by many who grew up with growing access to the internet and satellite TV channels that offer views far different than Iran's state-run broadcasters.
But they also watched as the 2011 Arab Spring protests sputtered out into wars and repression, a warning for them amid increased U.S. pressure targeting Iran's government.
They also remember the chaos and crackdown that followed Iran's disputed 2009 presidential election.
Farahani said he believes that, in general, revolutions are not a good thing. "I think reforms are better than revolution and making radical changes that destroy good things too," he said.
"Before this 40-year period, people had no say," Ahadi noted outside a Tehran mosque where he had just prayed. "But today, when we look at everything after 40 years, our missile and nuclear technology and our achievements in the Middle East and around the world are talked about everywhere. It's a great feeling, and we feel powerful."
Even with the economic sanctions, he sees a defiance that brings independence, and that "is well worth it."
"Yes, America is ahead of us, because it started to work 300 years ago, but our revolution started only 40 years ago," Ahadi added. "If the revolution hadn't happened, we would have now been in a position like Saudi Arabia. ... Our entire lives — even our breathing — would depend on America.


PARIS/WASHINGTON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. officials are touring the globe to pressure countries to shun trade with Iran following Washington’s withdrawal from a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, a move that undermines European efforts to save the accord, sources said.
U.S. State and Treasury Department officials have traveled to Japan and this week U.S. diplomats are in eastern Europe as Britain, France and Germany scramble to save the 2015 pact and convince Iran that they can continue to do business with Tehran.
“The Americans are on a roadshow and going everywhere. They are dogmatic,” said a senior European diplomat. “We were clear and told them: if you are coming to tell to us how to apply American laws here then you’re not welcome,” the diplomat said.
Ministers from the three European nations and the EU foreign policy chief have written to U.S. counterparts urging them to protect EU companies working in Iran from getting caught up in Washington’s new sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
In the June 4 letter, the foreign and finance ministers singled out areas where they expected exemptions for EU firms, including pharmaceuticals, healthcare, energy, automotive, civil aviation, infrastructure and banking.
The U.S. roadshow suggests there is little appetite in Washington to compromise.
“We will hold those doing prohibited business in Iran to account,” U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury Sigal Mandelker said in a blunt speech on Tuesday.
A second EU official said the U.S. was sending out such teams across the world with a private warning against doing business with Iran.
Washington last month said it would impose new economic penalties after pulling out of the accord that world powers struck with Iran under which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief.
One EU official said the United States had also pressed the European Investment Bank, which has never done business in Iran, not to invest in European firms doing business there, despite a European Commission proposal it start doing so.
But the global reach of the U.S. financial system, forcing companies to choose between two irreconcilable options - selling to Iran or to the vast U.S. market - is driving home the limits of European efforts to shield their revived trade with Tehran.
According to two diplomats, Andrew Peek, deputy assistant secretary of state with responsibility for Iran and Iraq, was in the Czech Republic on Tuesday and Hungary on Wednesday.
“The State Department delegation to Europe seeks to garner support for our global effort to pressure Iran and to explain our sanctions policy,” an U.S. State Department official said.
Peek briefed senior EU diplomats in Washington in May and warned the bloc to cut investments in Iran, telling EU officials doing business with Tehran helped fund its missile program and support for proxies in Yemen and Syria, diplomats said.
One diplomat said the focus on Eastern European nations might be designed to pressure those EU countries most dependent on U.S. security assistance in the face of a resurgent Russia.
However, another diplomat suggested the push could backfire.