McDonald's 'Happy Meals' with toys banned to fight childhood obesity

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McDonald's "Happy Meals" and other fast food snacks that come with toys are to be banned in part of California in an attempt to wean children off unhealthy, high-calorie diets.

By Nick Allen in Los Angeles
Published: 11:00PM BST 28 Apr 2010

The measure, believed to be the first of its kind in the United States, is being introduced in Santa Clara County, an area of 1.7 million people that includes Silicon Valley.

One quarter of children in the area are overweight or obese and officials say they are tackling an "obesity epidemic".

They said toys were being used to lure children to high calorie foods loaded with salt.

Ken Yeager, the county supervisor behind the ban, said: "This prevents restaurants from preying on children's love of toys to peddle high calorie, high fat, high sodium kids' meals. It breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes."

Food outlets will be stopped from offering toys with meals that do not meet a set of basic nutrition standards. There will be a limit of 485 calories per meal.

But Harlan Levy of McDonald's disagreed, saying: "It substitutes the county's judgment for the judgment of parents. It does nothing to address a holistic response to the problem."

Happy Meals were introduced in 1979 and since then, toys offered with food have become increasingly elaborate.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7647021/McDonalds-Happy-Meals-with-toys-banned-to-fight-childhood-obesity.html

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ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank not Indian-owned: Govt

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The government on Friday said ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank cannot be called Indian-owned banks, setting at rest the debate generated over the nationality of the top two private sector lenders.

"At best, the two can be called as Indian-controlled banks," DIPP Secretary R P Singh said today when asked about the government's stand in the wake of the two seeking clarifications on the matter.

"ICICI Bank Managing Director and CEO (Chanda Kochhar) met me day before yesterday, she has discussed (the issue) with me," he said.

ICICI Bank had maintained that it continues to be an Indian bank as its management and Board was Indian.

However, both ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank's have over 74 per cent foreign holding, including that of foreign banks and overseas institutional investors.

"Banks will be covered in one paper which we are trying to bring out on the financial aspects totally... it will cover banks also," he said referring to the six discussion papers on FDI that the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is planning to bring out soon.

"You know the definition of what is a company controlled by Indians and what is the definition of a company owned by Indians," Singh said.

Going by the definition, they are certainly a bank which is not owned by Indians, because equity of at least 74 per cent or around 74 per cent is from outside, he pointed out, buttressing the government's stand.

But they can be construed as banks controlled by Indians if the majority of directors are Indians and right to directorship is with Indians. So depending upon that they are construed as banks controlled by India, but they can certainly not be called banks owned by Indians.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/ICICI-Bank-HDFC-Bank-not-Indian-owned-Govt/H1-Article1-537641.aspx

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India second top spam generating country in world: Study

Washington, Apr 29, (PTI):

India has been ranked second in the list of ''dirty dozen'' spam relaying countries, accounting for over seven per cent of global junk mails sent during the first quarter of the year, according to a new study.

The country is lagging behind the US, which continues to remain as the king of spam, relaying more than 13 per cent of world's total junk mails, while China has successfully pulled itself out of the list, the study by computer security firm Sophos said on Thursday.
With 6.8 per cent of global junk mails, Brazil placed third in the list, while South Korea ranked fourth by generating 4.8 per cent of junk messages sent around the world every day. Vietnam was fifth with 3.4 per cent, followed by Germany (3.2 per cent), Britain (3.1 per cent), Russia (3.1 per cent), Italy (3.1 per cent), France (3.0 per cent), Romania (2.5 per cent) and Poland (2.4 per cent).
Surprisingly, China, often blamed for cybercrime by other countries, has come in at 15th place with responsibility for relaying just 1.9 per cent of the world's spam, according to the study. "All eyes aren't so much on which countries are on the list, but the one which isn't," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.
"China has earned itself a bad reputation in many country's eyes for being the launch pad of targeted attacks against foreign companies and government networks, but at least in the last 12 months they can demonstrate that the proportion of spam relayed by their computers has steadily reduced.
"A new dirty 'gang of four' -- South Korea, Brazil, India and their ringleader USA -- account for over 30 per cent of all the spam relayed by hacked computers around the globe." The study, however, showed that despite China's improved ranking, Asia accounted for 33.7 per cent of junk mails sent between January and March of this year.
Continent wise, this figure is larger than Europe's 31.2 per cent, North America's 16.9 per cent and 14.7 per cent for Latin America, said Sophos, a Boston-based IT firm that provides security and data protection solutions.
Junk mails, which virtually come from malware-infected computers and cause a huge strain on company resources and leads to lost productivity, accounts for 97 per cent of all messages received by business email servers, many of them selling counterfeit or illicit goods, the company said.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/66656/india-second-top-spam-generating.html

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'Sex among consenting adults no statutory offence'

Apex court justifies quashing of cases against actress Khushboo

New Delhi, Apr 29, DHNS:

The Supreme Court has said that there is no statutory offence when adults willingly engage in sexual relations outside the marital settings.

“While it is true that the mainstream view in our society is that sexual contact should take place only between marital partners, there is no statutory offence that takes place when adults willingly engage in sexual relations outside the marital settings, with the exception of adultery as defined under Section 497 of the IPC,” said a bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, Justices B S Chauhan and Deepak Verma while quashing the criminal complaints against film star Khushboo.
The judgment
“A major girl is free to marry anyone she likes or ‘live with anyone she likes,” said the 41-page judgment, which was released here on Thursday.  The bench said there are numerous other decisions both in India and abroad which mandate that obscenity should be gauged with respect to contemporary community standards that reflect the sensibilities as well as the tolerance levels of an average reasonable person.
Justifying quashing of the cases against Khushboo, the apex court said: “At no point of time the appellant described the sexual act or said anything that could arouse sexual desires in the mind of a reasonable and prudent reader.” The court observed that the statement by the actress was made in the context of a survey which has touched on numerous aspects relating to the sexual habits of people in big cities.
While dismissing the arguments of the complainants, the judges said: “We must also respond to the claim that the appellant’s remarks could have the effect of misguiding young people by encouraging them to indulge in premarital sex. This claim is a little far-fetched since the appellant had not directed her remarks towards any individual or group in particular.”
Her remarks cannot be construed as an open endorsement of sexual activities of all kinds. “If it were to be considered so, the criminal law machinery would have to take on the unforceable task of punishing all writers, journalists or other such persons for merely referring to any matter connected with sex in published materials.” The bench said a culture of responsible reading is to be inculcated amongst the prudent readers.
“Morality and criminality are far from being co-extensive. An expression of opinion in favour of non-dogmatic and non-conventional morality has to be tolerated as the same can not be a ground to penalise the author.”
Misreporting
While on reporting court matters by the journalists, the Supreme Court pulled both electronic and print media for misreporting during the hearing of the case when the judges had made certain observation on Hindu gods Krishna and Radha.
“It is therefore not only desirable but imperative that electronic and news media should also play a positive role in presenting to general public as to what actually transpires during the course of the hearing and it should not be published in such a manner so as to get unnecessary publicity for its own paper or news channel,” the bench observed.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/66665/sex-among-consenting-adults-no.html

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Radiation leak calls for urgent Govt attention

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/radiation-leak-calls-for-urgent-govt-attention/114083-3.html?from=trhs

New Delhi: The threat from the recent radiation scare in the capital suddenly turned much more potent. The first victim, 35-year-old Rajender Prasad died on Monday after battling radiation side affects for almost two weeks.

The radioactive scrap was initially discovered in Mayapuri in West Delhi. The big fear is that it may not only be the small pocket of Mayapuri which is prone to radioactivity. The scrap from here could have gone to other parts of the capital or even India which now could very well be radioactive. So it could now affect you and me as well.

But where did all this come from? Even after two weeks no one has any clue about.

Sources in the police confirmed to CNN-IBN that two Faridabad godowns were under the scanner but after thorough checks both were given a clean chit.

1. The police are now almost certain that the material has come from outside and is not of 'Indian Origin.'

2. Investigations have now been accelerated with the police now registering a case under a stricter section of 304A - causing death due to negligence.

Speaking to scrapdealers in the area, it's almost impossible to track the source of the material as it comes by the tons and there is no record kept.

Scrapdealer in Dwarka, Prasad Gupta said, "It's very difficult to check every single container and find out what is in what.. how can we do that, its not feasible. But after this incident, some check definitely needs to be in place."

There is an urgent need to check all material coming in from across the world. Its a mammoth task, but with the first instance of a radiation death, the government and its laws need to shake up so that families are not left grappling with tragedies that could have been avoided.

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Pak spy Madhuri was looking for military info

 

Gupta reportedly began spying for Pakistan as she wanted to teach the "Indian Foreign Service a lesson" and when arrested she told investigators - "what took you so long to get me?"

Intelligence Bureau sources told CNN-IBN that Gupta sent seven e-mails in 2010, which contained her assessments that she prepared after "discussion\loose talk with several officers". In the e-mails she revealed about the assessment of political prospect of Composite Dialogue between India and Pakistan.

She was first suspected to be spying for the ISI when she started showing interest in military information. Sources said that the red flag was first raised by the defence attaché in Islamabad as Madhuri was looking for information on few military exercises of Indian Army.

Her luck ran out when she got bolder and started sending emails to her Pakistani handlers from her office computer.

Madhrui has reportedly named journalists from two Urdu newspapers in Pakistan who were close to her.

She was reportedly frustrated and sources say this was what the ISI took advantage of. She was in touch with an ISI officer, who had assumed a different identity. Gupta poured out her heart about her woes to the officer.

But investigators are not calling the Gupta case a honey trap.

Sources also say she passed on some information which she should not have access to and the information passed on was very voluminous.

Delhi Police are also investigating if she passed on any sensitive information while she was in Kosovo and the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA). The investigators are examining her bank accounts in India along with her accounts in Islamabad.

Gupta has also disclosed the identities of Indian intelligence officers posted as diplomats in Islamabad.

The role of RAW officer RK Sharma is also being looked into. But there has been no confirmation if any action has been taken against Sharma.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/pak-spy-gupta-was-looking-for-military-info/114146-3.html?from=tn

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What is Cut Motion?

Image by williewonker via Flickr

 

Tue, Apr 27 10:46 AM

The UPA government faces the cut motion in the parliament.

Why is it so important?

Cut motion is a veto power given to the memeber of the Loks Sabha to oppose a demand in the financial bill discussed by the government. This can turn into an effective tool to test the strength of the government. If a cut motion is adopted by the House and the government does not have the numbers, it is obliged to resign.

Cut motion can be of following types:-

(i) Disapproval of policy cut: Amount of the demand be reduced to Re 1. A member giving notice of such a motion shall indicate in precise terms the particulars of the policy which he proposes to discuss. The discussion shall be confined to the specific point or points mentioned in the notice and it shall be open to members to advocate an alternative policy

(ii) Economic cut: Calling for cuts in a taxation proposal.The notice shall indicate briefly and precisely the particular matter on which discussion is sought to be raised and speeches shall be confined to the discussion as to how economy can be effected.

(iii) Token cut: A small cut of, say, Rs 100, meant to be a rebuke for the government

Tuesday's cut motion being moved to seek reduction in excise and customs duties on fuel prices.

However, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha enjoys the prerogative. Rule 211 authorises the Speaker to decide whether to admit a cut motion and Rule 210 empowers him to give 13 grounds for non-admissibility of a cut motion. The Speaker can reject a cut motion if it relates to more than one demand, it contains defamatory statements and it is a matter that does not concern the government.

Admissibility of cut motions

In order that notice of motion for reduction of the amount of demand may be admissible, it shall satisfy the following conditions, namely:-

(I) It shall relate to one demand only;

(ii) It shall be clearly expressed and shall not contain arguments, inferences, ironical expressions, imputations, epithets or defamatory statements;

(iii) It shall be confined to one specific matter which shall be stated in precise terms;

(iv) It shall not make suggestions for the amendment or repeal of existing laws;

(vi) It shall not refer to a matter which is not primarily the concern of the Government of India;

(vii) It shall not relate to expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund of India;

(ix) It shall not raise a question of privilege;

(x) it shall not revive discussion on a matter which has been discussed in the same session and on which a decision has been taken;

Statute vs Convention:

Parliament convention: Cut motion never moved when demand for grants have been "guillotined"

What is Guillotine:

Demands for grants of ministries bunched together for assent of Lok Sabha

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta wants the Speaker to admit a cut motion despite a "guillotine". Dasgupta has cited Article 113 (2) of the Constitution which entitles the House to move a cut motion.

Source: Parliament of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cut-motion-against-government-defeated-SP-RJD-MPs-stay-away/articleshow/5864550.cms

NEW DELHI: The trial of strength for the government in the Lok Sabha proved to be a dampener with the House defeating the cut motion on petroleum prices by a big margin exposing huge divisions in the Opposition.
The cut motion moved by CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta on failure to formulate proper policies on petroleum products was defeated by a margin of 88 votes when it received the support of 201 votes with 289 voting against it in a House of 543.
The government breezed through the Opposition challenge helped by a walk out by the Samajwadi Party and RJD together accounting for 25, and 21 BSP members voting with treasury benches in what was initially seen as a possible close trial of strength for the UPA-II coalition.
Another surprise voter for the government was Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren, who runs the state government on BJP's support.
The cut motion received the support of mainly BJP and its allies and Left Parties, while SP and RJD MPs walked out of the House before the vote, notwithstanding their attack on the government on the issue of price rise. Another cut motion of Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj was defeated 162-246 in a division.
Earlier in the day, the way for smooth passage of the demands was paved by BSP supremo and UP chief minister Mayawati who announced the party's support for the government to keep "communal forces" at bay from power in the centre. A similar reason was advanced by RJD and SP before walking out of the House, minutes ahead of the voting.
The BJP saw in it a government strategy of "misusing" CBI as a political instrument keeping the Damocle's sword on "vulnerable" opposition leaders. A senior BJP leader said the party has taken note of Soren supporting the government on the cut motion.
Leader of the House and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee later said the demands for grants were passed as expected. Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal wondered what the NDA and the Left Parties have achieved when against their total strength of 222, they got the support of only 201.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were present during the 90-minute drama when almost the entire UPA was in full strength in the House. The demands for grants were taken up for voting after Speaker Meira Kumar applied guillotine on the discussion on demands for grants for over 60 ministries.

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UID number gets brand name, logo

New Delhi, April 26, 2010

 

K. Balchand

The Hindu Nandan Nilekani, Chairman of UIDAI, with the newly launched logo of the UIDAI at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday. Photo: R.V. Moorthy

The 16-digit unique identification number to be assigned to each individual by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) will now come under the new name ‘AADHAR' and will also bear a logo, which was unveiled here on Monday.

The brand name and logo for the unique number were made public at a meeting chaired by UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani, who said these two symbols were necessary to make the scheme and the number recognisable and communicate the spirit and essence of the mandate to the people and win their confidence.

The unique number will be the ‘AADHAR' or foundation through which the citizen can claim his/her rights and entitlements when assured of equal opportunities, as symbolised by the logo, which has the halo of the Sun on the imprint of a thumb.

“The people can connect with both of these instantly,” said Atul Sudhakarrao Pande, whose design was picked from among 2,000 entries. The UIDAI rewarded him with a cheque for Rs.1 lakh.

The brand name and logo were unveiled by Dhaneshwar Ram, a man from a rural background who was the chief guest at the function. He explained the difficulties he faced in establishing his identity in his village in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, even to procure a certificate of residency in the absence of any proof.

Mr. Ram hoped the present exercise would come to the rescue of millions like him .

The UIDAI's first public meeting with its partners was also attended by the secretary of the Department of Information Technology, R. Chandra Shekhar, and UIDAI director-general Ram Sewak Sharma.

Mr. Nilekani said the project had progressed satisfactorily over the nine months of its inception. He was confident of issuing the first unique identification number by August and covering the population of 600 million within four years.

He said the first application of the number would be to cover wage-earners under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and beneficiaries under the food security entitlement. Other issues such as giving children access to education and healthcare and financial services to the masses would be taken up next

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article410397.ece?homepage=true

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Last words of death row prisoners revealed for first time by Texas authorities

The last words of hundreds of death row inmates have been revealed for the first time.

Authorities in Texas - where more people have been executed than in any other U.S. state - have published the last statement of everyone put to death since 1982. The list also include details of the crimes that put them on death row.

Each prisoner is allowed to make a final statement before the execution process begins at Huntsville Prison.

Death Row: The Texas death chamber in Huntsville prison, Texas. The last statements of every convict put to death there since 1982 has been published

Not surprisingly, the majority of those about to be killed by lethal injection maintain their innocence. Others show a flash of humour just moments before they are executed.

Murderer Pat Knight, 30, declared: 'I said I was going to tell a joke. Death has set me free. That's the biggest joke.' 

Knight, who was executed in June 2007 after 16 years on death row, had asked well wishers to send in jokes he could tell before dying.

'They may execute me but they can't punish me because they can't execute an innocent man'

He received more than 30,000 jokes, but decided against telling any of them when it was time for his last words.

The first statement on the Texas Department of Criminal Justice list is from 40-year-old Charlie Brooks at his 1982 execution.

He said: 'I, at this very moment, have absolutely no fear of what may happen to this body. My fear is for Allah, God only, who has at this moment the only power to determine if I should live or die.'

The most recent is that of Christopher Coleman who was executed last week.

Lethal injection: Christopher Coleman (left) was executed last week. Willie Pondexter (right) was put to death in March but maintained he was innocent

The 38-year-old, who was convicted of shooting three men in a drug deal, simply said: 'Yes, Ain't no way fo' fo', I Love all yall.'

In March this year Willie Pondexter maintained his innocence with his last breath. 'They may execute me but they can't punish me because they can't execute an innocent man,' he said. Pondexter, 35, was convicted of shooting an 85-year-old woman in the head during a burglary.

'I want everybody to know that I hold nothing against them. I forgive them all'

'I am innocent, innocent, innocent,' he said. 'Make no mistake about this: I owe society nothing. Continue the struggle for human rights, helping those who are innocent, especially Mr. Graham. I am an innocent man, and something very wrong is taking place tonight. May God bless you all. I am ready.'

Thomas Barefoot, who was killed in 1984, likened his execution to the burning of witches.

He said: 'I hope that one day we can look back on the evil that we’re doing right now like the witches we burned at the stake. I want everybody to know that I hold nothing against them. I forgive them all.'

But Newton Anderson, who was executed in February 2007, was candid about his crime. He said: 'I am guilty. I don't deny that.They had good evidence. Witnesses saw me. What can I say?' The 33-year-old shot and killed a couple during a burglary at their home in Tyler, Texas.

Joker: Mugshots of Patrick Knight, who was executed in June 2007. He had asked well-wishers to send jokes for him to tell before his death

In the same month James Jackson said: 'See you on the other side. Warden, murder me.'

Texas has already executed 18 people in 2009 and has over 300 inmates on death row.

The publication of the 'last words' comes just a week after the botched execution of 53-year-old Romell Broom in Ohio.

His execution was called off after staff struggled and failed to find a vein to administer the lethal combination of drugs into his body.

His execution was re-scheduled for tomorrow but his lawyers have now managed to get that date postponed.

For the full list of statements see: www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/executedoffenders

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1216608/Last-words-death-row-prisoners-revealed-time-Texas-authorities.html#ixzz0m6xjiJOb

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Barack Obama takes his first lady on 'middle class' holiday

 

President Barack Obama has attempted to highlight how 'normal' he is by taking a middle class holiday with wife Michelle in North Carolina.

The president wanted to experience a holiday usually enjoyed by ordinary Americans as he and his first lady arrived in Asheville, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, for a private weekend without their daughters.

The trip to Asheville is in sharp contrast to the family's trip last year to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, and Obama's native Hawaii.

Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama go for a nature walk on a Blue Ridge Mountain trail near Asheville in North Carolina

But it wasn't the first time Obama had visited Asheville. He previously made an appearance in the city during his presidential campaign in 2008, when he called it 'spectacular'.

He added at the time: 'The only thing I don't like about it is that I had to drive by the golf course, and it looks really nice. And my staff won't let me play. I'm going to have to come back.'

The pair wait for their food to arrive at 12 Bones Smokehouse restaurant

Obama jovially heckles onlookers while he and Michelle sit in the restaurant

Asheville, a city of about 73,000 residents, is home to the Vanderbilt family's Biltmore Estate, a tourist draw, along with popular art galleries and restaurants.

One of the city's best-known destinations, the Grove Park Inn, claims that 10 previous presidents have stayed there while on holiday.

The White House is not commenting on where the Obamas will be spending their evenings.

The couple grin as they chat to local residents in the steakhouse

The president poses for a picture with a fan as he is flanked by security

While the Obamas have no official plans while in North Carolina, the president will speak at Sunday's memorial in Beckley, West Virginia, for the victims of the worst U.S. coal mine disaster in 40 years.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1268451/Barack-Obama-takes-lady-middle-class-holiday.html#ixzz0m6tZUTrt

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Mumbai METRO RAIL Pictures

First Metro train for Mumbai Metro has arrived.

It was built in China and was shipped from Shanghai on March 23 for the Versova - Andheri - Ghatkopar line.Mumbai Metro One, had specified bright colours inside and out, and manufacturer CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock[China based] described the first train as 'pretty as a bride', with 'gorgeous decorations, beautiful butterfly film, smooth stainless steel body and rich Indian tone.'
CSR was awarded the Rs.6 Billion contract to supply 16 four-car trainsets for the 11·4 km line in May 2008 with Mumbai Metro One having an option to increase this to 18 six-car sets.The design is derived from the Chinese domestic Type A design, with the stainless steel body widened by 200 mm to increase capacity by 72 to 390 passengers

Mumbai Metro is to be built in Three phases as shown below
Phase I (2006–2011)
* Versova - Andheri – Ghatkopar - 11.07 km (Construction started, expected to be complete by 2010)
* Dahisar (E) - Charkop - Bandra - Mankhurd - 39.2 km
* Colaba - Bandra - Airport - 30 km

Phase II (2011–2016)
* Ghatkopar – Mulund - 12.4 km

Phase III ( 2016–2021)
* Airport - Kanjur Marg - 9.5 km
* Andheri(E) - Dahisar(E) - 18 km
* Hutatma Chowk – Ghatkopar - 21.8 km
* Sewri – Prabhadevi - 3.5 km
Total Length = 146.5 km

Read more: http://www.funenclave.com/chit-chat/mumbai-metro-rail-pictures-40863.html#ixzz0m6qE2apY

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Superspy in the sky could soon be patrolling over British cities to search for hidden terror cells

 

A Top-secret US unmanned drone used to locate Al Qaeda and Taliban hideouts in Pakistan and Afghanistan could soon be patrolling over British cities to search for hidden terror cells.

The controversial move would allow MI5 and GCHQ, the Government's eavesdropping centre, to step up surveillance operations over the UK. Until now, the £23million Global Hawk aircraft has not been available for foreign sale.

However, US policy has been quietly changed and Britain is now negotiating to buy the drones. America is keen to supply them for British patrols after a string of terror plots threatening the US and its citizens.

Terror Watch: The £23 million Global Hawk unmanned drone

These include the attempt in 2006 to detonate liquid bombs on aircraft flying to American cities from the UK. It is not known how many drones the UK wants from manufacturer Northrop Grumman, but earlier this year a senior Ministry of Defence procurement official visited the Pentagon to begin negotiations.

Britain would not need to use the drones in Afghanistan and Pakistan because the US already provides full air coverage in the region. Instead, it is believed they will be used mainly for domestic surveillance.

The drones are also being deployed by the US Navy in the Caribbean and off the Florida coast to combat drug smuggling. In Britain, MI5 and GCHQ already use three planes based at RAF Northolt in North-West London to spy on citizens.

The three Britten-Norman Islander aircraft are all fitted with sophisticated surveillance equipment. They have been used to track down terror cells and to locate former Afghan veterans who may have returned to Britain to plot terror attacks.

The aircraft are able to identify suspects using 'voice-prints' of insurgents with British accents that were picked up by spy planes monitoring Taliban radio signals in Afghanistan.

One stumbling block is that permission from the Civil Aviation Authority would be needed to fly the drones in already congested UK airspace. Although the CAA gave the MoD permission to fly another drone over parts of Wales earlier this month, it is understood to be against regular flights because of safety fears.

However, the Global Hawk recently became the first drone to be certified by the American Federal Aviation Authority for use in civilian air corridors with no advance notice.

The drone can stay airborne for 30 hours without refuelling. Last night, MoD sources said the Global Hawk was being looked at for possible military use but any decision to buy the drone would depend on funding.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1268535/Superspy-sky-soon-patrolling-British-cities-search-hidden-terror-cells.html#ixzz0m6pWyy1Z

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Party Time ::: Shoaib Malik

This what all Shoaib Malik will miss now :-)

Now I have a BlackBerry, my husband's not the only thing I love to cuddle in bed

 

To the untrained eye, it might appear we are witnessing an outbreak of unprecedented sexual liberation in the homes of the rich and famous.

Last week, I read with goggle eyes the admission by TV presenter Amanda Holden that there's always a three-way love-in in her bed. Then came the news that Barack Obama and his wife make room in their marriage for a third party, too.

Closer inspection reveals this is not some kind of saucy re-tread of Abigail's Party, but actually evidence of technology reaching into the most intimate corners of our lives: for they are all talking about their BlackBerry handheld computers.

Slave to technology: Jenni's BlackBerry must be by her bedside to recharge, give her messages and wake her up

Now, there are many people who would traduce such miraculous machines, and offer dire warnings that they could spell the end to human interaction, not to mention putting marriages at risk, especially when they are taken to bed at night and pored over like some precious newborn babe.

But, quite honestly, my immediate reaction was: 'Doesn't everybody do it?'

Where else would you keep your precious electronic pet which needs to be nurtured throughout the night?

That's why my BlackBerry sits by my bed every night slurping in the electricity, to be sure of giving me perfect service the next day. And just like a baby, its every squeak must be attended to.

It might be the little alert it sounds when you get a text message, or a call from the son in Australia who desperately needs funds transferring from one bank account to another. 

 

Or it could be the other son who's spending a year in France and might be in trouble, needing maternal assistance right now!

It could be someone asking you, even at a late hour, to do some work. Or it might just be the alarm going off in the morning to wake you. It serves so many purposes.

Him indoors thinks my passion for this little gadget verges on lunacy. I think he's jealous, as I tend to communicate with it rather more than I do with him.

His face takes on a stony demeanour when I sneak a peek after the little red light has warned me I have an email during dinner. But, frankly, he only has himself to blame.

I was once a technological Luddite, going along with the then editor of Newsnight in the late Eighties who became so frustrated with the new computers that had been installed in the office, he tore out all the plugs and re-introduced the typewriter.

Gadget fan: Jenni admits she feels lost without her BlackBerry

But my partner, David, insisted. He's an electronics engineer and computer genius. It was ridiculous to resist the march of technology, he warned, then bought me my first laptop. And, slowly, I was seduced.

In the years that followed, into my possession came not one but two computers, then a mobile and then, oh heaven, the Blackberry.

It's instant communication, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, doing exactly what we women like doing best, chatting to our friends.

All of which explains why the worst thing that's happened in my recent history was losing this miracle gadget.

You see, it contains all the information I need to negotiate my life. Contacts, notes and the codes for picking up train tickets. And that's how I lost it at a station.

I was in such a kerfuffle that I must have left it on the ticket machine. I'd planned to edit an article on it while travelling (so useful!). When I got on the train, I fumbled in my bag and my heart could not have sunk further when I couldn't find it.

I borrowed someone else's BlackBerry to call David, sobbing with despair. 'Ah,' he said, with more glee than I felt was decent, 'I gather you've lost your phone'.

It turned out someone wonderful and honest had found it, called 'home' in the contacts list to inform us, and taken it to lost property. That man restored my faith in human nature, but how I missed my little friend for the whole week it was away.

I know I'm not alone in this obsession. Nor do I deny that tinkering with a BlackBerry incessantly in the bedroom may be a barrier to communication - of all kinds - with the person to whom you're close enough to have a real conversation.

I have, I confess, been irritated by a friend whose new boyfriend texted and called her repeatedly during an all-girl dinner of ours. She didn't ignore him, even though we hinted she should. But then, reader, she married him.

And now they do talk, face-to-face, thanks to the BlackBerry. So there.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1267862/JENNI-MURRAY-Now-I-Blackberry-husbands-thing-I-love-cuddle-bed.html#ixzz0m02lUan4

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RD 350 Yamaha

 

Prashanth picked up a derelict 1985 low torque RD 350 and converted it into a motorcycle that meets specifications for RDs that were sold in the U.S. Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

Twenty-one-year-old Prashanth has restored a 25-year-old Indian RD350 to U.S. specifications

A commercial pilot licence holder, Prashanth has clocked speeds beyond 300 kph in the skies. Not just aircraft, he gets attracted to any machine that moves at a brisk pace. He developed a fascination for the RD 350 when he was 14. Seven years since, he has restored one in a whole new way. Prashanth picked up a derelict 1985 low torque RD 350 and converted it into a motorcycle that meets specifications for RDs that were sold in the U.S.

Armed with a three-year experience of bidding on eBay, he embarked on the ambitious restoration project. He relied on the online auction house for sourcing parts specific to American RDs. “I had been reading up on RDs since I was a ninth standard student. I was drawn to RDs that had gone from Japan to the U.S. Because of my knowledge about these RDs, I could easily prepare two lists — one consisting of essential parts and other performance parts — and start bidding for both on eBay,” says Prashanth.

Despite looking to import a slew of motor parts from the U.S., Prashanth endeavoured to keep restoration costs down. As a result of conflicting objectives, it took time for him to source all the parts. Patience paid off. “I got standard U.S.-spec unsleeved cylinders, high performance Wiseco forged pistons, 33mm Mikuni flatslide racing carburettors, entire crankshaft assembly with original Yamaha conrods and Boyseen fiber racing reeds from the United States for approximately Rs. 33,000.” The crowning glory of Prashanth's fully restored U.S.-spec RD 350 are its DG gold anodised heads.

“A company called DG made these special high performance heads for RD in 1970. It is next to impossible to buy a pair of DG heads on the cheap. Now and then, they show up on eBay for about $ 700 to $1000. But I got them for $ 375.” Still, the amount is five times the price for a pair of RD heads in India. How did Prashanth manage to meet the bills. “For three years, prior to the RD restoration, I had been trading on eBay and saving money.”

Not just Prashanth's bidding skills, the expertise of a master technician has made the successful conversion of this RD 350 possible. Rajkumar, one of the Raju brothers known for their contribution to motor racing, built the bike, item by item.

As the bike had been neglected for long, it was stripped, sand-blasted and powder-coated. “The parts that required chroming were sent to one of the best chroming factories in the city,” says Prashanth. “Epoxy paint was applied on the undersides as an additional measure to prevent rusting.”

The bike is pleasing to the eye, but its value lies in the superior performance of its engine. “India-made RD cylinders made for 30.5 bhp; the U.S.-made ones, for 39 bhp. Additional features such as the expansion chambers, made by Rajkumar, are bound to further the bike's power quotient."

After the engine had been run-in, Prashanth is likely to put the bike on dynamometer to gauge its power. “We expect a 43 to 45 hp at the crank, which is 15 hp more than the Indian high torque RD model." As Prashanth wants the exterior to reflect the bike's new character, he has gone in for a paint scheme and badges that are in keeping with those for U.S.-spec RDs. After many days on eBay, he sourced two 1973 YAMAHA tank badges.

This final procurement completed the quirky and spectacular restoration project.

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The Pill Turns 50: Taking Stock

Image via Wikipedia

 

Christiane Northrup, MD

Board-certified ob/gyn, visionary pioneer, beloved authority in women’s health and wellness, and bestselling author.

Posted: April 22, 2010 12:22 PM

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the birth control pill, a development that ushered in the sexual revolution of the 1960s and gave women unprecedented freedom to explore their sexuality without having to worry about pregnancy. Because of its convenience, the pill remains the most popular method of birth control in the United States. It also fits well with society's view of the female body as something that requires outside control.

Though there are other reliable methods of contraception, birth control pills have been "pushed" by the medical profession as the optimal method of contraception for the last half century. Other methods, for example diaphragms, condoms and fertility awareness, have been actively downplayed even though, when used properly, they are nearly as effective as the pill. These other methods require more education about the body and more active participation than the pill. They are not geared to the average busy doctor's schedule.

Many physicians also feel that women will not use barrier methods of contraception, such as diaphragms, condoms, or fertility awareness because they have seen too many "failures." This is true of some women but not all women. The data show that in the women who are ideal users--who use the method correctly every time--barrier methods and even "fertility awareness" (natural family planning) can be 95 to 98 percent effective. [1]

Optimal use of contraception other than the pill (or an IUD) also requires women to interact consciously with their fertility--and, ideally, to engage their sexual partners in this awareness as well. The reality is that many women still don't have conscious dominion over their fertility, don't appreciate their fertility cycles and aren't in partnerships that respect these cycles either. The pill (and now the patch) is, therefore, an ideal solution for many. We can use it to manipulate our menstrual cycles, avoiding periods altogether or on weekends. In short, it fits our cultural ideal.

The pill is the most-studied medication in history. Unfortunately, because it's made from synthetic non-bioidentical hormones, it has more side effects than it should! Though we have the science and technology to make safer oral contraceptives (OCs) from bioidentical hormones, there is no profit in doing so--and therefore no support for it. None are currently available.
Is the Pill Right for You?

In order to choose the right birth control method for you, you need to decide honestly where you are in your own life--and how much responsibility you are willing to assume over your fertility. Some women don't even want to think about getting to know their times of ovulation and checking their cervical mucus, let alone inserting a diaphragm before each intercourse. That's fine--they often do well on the pill or another "automatic" method. Other women prefer barrier methods, such as diaphragms and I encourage these methods, too--but only in those women who are committed to using them consciously.

When I was practicing, I worked repeatedly with women who had three or four abortions from failure to use so-called unnatural contraceptives; the pill would have been a better choice for these women, given their sexual behavior. But they refused to put anything "unnatural" in their bodies. I counseled that there is nothing natural about abortion when a woman fails to use her "natural" method of birth control conscientiously.

These women, though conscious about food and the environment, often suffer from the mind/body split we've all inherited. They believe that part of being a desirable woman is to be available sexually, without asking their partners to share in the responsibility. This is a shame, particularly given that there are so many ways to express oneself sexually without the risk of unintended pregnancy. I recommend that all women make every effort to put their own sexual and fertility needs first in every relationship. Doing so takes courage and support.

Pill and Sexual Dysfunction

Ironically, research shows that oral contraceptives might actually contribute to long-term sexual dysfunction in some women. The January 2006 issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine reports that the pill lowers levels of testosterone, even after the women have stopped taking oral contraceptives. Such problems occur because pill users have elevated levels of a protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) that binds testosterone, rendering it unavailable for use by the body.

Low values of "unbound" testosterone potentially lead to side effects such as decreased desire, arousal and lubrication and increased sexual pain. Although some research showed that such problems persisted even after the pill was discontinued, long-term studies are still needed to determine if the problems are permanent. [2] Of all the side effects, what concerns me the most is the potential adverse long-term effect on libido.

Health Risks and Benefits

All women who are on the pill (or the patch) should know about the following effects of the pill, too, in order to be fully informed:

• Oral contraceptives have been a boon for many women, though they may contribute to suboptimal nutrition and an increased incidence of yeast infection in many (the pill has been associated with lowered serum levels of B vitamins and other metabolic changes). [3]

• OCs are associated with a slightly increased risk for cervical adenocarcinoma [4], elevated triglyceride levels [5] and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). [6] Although the announcement didn't get much press in the U.S., the World Health Organization has classified birth control pills with combined estrogen and progestin (as well as combined-hormone HRT) as carcinogenic. (The latest such designation came after the cancer research agency of the World Health Organization convened a group of 21 scientists from eight countries in France in June 2005. Reviewing the scientific literature on the pill and cancer, the group pointed to evidence for an increase in cervical cancer, breast cancer and liver cancer in making its decision, while also stressing that convincing evidence existed for a protective effect against endometrial and ovarian cancers.) [7] Yet other authorities don't think the slightly increased relative risk for breast cancer is significant. [8]

• In my experience, the pill is also associated with mood swings, weight gain and decreased sex drive in many women.

• The birth control patch Ortho Evra and the ring (NuvaRing) are also made from synthetic hormones and have roughly the same effect as the pill, though a slightly higher risk of blood clots.

Going off the pill makes many women feel much better, although not all symptoms always subside.

Health benefits of the pill include lowered risk of ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, acne and pelvic inflammatory disease. In general, the pill's benefits outweigh its risks for the vast majority of women because the health risks from unintended pregnancies far outweigh any risk from the pill.

Women who are on the pill should take a good multivitamin-mineral supplement containing B-complex. The majority of women who have serious health problems with the pill are smokers. Smokers should not use the pill after the age of 35.

Here's the bottom line: We have the scientific know-how to design safe and effective hormonal contraception using bioidentical hormones, which would most likely eliminate the downside of using the pill. I doubt that we will see these developed for years to come. So in the meantime, if the pill works well for you and you feel good on it, then by all means, celebrate its 50th anniversary with joy!

If, on the other hand, you are on the pill to "regulate your periods" or for some other reason, please understand that the pill does very little to "cure" any underlying hormonal imbalance. It simply puts the ovaries "on hold" artificially until such time as a woman stops taking them.

Taking the pill is an individual decision. It's neither a panacea nor a curse. In the final analysis, it has certainly done far more good than harm!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christiane-northrup/birth-control-pills-turn_b_544647.html

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