Defense Minister Ehud Barak says Israel is hoping that a "heroic operation" will end its "nuclear Iran nightmare".
As Israel and the US continue on a collision course over Iran, Tel Aviv says it hopes to put an end to Iran's nuclear activities with a "heroic operation".
In an interview with Haaretz, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak drew a parallel between Iran's nuclear program and that of Iraq in the Saddam Hussein era and hoped for a similar end to the Iranian program.
In 1981, Israel bombed a French-built nuclear plant near Iraq's capital, Baghdad, in an operation that became the world's first air strike against a nuclear plant.
The Israelis said they believed the 70-megawatt uranium-powered Osirak reactor was designed to make nuclear weapons to destroy Israel -- a charge similar to the one it levels against Iran.
"We say we are not removing any option from the table. We have a tendency to hope for a heroic operation that will end everything, as with the bombing of the Iraqi reactor in 1981," Barak explained about the Israeli stance on Iran's long-running nuclear dispute.
However, the Israeli official drew a line between the "Iraqi threat" and the "Iranian threat" by portraying the Iranian one as much graver.
"In the Iraqi case there was one target that existed and was working, and a surgical strike eliminated it... Here we are up against something far more complex, sophisticated and extensive," he said.
Ever since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and President Barack Obama signaled willingness for direct talks between the United States and Iran in an effort to end thirty years of diplomatic hostility, Tel Aviv and Washington have edged toward having a falling-out.
Despite the Israeli disgruntlement at Washington's fresh diplomatic approach toward Iran and its nuclear activities, Barak acknowledged that Israel is "not in a position of being able to tell the Americans whether to talk to the Iranians."
However, the Israeli minister went on to draw up guidelines for the Obama White House on how to approach the Iranian side.
"I told them negotiations should be short and have a deadline, accompanied by 'soft' sanctions such as limitations on money transfers, while preparing the ground for harsh sanctions that involve authorizing action afterward. This has to be done in deep cooperation with the Russians and the Chinese," Barak said.
Barak's stance toward the US administration's Iran policy came in line with that of Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon made public earlier on Monday.
Ya'alon said the allegedly new US policy toward Tehran would be a "waste of time" without a threat of military action and warned that if talks fail to put an end to Iranian enrichment activities, a unilateral strike against the country's nuclear infrastructure would be looming on the horizon.
"We need to hope that the job will be done by someone else and at the same time, as the Talmudic sage Hillel said, 'If I am not for myself who will be?'" he said, signaling Israeli willingness to go to war with or without White House support.
While the incessant Israeli calls for war on Iran have so far run into stiff opposition in the US, a report by RIA Novosti exposed a new under-consideration contingency plan by the Obama administration on the issue.
According to the report, the Obama White House is mulling over whether to impose sanctions on Tel Aviv should Israel go ahead with a unilateral attack on Iran.
تا حالا چند طبقه با آسانسور جابه جاشديد؟ 5 طبقه؟ 10 طبقه؟ يا شايد هم 20 طبقه؟ به اين موضوع فکر کرديد که سوار يک آسانسو بشيد و سر از مريخ در بياريد. چي؟! غيرممکنه؟ شبيه داستانهاي علمي تخيلي ميمونه؟ رفتن به فضا با آسانسور ممکن است داستانی علمی ـ تخيلی جلوه کند، اما دانشمندان در حال بررسي اين پروژه هستند. مطالب علمی ـ تخیلی همیشه تخیلی باقی نمیمانند. برای مثال، در سال 1863، ژول ورن، نویسندهی فرانسوی، داستان شگفتانگیزی با نام �پاریس در قرن بیستم� تحریر کرد. او در آن داستان در مورد آسمانخراشهای ساخته شده از استیل و شیشه، ماشین حسابها، دستگاههای فاکس و شبکهی ارتباطی جهانی نوشت. حتی از آن قابل توجهتر اینکه دو سال بعد او داستان بینالمللی پرفروش خود �از زمین به ماه� را منتشر کرد. داستان، موفقیت عظیمی را به همراه داشت ولی طبیعتاً خوانندگان آن به هیچ وجه تصور نمیکردند که چنین سفری در کمتر از 100 سال آینده به وقوع بپیوندد. هم اکنون، ناسا در تلاش، برای تبدیل ایدهی علمی ـ تخیلی دیگری به حقیقت میباشد. این ایده، 23 سال پیش در کتاب �چشمههای بهشت� نوشتهی آرتور سی.کلارک مطرح شد که هم اکنون با نام آسانسورهای فضایی نامیده میشود.
ایدهی اولیه این ایده اولین بار در سال 1895 توسط نویسندهی روسی �کی. ای. تسیولکوسکی� در نوشتهاش �تعمق دربارهی زمین و آسمان و سنگهای آسمانی� توضیح داده شد. و برای اولین بار طرح این ایده در یک ژورنال علمی، در سال 1975 در نشریه علوم فضایی �آکتا آستروناتیکا� توسط جروم پیرسون که در آن زمان برای ناسا در پروژهی آپولو کار میکرد، انجام شد. پیرسون میگوید: �من داشتم به اظهارات آرتور کلارک در مجلس سنا گوش میدادم. او در مورد ماهوارههای ثابت نسبت به زمین که برای برقراری ارتباطات در کل زمین استفاده میشوند، صحبت میکرد. و آنها را بدین گونه توصیف مینمود که بر بالای برجهای تخیلیای در 22000 مایل بالای استوا قرار داده شدهاند.� پیرسون، رئیس مؤسسهی استار تکنولوژی ـ مؤسسهای در ایالت ساوت کرولاینا که هدایت تحقیقات و توسعهی نیروی هوایی را به عهده دارد ـ با خود چنین اندیشید: �چرا برجهایی واقعی نسازیم؟ چرا به طور واقعی یکی از آن ماهوارهها را با میلهای به زمین متصل نکنیم؟� سپس، او تصور کرد که آسانسور یا نردبانی میتوان ساخت تا به جای راکتها از نیروی الکتریکی برای رفتن به فضا استفاده شود.
ناسا جدی میشود ناسا در ژوئن سال 1999 در کارگاه پیشرفتهی زیرساختهای فضایی با موضوع �مفاهیم کمند مداری ماهوارههای ساکن نسبت به زمین: �آسانسورهای فضایی�� که در مرکز پرواز مارشال اسپیس در هانتزویل آلاباما برگزار شد، تحقیقات در این زمینه را به طور جدی آغاز کرد. این موضوع، متخصصان زیادی را از ناسا و بخشهای خصوصی صنعت دور یکدیگر جمع نمود. در اواخر ژانویه، کارگاه دو روزهی دیگری برای بررسی پیشرفتهای انجام شده در این زمینه در آتلانتا برگزار شد. به طور تئوریک، آسانسور فضایی متشکل از کابل باریکی است که به وسیله یک شاتل فضایی در مدار پایینی حول زمین قرار داده میشود (حدود 200 تا 300 مایل بالای زمین)، و سپس به مداری ثابت و ساکن نسبت به زمین در حدود 22000 مایلی، بالا برده میشود. سپس کابل تا سطح زمین پایین آورده شده و به سکوی متحرک اقیانوسپیمایی در اقیانوس آرام، در راستای خط استوا، چندین هزار مایل دورتر از سواحل اکوادر ـ ناحیه ای که به خاطر نداشتن طوفانهای دریایی زیاد و کمی ترافیک عبور و مرور کشتیها انتخاب شدهاست ـ بسته میشود. کابل مذکور به نازکی کاغذ میباشد ولی به آن اندازه شکننده نیست. در واقع، این کابل به محکمی الماس است و از عنصر اصلی مشابه به آن نیز تشکیل شده است: کربن نانوتیوبها. بنابر گفتهی برد ادواردز، فیزیکدانی در ساینتیفیک یورکا که مطالعهی 6 ماههای بر روی آسانسورهای فضایی را برای مؤسسهی برنامههای پیشرفتهی ناسا هدایت کرده است: �کربن نانوتیوبها در واقع لولههای بدون نقصی متشکل از اتمهای کربن هستند، که 30 برابر از کِولار و یا استیل مستحکمتر میباشند وبسیار سبک هستند. ما آنها را در ساختاری ترکیبی استفاده میکنیم تا طناب بلندی بسازیم. طنابی که در حدود 100000 کیلومتر طول دارد.�
بالاروندهها هنگامی که هستهی اولیهی کابل تکمیل شد، وسایل مکانیکیای با نام �بالاروندهها� بر روی آن به کمک غلطکهایی پلاستیکی بالا و پایین میروند. لیزری از روی سکوی مبدأ، بر روی صفحههای خورشیدی انتهایی بالاروندهها متمرکز میشود تا نیروی لازم برای موتورهای آنها را فراهم نماید. هنگامی که ساخت چنین کابلی به پایان برسد، توانایی حمل بارهایی 20 تنی را خواهد داشت که از قدرت حمل یک شاتل فضایی نیز بیشتر است ـ با هزینهای بسیار کمتر از هزینه لازم برای حمل بار توسط شاتل. اگرچه چنین چیزی ممکن است کاملاً دور از دسترس و افسانهای به نظر برسد، لیکن ناسا در حال حاضر چندین گروه برای مطالعهی این مطلب تشکیل داده است. دیوید اسمیترمن از دفتر پروژههای پیشرفتهی ناسا مسؤول هماهنگ کردن جلسات این گروهها میباشد. بنابر گفتهی اسمیترمن: �اجماع همگانی بر این است که با داشتن توسعهی تکنولوژیکی مناسب، هیچ مشکل عمدهی قابل پیشبینیای بر سر راه ما وجود نخواهد داشت. به نظر میرسد که با گذشت زمان، راه حلهای منطقی مناسبی برای حل مشکلاتی که ما در کارگاه مربوط به آسانسورهای فضایی پیدا کردیم، وجود خواهد داشت. و ما باور داریم که ساخت چنین دستگاههایی نهایتاً ممکن میباشد.�
رقبای دیگر شرکت "های ليفت سيستمز" که مقر آن در شهر سياتل در ايالت واشنگتن آمريکاست در حال بررسی چنين طرحی است و از "اداره فضا و هوانوردی ملی" آمريکا 570 هزار دلار کمک دريافت کرده است. اين شرکت يک کنفرانس دو روزه برای بحث درباره اين فن آوری و جلب سرمايه برای پيشبرد آن ترتيب داد و اميدوار است ساخت آن را طی چند سال آينده آغاز کند. "برد ادواردز" از مسوولان اين شرکت گفت: "فن آوری به تديج به پای داستانهای تخيلی میرسد و بايد آن را کاملا جدی گرفت." وی افزود: "البته اين فن آوری هنوز در دسترس نيست، اما شايد فن آوری ساخت چنين آسانسوری تا چند سال آينده فراهم شود." دکتر ادواردز میگويد که طی 15 سال آينده ممکن است تا 10 آسانسور به فضا وصل شود و ممکن است آسانسورهای عظيم يا آسانسورهايی که زمين را به مريخ وصل میکند راهاندازی شود. هر کسی نخستين آسانسور را بسازد میتواند سرانجام برای 100 سال آينده فضا را در تصاحب خود داشته باشد.
فراتر از مدار زمین هنگامی که آسانسور فضایی در مدار پایداری در 22000 مایلی زمین به بهره برداری کامل برسد، دانشمندان امیدوارند بتوانند از آن به عنوان سکوی پرتاپ مجازیای برای رفتن به مکانهای دیگر فضا استفاده کنند. ادواردز میگوید که او در انتظار رسیدن به سیارات دیگر، مانند مریخ میباشد. البته، اگرچه ممکن است که همهی اینها به طور تئوریک قابل دسترس باشد، این بدین معنی نیست که ناسا پول لازم برای پرداخت هزینههای آن را دارد. قیمت تخمینی اولیه برای آسانسور فضایی واقع بر روی زمین، 40 بیلیون دلار است. از آنجایی که کمپانیها میتوانند سود سرشاری از مسافرتهای توریستی فضایی و ماهوارههای تبلیغاتی و آزمایشهای علمی ببرند، اینجا است که صنایع خصوصی وارد قضیه میشوند. به گفتهی ادواردز: �با ورود آنها بلافاصله خرج مسافرت به فضا 100 برابر کمتر میشود. در مدتی طولانیتر این هزینه میتواند تا 10000 برابر کاهش یابد.� او اضافه میکند: �نهایتاً خرج رفتن به فضا ممکن است چندان از پرواز از آمریکا به اروپا یا آسیا گرانتر نشود. همچنین این باعث افزایش ظرفیت ما میشود. ما میتوانیم بار بیشتر و اجسام بزرگتری به فضا حمل کنیم. ما میتوانیم ایستگاههای فضایی را به طور از پیش ساخته شده به فضا بفرستیم.� اسمیترمن میگوید که این پروژه چه از لحاظ همکاریهای علمی و چه از لحاظ آیندهی اقتصادی موقعیت مناسبی را در اختیار ما قرار میدهد. او میافزاید: �به نظر من، این گونه پروژهها از جمله چیزهایی هستند که میتوانند باعث یک همکاری بینالمللی در بین دولتها و شرکتها بشوند. این گونه پروژهها ظرفیت زیادی برای فعالیتهای اقتصادی دربردارند.�
موانع بالقوه با این حال به غیر از مشکل هزینه، موانع بالقوهی دیگری بر سر راه قرار دارند. رابرت فریزبی از گروه پیشرانههای پیشرفتهی فضایی کتابخانهی پیشرانههای جت ناسا (جی. پی. ال) ریسکهایی چون هدف حملهی تروریستی قرار گرفتن آسانسور و یا خطر برخورد آشغالهای فضایی ـ چه تولیدات انسانی و چه اجرامی چون سنگهای آسمانی ـ به کابل را مطرح میکند. پیرسون، نویسندهی مقالهی علمی سال 1975، میگوید که او نگران سنگهای آسمانی نیست چون آنها معمولاً کوچکتر از آن هستند که به قطر 10 فوتی کابل آسیب جدیای وارد کنند. پیرسون میافزاید: �تنها مشکلی که ما داریم امکان برخورد با آشغالهای فضایی و ماهوارههای در حال گذر و مسائلی چنینی میباشد. و کاری که ما باید بکنیم پاکیزه کردن مدارهای نزدیک به زمین برای رهایی از چنین مشکلاتی است.� ادواردز تأیید میکند که آسانسور امکان دارد هدف حملهی تروریستی قرار بگیرد، لیکن اضافه میکند: �آن از همه چیز دور است. تعداد خطوط هوایی گذرنده از آن منطقه بسیار کم است. و چند کشتی جنگی برای حفاظت از پایگاه، سکو و کابل کفایت میکنند.� اگرچه قسمت اعظم تکنولوژی مورد نیاز در حال حاضر در دسترس است، و یا در مراحل پیشرفتهای از توسعه قرار دارد، عنصر اصلی آسانسور فضایی هنوز بسیار از تکامل ایدهآل دور است. و این اصلیترین مانع در برابر پیشرفت این پروژه میباشد. ادواردز بر این باور است که جدول زمانی پیشرفت این پروژه بستگی به کربن نانوتیوبها و چسب مرکبی که آنها را در کنار هم قرار میدهد دارد. ادواردز میافزاید: �این آخرین تکنولوژی خامی است که ما برای انجام این پروژه به آن نیاز داریم. هنگامی که این تکنولوژی حاصل شود، با یک تلاش همگانی و هماهنگ، ما میتوانیم اولین آسانسور فضایی فعال را در عرض ده سال داشته باشیم.� پیرسون میگوید: �همین که تکنولوژی ساخت کربن نانوتیوبها حاصل شد به نظر من چیزی جلودار ما برای ساخت آسانسور فضایی در عرض 30 تا 40 سال بعد نیست.� فریزبی عضو جی. پی. ال میگوید: �چندین رقیب برای آسانسورهای فضایی وجود دارد، مثل پرتابگرهای الکترومغناطیسی برای پرتاب کردن اجسام به وسیلهی پرتابههای الکترومغناطیسی. ولی برای استفادهی فرستادن اجسام از زمین به مدار، بردن آسانسورهای فضایی وقتی که سیستم در مدار قرار گرفت از لحاظ هزینه، کار سادهای نیست.� هنگامی که کلارک کتاب �چشمههای بهشت� را که در آن ایدهی آسانسورهای فضایی مطرح شده بود نوشت، از او پرسیده شد که فکر میکند کی چنین ایدهای به تحقق بپیوندد. او جواب داد: �احتمالاً 50 سال بعد از این که همه دست از خندیدن به آن کشیدند.�
Iran has discovered a new oil layer and a gas field in locations in the center and southwest of the country, says the Iranian Oil Minister.
The new oil layer forms part of the Band-e-Karkheh oil field northwest of Ahvaz, capital of Iran's oil-rich southwestern province of Khuzestan, said Gholam-Hossein Nozari on Saturday, on the sidelines of the International Oil, Gas and Petrochemistry Exhibition in Tehran.
Nozari said that the oil field's estimated reserves increased to 4.5 billion barrels with the discovery of the new layer.
A gas field with an estimated reserve of 6 trillion cubic feet was also discovered in the central province of Fars, he added.
The report comes on the back of recent announcements from Tehran of the discovery of eight new oil fields in April alone. No details have yet been given on the exact amounts of their reserves.
Iran, OPEC's second biggest oil producer, controls about 5 percent of global oil supply and sits on the world's second-largest gas reserves.
Iran has formed a partnership with India's state-run oil firm ONGC to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the Farzad gas field in Farsi block, which is estimated to hold recoverable gas reserves of 12.8 trillion cubic feet.
Iran has not yet exported any LNG but says it will be able to produce 77 million tons a year by 2014.
The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Washington might impose new sanctions against Iran if dialogue with Tehran fails.
In her first testimony to Congress since her confirmation as US' chief diplomat in January, Clinton reassured Howard Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who called for dialogue with Tehran.
Berman also urged Washington to garner enough support to impose "crippling sanctions" against Iran if dialogue fails.
Clinton stressed that the US has "more leverage with other nations" through negotiations with the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council--Russia, China, Britain and France--plus Germany, AFP reported.
"We are also laying the groundwork for the kind of very tough, I think you said crippling, sanctions that might be necessary in the event that our offers are either rejected or the process is inconclusive or unsuccessful," she told Berman.
On Tuesday, US President, Barack Obama, said that the US would continue to "pursue the possibility of improved relations" with Tehran.
He added that possible talks should be "tough" and should be held "without taking a whole host of other options off the table."
Under US pressure, the UN Security Council has so far imposed three rounds of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
Tehran has repeatedly said that it would never give up its nuclear rights under pressure.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has offered his condolences for a Thursday bombing attack in Iraq which killed at least 53 Iranians.
In his message, President Ahmadinejad expressed deep sorrow for the killing of Iranian pilgrims in the terrorist attack and sympathized with the families of the victims.
The President said the incident once again proved that the occupation has borne no fruit but insecurity and instability for the region.
He also called for immediate measures to be taken to rush help to those injured in the incident.
A bomber detonated himself in a restaurant in the vicinity of Muqdadiya in the province of Diyala in northern Iraq on Thursday.
At least 53 Iranian pilgrims were confirmed dead and tens of others were wounded in the attack.
The injured have been transferred to Iran for further treatment.
Ever since they started in the '80s, Apple's Mac operating system and Microsoft's Windows have followed different paths to attaining different goals. Windows went after market share; Mac focused on a seamless user experience. Beneath the superficial surface features, what are the real core differences between the two operating systems?
Ask a Mac OS X fan or a Windows fan what the difference is between the two operating systems, and the short answer might be something like, "The difference is, the one I use doesn't stink." That response may underscore the emotional pull an operating system has with a particular sort of computer user, but it is not very helpful for getting at the heart of the matter. The long answer involves understanding the soul of each OS.
Mac OS X is gaining favor among a growing number computer users. What is it that makes up the real difference between OS X and Windows? The long answer goes well beyond the Dock, the Start Button, or other obvious surface features and appearance details that any user can easily see at first glance.
"Apple is second to none in user experience," Bill Gribbons told MacNewsWorld. Gribbons is director of the Master of Science in Human Factors in Information Design at Bentley University and senior consultant to the Bentley University Design and Usability Center. "They turned it into an art form. Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) approach to product design is what distinguishes them from Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) . Microsoft is not always focused on technology. It is not always a good experience for users and is not always easy to learn. It does not always fit the users' needs."
Close Birth
Certainly, both Microsoft's and Apple's operating systems have changed dramatically over the years.
The two systems share a common lineage, of sorts. Windows was released in 1985 and was at least inspired (if not copied) from the earliest Mac OS, which Microsoft had access to as a Mac software developer. Apple actually sued Microsoft in the 1980s for "borrowing" their ideas, according to Edward Shepard, marketing manager of Apple sales professional for Small Dog Electronics.
"Forward 25 years, and it can be argued that Microsoft borrowed many ideas for Vista's look and feel from Mac OS X. Likewise, Apple has also borrowed ideas from Windows over the years. The two OSes are like two competitive, wealthy cousins from different sides of a single family tree," Shepard told MacNewsWorld.
From these entwined origins, the two systems embarked on different paths and gathered families of followers either born into the fold or converted to it. For instance, Apple has emphasized the seamless integration of software and hardware, as well as a core focus on graphical feedback. Windows was designed as a licensed product to run on thousands of different computer models produced by dozens of companies around the world, according to Shepard.
Soul Differences
Apple's approach made it easier for developers to assure compatibly and reliability. However, it has also limited the size of Apple's user base, which stood at about 30 million users in early 2008, Shepard noted.
Meanwhile, Microsoft emphasized getting as large a user base as possible for Windows. Now, somewhere around 90 percent of computer users run Windows. On a global scale, having a dominant OS probably helped facilitate mass adoption of personal computers. On the other hand, it also made Windows an attractive and easy target for viruses, Trojans, worms, and other computer attacks, he added.
These two paths followed distinctively different design passions, and it's in the design that the essence of their souls emerge.
Mac OS X has a restrained, coolly calculating soul that effectively handles its business, though perhaps doesn't always tell you about everything on its mind. As a human, Mac OS X would be an efficient, dedicated concierge that smoothly does his job, albeit with an air of quiet superiority. Windows has an aggressive, do-it-all soul, but often huffs and puffs to remind you it's working hard (even if it's for your benefit). As a human, Windows would be a sweaty middle manager stomping around the office, reliable enough and "surprisingly good at karaoke," quipped Shepard.
Designed Distinctions
Peeling back the trappings of each OS unveils a closer glimpse at the architectural differences that separate Mac and Windows systems. At the root of the architecture lies the core programming.
"Windows was built around networking. Its foundation is on highly modifiable DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) to support many applications and a registry file for multiple configurations. On the Mac side, the OS is based on Unix, Mach and the Apple OS structure," Gene Spafford, professor in the department of computer sciences at Purdue University, told MacNewsWorld.
Mach is an operating system microkernel Carnegie Mellon University developed to support operating system research. The basis of the Mac OS X is still the core built by Carnegie Mellon.
Architectural Adversaries
Windows' design set led to the growth of an OS that was full of tweeks. The Windows of today evolved from the NT/Windows 2000 structure. It facilitated drag-and-drop convenience and easy-to-install applications, Spafford explained. In contrast, the Mac OS seldom put in a shared library to install applications.
Instead, the Mac uses permissions like Unix. No large-scale system management is needed. The result: When something installs on an Apple computer, the user knows it. The installation cannot happen silently.
Another difference is that most configuration settings on the Mac are in plain text. There is no arcane registry setting like in Windows, and the kernel stays minimal.
"This is the overall Mac philosophy of how things get added in. Microsoft extended the design to add to the kernel," Spafford said.
Growth Spurts
Both the Mac and Windows operating systems are inherently different today than their earlier generations. Apple had a shift in technology that brought an end to the single-threaded OS that was similar to DOS (Disk Operating System), according to Spafford. Windows designers began peeling away the DOS core upon which the Windows GUI (graphical user interface) was applied with the migration to Windows XP.
Similarly, Mac OS 9 was creaking under the load. Steve Jobs, who at this point had returned to head up Apple once again, changed the operating system to make the OS X into a new design, explained Spafford.
"What was novel was its ability to seamlessly emulate OS 9 running under OS X, much like VMware (NYSE: VMW) functions today. This enabled users to switch over without losing their software. The new version strengthened Unix as the underlying kernel," he said.
Sensitivity Training
One of the main aspects of the Mac soul is the connection its designers have with Mac users. Gribbons, who specializes in studying how people interact with systems, describes Mac developers as having a deep, intimate understanding of what people want and value.
"Apple maps the system design to whatever product they do to that model. Apple always feels like a user's best friend," said Gribbons.
With Apple, users enjoy a carefully orchestrated experience that is not accidental. From the way it is marketed, sold, packaged and supported, it is designed to be seamless.
"You don't see that from Microsoft," he said.
How Good Is Too Good?
However, this approach almost brought doom to Apple, noted Gribbons. At one point, the company almost went out of business because of it, he said.
"The systems didn't seem serious. They were expensive. There were delays in getting to the market. They wanted to get it perfect, but the market didn't demand this. On the other hand, Microsoft got its products to the market more quickly, and they were good enough. This is how Microsoft captured the market share," Gribbons said.
Addressing this conundrum was part of the soul searching that Mac developers did to salvage the Mac OS from itself. For much of the 1990s and up until about the last five years, the product was almost too good, he explained. Consumers were really buying too much product, and the price point was way above that of Windows-based products.
What's the Diff?
Differences abound in the two systems, but both can do essentially the same things, according to Fernando Machado, who has a decade of experience running a computer maintenance and service business and is a computer expert on JustAnswer.com.
"Windows is better for gaming due to the large amount of games that are available for it. Mac, however, has better overall security and is less prone to attackers," he told MacNewsWorld.
The differences in OS design reflect a clear distinction in what attracts the user base. For instance, the Mac is designed more for graphical and multimedia functions and tends to run better than Windows doing so. Windows, however, is much better with statistical applications as well as office applications. It also seems that Windows is easier for the user to customize, Machado explained.
The Roots of Design
Windows is designed to be a do-it-all-at-any cost OS, which has its benefits and complications, Shepard added. For example, there are six versions of Windows Vista, and there will be six versions of Windows 7, all listed at different prices. In contrast, Apple simply sells one fully loaded version of OS X for one price (US$129). This version even includes Boot Camp for installing Windows on a Mac if desired.
"The biggest difference between the two goes back to their origins. Windows tries to be everything to everyone, is phenomenally successful, but has a history of security vulnerabilities, peripheral incompatibilities (ironically enough), and upgrade confusion. Apple still has a more restrained consumer focus, still controls the design and engineering of its hardware and software, competes hard in some demographics but is content letting others go. Thus, it has a smaller user base," Shepard summarized.
All things considered, the two OSes are starting to become quite similar, according to Mike Palumbo, an IT specialist for the Center for Instructional Technology at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Most OS preference these days is driven by the same brand loyalty that divides Ford and Chevy owners and Coke and Pepsi drinkers, he said -- and the arguments that ensue are often the equivalent of "Tastes Great! vs. Less Filling!"
Soul Survivors
In recent years, both companies have learned from each other and incorporated each other's ideas. Windows has become more user friendly and more slick in its design, while Apple has included functional features and control options that were previously unavailable, according to Palumbo.
"Apple makes a lot of assumptions about what you want control over and makes a lot of decisions for you, and that's great for the majority of the users. Windows gives the user more control and more options, and by virtue of that, more opportunity to mess it up," Palumbo told MacNewsWorld.
Windows designers are catering to an audience that likes to look under the hood and shift manually. The average user can still drive it, but the enthusiast can really tweak it if they desire, he explained. Windows designers have made it possible for IT pros to completely control every aspect of how the computer is used by the employee.
"Apple designs its interface and even the outward hardware to appeal for people who appreciate design. It's slick, shiny and expensive, not unlike buying a sports car," said Palumbo.
Japan is stepping up its space ambitions with plans to put a two-legged robot prancing around the moon by 2020. A mission including humans and robots will likely follow. Among its space initiatives, Japan is interested in developing technology to monitor long-range missile launches, a goal made more urgent by North Korea's launch of a rocket that entered Japan's air space.
Dozens of international envoys walked out during a speech by Iran's president Monday as he accused Israel of having a "racist government" and committing genocide.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused the West of making "an entire nation homeless under the pretext of Jewish suffering ... in order to establish a totally racist government in occupied Palestine."
Many delegates at the controversial U.N. anti-racism conference in Geneva, Switzerland, cheered his words as a minority of diplomats -- mostly from Europe -- collected their papers and briefcases and left the room.
Cameras at the scene showed empty seats where delegates from France, Finland and Denmark had been sitting.
The British and Spanish delegations also walked out, both countries' foreign affairs divisions confirmed.
For the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran is set to allow foreign banks to establish branches in the country and engage in normal banking operations.
Article 44 of the Iranian Constitution Law had heretofore placed banking activities exclusively in the hands of government. In tandem with the Law on Usury Free Banking Operations, these two measures effectively blocked foreign banking operations from conducting business in mainland Iran.
A handful of foreign bank branches and representative offices extant in the country were allowed to undertake administrative and coordination activities but were not permitted to open customer accounts inside the territory of mainland Iran, receive deposits or extend normative facilities. Foreign banks were, however, under special conditions, allowed to function in the Iranian free zones.
With the long-awaited privatization law having already come into force in the summer of 2008, allowing the normal functioning of foreign banks in Iran is viewed as a major economy boosting initiative by the Central Bank of Iran (CBI).
The rules for regulating the activity of foreign banks are set forth in four parts and 13 articles in the decree dated March 18, 2009 by the Council of Ministers and titled The Executive By-law of the Manner of Establishment and Operations of Foreign Bank Branches in Iran.
The minimum capitalization for establishing a foreign bank branch in Iran is euro 5m. An English translation of the full text of the decree which has been notified by the CBI, can be viewed at Nourlaw website.
Iran Khodro Company (IKCO) has introduced the third all-Iranian car, named Runna, in a ceremony attended by state and automotive industry officials.
The compact car, affordable to Iranian families, has been designed and manufactured by the giant automaker. Runna is scheduled to hit markets by March 2010.
The automaker claims the car meets Euro IV and V standards which deal with air pollution and the Pedestrian Impact safety requirement.
Runna comes with an efficient 1.6-liter engine in its launch.
SRS airbags, anti-lock brakes with EBA & EBD, power steering, and power windows & side-view mirrors are some of equipment available to Runna owners.
Iran's second largest car-manufacturer, SAIPA, showcased a second all-Iranian passenger car called 'Miniature' in a ceremony attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday 18, 2009.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at a Swiss university has been canceled due to apparent pressure from pro-Israeli lobbying.
President Ahmadinejad was scheduled to deliver a speech at the Webster University in Geneva, Switzerland and later participate in a question and answer session, but the event was cancelled after intense Israeli lobbying, ISNA reported on Monday.
The Iranian president arrived in Geneva on Sunday to attend a UN-backed Durban Review Conference against racism, xenophobia and intolerance beginning on Monday.
Tel Aviv stepped up efforts to convince European countries to boycott the meeting and to abstain from meeting the Iranian president, a vocal critic of Israel.
Israel also recalled its ambassador to Switzerland, Ilan Elgar, in protest to the UN conference that was boycotted by Tel Aviv's allies.
The United States and Israel walked out of the first UN racism conference in Durban in 2001, which condemned Israeli atrocities against Palestinians and sought to pass a resolution likening Zionism to racism.
The construction of a subway system in the Iranian city of Isfahan could possibly lead to the collapse of many historic sites of the city.
Cultural heritage experts maintain that the subway excavations under Chahar-Bagh Street could cause irreparable damage to the Chahar-Bagh School, which displays some of the unique architectural styles of the Safavid period.
Isfahan's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization has filed an official complaint against the city's metropolitan railway organization.
“Digging a subway tunnel under Chahar-Bagh Street using traditional methods can cause a great deal of damage to Chahar-Bagh School,” said Ahmad Aminpour, head of Isfahan's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization.
“Isfahan's subway officials started the project under Chahar-Bagh Street three years ago and digging the tunnel is in the final stages,” he added.
The experts further commented that Isfahan's Hasht Behesht palace and other historical monuments are also in danger of collapse if the subway project continues.
One of the stations of the city's subway, which is currently under construction, will be only 40 meters away from Si-o-Seh Pol (The Bridge of 33 Arches).
Built in 1602, Si-o-Seh Pol is one of the eleven bridges of Isfahan, and is considered to be one of the most famous examples of bridge design of the Safavid dynasty era.
Several of Isfahan's historical sites are to be listed on the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The historic city of Isfahan was the capital of Iran during the Safavid era. It is considered one of the most attractive tourism destinations in Iran because of the large number of historic sites.
Tel Aviv rejects a British report that claims the Israeli military is preparing for a massive aerial assault on Iran's nuclear sites.
The Times reported Saturday that the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is making provisions to attack Tehran's nuclear infrastructure "within days of being given the go-ahead by its new government."
An Israeli insider told the Times on conditions of anonymity that among preparatory steps being taken by Israel are the purchase of three Airborne Warning and Control (AWAC) aircraft and regional missions to simulate the attack.
The assault would reportedly involve strikes on over a dozen targets, including Iran's main nuclear facilities at Natanz, Isfahan and Arak.
According to the Israeli source, a nation-wide home front drill, which is scheduled for June, is among the many on-the-ground preparations, that indicate Israel's willingness to act.
The report drew instant condemnation from the Israeli officialdom, who unexpectedly withdrew their plans for military action against Iran last week --- after years of threatening the country with war.
Sources close to Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, said the article was nothing more than "baseless speculation of a reporter”, designed to isolate Israel in the international community.
Any military attack on Iran would require US cooperation as it would almost certainly involve Israeli warplanes flying through the Washington-controlled Jordanian and Iraqi airspace.
Tel Aviv has accused Tehran of enriching weapons-grade uranium and has kept options wide open for an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran insists that it only produces low-grade uranium to generate electricity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who came back to power on April 1 at the helm of a hard-line right-wing government, has repeatedly advocated military confrontation with Iran.
Israeli President Shimon Peres initially supported an attack on Tehran's nuclear facilities, but later concluded that "the solution in Iran is not a military one."
The abrupt decision to avoid war with Iran came a day after US Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned Israel against launching go-it-alone air strike on the country.
Washington says it has turned over a new leaf after the Obama administration promised a 'new beginning' in relations with Iran, one that leans towards diplomatic engagement, rather than military threats.
Akiko Saberi, US-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi's Japanese mother, holds a picture of her daughter.
Iran's judiciary chief orders a "careful, quick and fair" appeal for the controversial eight-year sentence of an Iranian-American journalist.
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi demanded that the country's judiciary review the different aspects of the case of jailed journalist Roxana Saberi, accused of spying for the United States.
In a letter to the head of the Tehran court, Shahroudi said "Fair examination of the case at every stage and especially at the appeal stage is the defendant's right."
The call for Saberi's "quick and fair" appeal came after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asked Iran's judiciary to ensure that justice is administered in the case of the detained journalist.
Saberi's lawyer Abdolsamad Khoramshahi said he would lodge an appeal by the end of the week against Roxana's eight-year prison term on charges of spying for Washington.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her part called for the speedy release of Saberi on Monday.
Referring to President Ahmadinejad's reaction to the issue, Clinton said, "We are obviously closely monitoring the situation ... and hoping that these remarks lead to actions".
Roxana's father, Reza Saberi, who is in Tehran to pursue her daughter's case, described the developments as "positive."
"It shows that both are paying attention to my daughter's case and want to make sure that her case is being dealt with fairness and justice," he told AFP on Monday.
US President Barack Obama has expressed concern over the sentencing of Saberi, saying, "She is an American citizen, and I have complete confidence that she was not engaging in any sort of espionage."
Saberi, who reported for the BBC, NPR, and Fox News during her six-year stay in Iran, was arrested in February for working "illegally" as a journalist after her press card was revoked in 2006.
Political figures react with dismay to the Iranian president's remarks which caused Israeli advocates to walk out of the UN anti-racism summit.
Rupert Colville, spokesman for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, condemned the anti-Israeli remarks made by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday, saying it was "completely inappropriate".
"We strongly deplore the language used by the president of Iran," Colville said.
"In our view, the speech was completely inappropriate at a conference designed to nurture diversity and tolerance."
"Following World War II they resorted to military aggression to make an entire nation homeless under the pretext of Jewish suffering," President Ahmadinejad said at the UN anti-racism summit on Monday.
"And they sent migrants from Europe, the United States and other parts of the world in order to establish a totally racist government in occupied Palestine," he added.
"And in fact, in compensation for the dire consequences of racism in Europe, they helped bring to power the most cruel and repressive racist regime in Palestine."
Norwegian Foreign Minster Jonas Gahr Store, who was the first to take the floor after President Ahmadinejad, "strongly rejected the previous speaker's remarks".
"Norway will not accept that 'the odd man out' kidnaps the efforts of the many," said the Norwegian foreign minister.
Slovenian ambassador Andrej Logar described the Iranian president's remarks as "detrimental to the dignity of this conference."
British ambassador Peter Gooderham for his part condemned President Ahmadinejad's comments on the establishment of Israel, saying, "Such outrageous anti-Semitic remarks should have no place in a UN anti-racism forum."
French President Nicolas Sarkozy in a separate statement "totally" condemned the speech, saying it was "an intolerable appeal to racist hate".
The statement added that Sarkozy "is calling for an extremely firm reaction by the European Union."
While President Ahmadinejad's lambasting of Israel prompted a temporary walkout by certain delegates, it received applause from other delegations that remained seated in the UN assembly hall.
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Social network's will always be growing and connecting users, thus a prime example of how Persian singles and Iranians will enjoy using services such as Iranivia.com.
Iran's president has inaugurated the country's first nuclear fuel production plant, making what correspondents say was a defiant speech.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran was open to an offer of fresh talks with world powers, but only if they were based on "justice" and "respect".
Once operational, the new plant could produce sufficient plutonium for two nuclear weapons a year, analysts say.
Iran denies Western claims that it aims to build a nuclear bomb.
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says Mr Ahmadinejad made it clear he did not see any change in US policy towards Iran, and therefore offered nothing in return.
"The Iranian nation has from the beginning been after... negotiations based on justice and complete respect for rights and regulations," Mr Ahmadinejad said.
"One-sided negotiations, conditional negotiations, negotiations in an atmosphere of threat are not something that any free person would accept," he said.
Waiting game
Reacting to Mr Ahmadinejad's comments, US state department spokesman Robert Wood said the ball was still in Iran's court with regards to direct talks.
"We want to engage Iran and we... have said so very clearly and publicly, and so we wait for Iran to reciprocate," said Mr Wood.
Mr Ahmadinejad said Iran had tested two new types of centrifuge with higher capacities at a uranium enrichment plant in Natanz.
Meanwhile, nuclear chief Gholam Reza Aghazadeh said Iran has increased the number of centrifuges it is running at the plant to 7,000 from 6,000 in February.
If verified, that would be a significant step forward, Jon Leyne reports, though the last report from international inspectors said Iran had less than 4,000 working centrifuges.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cast doubt on Iranian claims of major progress.
"We don't know what to believe about the Iranian programme. We've heard many different assessments and claims over a number of years," she said at a news conference in Washington.
The inauguration of the new plant in Isfahan shifts attention to a parallel programme to Iran's uranium enrichment activities, BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus reports.
Once it is fully operational it could produce sufficient plutonium for two nuclear weapons a year, should Iran choose to separate the plutonium from the reactor's spent fuel, he says.
The newly-opened plant will produce pellets of uranium oxide that could be used to fuel a heavy-water reactor in Arak expected to be completed some time between 2011 and 2013.
It signals Iran has reached the final stage in the nuclear fuel cycle, analysts say.
The move came as Tehran considered an offer by six world powers, including the United States, to take part in fresh talks on the crisis.
Russia and China - trading partners of Iran - have urged Tehran to accept the invitation.
The Bluetooth 3.0 buzz is building. The short-range wireless standard Bluetooth 3.0 will get its official launch on April 21. The developers of the standard, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, have confirmed multiple reports forecasting the release of Bluetooth 3.0 specs. According to the Bluetooth SIG on April 21 it will announce the groups latest Bluetooth standard. At that time the Bluetooth 3.0 specifications will be unveiled.
Here's What We Know About Bluetooth 3.0
The Bluetooth 3.0 standard is expected to deliver even faster short-range wireless speeds (up to 480 Mbit/s), improvements to reduce chances of device disconnections when syncing, and the addition of Generic Alternate MAC/PHY (AMP) technology that will reportedly allow Bluetooth 3.0 devices to transfer data at speed on par with Wi-Fi. Another advancement will allow the Bluetooth wireless frequency to piggyback on the Wi-Fi 802.11 protocol - in affect allowing Bluetooth over Wi-Fi. We'll have to wait until April 21 to find out more.
What's unique about Bluetooth is its low cost and low power consumption, allowing it to be used in devices such as cell phones where cost and power consumption are huge concerns for developers. However, Bluetooth technology has struggled in its efforts to be adopted widely.
What the blogs are saying
The Bluetooth SIG claims Bluetooth 3.0 can wirelessly transfer an entire music library, a complete DVD [or] a vacation's worth of photos, all within seconds, according to the blog the Bluetooth SIG. In addition to pumped-up speed, Bluetooth 3.0 could also feature "Enhanced Power Control," which reduces those annoying headset disconnects caused by putting your phone in your pocket or purse.
There are no details at the moment about Bluetooth 3.0-ready devices, but most Bluetooth watchers expect the Bluetooth SIG to release a list of manufacturers that have products ready to go at the Bluetooth 3.0 launch on April 21.
Bluetooth in the smart phone age
The new Bluetooth standard comes as smart phones are growing way beyond e-mail and voice calling into full-fledged mini-computers. For some time now, cell phone users have turned to Bluetooth for wireless headsets and to sync calendar and contact information. Now that many people are listening to music and watching movies on their mobile devices, Bluetooth needed to get faster to remain an effective solution for wireless syncing.
In the meantime, Bluetooth technology will have to compete with the Wireless USB standard that is going in popularity and influence.
Can you use netbooks for business? The answer depends on your specific needs, but there's a good chance you can with current hardware. And more powerful, upcoming hardware is even more likely to work. Here's how to figure out if you can save money with netbooks.
Why Do You Need New Systems? Don't rely on netbooks beyond their light-use design. If you're replacing aging desktop PCs, netbooks will likely run at similar speeds without any perceived upgrade over the old hardware. A smaller case is nice but probably nets a result of wasted money.
Consider netbooks more if you're replacing old laptops. Speed gains will still be modest at best, but the little laptops could cost a lot less than more powerful systems.
Netbooks can best supplement your current laptop stable instead of putting old systems out to pasture. If you've added a few new employees--even temporary staff--the cheap laptops could help you ride out the tightening economy.
How Will You Use the New PCs? The current crop of netbooks handles a few tasks well and is abysmal at others. Be sure that your needs fall in the former group.
Consider a netbook for basic productivity tasks. Even Office applications are on the threshold of straining the systems--but I think most hardware is just fast enough. Better--and lighter--uses include web browsing and email. And if your office uses online tools in a browser, the netbooks will likely work well.
Avoid netbooks for more taxing, media applications. Forget any regular graphics- or audio-creation software. Forget video editing. Even media playback can be a chore on these laptops.
Pick a Netbook and Extras If you're going to buy a netbook, first choose between Windows XP and Linux. Linux can offer lighter system needs and therefore streamlined performance. However the hurdle of adjusting to a new OS and rethinking your software might be too big.
Netbook hardware specs are generally similar between different brands. Most of all, check out the screen and keyboard sizes. I type poorly on netbooks with 9-inch screens because the smaller form-factor shrinks the keyboard too much. See how you handle the smaller keyboards. And check out screen resolution. You're not likely to get a lot, but get one with a resolution of 1,024x600 or greater--the typical size.
Load up on RAM; shoot for 2GB. It'll help bolster an otherwise sluggish system. And get at least 16GB of disk storage. Anything less can be too cramped next to system and application files.
You'll need peripherals for heavy netbook use. Definitely add a full-size keyboard if you'll be typing in an office, hotel, or other longer-term location. And dig up an old monitor--or add a cheap new one--for more constant in-office use.
Upcoming netbooks could act a lot more like full laptops, although there aren't any specific release plans yet. But if you need new hardware now, the current crop can fit into a small business if you know what to expect.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the Kremlin would never double-cross Iran for better relations with the US.
Moscow says it would gladly hit the reset button on relations with Washington, but warns that it would never double-cross Tehran.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stood firm on Moscow's relations with Tehran on Saturday, asserting that it would never agree to increase pressure on Iran.
"It's our neighbor, it's a country which can play a very important role in solving a number of acute international issues, such as the situation in Afghanistan, Iraq and different aspects of Mideast peace settlement," Lavrov in a speech to a group of political strategists.
Lavrov waved aside recent US attempts to use a controversial missile shield as a means to buy Moscow's support for tougher sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
"Any trade-offs would be unprincipled and unrealistic," he explained. "They would undermine trust in our diplomacy, and we cherish that trust no less than others."
The Bush administration had tabled a motion to station 10 silo-based missiles in Poland and a missile-tracking radar in the Czech Republic, allegedly to defend its allies against missile threats from countries like Iran.
Russia has inveighed against the US ballistic missile defense (BMD) plan, suggesting that Washington seeks to weaken Moscow's position in its traditional region of influence.
US President Barack Obama has said that he may slow down the BMD plan, if Russia agrees to adopt a hard line on Iran's nuclear activities.
Senior Russian officials have repeatedly ruled out the possibility of a trade-off between Moscow-Tehran ties and a missile program.
"If we are talking about any "swap" [Iran for missile defense], this is not how the question is being put. This would not be productive," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had said on March 3. "No one is linking these issues to some kind of trade-offs, particularly on the Iranian issue."
Washington has tried to justify its missile plans by portraying Iran's missile development as a threat to world stability -- an allegation that has been rejected by senior political and military figures in the West.
"The argument that the US would be naked against an Iranian threat unless we deploy the GMD system in Europe is simply not right," said Democratic congresswoman Ellen Tauscher earlier in the month.
"No sensible person believes in fairy tales about the Iranian missile threat, and that thousands of kilometers from Tehran on the coast of the Baltic Sea, it is necessary to station a missile interceptor system," Russia's NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin said on Nov. 6.
Iran has announced plans to import up to 200,000 barrels of oil per day from Iraq to feed a refinery in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan.
Talks are underway to finalize a deal to import Iraq's light crude through a pipeline connecting Iraq's main oil hub of Basra to the Iranian oil-rich city of Abadan, Iran's Deputy Oil Minister Noureddin Shahnazizadeh was quoted as saying by Mehr news agency.
In return for oil imports from Iraq, Iran has agreed to supply Iraq with 1.5 million tons of fuel oil and 1.5 million tons of diesel fuel per day, Mehr reported.
The 200,000 bpd of oil imported from Iraq will be used to feed part of a refinery in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.
Iran is the second-biggest oil producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). However, only part of its gasoline needs is produced in the country while thousands of dollars are spent for gasoline imports.
Iraq is the holder of the world's third-largest oil reserves. However, six years of conflict following the US invasion has battered the country's oil industry, hindering its ability to quickly increase production.
Iraq is attracting investors in a bid to push cash into its economy and boost its oil output to about 6 million bpd by 2015, from about 2.5 million bpd currently produced.
Iran's supervisory Guardian Council says there are no limitations for female candidates who seek to run in the country's presidential race.
While women are allowed to vote in Iran and run for positions in Majlis (parliament), they have not been allowed to run for president in the Islamic Republic.
Abbas-Ali Kadkhodayi, spokesman for the Guardian Council which screens the electoral process asserted on Saturday that the supervisory body has never defined a controversial term which is believed to have so far prevented women from running for presidency.
The question of whether women can run for president hinges on a long-debated question over the phrasing of the country's constitution which was shortly devised after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
According to the constitution, the president must be elected from among political "rejal".
While the single but ambiguous Arabic word in the constitution can be literally interpreted as "men", it can also be interpreted as "political figures" regardless of their gender.
"The stance of the Guardian Council has not changed. In the past female candidates registered to run for president as there exists no limitation on the matter," Kadkhodayi said.
The spokesman said no one has ever been banned from contesting in the elections because of their gender, adding that "anytime a female hopeful has been rejected as a candidate, it was because she was denied eligibility over other issues."
Kadkhodayi made the remarks despite earlier comments in 2005 by the then spokesman for the council, Gholam-Hossein Elham, who clarified that the Guardian Council's interpretation of the word is its literal meaning that is the male gender.
The countdown has begun. Apple posted a Web page on Friday counting down (or actually counting up) to the one billion app downloaded milestone on the App Store.
That's a significant goal for a couple of reasons. First, you have to be amazed that people have downloaded one billion applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch. iPhone sales themselves hit 17 million last month, so the app volume logically follows. Second, you can win some cool stuff if you download an app between now and the time that Apple reaches the one billion mark.
All you need to do to enter the contest is go to the App Store and download an app. You are automatically entered to win a $10,000 iTunes Gift Card, an iPod touch, a Time Capsule and a MacBook Pro. You can enter up to 25 times per day, according to the contest rules. You can also enter the contest without a download.
In addition to the one billionth app download, Apple has posted the top 20 apps of all time on the App Store. Unfortunately, that page isn't working as of this writing, so I can't tell you what they are.
Apple's counter currently reads 927, 700,795 apps downloaded . . and it's moving fast.
For more than 200 years wrestlers have come to the city of Esfarayen in Northern Iran for a wrestling tournament called Bachokheh. This tournament is unique because it is held in the open air.
North Khorasan is a province located in northeastern Iran. Bojnourd is the centre of the province. Other counties are Shirvan, Esfarayen, Maneh and Samlaghan, and Garmeh and Jajarm. North Khorasan is one the three provinces that were created after the division of Khorasan in 2004.
The National Museum of Oriental Art in Rome will be playing host to the seminar “Traditional and Desert Architecture of Iran” from April 9 to 12 mehr News Agency reported.
Scholars from the universities of Milan, Rome, Florence, along with several Italian researchers and architects will be giving presentations during the seminar.
Several groups of Italian academics from the universities have visited the desert cities of Iran over the past two years to review the country’s traditional architecture.
Iranian scholar Mohammad-Taqi Hariri will be giving a lecture on “Sustainable Architecture and Conservation in Energy” during the seminar, which will be sponsored by the Iranian Embassy in Rome, the Italian groups’ tour guide Ahmad Sebt-Hosseini said.
Stefano Russo from Italy will also discuss the globalization of sustainable architecture in the colloquium, he added.
“The seminar is arranged to help enhance Iran’s cultural and scientific knowledge on bio-environment and find ways for more research on architecture in Iran,” he remarked.
The articles on sustainable architecture will later come out both in Italian and Persian after the seminar and will be available to university students.
An exhibit of maps on Iran’s sustainable architecture will also be held at the museum for one month, he concluded.
Statistics released by the Iranian tourism office show that the number of tourists arriving in Persepolis has increased by 25 percent Fars News Agency reported. According to the statistics the department keeps, roughly 1.3 million tourists visited the 2,500-year-old site in the year 2007, Fars Province Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism officials said.
The officials also noted a boost in the southern Fars Province tourism industry, saying Persepolis has experienced a 25-percent growth in tourist arrivals reaching 1.7 million in number, press tv said.
Improved facilities provided for tourists are part of the reasons for the boost. Drop-off child care and a park for children are provided for families to have a relaxing visit.
The prediction is that Iran will account for two percent of international tourists by 2025.
Once known as the richest city under the sun, Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire, one of the greatest powers of the ancient world.
Darius established Persepolis in 519 BCE as the most magnificent of the four Achaemenid capitals -- Susa, Ecbatana, Persepolis and Babylon -- which were established in logistically important locations to help Achaemenid kings efficiently administer their vast empire.
Situated 70 km northeast of modern day Shiraz, Persepolis (meaning city of the Fars) was built by Darius I and his successors over a 50-year period.
Spanning an area of over 125,000 square meters, the Achaemenid capital was known for its stunning inscriptions, unique architecture and wooden columns made of Lebanese cedar and Indian teak tree.
Persepolis, the ancient ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire, was registered on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1979.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that his country's national soccer squad has the potential to be a pioneer in the Asian continent Fars News Agency reported. The Iranian president made the remark in a cabinet meeting held on Sunday.
"Iran has a high capacity in various fields, especially sports," Ahmadinejad said. "Iran's Physical Education Organization should make more efforts to pave the way for the talents to be discovered."
"We must act in a way not to hurt people's feelings, especially the youth," press tv quoted him as saying.
Ahmadinejad's comments come after Iran's national soccer team suffered a 2-1 humiliating defeat against Saudi Arabia in its fifth World Cup qualifier in the presence of about 100,000 fans at Tehran's Azadi Stadium on Saturday.
The result moved Saudi Arabia to third spot in Asian Qualifying Group B with seven points. South Korea is currently in second place with eight points out of four matches. Iran is fourth with six points while the UAE sits at the bottom of the chart with only one point.
The 40-year-old Iranian boss apologized to the Iranians for the defeat and said, "I accept the (responsibility for) defeat, and I apologize to the Iranian people. But we still have the opportunity to make it to the World Cup."
The Iranian manager Ali Daei was sacked due to his weak performance during the World Cup qualifying matches.
According to the chairman of the Iranian Football Federation (IFF) Ali Kafashian, the IFF prefers to appoint an Iranian couch ahead of the upcoming games.
TEHRAN (FNA)- At least 420 people lost their lives on Iranian roads during the first twelve days of the Iranian New Year which began on March 21st, according to reports and statements issued by the Police and medical emergency services.
Exceeding the speed limit and not fastening the back seat belt were the main factors which account for a majority of traffic fatalities, police reports said.
According to an MNA report, the Police statistics also showed that 827 road accidents were recorded during the first 5 days of the Iranian calendar year and over 23,000 vehicles were impounded in the same period.
Road accidents are estimated to claim the lives of over 25,000 people in Iran each year. Every year as the Iranian people celebrate the renewal of spring, there is a large increase in the number of holiday trips and that is when the casualty toll on the roads mount.
