President battles with his own party amid suspense and turmoil

Sunday, July 19, 2015

• Ecstasy and agony over Sirisena’s mes sage to the nation: UNP overjoyed, SLFP and UPFA furious
• For the first time party leader gets enjoining  order to prevent special meeting of his party;rumours of plans to expel him
• Heated arguments over nominations and national list: UPFA list was handed over minutes before deadline

It was an epochal, rare and historic moment in Sri Lanka’s three decade old executive presidency.A President heaped both agony and ecstasy to his fellow countrymen on the eve of a parliamentary election.

Just one sentence in a 62 minute address to the nation said it all. President Maithripala Sirisena declared that he would urge “the people to select those who are suitable to march forward with the January 8 mandate.” The message was clear – support the United National Party (UNP) and its allies. It is the UNP and its allies who had carried forward the mandate with a 100 Day Programme of Work. The President cemented his appeal by saying “after the election results are declared, for the next five years I will take forward the transformation that began on January 8 and continue on the same path for the next five years.” The people, he said he was certain, would judge him by the end of that period.

President Battles With His Own Party Amid Suspense and Turmoil by Thavam Ratna

Good Heart but No Blood

None of the politicians who support MR can be identified as principled people. At the Jan 8 elections most of them remained on the fence to go with the tide. Some of those who did not openly support Mahinda at the Presidential election have come forward this time hoping the tide may turn in MR’s favour.

by Helasingha Bandara

( July 19, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Notwithstanding all the shortcomings, people still believe that Maithri is leagues ahead of Mahinda in his sincerity, humility, wish to restore democracy, law and order and help the poor. Although he has regained some of his credibility after his recent speech, he must realise that he has made big mistakes and likely to make some more if he does not follow his good heart. Being aware of MR’s undignified personality and the political cunning, friends and well wishers have warned MS of likely manoeuvres of MR. They have suggested countermeasures. MS does not seem to have a panel of readers to gather daily information and pass the most important suggestions and advice to him. The time is ripe for him to involve such a strategy if he intends to survive the five years.

This writer suggested the right actions in an article on 26 February entitled “New Regime Should Not Commit Hara-kiri”. That was written soon after the new regime came to power and at the very early stages of Mahinda’s manipulations to get back to power. Just before MR was allowed to contest the elections, another article was published on 20th of June entitled “Maithri Should Sack Them All” followed by “Who Is In A Dilemma”. All those articles highlighted one principle that is to do the right thing without hesitation. People know what is right and reward the right actions.
Mistakes of the common alliance

The UNP thought it could capitalise on a potential split of the UPFA into Maithri and Mahinda factions. The JVP thought that all anti Mahinda SLFP vote would go to them in the absence of a Sirisena faction emerging to contest the election. Maithri did not have the vision to sack all of them who wanted to go along with Mahinda and form a new SLFP with a new breed of respectable aspiring politicians. The ideal strategy to defeat Mahinda’s aspiration to return to power could have been a united front of all those parties that worked together to defeat Mahinda at the Presidential election. In Sri Lanka, nothing can beat the power hunger of each and every one who is involved in politics. Such greed and power struggle between parties and individuals leave the voter in the lurch. The SLFP supporters who voted against Mahinda have now been left with a serious dilemma as to whom to vote for. Some of them cannot vote for the UNP and they are left without options.

Cunning or straightforwardness

MS’s speech was full of innuendos about his political cunning in order to achieve some promises he made before Jan 8 elections. Had he done the right thing rather than being politically cunning he could have been in a better position to save the Jan 8 achievements. For example, he said he needed to get the support of the majority of UPFA MPs to get the 19th amendment passed, which was one of the promises. He did not need to. If he warned the MPs that he would reveal who would not support such progressive amendments he would have still got the required support. Similarly, when some people threatened to part company with him he should have let them all go and appoint clean people to head SLFP constituencies. The new people would not have any difficulty to win as people in general are waiting for the emergence of clean, respectable, decent young people to become parliamentarians. Rajapksha and the clan could have been driven into oblivion easily because people know that the people around Rajapaksha have only one thing in their minds: that is to benefit themselves, their families and cronies from the corrupt political environment that MR has endorsed.

Evil intentions

None of the politicians who support MR can be identified as principled people. At the Jan 8 elections most of them remained on the fence to go with the tide. Some of those who did not openly support Mahinda at the Presidential election have come forward this time hoping the tide may turn in MR’s favour. Almost all of the politicians in Sri Lanka, irrespective of party affiliations, are opportunistic rather than principled. Their understanding of politics is completely skewed that they think politics is a job in which quick bucks can be earned without much difficulty and without any educational, professional and social qualifications.

Although it needed a lot of patience to listen to the politicians who spoke at the Anuradhapura UPFA rally, this writer listened to full speeches of Sarath Silva, Gammanpila, Vasu, Tissa, Weerawansa and Mahinda himself. None of them spoke one word about policies, about their past mistakes, how they have been reformed, how they are going to stop all corruption and other antisocial activities and so on. They all gave the usual no substance firework speeches (Mal wedi Katha) repeating that MR saved the country from the Tigers and calling the opponents names, the usual sing song that went on the rallies of Mahinda at the past election. It was Sri Lanka voters who sent Mahinda home not the Americans or the Indian as the speakers insinuated. I must add that when Sarath Silva spoke I felt like asking “umba reddak andagenada kathakaranne”. The cultural interpretation is where is your shame, dignity, respect and so on to change your stance that often and regularly.

My father used to say “minihek unama kelin ley thienna oone” (to be a real man one should have straight blood). As a child, I had always wondered how can blood be straight. I now understand the meaning. Even if you have a good heart, if you do not have that so called straight blood you do not have the courage to act on your instinct. MS is a strong case in point.

Lesson from Greece for Sri Lanka: Ignore economic policy governance and be doomed! 

Monday, 20 July 2015

Greece’s problem is home-grown and its politicians, past and present, along with the people should take the blame. International creditors are responsible for its woes only to the extent of failing to make a proper assessment of the future credit risks of the country and issuing timely warning signals to Greece’s spend-loving politicians by withdrawing the fund flows. 

Lesson From Greece for Sri Lanka Ignore Economic Policy Governance and Be Doomed! by Thavam Ratna

Susil Premjayantha’s wife caught taking bribe unable to face the humiliation attempts suicide !

(Lanka-e-News -18.July.2015, 10.35PM)  The wife of Susil Premajayantha has consumed poison unable to bear the ignominy and stigma following the exposure of the bribes taken by her on behalf of her husband to admit children to superior schools when   Premajayantha was the minister of education, based on a news item reaching Lanka e news. Premajayantha who tries to parade as a great paragon of virtue under the delusion that the people have forgotten all his outrageous rackets  became notorious  following  his inferior fuel deals (getting down adulterated fuel )when he was the minister of petroleumග

Premajayantha was a lawyer linked to   lands and properties of Bandaranaike family. He was granted the Western province chief minister post because of his close ties with Chandrika Bandaranaike ( a former president) and her family , ignoring the seniors. Not enough , Chandrika also  propelled Pramajayantha to become a parliamentary member , made him the education minister and appointed him as the Attanagala organizer which was earlier confined to her   family members.

Susil Premajayantha a born accomplished racketeer, instead of safeguarding the trust reposed by Chandrika in him , when admitting children to superior schools began collecting kicbacks  through his wife.Unfortunately for Pramajayantha, his  husband -wife joint operation of collecting bribes reached the ears of Chandrika, for the bribe taking couple had not spared even those who were  close to Chandrika.  Latter had then phoned Susil’s wife and bitterly berated her while threatening to dismiss Susil from the post of education minister. .After jointly carrying out the bribe collection operation , she alone getting scolded had driven her to great despair and shame .A few days later she had tried to consume poison with a view to committing suicide. However as prompt action was taken and she was admitted to  hospital her life was saved.Chandrika some days later withdrew  the education ministry porfolio from Susil and brought it under her purview. 

Susil who gained experience in bribe taking and illicit commision collecting while being under Chandrika was given the ministry of petroleum portfolio by the Rajapakse regime which is a byword for monumental corruption and bribery . Susil ‘s experience in bribery and corruption was fully taken advantage of by the Rajapakse regime by allocating the petroleum ministry to Susil which opens the gateway wide for those illicit earnings , so that Susil and  Rajapakse regime in partnership could line their pockets.

Susil did yeoman service to Rajapakses by sharing the illicit earnings in the right ratio.However the apple cart overturned when a massive commission was aimed at , and inferior fuel adulterated with water was got down.

It is Susil’s son who went all the way to Singapore to collect the massive commission . Meanwhile vehicles began to stall on the roads after using Susil’s water mixed fuel , sparking  a huge controversy , leading to Islnadwide  protests . Although the  Rajapakse regime   had strong motive to cover up this whole racket because of the huge commissions shared , but owing to  the water adulterated fuel issue getting  out of control , the Rajapakse  regime had no choice but dismiss Susil the water mixed fuel commission expert  from his portfolio and save themselves from peril created by Susil  as both parties were partners in the crime.

Rajapakse regime then entrusted the petroleum ministry to another vulture by the name of Anura Priyadharshana the next capable illicit commission agent who could liaise perfectly with the Rajapakse regime when gobbling up commissions . This task he carried out so well for the benefit of the regime and himself  to the detriment of the country , that no sooner Maithripala Sirisena left the SLFP secretary post and became the opposition common candidate than Anura Priyadharshana was made the secretary.

Today, it is the same Susil Premajayantha and Anura Priyadharshana the two notorious scoundrels who drowned the petroleum corporation in frauds and illicit commission rackets  who are  in the vanguard of the campaign to rescue the drowning Mahinda Rajapakse and steer forward his blue brigade of crooks .This crooked duo only are engaged in the conspiracies as SLFP and UPFA secretaries.Mervyn Silva revealed recently that the nomination list of Maithripala Sirisena was changed by this corrupt and crooked duo after consulting with the Rajapakses meaning that the duo are so closely intertwined with the Rajapakse crooks. It is natural for birds of  same feather to flock together.

No matter what ,Susil Premajayantha who is well known both  for his clownish pranks and crooked games became a laughing stock at the maiden rally of the UPFA today when he said , instead of the present financial crimes special invetsigation unit , under their government , through a parliamentary enactment a new Institution shall be established to  invetsigate corruption. It is significant to note that it is Susil who is uttering this claptrap now , and it is he and his Rajapakses who could not establish such an Institution while being in power for ten long  years , and it is during the same period Susil’s wife did not have any  necessity to attempt suicide despite committing the worst of crimes.

Aney Susil was it the atomic pill you swallowed that has enabled you to utter such lies  through your  every stinking orifice   (when ordinarily humans only lie employing their mouths)  after gobbling up the massive commissions amassed via water  adulterated fuel imports , thereby putting the country in dire peril

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by     (2015-07-18 19:26:35)

Excise officers seize cannabis from Sabaragamuwa CM’s security vehicle

"I want the law is implemented to the letter" – Maheepala Herath

Maheepala Herath

by Suresh Perera-July 18, 2015

A security back-up vehicle of Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Maheepala Herath was taken into custody by excise officers while allegedly transporting two kilograms of Indian cannabis, commonly known as ‘KG’ (Kerala Ganja) at Polgahawela yesterday.

A special squad of excise officers from Colombo intercepted the jeep on information received and arrested the driver with the package of drugs, officials said.

Maheepala had complained to the Kegalle police around 7 am that he found his security back up vehicle and the driver missing when he came out to leave on an official engagement, police spokesman, ASP Ruwan Gunasekera said.

He said the detection had been made by excise officers and the police had no information on what was found in the Chief Minister’s vehicle.

Though there were claims that the vehicle belonged to the police department, Maheepala denied it saying it was released from the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council (PC) for his security.

He said that he found the vehicle and the driver missing in the morning and no sooner he heard about the detection of drugs, he asked the authorities to take ensure that the law is implemented to the letter.

"I also directed the Provincial Secretary to immediately interdict the driver, a permanent employee of the PC", the Chief Minister told The Sunday Island.

Rajapaksa’s sky jack of Sri Lankan flights : Rs 785M for three years

By Namini Wijedasa-Sunday, July 19, 2015

The Sunday Times obtains documents showing expenses of the former President

Former President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, spent more than Rs. 785 million within three years to charter SriLankan Airlines aircraft for his visits abroad, documents obtained by the Sunday Times show. The airbuses would often remain idle in various airports until Mr Rajapaksa finished his tours. SriLankan has billed his office a total of Rs 785,079,185 for 90 aircraft movements in 2012, 2013 and 2014. This figure does not reflect other multiple costs such as crew accommodation. These expenses were often met by Sri Lanka’s diplomatic missions abroad.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa being welcomed in Tokyo after he arrived there on a SriLankan Airlines flight

Mr Rajapaksa usually flew on one of two Airbus A340s owned by SriLankan. Their registration numbers are 4R-ADG(a 243-seater) and 4R-ADE (a 299-seater). These long-haul aircraft are the largest the company operates. The respective airbus would be unavailable to other paying passengers whenever Mr. Rajapaksa hired it. This could mean several days.

The most expensive excursion recorded within the three years—in terms of aircraft usage alone—are Mr Rajapaksa’s trips in June 2012 to Lisbon in Portugal, Havana in Cuba, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Johannesburg in South Africa. The expenses are estimated at Rs. 98,270,460 or nearly Rs. 100 million.

The plane left for Lisbon on June 15. It later dropped Mr Rajapaksa in Havana and returned to Colombo. It then departed from Colombo to Rio de Janeiro, where the former President was attending the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development – and to where he most likely took a commercial flight; ferried him to Johannesburg and came back to Colombo by June 24. That same month, Mr Rajapaksa also chartered flights to Bangkok and London. Five months later, SriLankan Airlines hired out the 4R-ADG for another elaborate journey. It flew Mr Rajapaksa to Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on November 19. After two days on the ground, the plane took him to Dubai. From there, the former President boarded a commercial flight for a private visit to Baltimore in the United States. The aircraft returned from Dubai to Colombo on November 22. It went back to Dubai on November 27 to pick up Mr Rajapaksa, who was en route from Baltimore, and deposited him in Colombo on the same day.

In March 2013, the 4R-ADG was chartered for the inaugural flight to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport. That journey only cost the former President’s office a modest Rs. 1,780,800. But June 2014 was another busy month. Mr Rajapaksa flew to Cape Town in South Africa and to Santa Cruz in Bolivia before returning to Colombo. A few days later, he visited Male in the Maldives and the Seychelles, all on chartered flights. The total cost of those excursions was Rs. 76,600,084.

Mr Rajapaksa even chartered a plane for his trip in December 2014 to Tirupati, in South India. Not long after calling a snap presidential election, he flew there to offer prayers at the famous Lord Venkateswara Temple. The cost – Rs. 3,916,836. The bill remains unsettled. He lost his re-election bid not long afterwards.

Another invoice of Rs. 44,195,550 for Mr Rajapaksa’s visit in October 2014 to Rome and the Vatican in Italy has also not been paid, along with a bill of Rs. 28,816,590 for trips in November 2014 to Kathmandu in Nepal and Male in the Maldives. Most other dues have been settled while he was in office.

SriLankan’s costing for these hires do not take into account excessive delays caused by VVIP movements at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). Nor do they account for flight transfers missed by other paying passengers as a result of these interruptions.

That was not all. Whenever the former President took one large aircraft out of circulation, a multitude of other SriLankan flights had to be adjusted to carry out the operations the missing plane had been scheduled fly. Millions of rupees were lost by the national carrier.

Between December 8 and 20, no less than 45 SriLankan Airlines flights were delayed “due (to) unavailability of ADG due special ops”. This is plainly stated in the company’s official ‘Delay Analysis for December 2013’, a copy of which was obtained by the Sunday Times. “ADG” is a reference to 4R-ADG.

The majority of these, or 37 flights, were late exiting Colombo. However, operations out of several other airports were also disrupted. They are Guangzhou and Shanghai in China, Moscow in Russia, Doha in Qatar, Dubai in the UAE, London in Britain, Chennai in India, and Male in the Maldives. Within those 12 days alone, 72 hours were lost off flight schedules as a result of one aircraft being hired for the use of one VVIP and his teams.

The reasons cited include “A/C (aircraft) changed due to unavailability of ADG due (to) special ops”; “Late boarding due (to) remote bay ops due (to) VVIP movement”; “UL563 delayed due (to) unavailability of ADG due (to) special ops”; and “Insufficient G/T (ground time) for Rotation due (to) unavailability of ADG due (to) special ops”; and so on.

In June 2014, the situation was much worse. That month, 59 SriLankan flights experienced disruptions after the 4R-ADE was reserved to cart Mr Rajapaksa around. He visited Cape Town in Johannesburg, Santa Cruz in Boliva, Male in the Maldives and the Seychelles. According to the ‘Delay Analysis for June 2014’, also seen by the Sunday Times, there were lags in Colombo, Guangzhou and Shanghai in China, Mumbai and Chennai in India, Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait City in Kuwait, and Male in the Maldives.

From June 11 to 30, 19 hours were lost off the flight schedules. The many reasons cited include “Unavailability of ADE due (to) special ops”; “Late boarding due (to) VVIP movement”; “Late departure due (to) VVIP movement”; and a large number of “aircraft rotations” arising from “unavailability of ADE due (to) special ops”.

“The flight schedule is planned according to the number of aircraft available,” a senior pilot explained. He did not wish to be named. “When one is pulled out, the airline must turn planes around with minimum time, or as quickly as possible, to make up for the flights that the missing aircraft was slotted to do.”

“If, by chance, there is a technical issue or some other delay on one of the aircraft that are in service, everything piles up and it is difficult to catch up because we are minus an airplane,” he said. “It continues till the aircraft is brought back or a flight is cancelled to make good for lost time.”

Mr Rajapaksa was known to take inflated delegations on some of his visits. But they were rarely large enough to fill the planes. “There were a lot of empty seats,” said an official who had been on board one of these flights. On excursions that took several days, SriLankan was also forced to forfeit the services of pilots and cabin crew that travelled with the former President. They were handpicked for these assignments.

Sajin back in Prison ward Skin disease found to be bogus

2015-07-20

Former Parliamen-tarian Sajin de Vaas Gunawardena who is currently in remand custody for the misuse of 16 State owned vehicles was ordered to be removed from Prison Hospital and relocated into a normal prison ward by the Colombo High Court Justice Ranawaka Gunatileke.

The decision was taken after it was found that Sajin had been diagnosed with a nonexistent fictitious skin disease. A report was submitted to the Courts, after a medical check-up was conducted on the former parliamentarian, which states that he did not in fact have a skin disease.

Pakistan, India troops exchange fire in disputed Kashmir

Indian security forces are seen along the India-Pakistan borderline in Kashmir. (file photo)

Sat Jul 18, 2015

Pakistani and Indian troops have once again exchanged fire along the de facto border in the disputed region of Kashmir.

The Pakistani army said in a statement that Indian forces used heavy weapons on Saturday to pound Nezapir sector in Kashmir as people were celebrating the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

According to the statement, Pakistani forces responded with their own barrage to the "unprovoked firing" by India.

There has been no immediate report of possible casualties, local officials said.

Indian army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta, however, held Pakistan responsible for initiating the fire.

The Pakistani army targeted Indian positions in Kashmir with guns and mortar attacks for more than two hour on Friday night and again resorted to "unprovoked firing" on Saturday, Mehta said, adding that Indian troops responded "appropriately."

Local police sources said terrified citizens fled the area following the intense artillery fire.

Kashmir lies at the heart of almost 68 years of hostility between India and Pakistan. Both neighbors claim the region in full but have partial control over it.

Islamabad and New Delhi have fought three wars, two of which were launched over Kashmir, since their independence from the British colonial rule in 1947.

In 2003, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire along the so-called Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, and launched peace talks a year later. The process was, however, suspended after over 160 people lost their lives in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

Statement by the President on Iran

The White House-State Floor

Office of the Press Secretary

**Please see below for a correction, marked with an asterisk.

July 14, 2015-7:02 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Today, after two years of negotiations, the United States, together with our international partners, has achieved something that decades of animosity has not -- a comprehensive, long-term deal with Iran that will prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Statement by the President on Iran by Thavam Ratna

U.S. to Boost Military Aid to Nigeria for Boko Haram Fight

Washington wants to help Nigeria’s new president battle one of Africa’s deadliest terrorist groups, but don’t expect a fleet of surveillance drones to be part of the mix.

BY DAN DE LUCE, SIOBHÁN O'GRADY-JULY 16, 2015

The United States will expand its military assistance to Nigeria to help it wage war on the Boko Haram extremist group, but it doesn’t plan to provide any of the coveted surveillance drones that are needed for U.S. counterterrorism missions around the world.

U.S. to Boost Military Aid to Nigeria for Boko Haram Fight by Thavam Ratna

Is this guy serious? Could Republican frontrunner Trump actually win?

He’s brash, outspoken and provocative – and he’s the leading GOP candidate in polls. Experts doubt he can go the distance but he has already changed the race

Donald Trump: ‘At some point voters are going to say, is this a man whose finger I want on the button?’ Photograph: Charles Rex Arbogast/AP



Tom McCarthy in New York-Sunday 19 July 2015
For two serene months after Donald Trump announced in March that he was forming a presidential exploratory committee, he failed to register in national political polls. People basically thought he was kidding.

Then something funny happened. Trump, the developer and reality TV star, began hiring staffers in early voting states. He travelled to political rallies. He held a campaign launch event. And his poll numbers began to climb.

Is This Guy Serious Could Republican Frontrunner Trump Actually Win by Thavam Ratna

Jailed Tibetan monk died of heart attack: China's state media

Sun Jul 19, 2015

A prominent Tibetan monk whose death in jail in China last week raised new questions about the rights of the Tibet community, suffered a heart attack after often refusing to see doctors or take medicine, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, 65, died in the Dazhu County People's Hospital in southwest China's Sichuan province, near the prison where he had been serving a life sentence for "crimes of terror and incitement of separatism".

Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's sister, Dolkar, said on Thursday he had been cremated against his family's wishes and in violation of Tibetan Buddhist traditions. She also said officials had not told her the cause of his death, adding to her suspicions.

The Xinhua state news agency said a guard had found Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was not breathing after he took a nap at around mid-day on July 12.

"Doctors of the hospital's emergency center came to rescue and sent him for further treatment in the hospital's ICU (intensive care unit)," Xinhua said, adding he was declared dead about an hour later.

His right to health care has been guaranteed since his imprisonment but "many times, (he) either refused to see doctors or take medicine, fluctuating his symptoms", it said.

Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was a supporter of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader who Beijing accuses of being a dangerous separatist.

He was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve in 2003 after being found guilty of masterminding five bombings in Sichuan province, Xinhua said. The sentence was later commuted to life in prison.

The United States, the European Union and international rights groups had called for his release.

China has ruled Tibet with an iron fist since it took over the region in 1950, and has cracked down heavily on those who support the Dalai Lama, who fled into India in 1959 following an abortive uprising.

(Reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Robert Birsel)

UK's first low-cost 'positive energy' house built in Wales

THURSDAY 16 JULY 2015

The three-bedroom family home near Bridgend - which took just 16 weeks to construct - can export more power to the grid than it consumes, experts say.

The property has been designed by a team led by Cardiff University. It combines technology which both reduces energy demand, and generates and stores renewable energy.

The house features glazed solar panels built into the roof and a battery storage system so that power generated can be used at a later stage.

It also uses a range of insulation techniques to cut power consumption - including thermal insulation to reduce air leakage and structural insulated panels.

The designers predict that for every £100 of electricity used from the national grid, the house should be able to export £175 of electricity back.

And they say that at around £1,000 per square metre to build, the property is low cost -- comparable to the target for social housing of £800 to £1,000 per square metre.

Zero-carbon future

Professor Phil Jones, head of the Solcer project, said: "Now the house has been built our key task is to ensure that all of the measures that we have put in place are monitored to ensure the most energy efficient use.

"We will use this information to inform future projects with the aim of ensuring that Wales remains at the heart of the development of a zero-carbon housing future.

"The building demonstrates our leading edge low carbon supply, storage and demand technologies at a domestic scale which we hope will be replicated in other areas of Wales and the UK in the future," he added.

How your cellphone knows if you’re depressed. It has to do with how you move through time and space.

In this Sept. 9, 2014 file photo, the iPhone 6 Plus is displayed during an announcement of new products by Apple. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Ariana Eunjung Cha-July 16

Mobile phones are the modern American's most faithful companion. They follow us from home to work, the gym and grocery store, and back again. They never forget a birthday, anniversary or soccer game. And they are always available to offer advice about our finances, spelling and love life -- no matter what time of day or night.

It isn't a theory but a fact to say that your smartphone knows more about you than you do.

A growing number of scientists are starting to mine this data in the hopes that it will help them understand what makes you happy or sad, and pinpoint signs of a disease long before it can be diagnosed by a blood sample or MRI, helping you live longer and better.

In one of the first of a number of studies in the works to be published, researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine believe they have found a way for your smartphone to determine if you're depressed.

[Could depression be an early manifestation of Parkinson’s?]

Through an ad on Craigslist, the research team recruited 28 volunteers -- 20 females and eight males ranging in ages from 19 to 58 -- and collected GPS and phone usage information on them for two weeks. The data was collected by an app called "Purple Robot" that was developed in-house. The researchers also asked the volunteers to complete a number of health questionnaires. It turned out that exactly half had some signs of depression.

In a study published Wednesday in the Journal of Medical Research, they report that the more time you spend using your phone the more likely it is that you're depressed. That link didn't hold true for 100 percent of people, however. A second analysis that looked at how people move through time and space showed stronger correlations.

By using this data the researchers were able to identify people with depressive symptoms with a startling 87 percent accuracy although they noted that the results are based on a small sample size and are therefore preliminary.

"If these methods are successful in finding out if someone has depression, symptoms won't require any input from the patient. We'll be able to passively and objectively measure behavior without a patient having to report this every day," lead author Sohrob Saeb, a computer scientist, said.

[Why are some depressed, others resilient? Scientists home in one part of the brain.]

Using some pretty complex algorithms and mapping, Saeb and his colleagues found that three ways of looking at how a person moves seem to impact the presence and severity of depressive symptoms:

• Circadian movement
• Normalized entropy
• Location variance

Saeb defined circadian movement -- a term his team made up based on the idea of the 24-hour circadian rhythm of some animals and plants -- as how regularly people are moving between locations from day to day. "If they move from home to work at the same time across days or at different times," he explained in an interview. They assigned scores based on how "regular" their movements were according to these measures. The highest possible value would go to someone who went to exactly the same place at exactly same time every day. "That kind of person didn't exist in our study," Saeb said. The higher the score, the less likely a person was to have depressive symptoms.

Normalized entropy is a measure of how uniformly you distribute your time across different locations. If a person's entropy score is zero, "you are always staying in the same location at the same time," Saeb explained. "At the other end you are spending time equally in different locations." The higher the score, the less likely a person was to have depressive symptoms.

The last measure -- location variance -- Saeb defined as "mobility in space, how much you are moving." So if a person moved a lot in terms of physical distance, they got a higher score. Again, the higher the number, the fewer the depressive symptoms. "That was not very surprising," Saeb said.

[Six-pack abs: the next weapon against depression]

The implications of this type of work are enormous, not only for the future of health care but for people's privacy. It wasn't so long ago that people worried about the data collected by marketers using information about your purchasing habits from your credit card, marketing surveys and zipcode. That amount of information seems very limited now in comparison to the intimate moments and habits your cellphone is logging every second.

 

Saeb said the group's next step is to try to duplicate the study in a larger population and to add more sensors so they can measure the types of physical activity, sleep, communications, and other aspects of a person's life. One promising area, he believes, is in looking at speech patterns and what they can tell about your mental health.

A key question he said he hopes to answer in the coming years is "whether it is these behaviors that are causing the depression or whether the depression is causing the behaviors."

"Or it can be both," Saeb said, "It can be bidirectional."

Read more:

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Ariana Eunjung Cha is a national reporter. She has previously served as the Post's bureau chief in Shanghai and San Francisco, and as a correspondent in Baghdad.