text:
|2010-08-31, 19:20
|Link #261
Join Date: Jun 2010
Along with what Elo has said, the fact that Heero has been shown accomplishing no less than:
1. Being able to bend steel bars
2. Control his own heart rate ([plausible for a normal human with training, but still)
3. Move normally with several interior bruises and bone fractures/breaks
4. Roll down a 20 ft craggy cliff and get up again with little more than a slight limp
5. Survive a small nuclear blast
He ain't a normal human.
|2010-08-31, 19:37
|Link #262
Mama there goes that man!
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: UK
He had to have underwent some enhancements during his training though.
|2010-09-01, 01:24
|Link #263
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Yet another summary... So it seems Treize wanted a cute little sister like Dorothy? Whoa... Well, this at least justifies that comment Dorothy made to Milliardo before boarding Libra about having fun being playmates with him and Treize when they were little. Also, Keelia (?) is Dorothy's mother's name? Can anyone think of a romanization that corresponds with an English name? Celia?
- A line -
Princess Aurora [names the world]
If the words of Kyashii police, people sleep in capsules for artificial hibernation freezing point-Heero Yuy. Chang Ku 曰 masters "was pregnant with a lofty spirit," he said.
The most famous classical ballet composed by Tchaikovsky in Operation [Myutosu comes from naming. Four-part song is prologue, it is necessary to decompress the data-awakening of the four.
- Power line -
Kyashii Poo [names]
Preventer women who belong to the agent. Sato associate rank. [Myutosu in Operation and lunar Gandamupairotto, Snow White, or new equipment and know 』[Wizards, including this one closely related to the cases.
Poo Saryi mother of this title appeared, his father is unknown. Kyashii and illustrated in, the appearance of Father Maxwell says, "just like" seems to be the face of it, and eastern Europe.
(⇒ Then his father, in Chang Wufei not?)
Dorothy T · ordered by the president of Catalonia [Zhang masters and allowed to bring in Operation Myutosu three data files in order to invoke a preventer toward the base in the North Polar Cap on Mars Mars bureau.
Has a sense of responsibility for their duties, and hence I, [Ronde redemption requests to inspect the data are brought in the Father.
Rear Catalonia keys [names]
People said it was crazy Romufera Foundation. Colonel rank.
Academy has been an instructor of Treize, seemed eager to theory and strategies, especially the latest mobile suit pilot.
Rear view of Treize is a nephew key to good students so much as Treize and nephew were over pretty eyes.
- Line - Transfer -
Masa Kazu Sakai [names]
Long-distance high-speed hover ship's captain VOYAGE preventer.
Poo Saryi [names]
Characters in this title, one of EW. Agents belonging to the original preventer. Currently unknown.
Kyashii Poo mother. AC196 years, eight months before the incident serves to escort Marimeia Dhulian Ririna Deputy Foreign Minister, attended a meeting with a mysterious old man. The pattern has been recorded.
- Line data -
Duo Maxwell Worldwide names]
Characters in this title, one of EW. Is the name of the pilot of Gundam comes out from time to time such as data files brought Kyashii, while recognizing that it was the pilot of the Gundam name, Kyashii it was using more than one person has suggested.
In fact, in this title is often used as a pseudonym is Heero Yuy, brilliantly Kyashii is seeing right through the case is used as an alias Heero and Duo cases that person.
Duo Maxwell [names]
The boy showed his room bureau bureau chief Martian North Polar Cap preventer base with Father Maxwell. Bad mouth, a hen has been three long hair bad eyes or gaze tough, but doing so was treated as a 小馬鹿 Kyashii, a reliable technology to carry off a sign Kyashii have.
Father Maxwell father, the mother seems to have already died is unclear. How he died fairly young age, Father Maxwell is the evil of his mouth "after her death, one for grown 男手" We are in the mouth.
[Princess Aurora by Father Maxwell (Heero Yuy) They're on the train up enough to match the arms, it appears likely that the new machine in anticipation of full-time pilot.
Doctor T [names]
Details are unknown. [Snow White (Snow White) and The Wizard (Warlock) 』apparently coordinated.
(⇒ T if Troyes substantially, the former Gandamupairotto do that Trowa Barton?)
Treize Kushurinada [names]
AC171 ~ AC195 (died at age 24)
The preventer is a person who is recorded as noted below.
Foundation executives and [Romufera, a young leader to oversee a secret society OZ.
The Foundation is a leader Romufera grandfather was born elite. Attract many supporters who believe in exceptional charisma and political skills more powerful.
Every action has been backed by his own philosophy and aesthetics, Treize faction calling itself the confidence of his men was a great lady and Anne.
The higher consciousness of guilt over the war, remembered the names of all fallen and the number of people went through this war.
After the coup of the Association of OZ, for openly advocated a different policy Romufera Foundation, once the fall, will be imprisoned as a traitor's death Derumaiyu Marquis again, OZ comeback to the leader.
After taking over the position of the head from the unified state Ririna Queen of the world, launched a total war with the craft and learn the real piece de Howaitofangu representative colony of revolutionary organization.
EVE WARS is a huge challenge in the form of an end to the Ribura ship duel called in, firing a gun at the real body is rejecting it. Result, the largest in human history initiated by the MS against the word of command of the space between Treize.
State and melee combat against Treize, of which the person is ultimately the pilot Gundam 05, so after a fierce battle, defeated and killed 』
The above figure is called a history of preventer Kushurinada Treize.
His parents are Angelina, daughter of Kushurinada Kushurinada Sankanto Romufera Foundation and former president of Ain Yui Heero Yui is the nephew of the legendary leader of the colony, be born as their son. And half-brother and a van Kushurinada difference two years old, wanted to take over the family foundation and Kushurinada Romufera around the van can also Treize.
Treize first memory is a trip to the peninsula and Sukannadiva different father and mother and brother, just that day was the day my father was assassinated Ein Yui Heero Yui leader. High sensitivity, perceive the mother's grief, and tears of the first and last time in this life.
Excellent results from boyhood, at sports and equestrian fencing was good leadership.
At age 12, entered the military academy united coalition geosphere. Senior officers in schools. Catalonia was over at the Colonel Keelia We are taught the theory of tactics and strategies eagerly latest mobile suit pilot, after the foundation of the Commander OZ.
Base in Corsica at the rear part of the class of [Tallgeese 』key witness. Tallgeese said the aircraft was left to Howard where technical experts as "It's you against thousands of enemies in just one machine," and taught, we think strong hero is said to have expressed Treize.
Treize was seeing Tallgeese "The need on the battlefield rather than soldiers armada tend to malfunction, good hero alone," concluded, the Tallgeese weapon "ideal," the Guardian, Howard The "I want my board to have any Tallgeese" told. Triggered by interaction at that time was Tallgeese camouflage that was such a shining white paint decorated.
This title in the movie, there were remarks that Treize was Tallgeese first saw it was next to Lady Anne particular colonel did not understand all of OZ, and do not show her true heart called. Hide honest approach is consistent from the Academy, was only an open mind, also known as Dorothy Catalonia was the only daughter of the rear key.
Specials Treize force formed after the mobile suits in sensitivity gained knowledge and met with Howard in the rear and met the key areas for control of a unified global coalition coup say over a few days in operation Dibureiku and robbed, strategic use of mobile suits We found a method that could be considered historic achievement, was established.
The development also focused on developing mobile suits, the successor Tallgeese after Tallgeese II, Torugi III, from design to the most comprehensive aircraft Gandamuepion fully reproduced Howard said the design concept and completion The feat also accomplished together will be set afloat.
In this work, AC-195 SUMMER data files described in his writing, which triggered one of the key operations Myutosu.
T · Dorothy Catalonia (Catalan Dorothy) [names]
Geosphere unified state president.
(⇒ W Gundam this title, appeared in the name of Dorothy Catalonia. Romufera granddaughter former president of the foundation. Given their positions, even becoming president Okashikunaku or still the same person?)
Former name seems to be likely Dorothy Catalonia (hereafter described as Dorothy Catalonia.)
Born in AC181.
Daughter of Colonel Romufera Catalan Foundation Keelia crazy.
At the age of two, there was also a distant relative muscle and Treize, she had come to visit the Academy has become better acquainted with Treize. Clever child from a young age, is said to feature there was a smile, "The Customer Treize, give it to Mr. Oyome" was the mouth.
Dorothy is like a brother to him about that Treize, Treize also wanted to really cute like her sister Dorothy that.
- Line Na -
- By Amazon -
Howard [names]
One of the scientists have developed a Tallgeese. After the assassination of the leader Heero Yuy, even after the run and people refuse to cooperate as five were working extremely talented scientists and engineers from the colony, they continue to stay as a technology base coach Corsica or.
Treize watched the specs for Tallgeese proud to excess weapons "meant to the thousands of opponents in just one machine," tells us, that is the foundation of aesthetics and the use of mobile suit after Treize remarks.
In response to Treize Tallgeese asked for was a heroic elegance and then camouflage, still has a story to tell and repainted white shining armor to this title Tallgeese appearance.
This title in duo, Zekes, has supported the role as technical support scientist Gandamupairotto five and was a captain of a giant battleship million pieces to go with the outer planets.
Later, EW subsequent development is unknown.
Heero Yuy [names]
Characters in this title, one of EW. Gundam pilot and this work appeared in this title. Kyashii these generations, especially in the Gundam pilots are well-known presence in the area between preventer confidential but it is known as.
His name was not the real name, also known as code name given the name of the legendary leader of the former colony. AC-196 SPRING he also raised the topic of the story of old age and record conversations in Ririna Dhulian data files. Old age says, "was number one. It was more than expected. Even if there is no barrier, he does not know to give up" is giving presents and praise.
(Given the commonality of data and ⇒, frozen for artificial hibernation and sleep in the capsule or Heero?)
Heero Yuy [names]
One of the characters appeared only in the name game. The name of the legendary leader of the colony. Kyashii its name is famous in their generation, one of the reasons it was exceptionally popular Gundam pilots his name with a code name.
Father Maxwell [names]
Appearance to the base room npc bureau bureau chief Mars preventer, an elderly man dressed in black clothes priest. The numbers do not belong strictly to the preventer.
Smiling and smiling all the time, the introduction Kyashii is "run and hide but, Father Maxwell tell lies" and had the mouth. Duo Maxwell's father. His wife and mother of Duo Maxwell has died.
(And the relationship between masters Zhang ⇒, and expressed that look just like Kyashii Saryi mother, dying experience and Zhang old masters at the moon base, or Duo Maxwell of this story? Then the mother, this title Hilde appearance?)
- Line Ma -
Peace Craft Miriarudo [names]
Characters in this title, one of EW. Treize Kushurinada in the data file with Friends of Eternity and noted the name had been drawn to the strikethrough. EVE WARS 』[Editor of the colonies and the mother Howaitofangu armed independence movement by civil organizations in the colony. [EVE WARS 』and death at unknown.
Kyashii is recognized as one of the Gundam pilots, he was the pilot of historical fact and XXXG Gandamuepion boasted over par performance but different.
The Marquis is a former identity OZ Zekes legendary hero, the window belonging to the preventer codename. Therefore, in view of this 作中 (AC-195 Miriarudo summer and Treize never met) will tell the truth bent one of the historical fact.
- Ya-line -
- La line -
Ririna Dhulian [names]
Characters in this title, one of EW. One of the three data files are brought Kyashii 』[AC-196 SPRING recorded conversation with a girl was left at the old age. Princess of Peace temporary home craft launched a complete pacifist Sankukingudamu princess was revived, and served as the head or a world state.
AC-196 years was Deputy Foreign Minister, was then known, from the words of President Geosphere Zhang for some reason I did not seem to be masters. And one is planned to terraforming Mars, we can grasp the end of the conversation with a completely pacifist old age.
Zhang Roshi [names]
Kyashii Poo superiors in the Chinese dignitaries packed preventer collar wears dark blue dress. "Routes in her read".
Base to stay alone in the North Polar Cap on Mars preventer bureau. Has not been declared, given that only one person in this office and bureau chief, bureau chief of Mars likely preventer. Clearly, but people talk so Shinairashii.
(⇒ 』[title of Roshi Roshi developed the same O Shenrongandamu once. Named Zhang is the surname Chang Wufei Gandamupairotto was the same person as the character of not only people who talk so clearly, could?)
- Wa-line -
- English -
J [names]
Characters in this title, one of EW. AC-196 SPRING old age in a conversation with Ririna Dhulian.
Heero Yui and the glutinous ties, the Gundam pilots Heero Yuy is he talking Ririna If it is true that the AC-tasked at the time of the year 196 new. All time anywhere for peacekeeping [Heero Yuy Ririna Dhulian sued it is necessary to deter named.
(Judging from the wording if the conversation ⇒, or Dr. J? That will be lived even after the explosion that happens in that Division million pieces ...)
Professor W [names]
Details are unknown. [Snow White (Snow White) and The Wizard (Warlock) 』apparently coordinated.
(⇒ W stands for winner if, the former Gandamupairotto do that Quatre Raberba Winner?)
Link: http://nijiirosekai.blog55.fc2.com/blog-entry-2432.html
|2010-09-01, 10:04
|Link #265
Supreme Grocer
Interesting tidbits on the blog. I'll give it a go when I get out of work. Interesting to see that Sally Po's whereabouts are unknown and that she's a "former Preventer agent" as well.
|2010-09-01, 17:18
|Link #268
Supreme Grocer
Here's some of the information from around the web:
Aurora Princess: Inferring based on Kathy's dialogue, the person sleeping in the cryostasis capsule is indicated to be Heero Yuy. According to Master Chang, it "was carrying a noble spirit". The naming comes from the very famous classical ballet "Operation Mythos" that Tchaikovsky composed. The tune of the prologue is four compositions, which in this case four data files are necessary for decompression (awakening).
Kathy Po: A female agent affiliated with Preventer. Rank is Sub Major. She aware of "Operation Mythos", the Gundam pilots of the old calendar and possibly the new units "Snow White" & "Wizard" as well as their deep connections to the recent case. Her mother is Sally Po, a main character from the original story. Father unknown. According to the book illustration and Father Maxwell, her appearance is "just like" her mothers, which seems to be Eastern European-like. In order to execute "Operation Mythos" under the orders of Master Change and authorization from President Dorothy T. Catalonia, she beings three data files to the Preventer's Arctic base on Mars. She has a sense of responsibility for her mission and so, wants to inspect the data that Father Maxwell brought, "The Round Dance of Redemption/Atonement".
Kyria Catalonia: An eccentric from the Romefeller Foundation. Rank is Colonel. An instructor at Treize's military academy who seems to have enthusiasm for piloting the latest mobile suits as well as strategy/strategic theory. Although Treize is his nephew, he favored him as an excellent pupil rather than a nephew.
Sakai Masakazu: Captain of Preventer's long distance high speed hover ship "Voyage".
Sally Po: Former Preventer agent. Current whereabouts unknown. Kathy Po's mother. In AC 196, eight months prior to the Marimaia uprising, she acts as a guard for Vice Foreign Minister Darlian as well as a sit in on the conversation with the mysterious old person. Appears to have recoded it.
|2010-09-01, 17:26
|Link #269
Join Date: Jun 2010
So there really are illustrations for the novel? Strange that none of them have popped up yet. I wonder then, if the pics of young Duo I keep seeing are actually a canon design, and why I haven't seen any of Kathy yet... ah well.
Kyria is Dorothy's father that died, then. I wonder if we'll find out the circumstances of his death finally that made Dorothy... snap, so to speak.
So "Snow White" and "Wizard" are new mobile suits, huh? I find it a little weird that Trowa and Quatre would be making mobile suits though, and that seemed to be what was inferred by a blog post I saw before... Hmmmm.
And it's seeming more and more to me like Relena's died... but I won't speculate except to myself beyond that point, haha.
Thanks for the translations!
|2010-09-01, 20:02
|Link #270
Mama there goes that man!
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: UK
Like Kitsoru, I'm wondering why illustrations haven't been released but all in due time I suppose. I'm interested to see what the new mobile suits look like.
|2010-09-01, 21:37
|Link #271
Covered in Darkness
Graphic Designer
Yea, I think they found him when he was around 4...was it proved in an interview that he is of Latin origin? Personally I am not going to believe anything till I see a proof. Maybe they might reveal something in Frozen Teardrops...
Yea, agreed too
I think that cliff was even more taller; not to forget the building...
The nuclear blast = self-destruction? True, though that was a scary scene. But I think that Wing self exploded in a weird way; I was expecting to see some fire and a total mess, but I guess gundanium doesn't burn (like any other alloy ) nor is it easily explode-able But the Trowa-explosion scares me more then this (especially since he disappeared after that >.>)
Last edited by Star-Wing; 2010-09-01 at 21:47.
|2010-09-01, 21:45
|Link #272
Covered in Darkness
Graphic Designer
And yes, it is about time that they show the illustrations; what's taking so long?
Btw, thank you very much for translating this <3 +cookies!
And no, Relena can't die...no way ;_; I don't want anyone dead...it's bad enough that Heero is frozen all alone...
|2010-09-02, 09:14
|Link #273
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
So I looked up what Kyria meant and...
The girl's name Kyria \k(y)-ria\ is a variant of Kyra (Greek), and the meaning of Kyria is "lady".
I really hope that isn't the official romanization if that is the name of Dorothy's father. @_@ Kyle, anyone?
|2010-09-02, 14:21
|Link #274
Mama there goes that man!
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: UK
Maybe he was in the suit when it blew up, maybe he wasn't. Regardless, he escaped with his life. Is when exactly Trowa was found by the mercenaries ever revealed.
I don't know if he was revealed to be of Latin descent in an interview but I've seen several unofficial bios list him as much so you're probably right.
|2010-09-02, 14:46
|Link #275
Join Date: Jun 2010
Then again, they never show how he gets from floating in the water to being in the hospital, either-- that was always a major 'buhwha?' moment for me.
Last edited by Kitsoru; 2010-09-02 at 18:23.
|2010-09-02, 20:44
|Link #277
Join Date: Jun 2010
|2010-09-02, 22:50
|Link #278
Mama there goes that man!
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: UK
Why didn't I check Catherine's bio?
|2010-09-02, 22:53
|Link #279
Covered in Darkness
Graphic Designer
|2010-09-02, 23:02
|Link #280
Goat Herder
Join Date: Jun 2008
Age: 32
|frozen teardrop, glory of the losers, gundam wing
|Thread Tools


text:
Cat Burglars and Diesel Thieves
Thieves are adding to the misery of sky-high motoring costs by stealing catalytic converters and fuel from parked cars – often causing expensive damage in the process, according to AA Insurance.
"We have noticed an increase in reports of catalytic converter thefts as well as thefts of fuel," says Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance.
Catalytic converters, which contain precious metals,* are each worth around £60 to thieves who send them for specialist processing overseas. The converter forms part of the exhaust system, so thieves either jack the car up or target vehicles with a high ground clearance such as 4x4s or trucks, in order to remove it. Several cars may be attacked at one time.
Similarly, AA Insurance is reporting claims where thieves have damaged cars while attempting to steal fuel, leaving owners facing not just the loss of a perhaps £100 worth of petrol or diesel but the cost of repairing fuel systems and car bodywork as well as the loss of their excess and possibly no claim bonus, if an insurance claim is made.
"This is a new crime causing resulting from high fuel and scrap metal values. It causes considerable inconvenience and expense for innocent motorists," says Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance. "Thieves work quickly and carelessly, sometimes causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage.
"A catalytic converter costs between £600 and £1,500 to replace, including labour cost, quite apart from repair of damage to bodywork that could cost several hundred pounds more to repair."
The AA offers hints on reducing the risk of attack and guidance on what to do if your car has been damaged:
Protect your property
- Have your catalytic converter permanently marked so that it can be traced back to the car if it is removed; this will help police to prosecute thieves. Many car dealers offer a marking service.
- Consider fitting your car with a security device that is sensitive to movement of the vehicle. Such an alarm could also gain an insurance premium discount.**
- Try to park in well lit, secure and busy car parks: look for 'Park Mark' scheme members. It's worth spending a little extra to benefit from car parks that have security systems such as staff or CCTV.
- Neighbours should watch out for each other – if a car is 'raided' make others aware; the thief could be local. Report any unusual activity to Neighbourhood Watch, community support schemes and the police
- Keep your car in your garage, if you've got one: this can bring an insurance discount.
- Consider protecting your no-claim bonus when you renew your car insurance
If your car has been attacked
- If your catalytic converter has been stolen your car will make an incredibly loud noise when the engine is started. Don't attempt to drive – the exhaust pipe may be left dragging on the ground which could cause further damage.
- If your car has been left for a long time, it's always worth having a brief check around it, particularly looking to see if the bodywork or fuel cap has been tampered with. And if your fuel gauge register's empty (even though you may have recently filled up) there's a risk that the car may splutter to a halt at an inconvenient or dangerous location.
- Report the theft to police.
- If you are a member, call the AA who will assist.
* Exhaust emissions standards were introduced for petrol cars in 1994 which in most cases means fitting a catalytic converter, which reduces pollutants from car exhausts using the precious metals platinum, palladium and rhodium as part of the process
** A Thatcham-approved Category 1 alarm and immobiliser could gain a discount depending on the vehicle model and age.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
So many great #showmyshoes Instagrams have come our way these past couple of months that we wanted to say thankx for always sending us beautiful pictures of your fabulous shoe collections. (They make us slightly jealous, but we forgive you.) Today, we decided to scroll through our hashtag feed and pick the best of the best from #showmyshoes, and let's just say you all have a notable affection for Rockstuds, Louboutin pumps and Chanel espadrilles.
Kick back, relax and check out some of our favorite Instagrams! Be sure to follow us onInstagram and keep tagging your pictures for your chance to be featured!


text:
We offer a Free quote and UK design service, get in touch today.
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text:
Get more ideas in Mishloach Manot Idea II?
Mishloach manos (literally the sending of gifts) are gifts of food or drink that are sent to friends, relatives, and acquaintances on Purim.
Purim is all about being happy and happiness is only complete when we can share it with others. As the saying goes "Sorrow shared is halved but joy shared is doubled!".
The actual mitzvah consists of sending two ready-to-eat items. Some send a simple package with a bottle of wine and a chocolate bar, or cute little doughnuts with milk. Others let their ideas run wild and create the most beautiful presentations. For those that feel that Purim is a time to pull out all their creative energy, we've got a smorgasbord of ideas to keep those juices running.
Although Purim is still a couple of weeks away, it's never to early to start planning.
Themed mishloach manos are always popular and here are some samples that prove they can still be classy.
Some like to send food that can be eaten that day or saved for the meal in the afternoon:
Bring this along to your purim seudah or prepare this on your table. Guest can slice off a chunk of sandwich and add their choice of condiments. Prepare coleslaw, potato salad and pickles making this a complete sandwich.
14 inch bagel
Ask your local bagel shop if they can make you one. Eli's Bagel in Monsey NY prepares these bagels every purim in a choice of 10 inch and 14 inch sizes.
A minimum (the more the better!) of 3 1/2- 4 lbs. of sliced cold cuts ( Pastrami, Turkey roll, Corned Beef, Salami)
Slice the bagel and fill it with cold cuts layering them as high as you want. Do not put anything else in the bagel. You don't want it to get soggy. You can prepare this the day before; wrap well and refrigerate.
Place the lettuce on the bottom of a large tray. Top with the filled bagel. Serve condiments around the bagel.
Wraps are great for the meal or as a quick bite.
Wrap ideas:
- avocado, lettuce, purple onion, tomatoes, cheese
- tuna salad, pickles, lettuce, shredded cucumbers
- grilled vegetables, pesto...
- smoked salmon, onion, cream cheese, scallions
Photos credit:
Photos 1-3 by RADesign
Photos 3-6 by Dan Engongoro
Wraps courtesy of "Say it Gourmet"
any tips on seudah challah? I would like to know how to braid and bake the perfect seudah challah for purim.
That's a great idea for a blog post, I'll see if I can get anyone to write it up for us. Until then, why don't you post it in the community and see if anyone has any tips.
How about a fish shaped seuda challah? or a hamentash challah with an onion / seed filling? Or braid it as you normally would but sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles instead of seeds.
This is how I make a gorgeous seudah challah. You can use a cookie sheet or an oversized roast pan (I use the roast pan since I like the base it gives the challah). I make a dough out of a 6 lb. bag of flour. After letting it rise, I take two quarters and braid each into three which I lay side by side as the base. You now have another half of the dough left. I take 3/4 of it and make a six braided challah. Then I wet the base challahs and stick the six braided one on top. With the dough that's left, I make two strands which I twist together and then stick that over the whole challah with water as well. I then let the challah rise again. After I egg the challah, I switch off btwn sesame and poppy seeds on each of the braids and then bake it. It is really pretty easy and looks stunning!
Great pictures - thanks for sharing. Can you please post what is included in the Scottish Mishloach Manos and also the Socts Purim poem/message that seems to be attached to the box.
Scottish Whisky
Butterscotch candies
scottish scones
scottish shortbread
The poem was written in (bad) scots and translated
Hoots mon! och aye, an ye dinna ken scots, rade ablo.
Hey! oh yes, if you don't know scots read below.
'Twas auld lang syne, a maun caad Haman trawed
It was a long time ago, a man called Haman tried
to malafouster an Dicht oot ilka bodie in oor clan.
to destroy and wipe out everybody in our nation.
Gude aboon, in that dowie an driech blin' oors,
Hashem above, in that sad and dreary hour of darkness,
saufed oor clan an Haman wis hingit wi's laddies.
saved our people and Haman was hanged with his sons.
Akis of that bonnie day we laude an ur blythe,
Because of that wonderful day we celebrate and are happy,
mettle an sonsie on Purim. We beb untill we ur
spirited and jolly on Purim. We drink untill we are
ree an drunken an canna tell
tipsy and drunk and can't tell
blissed Mordechai frae the fell Haman.
blessed Mordechai from the cruel Haman.
We'se tent this vacance an gie this wee
We shall observe this holiday and give this small
giftie, frae oor Hame to yers.
Meshlocah Monos, from our home to yours.
Sláinte mhaith!
[Gaelic for] Lechaim
Purim challas are very easy to make. Make your regular challa recipe. If you like rasins, roll in some raisings in your dough. Otherwise leave out. Bake as usual. When it comes out of the oven and is hot paste it with runny honey and sprinkle 100's and thousand's (the multicoloured sugar dots you can by in shops) and its always a success.
These ideas are very cute and look really classy. I was wondering if i could get some help on my theme. I have 2 adorable kinderlach and they are dressing up like alligaters. i have a cute jungle theme box (like the dunkin donuts munchkin box) to package the shalach manos in. i spent waaayyy too many hours trying to find a way to make alligater cup cakes, finaly found one (at hellocupcakebook.com previewed the book with the ducks on the cover page 229). so i thought a cup cake, some animal crackers...??? i am stuck! all imput welcome
why not some veggies cut up with an aligator cutting thingy??
the cupcakes sound very hard to make.....


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Although the land near the Fukushima nuclear reactors was heavily contaminated by the aerial release of radioisotopes, the majority of the radioactive releases drifted out over the Pacific. There, they were joined by substantial amounts of water that were discharged from the reactors directly into the ocean. A new study, based on data from a NOAA research vessel, takes a look at radioactivity levels near Japan a few months after the disaster. The data suggests that the highest estimates of radioactive discharges are likely to be accurate, but the rapid dilution of the water has kept the levels from Fukushima's isotopes below those of the naturally occurring radioactivity.
Although the peak of discharge into the ocean occurred in early April, NOAA didn't manage to get a vessel in place until June. For the first half of the month, the Ka'imikai-o-Kanaloa (Hawaiian for "Heavenly Searcher of the Sea") sampled the waters and oceanic life off Japan (between 30km and 600km), all while releasing floats that helped researchers identify the predominate currents in the region. Most of the radioactivity was released in the form of cesium isotopes that have half-lives of over two years, so the time needed to get a vessel in place did not allow for a significant decay of the discharged material.
By then, however, some of the radioactivity had drifted a considerable distance. 134Cs was present at levels that produced 325 becquerel (325 decay events per second) per cubic meter as far as 600km offshore. A small eddy in the prevailing currents, located closer to shore, had activities of 3,900Bq per cubic meter. In general, however, there had not been sufficient time for the radioisotopes to mix vertically; the vast majority of the hot cesium was present within 100m of the surface. Sampling the sea life, including plankton and fish, also revealed the presence of radioactive cesium, although not consistently, and at levels substantially lower than seen in the seawater. Radioactive cesium isn't normally present in seawater, so these numbers are above a baseline that's essentially zero.
In addition to the cesium isotopes, which are volatile enough to have spread through the air, the authors discovered a radioactive isotope of silver, 110mAg, that hadn't been detected previously. So the direct discharge into the ocean had put a somewhat different collection of elements into the ocean than the aerial release had.
(The "m" in the isotope name of silver isn't a typo. Some isotopes of the element exist in both regular and "metastable" states, in which the configuration of its nucleus is in a higher energy than the ground state. In the case of silver, many of these metastable isotopes decay more slowly than their ground-state peers.)
The authors do a good job of putting this all in perspective. The raw numbers look enormous: levels of cesium 1,000 times higher than background across an area of about 150,000 square kilometers. But cesium levels are normally extremely low, and the ocean naturally contains several radioactive isotopes, such as 40K, which is also a source of background radiation on land. In the seafood samples, the additional radioactivity from the cesium and silver was less than the naturally occurring sources, typically only about a third. The net result is that the 137 in fish was about 150 times lower than the legal limits in Japan. Even if all the isotopes were considered, the fish would be safe to eat.
The authors also estimate the risk of going for a swim in the waters as pretty minimal, as it would result in an exposure of only 0.3 percent of the natural background a typical Japanese citizen experiences.
The authors use a computer model of the local currents to figure out how much radioactivity must have been discharged to produce the pattern they see. The answer turns out to be on the high side of estimates (22 PetaBecquerels), indicating that the direct discharge was a significant route for contamination, accounting for about two-thirds of the total radioactivity release.
Nevertheless, the isotopes that landed on the ground have stayed there, creating a serious contamination problem that may take years to resolve. Although the seas in the immediate vicinity of Fukushima probably experienced a very high dose of radioactivity during the months immediately after the disaster, as long as none of the isotopes accumulate in any organisms, the effects are unlikely to be long-lasting.
PNAS, 2012. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1120794109 (About DOIs).


text:
Strolling through Green Spaces in Palmerston North
In Palmerston North, all main roads lead to The Square — New Zealand's largest inner city green space.
The Square is also known as "Te Marae-o-Hine," a Maori name that means the "Courtyard of the Daughter of Peace" — a name that commemorates a past leader and gives an inspiring message of hope for the future. Standing tall in the centre is the historic clock tower, which comes alive at night lit by ever changing coloured lights. Surrounding this are beautifully landscaped grounds, a public car park, and the i-SITE Palmerston North Visitor Centre. The many pathways through The Square connect people with cafes, restaurants, shops, accommodation, museums, galleries—all the essentials of city life.


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Journal of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering
versión On-line ISSN 2309-8775
versión impresa ISSN 1021-2019
J. S. Afr. Inst. Civ. Eng. vol.54 no.2 Midrand ene. 2012
Evaluation of the standard design flood method in selected basins in South Africa
O J Gericke; J A du Plessis
Design flood estimations display relatively wide confidence bands of uncertainty around all estimates of flood magnitude-frequency relationships. Taking cognisance of this, and the fact that most of the available design flood estimation methods in South Africa were developed in the 1970s and have not been updated since, led to the development of the Standard Design Flood (SDF) method (Alexander 2002a; 2002b; 2003). In this study, the SDF method was evaluated by establishing the accuracy of the regionalised SDF runoff coefficients, taking both the areal extent and homogeneous hydrological catchment responses into consideration. The SDF runoff coefficients were evaluated, calibrated and verified at a quaternary catchment level in SDF basin 9 (primary study area) and in 19 of the other 29 SDF basins in South Africa (secondary study areas) by establishing catchment parameters and evaluating the ratios between the results obtained through the SDF method and probabilistic analysis. The results showed that the original SDF method overestimated the magnitude and frequency (return period) of flood peaks in all the basins under consideration, while the verification results confirmed that the calibrated/verified SDF method, based on quaternary runoff coefficients, significantly improves the accuracy in comparison with the probabilistic analysis results. The result confirmed that the probabilistic-based approach of the original SDF method does not have the ability to overcome the deficiencies evident in the other design flood estimation techniques used in South Africa. Revision of the runoff coefficients at a quaternary catchment level is proposed.
Key words: SDF method, design flood estimation, probabilistic analysis, catchment parameters
The last decade in southern Africa was characterised by several damaging flood events, especially the February 2000 floods in the northeastern part of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique (Alexander 2002a). On considering the economic and environmental impact of these and other flood events, the importance of flood frequency analysis becomes evident (Smithers 2011). However, reliable estimates of flood frequency in terms of peak flows and volumes remain a constant challenge in hydrology (Cameron et al 1999). Cordery & Pilgrim (2000) also highlighted that the international demands for improved design flood estimations have not been met with any increased understanding of the fundamental hydrological processes. According to Van der Spuy & Rademeyer (2010), this is also the case in South Africa where the search continues for a universally applicable method for design flood estimation.
In essence, the failures of civil engineering structures (e.g. bridges, culverts, dam spillways and drainage canals) caused by floods are largely due to the immense variability in the flood response of catchments to storm rainfall, which is innately variable in its own right. Consequently, flood estimations for design purposes can be expected to display relatively wide confidence bands of uncertainty around all estimates of flood magnitude-frequency relationships (Alexander 2002a; 2002b; 2003). Thus, both the occurrence and the frequency of flood events, along with the uncertainty involved in the estimation thereof, as well as the lack of updated design flood estimation methods in South Africa since the 1970s, indicate that there is an urgent need to revise existing methods or develop alternative design flood estimation methods by using about 40 years of additional observed data.
The developmental effort in this regard by Alexander (2002a) led to the development of a numerically calibrated version of the Rational Method (RM), known as the Standard Design Flood (SDF) method, which incorporates engineering factors of safety to accommodate the uncertainties in hydrological analyses at a regional level (Alexander 2002a; 2002b; 2003). In this study, the SDF method was evaluated in specific areas by establishing the accuracy of the regionalised SDF runoff coefficients, taking both the areal extent and homogeneous hydrological catchment responses into consideration. The question of whether or not the probabilistic-based approach of the SDF method has the ability to overcome some of the deficiencies evident in the other techniques used for design flood estimation, was investigated and alternative revisions at a quaternary catchment scale were proposed.
The development of the original SDF method is reviewed in the next section. The purpose of the study is discussed and explained in the section thereafter, followed by an overview of the spatial distribution and characteristics of the study areas. The methodologies involved in assessing the paper's purpose and objectives are then expanded on in detail, followed by the results and discussion, conclusions and recommendations.
In the Introduction the wide confidence bands of uncertainty around all estimates of flood magnitude-frequency relationships were emphasised. However, Alexander (2002a; 2002b; 2003) indicated that these uncertainties cannot be satisfactorily accommodated, and necessitate a new, single approach to the estimation of the design flood, namely the SDF method.
The identification of representative, homogeneous flood-producing regions, which followed the boundaries of the drainage regions as depicted by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) (1995), was a major step in the development of the SDF method. These regions are referred to as SDF basins and a total of 29 basins in South Africa were identified (Alexander 2002a; 2002b; 2003). Thereafter,
Alexander (2002a; 2002b; 2003) reviewed all the different design flood estimation methods (deterministic, empirical and probabilistic) in use in South Africa and selected the conventional RM as the basis for the SDF method to be used in the delineated basins. At least one hydrological flow-gauging station and one representative daily rainfall station were selected for each of the 29 basins in the development of the SDF method. Probabilistic analyses of the annual maximum series (AMS) were conducted at 152 flow-gauging stations to calibrate and verify the SDF method in the various basins (Alexander 2002a; 2002b; 2003). The design rainfall information was based on the data of 1 946 daily rainfall stations contained in Technical Report (TR) 102 (Adamson 1981). The SDF basins are shown in Figure 1.
The developed SDF method was intended to replace the previously recommended RM and Synthetic Unit Hydrograph (SUH) method. Although the basic philosophy of the SDF method is based on planning (cost-optimising procedures with engineering factors of safety) and design (estimation of conservative floods) objectives (Alexander 2002b; 2003), the question remains whether these two objectives will obviate the need for design engineers to undertake sophisticated hydrological analyses to accommodate the inherent uncertainties present in the current design flood estimation procedures. It is anticipated that the results from this study will assist in addressing the design engineers' problems regarding decision-making in design flood estimation.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate, calibrate and verify the SDF runoff coefficients at a quaternary catchment level in SDF basin 9 (primary study area) and in 19 of the other 29 SDF basins in South Africa (secondary study areas) by establishing the catchment parameters and the ratios between results obtained with the SDF method and those obtained through the probabilistic analysis of the observed flow data (SDF/ probability distribution ratios). These newly calibrated quaternary runoff coefficients were then compared with the existing regional SDF runoff coefficients. The work done by Van Bladeren (2005) during the compilation of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) Drainage Manual resulted in a proposal that adjustment factors be used to balance the tendency of the SDF method to provide over-conservative results. The runoff coefficient adjustment factors as proposed by Van Bladeren (2005) were therefore also evaluated as part of this study.
The secondary study areas were purposely evaluated to enhance the understanding of the results obtained from the primary study area, as well as to illustrate the relevance thereof in a South African context. This served as clarification of the influence of different climatic regions (Highveld as opposed to Mediterranean/ southern coastal regions), types of weather systems (summer convective as opposed to winter/all year orographic/frontal rainfall) and rainfall occurrence frequencies on the depth, area, duration and movement of storm rainfall, which in turn influence the magnitude and frequency of floods as estimated by the SDF method.
Firstly, it was hypothesised that the calibration of the SDF method at a quaternary catchment level will improve the accuracy and practical use thereof. Secondly, it was hypothesised that the extent of the current delineated SDF basins is too large, with associated non-homogeneous flood-producing characteristics. Thirdly, it was hypothesised that the runoff coefficients are essentially functions of the return period and time of concentration. The fourth hypothesis was that the Log-Normal (LN), Log-Pearson Type III (LP3) and the General Extreme Value (GEV) probability distributions, or a combination thereof, are the most suitable for flood frequency analyses at a single site in South Africa.
The primary study area covers 34 795 km2 between 28°25' and 30°17' South and 23°49' and 27°00' East and comprises the C5 secondary drainage region (SDF basin 9), which consists of the tertiary Riet River and Modder River catchments. The primary study area is characterised by 99,1% rural areas, 0,7% urbanisation and 0,2% water bodies (CSIR 2001). The natural vegetation is dominated by Grassland of the Interior Plateau, False Karoo and Karoo (light bush). Cultivated land is the largest human-induced vegetation alteration in the rural areas, while residential and suburban areas dominate the urban areas. The topography is gentle (slopes between 2,4% and 5,5%) and water tends to pond easily, thus influencing the attenuation and translation of floods. The Mean Annual Precipitation (MAP) is 424 mm, ranging from 275 mm in the west to 685 mm in the east. It is characterised as highly variable and unpredictable. The rainy season starts early September and ends mid-April with a dry winter (Midgley et al 1994). The Modder and Riet Rivers are the main river reaches and discharge into the Orange-Vaal River drainage system (Seaman et al 2001). Like most inland rivers in South Africa, these rivers were traditionally seasonal rivers, but due to the construction of significant storage dams, they now resemble permanent rivers.
The secondary study area catchments ranged in size from 126 km2 to 33 277 km2 and are located within basins 1, 2, 4 - 11, 16 - 18, 21 - 23, 26, 28 and 29. The locations of the primary and secondary study areas are shown in Figure 1.
This section provides the detailed methodology followed during this study, which focuses on the evaluation and calibration of SDF runoff coefficients and flood peaks, the verification of calibrated runoff coefficients and flood peaks, and the statistical assessment of results.
Evaluation and calibration of runoff coefficients and flood peaks
To evaluate and verify the original (Alexander 2003), adjusted (Van Bladeren 2005) and calibrated (this study) SDF methods at a quaternary catchment level in SDF basin 9 (primary study area) and the other randomly selected SDF basins in South Africa (secondary study areas), the following procedures were followed: establishment of physical catchment parameters, probabilistic analyses, selection of representative rainfall stations, and numerical calibration of runoff coefficients.
These procedures are discussed in the following sub-sections:
Establishment of physical catchment parameters
All the required catchment input parameters of SDF basin 9 (average main watercourse length and slope, time of concentration, design rainfall intensities, average number of days per year during which thunder was heard (R) and areal reduction factors (ARFs)) were determined in a similar fashion as for the original SDF method (Alexander 2002a; 2002b; 2003). In all the other SDF basins under consideration, the catchment areas and time of concentration were based on previous research conducted by Petras & Du Plessis (1987) and Parak & Pegram (2006).
Probabilistic analyses
Probabilistic analysis of the AMS was conducted at a representative flow-gauging station in each catchment under consideration to summarise the observed flood peak data, estimate parameters and select appropriate theoretical probability distributions. The observed flood peak data was summarised by ranking the AMS in a descending order of magnitude. The Cunnane plotting position, based on a general plotting formula, was used to assign a probability to the flood peaks. The parameter estimation was largely based on the Method of Moments (MM), although the usefulness of Linear-Moments (LM) estimation to fit the General Logistic (GLO) probability distribution was also investigated.
Several of the AMS data sets were characterised by insufficient record lengths (e.g. missing data, low outliers and flood peaks exceeding the hydraulic capacity of flow-gauging structures), which made it impossible to conclusively select a single probability distribution that could consistently provide flood frequency estimates for return periods much greater than the period of record. To overcome this limitation of single site analyses, a Mean Logarithm Value Approach (MLVA), based on the mean values of the logarithms of two or more probability distributions, were used as the most suitable combined probability distribution at a single site or flow-gauging station. The MLVA, as expressed in Equation 1, is also used as a standard method in the DWA (Directorate: Flood Studies) (Van der Spuy & Rademeyer 2010).
Qp = peak flow based on the MLVA (m3/s)
Qi i+1 = peak flows based on a recognised theoretical probability distribution, with a minimum of two probability distributions used in combination (m3/s), and
N = number of probability distributions used.
The individual peak flows (Qi) can either be based on the combination of two or more theoretical probability distributions, e.g. Extreme/Log-Extreme Value Type I (EV1/ LEV1), LN, LP3, GEV and/or GLO distributions. Statistical properties, visual inspection of the plotted values and Goodness-of-Fit (GOF) statistics were used to select the most suitable single probability or combined probability distribution in Equation 1. Both the EV1 and LEV1 probability distributions have a fixed skewness of 1,14; hence the limited use thereof in flood hydrology. The LN distribution was only used where the logarithms of the observed data have near symmetrical distribution or where the skewness coefficients were close to zero. In all other asymmetrical data sets, the LP3 distribution was used instead. The GEV distributions were used at asymmetrical data sets characterised by either positive (Extreme Value Type II) or negative (Extreme Value Type III) skewness coefficients.
A total of 44 catchments were evaluated of which 12 fall within the primary study area. The probabilistic analysis results of eight of the catchments were based on the GEV distribution, as obtained from previous research conducted by Parak & Pegram (2006). These results were therefore not analysed again. However, the nature and record length of the observed flood peak data sets initially used by these authors are unknown.
Selection of representative rainfall stations
The design rainfall information used in this study was based on the Regional L-Moment Algorithm South African Weather Service n-day design point rainfall database (RLMA-SAWS) (after Smithers & Schulze 2000b), as opposed to the original SDF method which used the TR102 information. The RLMA-SAWS database contains design rainfall information of 3 946 daily rainfall stations up to the year 2002. The SAWS contributed the majority (82,2%) of the data of these daily rainfall stations, while the Institute for Soil, Climate and Water (ISCW), the South African Sugar Association Experiment Station (SASEX) and private individuals provided the remaining daily rainfall data (Smithers & Schulze 2000b). In contrast, the TR102 daily design rainfall database has ± 20 years less information available and is limited to 1 946 rainfall stations (Adamson 1981). The selection of the single rainfall station, to be used in the calibrated SDF method at a quaternary catchment level, was based on the following criteria:
■ Average meteorological conditions: The MAP and design rainfall depths associated with return periods ranging from 2 to 200 years of the selected station must have a high degree of association with the MAP and design rainfall depths as obtained by the Thiessen polygon method using the total number of rainfall stations within the catchment(s) under consideration.
■ Record length: Where possible, a minimum record length of 50 years must be used in order to enable the selection of a distribution that could consistently provide adequate rainfall frequency estimates for return periods much greater than the period of record. However, shorter records (between 40 and 47 years) were used in 11% of the secondary study areas to evaluate the SDF method due to the limited number of suitable rainfall stations available in five of these catchments.
Numerical calibration of runoff coefficients
The numerical calibration of the runoff coefficients used in the SDF method followed the probabilistic analyses and the selection of a single rainfall station in all the catchments under consideration in both the primary and secondary study areas. The purpose of the calibration was to fit the results obtained by the probabilistic analysis with those of the SDF method in order to establish the SDF/probability distribution ratios and adapted quaternary SDF runoff coefficients for return periods, ranging from 2 to 200 years. This was accomplished by determining the C2 (2-year return period) and C100 (100-year return period) runoff coefficients in Equation 2 (Alexander 2003) in such a way that the calibrated runoff coefficients (CT) for a range of return periods resulted in the best fit between the design values of flood peaks based on the probabilistic analysis and the SDF method (Equation 3; Alexander 2003).
CT = calibrated runoff coefficient
QT = design flood peak (m3/s)
A = catchment area (km2)
C2 = 2-year return period runoff coefficient
C100 = 100-year return period runoff coefficient
IT = average design rainfall intensity (mm/h), and
YT = return period factor.
These coefficients (C2 and C100) were changed manually until an appropriate fit with the probabilistic analysis results was achieved, after which values of CT were coaxially plotted with the regional SDF runoff coefficients from Alexander (2003) against the return period. This exercise was repeated with the runoff coefficient adjustment factors as proposed by Van Bladeren (2005) to validate these runoff coefficient adjustment factors.
Verification of calibrated runoff coefficients and flood peaks
Verification tests were conducted in 16 catchments that were not used in the calibration exercise to establish whether the calibrated runoff coefficients were predictable and to confirm that the method was reliable. In order to verify the CT values achieved during calibration, it was necessary to find some physical or regional descriptors with which to relate the runoff coefficients and to enable the use and extension of the calibrated runoff coefficients to ungauged catchments. Several regional descriptors, such as MAP, average catchment slope and land-use distribution, were taken into consideration in combination with the CT values to establish whether or not any relationship existed on which to regress the runoff coefficients.
The 16 catchments used in the verification exercise, and for which AMS were available, were selected based on the fact that their physical or regional descriptors were similar to the catchments used during the calibration exercise, in order to result in near homogeneous hydrological responses. These catchments ranged in size from 26 km2 to 23 067 km2, with eight catchments within SDF basin 9 (primary study area) and eight catchments within SDF basins 6, 7, 10, 18 and 21 (secondary study areas).
Statistical assessment of results
Regression (coefficient of determination) and descriptive (Chi-square) statistics were used to evaluate the GOF of the probabilistic analyses (fitted probability distributions). The coefficient of determination (r2) calculations were based on the full record length where the ranked observed values, with their associated probability or return period, were compared with the theoretical probability distributions. The Chi-square statistics were evaluated by making use of the concept of contingency tables, consisting of margin totals, which were used to establish the expected estimated values. The comparisons between the probabilistic analyses and the calibrated and verified versions of the SDF method were evaluated in the same manner.
The results based on the methodology used in this study are discussed next. The evaluation and calibration of SDF runoff coefficients and flood peaks are discussed first, followed by a discussion on the verification of calibrated runoff coefficients and flood peaks. In conclusion, the statistical assessment of results are highlighted.
Evaluation and calibration of runoff coefficients and flood peaks
Probabilistic analyses
The MLVA not only overcame the limitation of AMS data sets at a single site characterised by insufficient record lengths, but also took cognisance of the strong evidence that in South Africa most of the high flood peaks are a result of rare and severe meteorological phenomena. Alexander (2012) also confirmed that the AMS of these floods could consist of a mixture of two or more statistical populations with different parameter values and associated flood peak frequency relationships, particularly if preceding severe rainfall storms occur in close succession. Alexander (2012) also emphasised that: "It is a serious mistake to assume that a single probability distribution method can be applied to all the data at the site."
The MLVA inclusive of the LP3-GEV/ MM distributions dominated the probabilistic analyses in 42% of the catchments, followed by the MLVA inclusive of the LP3-GEV-LN/ MM distributions in 28% of the catchments. The LP3/MM distribution was the only distribution which was used as a single most suitable distribution in 11% of the catchments. The remaining 19% of the catchments under consideration were characterised by a different combination of the above-mentioned distributions. However, when Equation 1 was used to combine two or more probability distributions, it was impossible to indicate which probability distribution would be the best suited for a specific return period range in all the catchments. The SDF basin 9 (primary study area) results for return periods ranging from 2 to 200 years based on the most relevant distributions are listed in Table 1.
Selection of representative rainfall stations
The different results obtained using the arithmetic mean and Thiessen polygon methods respectively to calculate the average catchment design rainfall are listed in Table 2. Table 3 provides the selected single rainfall stations in each catchment under consideration in SDF basin 9 in comparison with the catchment design rainfall calculated using the Thiessen polygon method.
The number of rainfall stations used for averaging the design rainfall varied from catchment to catchment with an overall average of one station per 100 km2. It was observed that the arithmetic mean values slightly exceeded the Thiessen polygon values in each catchment, but the coefficient of determination (r2) of 0,98 confirmed the high degree of association, and highlighted the even areal distribution of the rainfall stations and the relatively flat topography.
Numerical calibration of runoff coefficients
The original, adjusted and calibrated C2 and C100 runoff coefficients applicable to SDF basin 9 are presented in Table 4. The corresponding MAP, two-year one-day rainfall (M) and R values are also shown. The following notations are applicable to Tables 4 to 7:
SDFOriginal Values as used in the original SDF method (Alexander 2003)
SDFAdjusted Values as used in the adjusted SDF method based on the adjustment factors (Van Bladeren 2005)
SDFCalibrated Values as used in the calibrated SDF method at a quaternary catchment level based on the methodology of this study
SDFVerified Verified SDF method at a quaternary catchment level used to evaluate the calibrated version of the SDF method.
The original and calibrated C2 and C2oo runoff coefficients of SDF basin 9 presented in Table 4 are characterised by large proportional differences between the values. The differences between the original and adjusted runoff coefficients were found to be 45% (60 - 15) in all cases, since the adjustment factors as proposed by Van Bladeren (2005) are only used to adjust the final CT coefficients.
In the case of the calibrated runoff coefficients, the proportional differences tended to decrease with an increase in the MAP, with a 45% difference for MAP less than 500 mm, a 38% to 41% difference for MAP ranging from 500 to 600 mm, and a 22% difference for MAP exceeding 600 mm. It is important to note that the original MAP (376 mm) in SDF basin 9 is also less than 500 mm, confirming the trend identified. It indicated that the antecedent soil moisture status in the quaternary catchment(s) under consideration introduces additional variability into the rainfall-runoff process and that the hydrological response in each quaternary catchment will be different. This can be ascribed to the difference in soil permeability which controls the infiltration rate and consequently the balance of rainfall that constitutes surface runoff and contributes to the flood peak. Table 5 provides a summary of the results obtained during the numerical calibration of the SDF runoff coefficients in SDF basin 9. The original, adjusted and calibrated runoff coefficients (CT), as calculated using Equation 2, are shown in Table 5.
The original runoff coefficients of SDF basin 9 ranged from 0,150 (2-year return period) to 0,648 (200-year return period), while the calibrated runoff coefficients ranged from 0,090 (2-year return period) to 0,634 (200-year return period). The adjusted runoff coefficients based on the adjustment factors proposed by Van Bladeren (2005) ranged from 0,103 (2-year return period) to 1,878 (200-year return period). According to Van Bladeren (2005), the latter runoff coefficient exceeding unity is justified, since it is used when the SDF method overestimates the more frequent events and underestimates the extreme events in a particular basin.
However, the question arises whether or not the adjustment factor can successfully describe a meaningful relationship between the regional descriptors (average catchment slope, catchment area, land-use distribution and MAP) and the CT coefficients as shown in Equation 4 (Van Bladeren 2005).
CT2 = adjusted runoff coefficient (Van Bladeren 2005)
A = catchment area (km2)
CT1 = original runoff coefficient (Alexander 2003)
F = adjustment factor (F = xAy)
x = regional descriptor (multiplier), and
y = regional descriptor (exponent).
Based on the results listed in Table 5, it was interesting to note that the runoff coefficients adjusted by Equation 4 had a tendency to decrease in magnitude with increasing recurrence interval. This was especially the case in SDF basins 11 and 17, but the results are not presented here. In SDF basin 9 the 20-year adjusted runoff coefficients exceeded the 50-year runoff coefficients. Similar results were also evident in SDF basin 18.
The adjusted runoff coefficients, which exceeded unity and decreased in magnitude with increasing recurrence interval, deviated from the norm. Runoff coefficients exceeding unity indicate that more than a 100% runoff can occur, but this is physically impossible. An increase in the CT coefficients with return period is necessary to accommodate the known effects which also increase with return period, but the increase is not accounted for in Equation 4. The coaxially plotted values of CT (original, adjusted and calibrated) against the return period applicable to SDF basins 6, 7, 9, 10, 18 and 21 are shown in Figures 2 to 7.
It is evident from Figure 2 that the calibrated CT coefficients in the quaternary catchments obtained from the primary study area are spread around those of Alexander (2003), but are generally lower in magnitude. Similar trends were also witnessed in the other SDF basins evaluated (Figures 4 to 6), except for SDF basins 6 and 21 (Figures 3 and 7). The curves representing the calibrated runoff coefficients had similar growth curves as a function of the recurrence interval in most of the basins under consideration. The decreasing trend in the adjusted runoff coefficients with an increase in recurrence interval is clearly evident from Figures 2 and 6, with the adjusted 20-year runoff coefficients highly questionable, since they are larger than the 50- and 100-year runoff coefficients.
Evaluation of calibrated flood peaks
The comparison between the design flood peak values based on the probabilistic analyses and the original, adjusted and calibrated versions of the SDF method in SDF basin 9 (primary study area) is listed in Table 6. The average SDF/probability distribution ratios are also shown in the same table.
According to Van Bladeren (2005), the original SDF method tends to overestimate the more frequent design floods for return periods of up to 20 years in SDF basin 9, while the extreme events are underestimated. However, the results contained in Table 6 indicate that on average the original SDF method overestimated all the probabilistic flood peaks. The overestimation varied between 18% and 45%. Except for the 2-year return period, the adjusted SDF method overestimated all the flood peaks as well, with average overestimations of up to 204%. The calibrated version of the SDF method proved to be the most accurate, with the 2-year return period being underestimated on average by 7%, while the maximum overestimation was limited to 12%.
The primary study area (SDF basin 9) results as listed in Table 6, as well as the average SDF/probability distribution ratios obtained in SDF basins 6, 7, 10, 18 and 21 (used both for calibration and verification purposes) are illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 respectively. In addition, the average SDF/ probability distribution ratios obtained in the remaining 13 SDF basins (calibration only) are illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 respectively.
Apart from the above-mentioned results obtained in SDF basin 9, the original SDF method also overestimated the probabilistic flood peaks in all the other SDF basins under consideration, except in SDF basins 6 (200-year), 8 (2-year), 16 (2-year), 23 (100-and 200-year) and 26 (all return periods). On average, the ratio between the original SDF method and probability distributions varied between 0,43 and 5,77. The best results were evident in SDF basin 16 (Figure 10), with the overestimation limited to ± 12% for the return periods ranging from 10 to 200 years.
The overall results (calibration and verification) of the adjusted SDF method were only better in 26% of all the basins under consideration when compared to those estimated by the original SDF method. The adjusted SDF method demonstrated the most acceptable results in SDF basin 16 (Figure 10), and either significantly over- or underestimated the flood peak values in the remaining basins. On average, the adjusted SDF/ probability distribution ratios varied between 0,25 and 6,58, which seems improper.
The calibrated version of the SDF method proved to be the most accurate in all the basins under consideration, except in SDF basin 6 (Figure 8), where it proved to be slightly less accurate than the adjusted SDF method. On average, the calibrated SDF/probability distribution ratios varied between 0,91 and 1,30, while at some basins and individual return periods, less accurate results were evident.
Verification of calibrated runoff coefficients and flood peaks
In the methodology it was highlighted that the selection of verification catchments within the same basin was based on the fact that their physical and regional descriptors were similar. In other words, the catchments are situated within a smaller portion/number of quaternary catchments within the larger group of quaternary catchments used in the calibration exercise. The flood peaks estimated for verification purposes with calibrated runoff coefficients are referred to as SDFVerified (Q3). The comparison between the design flood peak values based on the probabilistic analyses and the original, adjusted and calibrated/verified versions of the SDF method in SDF basin 9 is listed in Table 7. The flow-gauging station numbers in brackets in column 1 are the stations used for the verification.
The verification results listed in Table 7 indicate that the original SDF method demonstrated the same trends of overestimating all the probabilistic flood peaks in SDF basin 9. However, the magnitude of overestimation of the 2- and 5-year return period floods were slightly larger, while the flood peaks for the remaining return periods showed some improvement with the overestimation being limited to ± 30%. The adjusted SDF method results also improved slightly and were characterised by overes-timations of up to 163%. The verification results confirmed that the calibrated SDF method was the most accurate, and similar trends were evident. On average, the verified SDF/probability distribution ratios varied between 1,01 and 1,18, which is considered to be acceptable.
Figures 12 and 13 provide a visual measure of performance showing the average SDF/probability distribution ratios in the primary study area (SDF basin 9) and SDF basins 6, 7, 10, 18 and 21 obtained during the verification exercise.
Apart from the above-mentioned verification results obtained in SDF basin 9, varied the verified SDF/probability distribution ratios on average between 0,80 and 1,20. However, the 5- to 20-year return period flood peaks were overestimated by 41% to 56% in SDF basins 6 (Figure 12) and 21
(Figure 13). The calibrated/verified SDF method remains the preferred method in the latter basins, based on the higher degree of association and accuracy obtained. The original and adjusted versions of the SDF method also demonstrated similar trends as established during the calibration exercise, although some individual return period flood peaks were characterised by either a slightly improved or worse estimation. All the verification tests also confirmed that the calibrated runoff coefficients behaved in a probabilistic manner as anticipated, since the verification results showed that the calibrated/verified SDF method is the most accurate, and similar trends were evident in all the basins under consideration.
Statistical assessment of results
The coefficients of determination (r2) results were indicative of a high degree of association between the observed AMS data and the theoretical probability distributions, with 0,85 and 0,79 respectively as the poorest correlations in the primary (SDF basin 9) and secondary study areas.
In all the primary study area catchments, except C5R003, C5H003 and C5H018, the Chi-square statistic was less than the limiting critical value and the confidence level larger than the significance level. In other words, the null hypothesis could be accepted. This was also the case in 60% of the secondary study area catchments used to verify the calibrated SDF method. However, acceptance of the null hypothesis at low confidence levels (< 50%), highlighted the likelihood of differences to be present, especially at C5R001, C5R002 and C5H015 in SDF basin 9. Similar detectable differences were present in 12% of the secondary study area catchments.
The GOF statistic results of the original, adjusted, calibrated and verified versions of the SDF method were evaluated within the context of their SDF/probability distribution ratios. In other words, pair values of the coefficient of determination and these ratios were evaluated in combination to get a true reflection of the accuracy. Typically, the calibrated and verified versions of the SDF method proved to be the most accurate, i.e. SDF/probability distribution ratios between 0,80 and 1,30 along with a high degree of association (r2 values > 0,9). On the other hand, the original and adjusted SDF methods also demonstrated a high degree of association, but it must be evaluated within the context of their poor SDF/probability distribution ratios, which were occasionally different by up to a factor of 3 or more.
The influence of different variables on the calibration and verification results, as discussed, demonstrates that the probabilistic-based approach of the SDF method in its current format requires further refinement at a quaternary catchment scale. The conclusions and recommendations in the following section will synthesise the results in order to address these requirements.
The main purpose of this study was to establish whether or not the probabilistic-based approach of the SDF method has the ability to overcome some of the deficiencies evident in the other design flood estimation methods used in South Africa. Although the study was limited to only 19 of the 29 SDF basins in South Africa, the overall results are considered to be representative in a South African context, while all the hypothesis statements were investigated and confirmed.
The conclusions and recommendations pertaining to the results obtained from this study can be summarised as follows:
■ Probabilistic analyses: The results confirmed that the LN, LP3 and GEV distributions or a combination thereof using Equation 1, are the most suitable probability distributions for flood frequency analysis in South Africa at a single site (Hypothesis 4). The selection and use of probability distribution pair combinations for specific return periods can only be based on the statistical properties, visual inspection of the plotted values and GOF statistics. However, regional analyses of pooled-AMS could also be conducted to overcome the problem of short flow record lengths at single sites in addition to the MLVA.
■ Selection of representative rainfall stations: The use of average meteorological conditions and record length as criteria to select single representative rainfall stations in each catchment under consideration confirmed Hypothesis 2, which stated that the flood-producing characteristics within the current delineated SDF basins are non-homogeneous. The newly identified single rainfall stations proved to be a much better representation of the hydrological response at a smaller scale or catchment level.
■ Numerical calibration of runoff coefficients: It was evident from this study that the calibrated CT coefficients at a quaternary catchment level significantly improved the accuracy of the flood peak estimation using the SDF method (Hypothesis 1). The effort made by Van Bladeren (2005) to regionalise the runoff coefficients requires further improvement, since some of the adjusted runoff coefficients exceeded unity and other had a tendency to decrease in magnitude with increasing recurrence interval. The relationships established between the parameters (multiplier and exponent) of the power-law function (Equation 4) fitted to the CT coefficients as a function of return period and regional descriptors, are also questionable, because the likelihood that a catchment is to be more saturated at the start of a storm with a longer recurrence interval was ignored.
These results are in agreement with similar studies conducted on the RM in South Africa (Parak & Pegram 2006) and Australia (Pilgrim & Cordery 1993), which confirmed that no relationship can be successfully established between the regional descriptors and the CT values in order to regress the runoff coefficients. It also confirms that the CT coefficients are essentially functions of the return period and time of concentration as conjectured (Hypothesis 3).
■ Calibrated and verified flood peaks: The calibrated/verified version of the SDF method proved to be the most accurate at a quaternary catchment level, thus enhancing the accuracy and practical use of the original SDF method (Hypothesis 1). The degree or extent to which the original SDF method overestimated the magnitude and frequency of flood peaks varied from basin to basin. Apart from the previously discussed factors, this is also due to the influence of different climatic regions, types of weather and rainfall occurrence frequencies on the depth, area, duration and movement of storm rainfall. The original SDF/probability distribution ratios were the highest in the northern inland regions (SDF basins 1, 2 and 4), the Highveld (SDF basins 6 and 7), Lesotho (SDF basins 10 and 11) and southern coastal regions (SDF basins 22 and 23) with summer convective rainfall. In these regions the flood-peak ratios were occasionally different by up to a factor of 3 or more. The southern coastal regions (SDF basins 16 to 18) with winter orographic/frontal rainfall demonstrated the best flood peak ratios with flatter growth curves as a function of the recurrence interval and varied between 0,8 and 1,6.
■ Statistical assessment of results: Both the coefficient of determination and Chi-square statistic can be satisfactorily used to evaluate the GOF of theoretical probability distributions and other design flood estimation methods. However, the Chi-square statistic proved to be more sensitive towards short record lengths, inconsistency, non-homogeneity and non-stationarity of data.
Further research on the SDF method could focus on the following:
■ Review of the current regional boundaries of the SDF basins by increasing the number of SDF basins based on single or multiple quaternary catchment boundaries. The availability of hydrological (flow) and meteorological (rainfall) data, as well as the extent of the hydrological homogeneity within the identified catchments, will have an influence on the identification and delineation of the new basins.
■ Improvement and extension of the data pool of hydrological and meteorological gauging sites by updating the data sets to ensure that periods of observation are as long as possible. All available historical information of flood peaks should be included in and made available from a central database.
■ Utilisation of the Regional Linear Moment Algorithm and Scale Invariance (RLMA&SI) approach (Smithers & Schulze 2000a) to estimate design rainfall.
■ Establishment of physical or regional descriptors on which to regress the calibrated runoff coefficients to enable the extension thereof to ungauged catchments.
All these results emphasised that there is no single design flood estimation method that is superior to all other methods used to address the wide variety of flood magnitude frequency problems that are encountered in practice. Design engineers still have to apply their own experience and knowledge to these particular problems until the search for a universally applicable design flood method in South Africa produces a method by which to overcome all the inherent uncertainties present in flood hydrology.
Adamson, P T 1981. Southern African storm rainfall. Technical Report TR102, Pretoria: Department of Environmental Affairs. [ Links ]
Alexander, W J R 2002a. The Standard Design Flood: Theory and practice. Pretoria: University of Pretoria, Department of Civil Engineering. [ Links ]
Alexander, W J R 2002b. The Standard Design Flood. Journal of the South African Institution of Civil. Engineering, 44(1): 26-30. [ Links ]
Alexander, W J R 2003. The Standard Design Flood: A new design philosophy. Pretoria: University of Pretoria, Department of Civil Engineering. [ Links ]
Alexander, W J R, Professor Emeritus, University of Pretoria, personal communication, 17 February 2012. [ Links ]
Cameron, D S, Beven, K J, Tawn, J, Blazkova, S & Naden, P 1999. Flood frequency estimation by continuous simulation for a gauged upland catchment. Journal of Hydrology, 219: 169-187. [ Links ]
Cordery, I & Pilgrim, D H 2000. The state of the art of flood prediction. In: Parker, D J (Ed), Floods, Vol II, London: Routledge, pp 185-197. [ Links ]
CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) 2001. GIS data: Classified raster data for national coverage based on 31 land cover types. Pretoria: CSIR Environmentek, National Land Cover Database. [ Links ]
DWAF (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry) 1995. GIS data: Primary drainage regions of South Africa. Pretoria: DWAF. [ Links ]
Gericke, O J 2010. Evaluation of the SDF method using a customised design flood estimation tool. Unpublished MSc Eng dissertation, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch. [ Links ]
Midgley, D C, Pitman, W V & Middleton, B J 1994. Surface water resources of South Africa, Vol 2, Drainage Region C, Vaal: Appendices. Report No 298/2.1/9, Pretoria: Water Research Commission. [ Links ]
Parak, M & Pegram, G G S 2006. Rational formula from Runhydrograph. Water SA, 32(2): 163-180. [ Links ]
Petras, V & Du Plessis, P H 1987. Catalogue of hydro-logical catchment parameters, Department of Water Affairs, Flood Studies, Technical Note 6, Pretoria: DWAF. [ Links ]
Pilgrim, D H & Cordery, I 1993. Flood runoff. In: Maidment, D R (Ed), Handbook of Hydrology, Ch 9. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp 1-42. [ Links ]
Seaman, M T, Roos, J C & Watson, M 2001. The state of the Modder River. First Quarter 2001: A bio-monitoring report. Report to Bloem Water by the Centre for Environmental Management, Bloemfontein: University of the Free State. [ Links ]
Smithers, J C 2011. Opportunities for design flood estimation in South Africa. proceedings, 15th SANCIAHS National Hydrological Symposium: Science and Practice for Sustainable Water Resources Management, Grahamstown, 12-14 September, pp 1-17. [ Links ]
Smithers J C & Schulze R E 2000a. Development and evaluation of techniques for estimating short duration design rainfall in South Africa. Report No 681/1/00, Pretoria: Water Research Commission. [ Links ]
Smithers, J C & Schulze, R E 2000b. Long duration design rainfall estimates for South Africa. Report No 811/1/00, Pretoria: Water Research Commission. [ Links ]
Van Bladeren, D 2005. Verification of the proposed Standard Design Flood (SDF). Report No 344512/1 by SRK Consulting Engineers and Scientists, Pretoria: SRK. [ Links ]
Van der Spuy, D & Rademeyer, P F 2010. Flood frequency estimation methods as applied in the Department of Water Affairs. Pretoria: Department of Water Affairs. [ Links ]
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JACO GERICKE has lectured in Hydrology, rrigation and Water Engineering at the Centra University of Technology, Free State (CUT FS) for the past seven years. He has a special interest in flood hydrology, water resources management and hydrological modelling. He received the BTech Eng (Civil) and MTech Eng (Water) degrees from the CUT FS, and the BSc (Hons) Applied Science: Water Resources Engineering degree from the University of Pretoria (UP). He worked for six years at the Department of Water Affairs before joining the CUT FS. The results presented in this paper form part of his research towards the MSc Eng degree from the Stellenbosch University (2010).
DR KOBUS DU PLESSIS has lectured in Hydrology, Water Engineering and Environmental Engineering at the Stellenbosch University (SU) for the past eight years. He has a special interest in water demand management and the implementation process as applied by municipalities. He served as a director in a Tiunicipal water division for seven years before joining the SU. After obtaining the B Eng (Civil) and M Eng (Water Resources Management) deg rees from the SU, he worked for the Department of Water Affairs, the City of Cape Town and the West Coast District Municipality. In 2011 he was awarded a PhD degree from the SU for his work done on integrated water management for local governance in South Africa.


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|System: PS3
|Dev: Clover
|Pub: Capcom
|Release: October 30, 2012
|Players: 1
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p
|Suggestive Themes, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Fantasy Violence, Crude Humor, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
by Angelo M. D'Argenio
There are two types of HD remakes in the world: games that sell themselves on content and games that sell themselves on graphics and nostalgia. Okami HD comes from the latter category. This re-release doesn't give you much more than the original game and trophy support. To some, that's all that really matters, and those people will be more than content with the game's HD facelift. Others will be happy simply popping in their old PS2 copy to play one of their favorites.
Essentially, if you've played Okami before, all you'll be getting with this remake is a visual update. But that's enough. If you haven't played Okami before, what the heck is wrong with you?
Okami tells the story of Amaterasu, a powerful Japanese goddess traversing the world in the form of a wolf. It's up to her to face off against the powerful Orochi, the seven-headed snake, and save the world from destruction. However, this simple quest to save the world from a demon beast becomes even more complicated as Amaterasu finds herself dealing with supernatural forces far beyond the power of Orochi. It's up to her to save the Japanese-inspired world of Nihon along with a few unlikely heroes and allies along the way.
The key game mechanics of Okami HD revolve around the celestial brush, which you use to draw on the game screen in order to produce several magical effects. Drawing a slash across an enemy will cut it in half, drawing a circle in the sky will make the sun come up, drawing lines down the screen like raindrops will cause it to rain, and so on. Most of these abilities are used to solve numerous puzzles throughout the game. In fact, the whole game progresses in a very Zelda-like style, cutting off your progress to the next area of the map until you gain some ability that lets you move forward. Only a few of these abilities are useful in routine combat, except for bosses and special enemies that require certain brush skills to be used in order to reveal their weakness. You even eventually encounter enemies who have their own celestial brush skills and will use them to disrupt yours.
The rest of the game is your standard action adventure faire. You wander the overworld, killing enemies and upgrading your abilities as you progress from one area of the world to another. Rinse and repeat until you finally manage to confront the final boss and save the world.
It's Okami's Japanese aesthetic that sets it apart from all the rest. Each of its characters is loosely based on some aspect of Japanese Mythology. Its soundtrack includes remixes of traditional Japanese style music right down to the shamisen strings and the pan flute melodies. It's just bursting with Japanese charm, and if you are in to that sort of thing, you'll love it.
Okami has been released three times now, and it seems as if the game gets slightly better each time. It was first re-released on the Wii, gaining access to the Wii's motion controls for its drawing based gameplay sections. This alone was enough to make it fly off the shelves and into the hands of gamers who missed its original PS2 release.
Okami HD tries to replicate that magic by adding PS Move support, but unfortunately Ammy is barking up the wrong tree on this one. The Move is both more sensitive and less responsive than the Wiimote, making drawing a bit of a hassle. One of the simplest abilities you have is the Power Slash, which cuts enemies in two by drawing a line through them. However, it's quite difficult to actually get a line to come out straight with the Move controls. Remember, the game was designed with the PS2 controller in mind, and to get a line to come out straight using that interface, all you really had to do was hold down a direction. Since the code of the game doesn't seem to have changed all that much, Okami HD loves to be a stickler about the tiny bumps and jitters you get when dragging the Move wand from left to right with your actual hand. Admittedly, the pattern recognition isn't nearly as strict about other shapes you need to draw, but it still gets annoying at times. It's far better to play the game in the way it was meant to be played in the first place, with a DualShock controller.
Cel-shaded games seem to benefit the most from HD remakes and Okami HD is no exception. The transition into HD has benefited it far more than most other games that have received the HD treatment. The ink and paper graphics, which mimic the traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e style, are now more vivid and lively than ever. The deep black lines that outline the scenery and character models easily smooth over any rough or jagged edges that you'd normally notice in an HD remake. Background textures are smoothed into the sky in ways that make them look much more natural; natural for a painting, that is.
There were times in the original Okami where gameplay would slow down, but these have been essentially completely removed from Okami HD. In addition, there were points where the models of the original Okami would become noticeably jagged. This generally happened whenever a large and complicated map was shown, with multiple polygons overlapping each other. This too has been totally removed from Okami HD. The whole game runs in a phenomenally smooth 1080p.


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Widely used for measuring membrane potential of mitochondria; 585/520 Fluorescence ratio increases upon cell hyper-polarization.