text:
MiGs, Stars & Magic Books: A Brief History of Trespassing in Moscow
An illustrated guide to urban exploration in the Russian capital.
11 September 2012
In many ways, North Korea wasn't what I expected at all… and in other ways it was stranger still than the most sensationalising news stories could ever have prepared me for. I saw a lot during my short time in the country. Much of it aligned precisely with what they wanted me to see, as one might imagine. But over the course of that week I also saw cracks in the facade – and got to glimpse a few things that didn't quite fit the image of the polished socialist state which Pyongyang attempts to present to its guests, and thereby, to the world.
I have written about some of those experiences in other articles on this website and elsewhere, but this post deals with my first impressions of the place; arriving in Pyongyang as a tourist, and with absolutely no idea what to expect.
The self-styled 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea' (DPRK) is perhaps best described as a military theocracy. The armed forces enter into all walks of life here – from traffic control to construction – and the power of North Korea's military is absolute. The country features so frequently in Western news headlines, that it's easy to build a mental picture of this place as a bizarre, time-locked land of poverty, hunger and militaristic oppression… and while I'm not for a moment suggesting that those things don't also exist, there's a huge amount more to the place than what we're used to seeing on the news. As I'd find out, the truth of North Korea is often stranger than the fiction.
Tourism to North Korea is only possible by approval of the Korean International Travel Company (KITC). A number of foreign travel agencies run short tours of the country under the KITC's approval, and each group is appointed a pair of North Korean guides. My own visit to the DPRK was arranged through Young Pioneer Tours – an English-speaking company based in China – and the whole process of getting into the country was as easy as any visa I've ever applied for.
Having read stories about bugged hotel rooms, rigorous background checks and even entrapment by undercover government agents, however, I was somewhat apprehensive. Journalists have been imprisoned in the past, for attempting to report on the country without the state's approval. On my visa application form I called myself an 'SEO consultant' – but a quick online search would soon reveal examples of my written work. I wondered how easily it could have been mistaken for 'journalism,' and whether such a conclusion may have put me in potential trouble.
In reality though, I was overthinking it by far. Korean culture prides itself on hospitality, and our group of nine were treated like honoured guests throughout our stay – from deluxe hotel suites to private performances of song and dance by children at the local school.
One of the most pleasant surprises about the DPRK is the refreshing absence of advertisements. Billboards in Pyongyang tend to display gaudy socialist-realist designs of happy workers and smiling children, accompanied by morale-building slogans. Yes, it's communist propaganda. In its purest form. But personally, I much preferred these simple, feel-good posters to the manipulative advertising which tends to litter Western cities, usually with the sole aim of getting people to spend more money.
Another of the more commonly perpetuated stereotypes of the North Korean people is their blind devotion to the country's leaders; from founder Kim Il-sung through his successor Kim Jong-il, and now the young heir Kim Jong-un.
Well, reality would appear to corroborate this. Each classroom in Pyongyang's main school bears the twin portraits of 'Eternal President' Kim Il-sung and the posthumously promoted Generalissimo Kim Jong-Il. The same likenesses are present in every train carriage on the Pyongyang Metro, and resplendent on the walls of every dwelling – although the latter I was unable to see, as it still remains illegal for a citizen of North Korea to entertain foreigners in their home.
Hospitals, universities and streets are named after the country's leaders, and in the heart of the city, their likenesses appear as twin bronze effigies towering over Mansu Hill. On visiting the statues our group was asked to observe the traditional formalities – forming a solemn line at the bottom step, before advancing the long walk up to the monument as one, and bowing low at the metal feet of these dictators.
There didn't seem to be any pressure to comply. It wasn't, as some journalists suggest, a case of foreigners being forced to bow before these figures. Rather, it just felt like the appropriate thing to do and no one in our group was looking to cause offence. I bowed to these statues in the same way that I would take my shoes off when visiting a mosque; a token gesture of respect to someone else's belief system.
Despite their public displays of devotion however, it can sometimes be hard to tell how deep these sentiments run for the people of North Korea.
Founding father Kim Il-sung, without a doubt, is deeply loved by his people. In his youth Il-sung was a high-ranking officer in the revolutionary army, at a time when the Korean peninsula was suffering under oppressive Japanese rule in the wake of WWII. Once the country was liberated he went on to become president of the newly-founded DPRK… leaving his mark on the fledgling nation with a legacy of schools, hospitals and universities, a metro system and film studios. He ran the country like a military brigade, and did not tolerate dissent; but it's entirely possible that he did it all with the best intentions.
His son and successor Kim Jong-il, however, is best remembered for the Great Famine (in the local rhetoric, the 'Arduous March') and for involving North Korea in state terrorism. The praise I heard for him sounded ever-so-slightly automatic.
As for the youngest Kim, it was difficult to gauge exactly how the public felt… beyond the standard, predictable responses, that is.
Late one evening though I got into conversation with another employee of the KITC, who was off-duty and drinking in the hotel bar. After a few beers I broached the topic of politics and asked what he thought of the country's newest leader, Kim Jong-un.
"Our Dear Leader has only been in power for a few months," he told me with a sly grin, "we haven't been told what we think yet."
The tour itself proved to be exhausting.
We would wake up early each morning, grab a quick breakfast in our hotel, then pile onto a tour bus with our guides. After each long day of museums and monuments, studios and schools, we'd try out a range of Korean delicacies – ice cold noodles, barbecued duck, kimchi and even dog soup – before retreating to a bar somewhere to wind down with one of the fine local brews.
Our accommodation, the Yanggakdo Hotel, was situated on a small island in the middle of the Taedong River that divides Pyongyang in two. A suitably inaccessible location, considering foreigners are allowed nowhere in the DPRK without their approved escorts.
For all the rules however, I was pleasantly surprised by the laxity and informal approach of our guides. While on duty they would invariably give us the Party line – their account of the Korean War differed significantly from the version of history I had studied in school, for example. Despite this they were both warm and approachable though, and as the week went on they opened up more and more about their own thoughts and feelings.
Still, I often found myself wondering how much was being kept from us. On Victory Day, for example, as we were being shown an attractive marble statue set in the centre of a water feature, our guide informed us that we had just missed the fountains – which would be coming on again later in the day. The dry and dusty basin around the figures seemed to tell another story, though.
Later on we paid a visit to the Grand People's Study House – a vast pagoda-styled building which houses an extensive library of books in addition to classrooms, study halls and lecture theatres.
These facilities are provided free of charge to any citizen who wants to put the time into improving their education – we were told – and the building was undeniably very impressive. As we came to leave however, passing by the large marble statue of Kim Il-sung sat in the building's opulent foyer, the lights cut out. Our guide cursed and shouted an order, the lights flickering back on a moment later. I was left wondering if the lavish lighting displays were perhaps reserved only for the benefit of visitors.
Another awkward moment came during a visit to the Juche Tower; at 170m in height this iconic structure is ranked as the tallest stone tower in the world, and its design supposedly embodies the 'Juche Idea': Kim Il-sung's post-Marxist ideology based on the principals of independence and self-reliance.
Passing by half a dozen numbered floors as we took the elevator to the observation deck at the top of the monument, one member of our group asked what the other floors were used for. The question was met by an uncomfortable silence from our guide, followed by a swift change of subject. Later, as we were being talked through the landmarks on Pyongyang's skyline, somebody asked the guide if they could point out the home of Kim Jong-un. Again, silence.
It is strange how a country can provoke such a sense of paranoid suspicion; North Korea's avoidance of certain topics – and its citizens' general wariness of foreigners – cannot help but arouse interest in the curious visitor. As the week went on I found myself questioning more and more about our surroundings… wondering what was real, and how much was a charade put on for our benefit.
As we strolled through Moranbong Park later that day though, we passed family groups gathered around barbecues, some drinking, others shamelessly serenading one another on cheap microphones plugged into cheaper karaoke machines. At a pagoda located in the centre of the park, dozens of couples were dancing to lively Korean folk songs, while crowds cheered and clapped. Our party was soon enveloped in a throng of middle-aged women eager for foreign dancing partners.
There are some things which just can't be faked, which have too much substance to be illusion; and the sense of community and festivity in the park that day was tangibly real. But then, to assume that life in North Korea is nothing but endless suffering would be naive. People are people everywhere – they drink and dance and do their best to make the most of their situation.
As the week went on our guides took us for a ride on the Pyongyang Metro, down to Kaesong and the Korean Demilitarised Zone in the south; and to a war cemetery where each grave bore a painstakingly detailed bust of the deceased. We visited a theme park too, during our stay – the third of its kind to be built in Pyongyang. The city's fourth theme park, meanwhile, had enjoyed an inspection from Kim Jong-un only a week previously.
It seems as though the new leader spends a reasonable amount of his time testing rollercoasters and water rides. At present, he is overseeing the construction of North Korea's first dolphinarium. Considering many of these attractions are offered with no entry charge to the general public, it certainly makes for a generous gesture of comradeship… though from what I'd seen (and particularly outside of the capital) I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps the country would be better served by that same money invested into agricultural machinery or healthcare.
The DPRK seems to be very keen to show off the facilities in its capital city – and rightly so, as Pyongyang is a truly impressive capital – but while state services such as healthcare and education are provided without charge throughout the country, it is difficult to get an idea of how far these resources stretch. Questions about production levels, health or educational resources, for example, are generally met with responses along the lines of:
"Why would you want to know that? That's not interesting," often immediately followed by,
"Look at this beautiful monument," or —
"Would you like to have a go on the bumper cars?"
It was clear that there are some things they simply don't want us to know about the DPRK.
Our holiday in Pyongyang culminated with a trip to the city's only nightclub, the 'Diplomatic Club'. It was hard to gauge what the venue would have been like on a normal night, as we were the only people in attendance on this occasion – although one of our guides assured us that she had frequented the club often with friends, during her student years. The club was pleasant enough, featuring several sofas and a bar, a small dance floor and a modern karaoke machine. The list of songs on offer seemed extensive; though many of the more unexpected entries (Megadeth, Slipknot, Nine Inch Nails) turned out to be 'temporarily unavailable.' Instead we listened to our guides sing traditional Korean songs, while the staff brought round after round of strong, local beers to our table.
The following morning our lead guide made a farewell speech, as we stood dazed and hungover beneath Pyongyang's Arch of Reunification. This symmetrical statue bridges the city's southern highway, and represents the national dream of a co-operative government ruling over one single Korea.
"We hope you have enjoyed your time in the DPRK, and we apologise if for any reason it has not been up to your expectations," she said. "We have done our best to show you hospitality, so when you go home, please, speak kindly of us." Or words to that effect, at least.
I left with a sense of North Korea as a country that is very much aware of its world reputation; the majority of Koreans I met came across as intelligent and cultured, and I'm sure those working for the tourism industry won't have misunderstood the voyeuristic appeal that draws so many visitors to their country. Nevertheless, the people show a genuine hospitality towards visitors, while Pyongyang itself is a truly appealing city (and particularly for anyone who shares my love of grand, monumental architecture).
Many of the preconceptions I took with me into North Korea turned out to be entirely unfounded. This is simply not the same place that features in the Western news media – whose over-played footage of grey military parades gives no idea whatsoever as to the reality of day-to-day life here. While much of the tourism experience feels contrived and illusionary, what stuck with me most was the small revelation of meeting North Koreans who really seemed to be living happy and fulfilled lives.
And there is a certain charm to North Korea's Juche philosophy; the admirable naivety, the old-timey innocence of its (militarily enforced) culture. I found myself trying to explain Search Engine Optimisation to a guide one day – she grasped the idea quickly, summarising it: "Companies pay you money to make them seem more important than they really are, so that they can find more people to get money from."
Later, we talked about popular video games (another forbidden pleasure in the DPRK), and I had to explain the purpose of the music simulation game Guitar Hero. "Why don't people spend their time getting good at a real instrument instead?" she asked. Sometimes answers like these left me questioning my own culture rather than hers.
North Korean communism, Juche, is a beautiful idea on paper. Well, some of it is. Our guides – as representatives of the state – described their country in a way that really sold it. Equality, community, tradition; free healthcare, housing and education for all. For people happy to work a mundane job for six days a week, never travel, never have a say in the political discussion, never question authority but spend every Sunday getting drunk with friends and family… Pyongyang seems like it definitely wouldn't be the worst place to live.
But that's just the capital. The one percent, the North Korean elite. The way these tours are structured, we only saw selected parts of the country; the things they wanted us to see. We stayed in the areas equipped with mains electricity, running water, medical and educational facilities. I simply can't comment on the standard of life outside of a few tourism-approved destinations in North Korea (there are few who can), as I wasn't allowed to see them. It does make me wonder what they're hiding.
Comments are closed.
Sounds like an interesting place to visit. It's amazing how many crazy stories are made up about North Korea. I found this video pretty enlightening "The Loyal Citizens of Pyongyang in Seoul" – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktE_3PrJZO0
With all due respect, though, people do tend to find positive sides even when there are none of. Hence the people who seemed to enjoy the weekends truly.
As to the guides, I assume you realise that every single one of them was a special service (aka KGB) agent. There is not a slightest doubt about that. The practice to use KGB agents as the guides was invented and followed all the time in the much freer, more democratic and technically developed Soviet Union. Obviously it may seem far fetched to you, but when you thought they were open with you, they in fact most probably just switched to another mode of inculcating the government approved, more sophisticated agenda. That said, it doesn't mean that those guides are sided with the government. Most probably they understand very well what lies they're bound to tell, and hence suffer morally much more than the ordinary people who, at least, don't have to say anything. For the special service agents in counties like this are far from being some kind of James Bonds, most of them are being recruited via some compromising material, threats etc. This information again is from the comparison to the much more democratic and almost "western"(relatively to the North Korea) Soviet Union where all this was the case.
As to being the devil's advocate, still I miss your point. Hardly the fact that it's not North Korean people who created such a sadistic entity but that it's their government's fault elicits any doubts among anybody except very shortsighted people. The man above said that after seeing and experiencing the war which unfolded after the disintegration of Jugoslavia, he'd prefer any kind of totalitarian regime lest there was any military clashes. I was lucky enough to never experience the war, yet, while I may agree that this would be applicable to Nazi Germany, Pinochet's Chillie or Stalin's Soviet Union, in this particular case I'd venture to say that even war would feel better then the life they have. After all this very same man said that there is enough of generous laughter even during the wartime. Think of it as of the Cambodia which wasn't invaded by Vietnam. Clearly both wouldn't exist a decade without China backing them, yet there is almost no doubts that Vietnam invading Cambodia and ousting the Khmer Rouge was beneficial for the Cambodian population. The same case may be with the North Korea. But then again, I myself was lucky enough to never experience the war and it's deprivations, neither have I ever been to the North Korea or even the Soviet Union, so I can't judge it with the entire certainty.
This author clearly bought North Korea's propaganda hook, line, and sinker. Wow. Embarrassing piece of writing.
Your extremely naïve if you believe anyone in North Korea, even Pyongyang, is "happy" and "fulfilled". You admit that much of your trip was just for show, so why would you believe the smiles and so-called happiness was genuine? These people are TOLD how to act and what to say, especially around foreigners. North Korea is run on complete tyranny and every aspect of their lives is micromanaged by the State. Read ANY North Korean defector's story, even from the families of high-ranking officials and they will tell you that they knew their country was in a horrendous state (especially now with all the smuggled in dvds from China, America and South Korea) and that they had NO freedoms, but due to all the public executions (bet you didn't see any of those on your wonderful trip, eh?) and other things the regime does to keep them obedient, there is an air of fear and they KNOW if they don't smile, praise the dear leader or say the right thing, they're dead or in a prison camp. Every single North Korean defector admits this. They also admit that 75-80% (maybe even more) of North Korea is starving to death and that many have resorted to cannibalism. Not only that, but when Kim Jong Un's father (or grandfather-can't remember which) died, the government was watching to make sure the people were showing enough grief or it was off to the gulags for them! How can anyone possibly be happy living in a god-forsaken place like that, where your made to bow to statues, wear pins of the "dear leaders" on your clothing, and are killed if you don't cry enough for a man that denies you basic freedoms and rights? Everything you saw was just for show. I've seen many, many documentaries on NK and on one by the BBC, they had a woman in a hospital obviously pretending to be sick to make it appear as if the hospital was actually functioning and helped people. The reporter John Sweeney even told his guide, "we're not fooled by this. Where are all the people"? There were none. There was another one where a bunch of students were seated in front of computers but they had no clue how to use them. All for show. There's one with Lisa Ling where she goes with a doctor to do eye surgery on some blind people (hand picked by the government, of course) and after the surgery, they didn't thank the doctor at all-nope, they were crying and bowing down to pictures of the dear leaders and thanking them! These people are living in fear and know damn well how they have to act to stay in the regime's good graces! The hardest documentary I've ever watched is called "Heartbroken; North Korea's abandoned children" or something like that. You wanna know the life of the average North Korean? Watch that. The footage is shot by an actual North Korean who risks his life to show how dire the situation is and has many stories from defectors about how miserable life truly is there. It also shows how, just like yourself, when a journalist friend of the North Korean guy went to Pyongyang, only beautiful buildings and well-dressed, happy and healthy looking children were presented to them, a far cry from the squalor and emaciated children who were literally a week or 2 away from death you see in the undercover footage. I also remember another documentary or video from a tourist I watched on YouTube where right in Pyongyang, they were serving deep fried LEAVES! These people are not happy, and I suggest you watch some of the YouTube documentaries to see what you obviously didn't see-how people REALLY live in North Korea!
Oh c'mon. Even in the shittiest times of my life and I've lived through the entirety of Yugoslav wars had to flee from Slunj to Knin in 1991 then from Knin to Belgrade in 1995 in a huge refugee column, was resettled in 1997 in Kosovo Polje and then had to flee again in 1999 due to war (fortunately this time we escaped before the bombing itself and finnaly settled at my uncle's in central Serbia). There was laughter even in bomb shelters, there was streaks of optimism even when we were the most scared. In fact I remember how happy we were at several points both during the war and especially in 1999 after everything when 20 of us, half of which kids, relatives from various towns huddled together in one house for 5 years. Everyone looked out for each other. We always moaned and complained, but that house we had at the edge of Kragujevac where woodland starts was by own admission happiest period of our lives even though by American standards we should have been completely miserable. I highly doubt everyone is miserable in NK and remember they are currently at war. I found the instability and constant moving around far more horrifying rather than poverty we lived in. We also didn't care much about politics as long as it didn't affect us directly. I'd exchange frightening night on Mount Dinara of 1995 for any kind of dictatorship as long as it gives stability and security and I think 99.999% of Westerners would do the same and in fact are already so complacent primarily because their oligarchic governments placate them.
*And remember they aren't currently at war
Well, someone ate up all the bullshit then. You do realise you saw only what they wanted you to see? Have a look at the testimonies and photos by people like Michael Huniewicz and Eric Lafforgue, and read the stories of defectors like Yeonmi Park, who saw family and friends tortured and executed.
"But personally, I much preferred these simple, feel-good posters to the manipulative advertising which tends to litter Western cities,"
They are genocidal dictators you cretin, at least the younger of the two certainly is. Thousands of their population are malnourished and starving, their natural environment is utterly destroyed (much more so than any "western" – whatever that means – country).
Thank you for a wonderful article. I enjoyed your insights.
Really enjoyed reading this. Like so many others I find the DPRK a fascinating country and hope to visit there one day!
Great Article. writing – I loved the info . Does anyone know if I might be able to find a blank Certificate of Origin Korea-US Free Trade Agreement form to complete ?
Ever heard of Potemkin villages? Cause you've just been taken through a chain of them.
Greetings from a native of another DPR.
Thank you for giving me a good post! But I think you should go to South Korea.
South Korea is more beautiful than North Claude- said correct. Whole world would live in peace.
But South Korea is free and respect of human right.
Your comment is more critical than it looks like 😉 but you've just missed a fundamental point, which explains a lot of points that generated doubts to you: the two Koreas are de facto still in war, because no treaty of peace followed Korean War, so every tourist is potentially a spy. If South Korea didn't exist and the USA had a progressive government at its head, surely not only the DPRK but also the whole world would live in peace.
Best regards from Italy
I enjoy your critical thinking on the subject of the DPRK. I do believe that north Korea can be improved by both government and people in the sense that the people can be rationally introduced rationally to be comfortable with foreign contexts and the fact that the government can return out of a survival state into a functioning one (provided its security concerns are addressed. Although until a unilateral agreement of nuclear weapons are addressed as being eradicated, I find it an irresponsible and highly hypocritical to impose punishment for attempting to achieve what other nations have.)
Thanks Johnathon.
Completely agree with your points – there's nothing wrong with a country being a bit 'different', but there are a few human rights (and nuclear) issues that need addressing in the short term. I'd love to see the DPRK evolve into a functional, responsible, and globally accepted entity. I hope it happens in my lifetime.
I find the subject as a whole- so-called 'Dark Tourism', places shrouded in mystery- interesting and was really fascinated by your account of your tour through Pyongyang. It was thought provoking to say the least.
Thank you for commenting Mary, I'm glad you found this thought-provoking.
This report has had mixed responses, but I really wanted to share the experience of taking a tour through the city – by giving a sense of the way Pyongyang is presented by its residents, rather than the more prevalent perspectives which dominate Western media.
And yes, Dark Tourism, as a field of study, is a truly fascinating concept.
Interesting article, I'd love to be able to visit that city, but unfortunately I can't tolerate to be driven around by escorts like a sort of alien to baby-sit/brainwash and fill with propaganda (which, in my humble opinion, is as disgusting as advertising, and it certainly caused more deaths than the latter throughout the centuries)… Just one thought… Can you provide an example of a country where Communism actually worked, and where people have/had freedom of speech? 🙂
It certainly is an interesting city… though if you can't tolerate being treated with suspicion and fake hospitality, then it's not for you. That's not to say the people are inhospitable – just that the whole nature of the tour feels rather fake.
It's difficult to offer an example of communism actually *working* – and I'm by no means in favour of communism. However, one of the problems in comparing it to democracy is that communism sets out to do the best for everyone (an impossible, doomed task).
As democracy only aims to please a voting majority, it's always going to look more successful on paper – as its aims are actually achievable.
I don't believe communism has ever truly worked, though there are times when it has looked like coming close. Read up on the Spanish communist regime, for example – it was one of the more successful attempts.
It is a beautiful description of pyonyong. I feel it is really a good city to visit and wish to go there, though clouds of despair and war are shrouding over it since long….. War is no solution of anything, they should sit on the tables to decide issues peacefully and let the city visited by tourists 🙂
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Huzaifa. It really is a wonderful city to visit – both the architecture and the culture are fascinating, even without taking the dubious politics into account.
Like you, I hope that some day things improve there, and that tourists are given greater freedom to visit this amazing city.
Might also be hard to "sing and dance" when there's nothing to eat. Just came across this horror story:
Here, I'll turn it into a proper link:
North Korean cannibalism fears amid claims starving people forced to desperate measures
In the post above I briefly mentioned the stories of cannibalism that were reported in some provinces of the DPRK during the 1990s – but it's alarming to think that something like this could still be occurring today. It's hard to imagine the hunger and desperation which would push someone to such an act.
Thank you for sharing this.
What a myopic view on North Korea.
…"happy, fulfilled communists ", "Communism, on the other hand, is a beautiful idea; and when it works, it really works."
Wow. These a brilliant.
Personally, I tend to think this would paint a more realistic picture of the situation:
Thanks Zakhar, I'm glad you agree. The official tour of Pyongyang is one of the most myopic experiences to be had!
I like your approach of playing "against the man" (describing Korea in a way most people don't, but I think there is some flaw in it, and you know it too.
Of course for tourist they make the place look lavish and excellent, and you mention how you think Pyongyang would be a great place to live if you don't mind working 6 days a week and had educational areas, lights, etc, and for a moment I thought "yeah that isn't too bad!"
But lets be realistic here. There is a reason your tour is restricted and they're dodging questions. You mention it because you know it, I know better than to lecture you on this. Do we REALLY know what kind of lives the people outside of the tourist zones live?
I have a deep interest in North Korea (watched and read as much as I could, hence why I'm here.). I feel like if you're in the equivalent of the upper middle class in the USA, you would be the middle class in N. Korea. This means to me, that their middle class is most likely (none of us can prove it), living in conditions we'd consider bad or poor. That saddens me. I hope Unny can stir the nation in the right direction so people can live a better life style.
I also find it interesting how the Koreans respond to Kim Jung Il in a more negative light than his father, I never thought about that. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
I also agree, the lack of ads would be amazing. I hate our consumer culture and how they type into people's lustful desires. Absolutely hate K-Pop and the way it's advertised.
Cheers and great review.
Thanks for the feedback – it sounds like you see exactly where I'm coming from. It's hard to find anything online which prepares you for the experience of actually visiting North Korea for yourself… and there are certainly moments during a tour when you find yourself thinking, as you say, "that isn't too bad!".
Obviously most of us know better than to take such things without some degree of reasonable doubt, but that part is easy. I doubted most of what I saw and heard in the DPRK, and I would expect my readers to do the same; instead, I wanted to focus on chronicling the aspect which isn't so readily available, which is the way in which North Koreans present themselves.
In a way I'm playing devil's advocate here, but I think it also raises a lot of interesting points. There is certainly a lot to like about Pyongyang, which, politics aside, has become one of my favourite cities in the world.
In reality though, we know so little about this country. While this may seem immediately suspicious (and certainly should, in light of the famine, starvation and harsh judiciary system which have been documented there over the last few decades), there are also plausible motives for this secrecy – the very nature of the DPRK, as the last bastion of the communist dream, is likely to leave them feeling isolated from the rest of the world, and wary of foreign interest.
I believe the truth of the matter is based on a little of each.
Anyway, thanks again for the comment, and I'm really glad you found the report interesting.
great article darmon.is anybody want to know more about DPRK read a mig-15 to freedom by Kum-Sok No.wartime north korean defector.This book describes much of the life in North korea
Thank you very much for the recommendation, Vikram – I'm really fascinated in learning more about first hand accounts of NK defectors, so this has definitely made my reading list!
Very nice article!
Thanks for the comment! I'm glad you liked it.
Oh deary me Brendan, it's fortunate for the rest of us that you have so clearly been to North Korea, and not only that, you are an expert too!
I can only assume that to be the case, as you obviously know more about the place than Mr Richter. Despite his admission that he wasn't allowed into areas the government didn't want him to see, you appear to believe that he is part of their propaganda machine.
The article does state that his travel was restricted, and I think he does a fine job of getting across the feeling of global isolation experienced by the general populous.
As for preferring the propaganda posters to advert billboards, he did state this was a personal preference,
I look forward to reading your (no doubt, more accurate) analysis
^ What he said.
We should have sympathy and understanding for the North Korean people, not the government that oppresses them.
I completely agree.
But, this sympathy would be more useful if bolstered by an understanding of the socio-political factors which have led to the current situation… it needs to be accurate and supported by fact.
What would you suggest we do, send in the US military?
Personally, I feel that the solution will come through building greater understanding on both sides. I believe tourism is helpful, because the Koreans are constantly being brought into contact with foreigners who don't seem to fit the stereotypes fed to them by government propaganda. Conversely, people like you need to stop getting all your 'facts' from VICE.
And are you seriously arguing that government propaganda is more pleasant than advertising? I don't think you'd feel that way if you were being starved by your government and were forced to see "Great Leader!!" signs everywhere.
Define 'pleasant'.
My actual words were: "Personally … I much prefer these simple, feel-good posters to the manipulative advertising which plasters Western cities…"
It's an aesthetic preference, which I acknowledge that I am lucky enough to be able to enjoy in complete naivety.
How's your Korean, Brendan? Because you realise that none of these signs actually say "Great Leader!" right? Aside from the portraits, the majority of slogans refer to the strength and purity of the Korean race. Motives aside, they're aimed at making the people feel good about what they have.
3.5 million people starved by the North Korean military dictatorship, while they spent money erecting huge monuments for tourists such as yourself, importing more Henessey than any other nation, and bulking up their military to maintain control.
These are very real concerns, but you need to be more objective in your understanding of the facts.
* The 3.5 million is an estimate from outside sources, as the DPRK is unwilling to release actual figures. Whatever the number though, I agree that this is an atrocity.
* The vast majority of monuments were built long before tourists were welcome into the country, so you are failing to grasp their true purpose and significance.
* Kim Jong-il was the Hennessey drinker – and as you'll note from my report above, I got the subtle impression that he is not remembered with the same deep love and respect that his father, the Eternal President Kim Il-sung is.
* While the DPRK has one of the largest militaries in the world (particularly when considered per capita), you should be aware that it branches into all walks of life; and so these figures also include the military building corps who erect schools and hospitals, as well as the localised militia who police traffic.
I genuinely sympathise with your concerns, and I'm only playing devil's advocate here – but the point I'm making, is the importance of researching your claims more thoroughly in order to better understand the problem.
This comment has been removed by the author.
It's a shame you deleted this comment Brendan, as it was my favourite. Luckily though, I have managed to salvage it from the email notification…
"You're the kind of person who would've had a lavish dinner with Hitler, enjoyed some fine whiskey, and then declared that Germany was just misunderstood, and that the criticism is unwarranted. The Vice Guide to Travel took a very similar tour, and their outlook was totally different (and rational.)"
Aside from my initial concern that you seem to believe WWII-era Germany, as a whole, could be understood simply by looking at Hitler, I feel this comment also highlights the root of your misinformation.
VICE Magazine is not to be trusted.
In their report on North Korea, they claim that entry to the DPRK is near impossible, and that it took them a year and a half of negotiations to get a visa. In reality, there are around half a dozen tour agencies who would have issued them a visa with no more than a one-month wait. Seeing as their tour sounds almost identical to mine, I think they may have been exaggerating somewhat.
They also describe visiting a bar where every other patron was in the employ of the North Korean secret service, and put there to spy on them. Their evidence? A friend of a friend who works at the Financial Times told them so.
VICE don't concern themselves with reporting facts; they tell colourful, sensational stories, designed to shock and entertain. I believe the result to be dangerous, as it pushes people away from a true understanding of global problems; instead breeding fear and ignorance.
It is certainly true that a lot of strange (and often unpleasant) things go on in the DPRK – but don't forget that propaganda works both ways, and don't believe every crazy, unsupported story you hear.
nunca escuche que alguien haya ido a ese pais. buena informacion 🙂
Muchas gracias!
North Korea is one of a mere handful of nations in the world that are regularly hammered by western media & western politicians yet was largely unaffected by US export of tainted blood products that led to the AIDS infection becoming a world phenomenon.
That's an interesting point. The DPRK's succession from global culture could certainly be argued to have its benefits at times; I agree that it's worth considering the motives of those who actively look to damn the nation through media and political reports, rather than merely taking such information at face value.
I have nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award.
Dale, I'm flattered. Thank you.
It's interesting stuff and very well presented by you, but it's all somewhat inconclusive. You saw what they wanted you to see and didn't show you what they didn't want you to see. If things were all OK they probably shouldn't have this problem with their own people crossing over to China, which is a a fellow Communist country. Thought provoking article. Well done.
…and isn't that interesting in itself? This is the unfounded sense of paranoia I referred to in the article – you find yourself wondering how bad things could possibly be elsewhere, that they're simply not prepared to let you see it.
Or, perhaps it really isn't as bad as all that. Even if there are people going hungry in more remote areas of North Korea, I doubt it could be as bad as the situation in some African nations; or that their weak infrastructure is any worse than those in countries such as, for example, India.
It crossed my mind that perhaps North Korea feels as though what it shows to the world is taken not just as a statement about their own country, but will be used in forming a judgement on their whole political philosophy – and so they are desperate to make us see that such a system *could* work.
I have no idea what the truth is though, and my whole visit was massively thought provoking – I'm really glad that you got the same thing from reading my report.
Great article. Learned more about North Korea just now than I have ever thought to.
Thanks Christopher, that's pretty much the highest praise I could have hoped to receive.
As ever, an eye opening account. Since we can't be with you on your travels, we can rely on your fabulous powers of description to take us there. One of your very best reports so far.
Very kind of you to say so, Dale! I hope I can maintain the standard…
See all 66 comments on "A Tourist in Pyongyang: My First Impressions on Visiting North Korea"
An illustrated guide to urban exploration in the Russian capital.
Poltergeists, ritual murder & a live-in succubus – the 1000-year-old pub with a ghostly reputation
A month-long monument hunt, and what I learned along the way.


text:
CRS: U.S. Army and Marine Corps Equipment Requirements: Background and Issues for Congress, January 29, 2008
From WikiLeaks
About this CRS report
This document was obtained by Wikileaks from the United States Congressional Research Service.
The CRS is a Congressional "think tank" with a staff of around 700. Reports are commissioned by members of Congress on topics relevant to current political events. Despite CRS costs to the tax payer of over $100M a year, its electronic archives are, as a matter of policy, not made available to the public.
Individual members of Congress will release specific CRS reports if they believe it to assist them politically, but CRS archives as a whole are firewalled from public access.
This report was obtained by Wikileaks staff from CRS computers accessible only from Congressional offices.
For other CRS information see: Congressional Research Service.
For press enquiries, consult our media kit.
If you have other confidential material let us know!.
For previous editions of this report, try OpenCRS.
Wikileaks release: February 2, 2009
Publisher: United States Congressional Research Service
Title: U.S. Army and Marine Corps Equipment Requirements: Background and Issues for Congress
CRS report number: RL33757
Author(s): Andrew Feickert, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Date: January 29, 2008
- Abstract
- Equipping Reserve and National Guard units also presents challenges to the services. Traditionally, the Army National Guard and Reserve have been characterized as under-equipped and often times equipped with older equipment than their Active component counterparts. The Army has committed to both man and equip the Army Reserves and National Guard in a similar manner to the Active component. The Army and Marine Corps are also undertaking efforts to re-equip their pre-positioned stocks which were drawn upon to provide equipment for use in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Army and Marines are also actively pursuing the acquisition of new equipment based on wartime experiences. The Army and Marines have a number of equipment-related challenges to rectify which may require significant funding and management efforts.
- Download

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Monday, February 25, 2013
The Driftwood Book by Mary E. Thompson, D. Van Nostrand Co., 1960
...see also Weathered Wood.
Posted by ahoi! at Monday, February 25, 2013 0 comments
Thursday, February 21, 2013
with in
Posted by ahoi! at Thursday, February 21, 2013 0 comments
Posted by ahoi! at Thursday, February 21, 2013 3 comments
Labels: instagram, other things I've made
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Michael Dumontier, 2013
powder-coated cast iron
21.5cm x 18cm x 2cm
edition of 6
Nothing Else Press launched my new edition today. Also here and on facebook.
Thanks Dave and Roula!
Posted by ahoi! at Tuesday, February 19, 2013 2 comments
Labels: art, editions, Nothing Else Press, other things I've made, sculpture
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Ad Reinhardt: How to Look
details from Ad Reinhardt's six-page series How to Look at Art, Arts & Architecture, January 1947 (thanks S.H.)
Posted by ahoi! at Sunday, February 17, 2013 2 comments
Labels: Ad Reinhardt, art, illustration, magazines, painting
Friday, February 15, 2013
Jockum Nordström playing cards, Wexner Center for the Arts, 2006, edition of 500
Posted by ahoi! at Friday, February 15, 2013 1 comments
Labels: art, editions, games, Jockum Nordström
Tauba Auerbach playing card from One Deck of Cards, 2009.
somehow ended up with this single card...pvk?
Posted by ahoi! at Friday, February 15, 2013 0 comments
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
misc. bookshelf
Simple Tricks by Allen V. Green, Doubleday, 1955
Tonal/Atonal by Ronald Herder, Continuo Music Press, 1973, 1977
Posted by ahoi! at Wednesday, February 13, 2013 0 comments
Labels: back covers, book covers, books
Monday, February 11, 2013
Micah Lexier
tumblr site!
Also, two new Micah Lexier editions available from Nothing Else Press.
Posted by ahoi! at Monday, February 11, 2013 0 comments
Labels: art, blogs, friends, Micah Lexier, Nothing Else Press
Woodchopper's rope
Posted by ahoi! at Monday, February 11, 2013 1 comments
Labels: books, children's books, illustration, Remy Charlip
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Let There Be...Blacklight by Todd Liebenow and Dave Privett, One Way Street, 1999
"One of the biggest trends in the puppet ministry has been the use of special lighting known as blacklight. It is easy to see why...This is the most complete and comprehensive book on blacklight puppetry available."
Posted by ahoi! at Sunday, February 10, 2013 1 comments
Labels: books, christian graphics, hand lettering, psych, puppets
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Posted by ahoi! at Saturday, February 09, 2013 0 comments
Labels: books, children's art, painting, toys
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Concetto Spaziale, 1959 / Battaglia, 1947 / Concetto Spaziale - attese, 1968 / Concetto Spaziale, 1961
Lucio Fontana---L'Avventura Spaziale Di Lucio Fontana, Galleria D'Arte Medea, Milano, 1974
Posted by ahoi! at Thursday, February 07, 2013 0 comments
Labels: art, books, Lucio Fontana, painting, sculpture
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
ASTM A 74: Specification for Cast Iron Soil Pipe and Fittings Hub and Spigot (Service and Extra Heavy)
Scope: This specification covers cast iron pipe and fittings used in sanitary drain, waste, and vent (DWV), sewer, and storm drainage application. This system is intended for use in non-pressure applications.
Charlotte Pipe's family of products include cast iron and brass plugs. They vary in size from 1 ½ to 10 inches and are used for Drain-Waste-Vent, or DWV, systems.
Technical Manual
Price List
Dimensional Drawings
Submittal Forms
Important Safety Information
For over a century, Charlotte Pipe has been manufacturing pipe and fittings, employing more than 1,400 loyal, hard-working Americans. All of our products are proudly made in the USA.
One of the added benefits of using Charlotte Pipe is the many resources we provide. Our Customer Service and Technical Support associates are available to answer your product, technical and/or installation questions.


text: 18 AUGUST 2011 - PHOENIX, AZ: A "haboob" or dust storm moves from the suburb of Tempe to downtown Phoenix Thursday. A haboob (Arabic for "strong wind") is a type of intense duststorm commonly observed in arid regions throughout the world. They have been observed in the Sahara desert, the Arabian Peninsula, throughout Kuwait, and most arid regions of Iraq. In the USA, they are frequently observed in the deserts of Arizona, including Yuma and Phoenix, as well as New Mexico and Texas. "Haboob" has been widely used to describe dust storms for more than a generation In Arizona but this year the very word "haboob" has become a political football because some conservatives have lobbied against use of the word, favoring English words, like "dust storm." PHOTO BY JACK KURTZAdd to Lightbox Download


text:
With a diverse range of products, backed by expert advice, Leica Biosystems offers complete solutions for neurological research.
Dedicated to accuracy and efficiency, the Stereotaxic myNeuroLab range means researchers can have confidence in their results and can lower costs to spread budgets further.
- Convenient shopping – receive an instant quote or login to purchase from our online shop
- Expert advice – rely on our staff of PhD's
- Complete, customizable solutions – configure instruments to your specifications and add accessories for the perfect package
Stereotaxic Instruments
Vernier Stereotaxic w/ Manual Fine Drive
Stereotaxic Instrument for Small Animals
Angle Two Small Animal Stereotaxic Instrument
Stereotaxic Instrument with Atlas Integration in Computer
Stereotaxic Bases
Standard U Frame
Gas Anesthesia Instruments
Surgical Supplies
Surgical Accessories
Syringe Pumps
Dual or Multiple Syringe Pump
Precise Stepper Motor
Single Syringe Pump


text:
As detailed in the Policy Development
Process (PDP), the ARIN community decides how ARIN will manage and
administer Internet number resources. These community decisions are
recorded as polices. The ARIN Number
Resource Policy Manual (NRPM) is the repository for all policies.
Draft policies & proposals currently under discussion are available here.
Previous versions of the
PDP document the process by which the
ARIN community developed policy throughout ARIN's history.
The Proposal Archive
documents every policy proposal received. The Draft Policy Archive lists
every draft policy that has received resolution. Policy is discussed on
the Public Policy
Mailing List (PPML), which is archived here.
Every time new policies are adopted, a new version of the NRPM is posted. The NRPM Change Log links to all
previous versions of the NRPM, as well as details about which policies
were enacted and which sections were modified.
ARIN's Public Policy and Members Meetings, as well as Public Policy
Consultations (PPCs), play a large role in the PDP. Please check out
our complete archive
of all policy and members meetings for more information.
The Advisory Council (AC), as tasked
by the Board of Trustees (BoT), is
integral to the development of Internet number resource policy at ARIN.
The archive of AC meeting
minutes document all policy-related actions.
ARIN on the Road
events provide the latest information on ARIN's technical services,
the status of IPv6 adoption, current ARIN policy developments and
updates about ARIN and the RIR system. Archives of our presentations
are also available.
These are links to documents relevant to ARIN's organizational, financial, and operational history. Please see the main ARIN website for more information about ARIN or its membership.
Using the navigation on the page, you can find
information and documents relevant to ARIN's history, or using the
"Search" link above, you can search for specific items. If you wish, you can
return to the main ARIN website.


text:
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Candles For The Dead
Posted by Rot at 8:00 AM
Labels: atmosphere, candles, cemetery, flames, flickr.com, tombstones, yard haunt, yard haunts
2 comments:
- wicKED said...
I am liking that web tunnel/arbor. Makes me want to do a spider haunt in the near future.
- November 15, 2012 at 8:36 AM
- NecroBones said...
Nicely done! Lots of atmosphere.
- November 15, 2012 at 2:38 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to announce sometime this month whether it is possible to patent human genes.
The American Civil Liberties Union represented research scientists and health advocates who teamed up in 2009 to challenge patents issued in the 1990s to Myriad Genetics, a Utah-based biotech company, and the University of Utah Research Foundation. Myriad has patented the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes; mutations indicate a hereditary predisposition to certain breast and ovarian cancers. The Supreme Court heard arguments in April in the case of Association for Molecular Pathology, et al. v. Myriad Genetics Inc.
Before the court
The ACLU briefing notes said that "Myriad's monopoly on the BRCA genes makes it impossible for women to access other tests or get a second opinion about their results and allows Myriad to charge a high rate for its test — over $3,000." Critics said the company, which has vigorously enforced its patents, has blocked development and use of better technologies and driven up costs.
Advocates of the patents and Myriad Genetics said companies must be able to reap financial rewards for investment in genetic research and that isolating genes and other processes amount to "invention" that can be patented. Myriad spokesman Ron Rogers said the test is covered by all insurance companies and pricing is in line with other molecular diagnostic tests. If someone doesn't have insurance, Myriad provides inexpensive and sometimes free testing, he said.
There's no question that the tests Myriad developed to find BRCA mutations can be patented. But lower courts have been divided on whether Myriad can claim that isolating and pulling out that gene from the human body is "creative" enough to patent, since "nature" cannot be patented. The federal district court tossed the patents. An appeals court disagreed with the lower court, 2-1, and ruled Myriad Genetics made the genes more useful when it isolated segments. That court was unanimous in saying that cDNA, which resulted from removing noncoding material, was patentable.
The choices
The Supreme Court has three options, said Shobita Parthasarathy, associate professor in the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.
First, it can uphold the status quo and say that isolated DNA can be patented. That would mean Myriad Genetics would continue to control genetic testing and research to develop new tests and treatments.
"Whoever controls the gene patent can control everything — including the test costs and whether and how scientists can conduct further research," Parthasarathy said. On one hand, the right to such a patent can encourage a company to invest in research. It has potential, though, to stifle other research or prevent development of other tests that might be as or more effective, she said.
Far from stifling research, Rogers countered, the "BRCA genes are the most-studied genes in history" and the company has allowed research and collaborated "quite extensively" with other scientists. Myriad argued cDNA is not DNA in natural form, but required "the handiwork of man," as Rogers put it, to create a form valuable for diagnostics. The company said that made it an "invention." Scientists said the function is unchanged.
In an analysis for the Genomics Law Report, John Conley outlined the likelihood the justices will choose a second option. "Almost everyone who has heard or read the Myriad argument has the same prediction: The court may well strike down isolated genomic DNA patents while upholding those on cDNA. I agree," wrote Conley, the Kenan Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina and an intellectual property and biotechnology attorney.
Parthasarathy said despite some concern and uncertainty about how the patent office would interpret such a decision, it would likely maintain much of the status quo.
The third option would invalidate patents on both isolated and cDNA. That would create some uncertainty among American businesses that would have to rethink their patent strategy, Parthasarathy said. She predicts it would not have a chilling effect on innovation, since patents could still be held for therapies, testing methods and other diagnostics.
Advocates of that ruling say it would open the door to more researchers and more innovation. It could lower the price of the test. Myriad contends it would discourage companies from investing in expensive research, overturn 30 years of patent precedent and make the United States the only developed country in the world not to allow such patents. "We don't think that would be good for innovation in the United States," Rogers said.
Parthasarathy watched the Supreme Court arguments and said she was impressed at the level of engagement she saw from the justices.
The question: Can companies patent human DNA?
What's at stake: The U.S. Supreme Court's decision will have potential implications for genetic research, cost of diagnostic tests and perhaps treatment for certain ovarian and breast cancers and testing, and who controls research, tests and treatments.
EMAIL: email@example.com, Twitter: Loisco


text:
How to Build Your Own Greenhouse
Do you live in a cold climate? Does your area have a short growing season? Then, it might be time to consider building a greenhouse to protect your most essential herbs, vegetables, and other plant life. Building your perfect greenhouse isn't easy, though. It means learning everything you can before you ever put a shovel in the ground.
The information in our new Greenhouse Construction eCourse will help you design a greenhouse you love, and that will help you grow essential food for years to come. Learn more about the course here.
What's Included in the CourseWho better to show you the ropes of greenhouse construction than Lynn from the Living Farm in Paonia, Colorado? In this comprehensive course, professional organic gardener Lynn Gillespie — who has been designing, building, and growing in various kinds of greenhouses for decades — will guide you through choosing the ideal design elements of a greenhouse fit for your family's needs.
In the Greenhouse Construction eCourse, you get nine lessons that will teach you how to:
- Determine the greenhouse structure that works for your land and your family
- Discover if a custom-built greenhouse or a kit is right for you
- Select the size, shape, and foundation needed for your greenhouse
- Decide on the best flooring and covering for your greenhouse
- Implement heating and cooling for your setup
- Explore low tech and high-tech greenhouse structures
Whether you're ready to build today or you just started researching, this eCourse will provide you the knowledge you need to get started.
Choose The Grow Network
At The Grow Network, we're the homesteading experts. By the end of this course, we're confident that you will know how to build your own greenhouse. Start your journey with us and enjoy the knowledge and support of experienced gardeners and homesteaders.
A Complete Guide To Greenhouse Construction
The Greenhouse Construction eCourse is a comprehensive program that allows you ample time to put your new knowledge into practice and complete the assigned homework for each module, even with a busy schedule.
Each lesson and its related homework should only take about an hour of your time.
This is a journey of exploration.
I encourage you to take whatever time you need to practice and master each new concept and work through the lessons.
Ask as many questions as you wish.
And, since each video module is pre-recorded, no one will rush you through!
Move forward only when you're ready – take as little or as much time as you need.
In every case, you'll have an entertaining and knowledge-filled video at your fingertips.
And, you'll enjoy LIFETIME ACCESS to the entire program, so it's easy to refer back, review the video lessons, and access the included resources anytime you need a quick refresher.
Plus, you can ask questions in the dedicated eCourse Forum at any time. Get answers back quickly from topic experts and fellow students. (And participate in lively discussions that further cement the learning in your brain.)
Support Forum
Chat with other course students, trade tips, and get support. We've set up a community area for everyone enrolled to gather, ask questions, and support each other in this journey.
Watch all the video modules and complete the quizzes to earn the eCourse Certificate and be awarded the Greenhouse Construction Honor Badge.
How do I get started?
Well, here is the best news!
The complete Greenhouse Construction eCourse is just one of many certifications included with our Academy membership. And, we're adding more all the time!
Enroll Today For Immediate Access
Get your access to the Greenhouse Construction eCourse today for $30!
Or, enroll in the full Academy for only $20 per month and get access to all eCourses!
The purpose of the Grow Network is to stop the destruction of the Earth via Home Grown Food On Every Table. We strive to make the high-level training in our Academy accessible to everyone.
|3% of profits from all Grow Network products are donated to the "Earth Recovery Foundation," a non-profit organization that provides grants to backyard researchers working on issues critical to individual and family-scale sustainability.
Wait, I can get access to more than just this one eCourse? Yes!
The full Academy Membership offers you access to all our entire library of step-by-step eCourses.
Each one is designed to take you through the process of learning essential skills quickly and with a lot of fun along the way.
The Academy offers in-depth eCourses covering gardening, chickens, rabbits, greenhouses, making home medicines, growing medical marijuana, foraging and wildcrafting, goats, mushrooms, and a ton more.
And, we add a new certification every quarter.
The Grow Network is an online community of over 450,000 homesteaders, hippies, and preppers who have been living this lifestyle for decades.
You'll get access to our huge online forum where we are online 24/7 answering questions, swapping jokes, bartering and trading, and having a ton of fun.
When you get stuck . . . don't worry!
We are here.
We've been through this before and know all the pitfalls.
Certifications that make you really valuable.
These are detailed, step-by-step eCourses. When you complete a certification, you will be awarded an Honor Badge in your profile, you'll get points for your achievement, and you'll get to print out a certificate to let the world know what you've accomplished.
Just by looking at your profile, everyone will instantly know how amazing you are.
Plus, every month, we post up the names of everyone who has completed an eCourse, and the entire Grow Network community celebrates you. You deserve it!
Here are all the empowering eCourses that are currently available in the Academy:
Backyard Chickens for Egg Production:
Never have to skip breakfast. Plus, have an endless supply of gifts or trade items (everyone can use a dozen fresh eggs).
Bio-Intensive Gardening:
Produce vegetables, fruits, and grains with the easiest and most efficient garden system that does not depend on you going to the store to buy stuff.
Raising Backyard Meat Rabbits:
Hey, they breed like… rabbits. Have an endless supply of clean, healthy, organic meat that is more reliable than hunting, fishing, or grocery stores.
Home Medicine 101:
How to treat the 12 most common ailments with simple homemade medicines.
Cultivating Cannabis:
Designed for novice cannabis gardeners and even the most experienced. Discover the history of cannabis and its uses as food, fiber, fuel, and medicine, plus everything you need so you too can grow medicinal-quality cannabis.
Wildcrafting & Foraging:
Gain the skills necessary to begin wildcrafting and foraging. Learn the essential tools, language, and safety to find and identify the most useful plants growing all around you.
Making Herbal Medicine:
Learn to make the 8 medicines all home medicine makers know how to prepare (from poultices to pills to tinctures).
Herbal Energetics:
Cooling? Warming? Adaptogenic? This in-depth course covers common herbal energetic language and what it all really means. You'll learn to combine the wisdom of energetics with your sense of taste so you too can create effective, herbal formulations.
Growing Edible Mushrooms:
From identifying mushrooms to fruiting, harvesting, and storage. You'll gain all the skills necessary to grow mushrooms (in your yard, under the house, in a shed, or out on the back forty).
Raising Backyard Meat Ducks:
An in-depth walkthrough of everything you need to know from choosing the breed, picking the proper location, building enclosures, and harvesting.
Instant Master Gardener:
The secret to a green thumb, homemade fertilizers for free, your huge advantages over commercial growers, how to prepare a garden bed without weeding, and how to transplant with confidence.
Conquering Sugar:
Do you have (or worry about) cancer, diabetes, or heart disease? Deal with the fundamental issue and conquer your sugar addiction. Learn to handle cravings, replace the sugar in your diet with other yummy foods, and how you can actually enjoy healthier foods.
Saving Quality Seeds:
The ultimate skill for self-reliance. You can even create your own variety of tomatoes and name it after your favorite grandchild.
Nutrient-Dense Soil:
Gain an understanding of the importance of nutrient-dense soil to developing strong, nutritious food yields. Your instructor, Tom, will walk you through everything he knows about to turn your soil (any soil) into a thriving, garden-supporting powerhouse!
Raising Goats:
Prepare yourself with the skills necessary to raise your own backyard goat flock! And ensure that your goats are raised properly. You will find the entire process detailed - providing you with an abundance of knowledge and skills for your own journey in keeping goats.
Greenhouse Construction:
Save $1000's by building your own greenhouse! This eCourse takes you through the steps and gives you the info you need to know so you can decide on what greenhouse will best suit your needs; the various types and sizes of greenhouses, foundations, plus heating and cooling considerations.
Exploring Botany:
Develop an understanding like never before of the world of plants. Become confident identifying the main plant families and common plants you'll find in your neighborhood. Plus, a guide to basic plant anatomy, and a deep view into how we can work with Nature's systems for our benefit with natural remedies and food abundance.
Plus, Our New Weekend Projects:
The "Weekend Projects" are just that; quick courses designed to take 1 weekend to complete. These may be short, but they are sure to empower you on your weekend-warrior journey towards building your successful homestead.
Build An Off-Grid Watering System
Learn The "Original" Canning Technique
Learn To Can Almost Anything
Begin Building Your Essential Oil Toolkit For Your Homestead
The Essential Tool For Gut Health, Immunity, And Inflammation
Feed Your Garden With The Best, Sustainable Fertilizer
NOTE: All the course materials are downloadable to your home computer for safekeeping. This includes videos, video transcripts, and other resources such as worksheets or recipes as applicable.
Never Stop Growing With New Certifications Added Every Quarter
These are the certifications we have in the pipeline and will be rolling out in 2021 and 2022:
- Introduction to Beekeeping
- Detoxing Your Soil
- Growing Medicinal Herbs
- Weather 101 for Gardeners, Homesteaders, and Outdoorsmen
- Cooking 101
- Introduction to Sewing
- High-Performance Greenhouse Gardening
What Is The Difference Between The Free Level Of Membership And The Academy Membership?
What exactly will be delivered to me when I become an Academy Member?
On the 1st Wednesday of each month, you'll receive a special "Did You See This?" email from us; We send links to resources available to Academy members only (new eCourses, Resources, eBooks, etc.)
You'll know it is from the Grow Network's Academy as the subject line will read "[Lab] Your name, …."
Here is what mine looks like:
3 Things The Academy Is NOT
We are focused on real solutions, and we avoid some topics as other organizations better serve them.
We are:
Non-Political (actually, most of us think politics is a completely rigged game, and at best, it's a form of distracting entertainment. We have folks from every political stripe, and we all agree not to waste much time arguing over that. We do love to laugh at politicians from time to time, though). ;)
Non-Dietary (vegan, paleo, south beach, fruitarians, Adkins, Weston-Price, OMAD. . . everyone is welcome here.)
Non-Denominational (almost all of us have a deep spiritual connection, we are open to all. We come from almost every religion possible Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Pagan, Muslim, Atheists, and everything in between.)
What Our Academy Alumni Have To Say
Sandra Richardson
"I am engrossed by the volumes of rich content that you supply on the Grow Network. I call myself a perpetual student. So, being a member [of the Academy], I love all the certifications you have out there. I am currently trying to work my way through every single one of them! And I love the currency of the information that you post. There's more of it than I can actually go through. Which I find gratifying because I never get bored with it."
Chris Devinenzi
"A lot of times, people just get paralyzed, and they don't know what to do. They have so much information but no knowledge of what to do about it. But you make it simple. And that's what's so good about the Grow Network. You should say, "The Grow Network - we make it simple!"
Scott Sexton
"I am a terrible gardener. I love plants, but I'm just not good at growing them on purpose. After I took the Instant Master Gardener Course, all of a sudden, everything started growing for me. I had so much more success than I had in the past; it was like night and day. Best of all is that the course is part of the Academy Membership, and it's been one of the most valuable things I've gained from being a member."
Rose Donovan
"The Grow Network is really a breath of fresh air. The videos and courses give in-depth information, but yet they're easy to understand and follow. There's a wealth of information here. I love being able to find the resources I need quickly."
Theophilus W.
"As a near middle-aged individual living in the heart of a large city, who doesn't own or possess the typical resources and skills needed to survive comfortably [finances, vehicle, skilled trades/education], this Network truly is inspiring - especially now under current events. It's reignited a sense of purpose to devote my energy towards, as opposed to striving and maintaining a "pawn" lifestyle. Here's to another forty years - full of "actual nourishment" to soothe and refine the soul, and hopefully those closest to me as well. It is greatly appreciated Grow Network!"
Sign Up Today . . .
And You'll Receive Immediate Access
You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish with the skills you gain and the online community you help build here.
So, we encourage you, join us in the Academy today. Become a member of our inspiring community and delve into the Greenhouse Construction eCourse today!
Get your access to the Greenhouse Construction eCourse today for $30!
Or, enroll in the full Academy for only $20 per month and get access to all eCourses!
The purpose of the Grow Network is to stop the destruction of the Earth via Home Grown Food On Every Table. We strive to make the high-level training in our Academy accessible to everyone.
|3% of profits from all Grow Network products are donated to the "Earth Recovery Foundation," a non-profit organization that provides grants to backyard researchers working on issues critical to individual and family-scale sustainability.
When You Enroll Now . . .
You'll Absolutely Love It Or You Don't Pay!
There's no risk to enrolling in the Academy membership or purchasing access to just the one eCourse today.
Because they come with a 100% money-back guarantee.
And you have 60 days - more than enough time to complete the entire certification and love doing it!
Guaranteed, or your money back.
However, we know that every now and then someone will come along and find that the Academy eCourses simply aren't the best way for them to learn these valuable skills.
That's why we offer all new students the opportunity to enroll in the Greenhouse Construction eCourse, or the full Academy Membership and spend a FULL 60 DAYS learning . . .
. . . Absolutely RISK-FREE, thanks to our generous 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee.
You must love it, or send an email to email@example.com and we'll issue a full, immediate refund, no questions asked.


text:
FAO Partners with International Academy of Gastronomy
The two organizations commit to jointly support education, information exchange and awareness raising on food and nutrition
11 February 2013, Rome – FAO and the International Academy of Gastronomy (AIG) will combine their strengths to combat hunger and poverty, with particular emphasis on food price volatility, the promotion of sustainable food consumption, the conservation of biodiversity and the revalorization of neglected crops.
FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to this effect with AIG, a non-profit organization that aims to safeguard and develop regional and national cultures and their culinary heritage.
The two parties will establish channels of communication that will facilitate the identification of opportunities to jointly promote the study and the dissemination of knowledge regarding food, including best practices in the fields of nutrition and gastronomy, with the goal of achieving sustainable food and nutrition security and to bring an end to hunger and poverty in the world.
The two partners will do this using their respective comparative advantages and accumulated experience, including synergies with other partners, such as international organizations, the private sector and civil society. FAO and AIG will work together to create educational programmes and to support awareness raising on food and nutrition, including through cooking demonstrations and tastings.
The joint activities and awareness-raising will target key events and dates throughout the year, such as World Food Day every October.


text:
Adventures in Eating: Chocolate Chip Cake with Frosting
As far back as I can remember, I have always loved to eat cake. I found it much more interesting than ice cream, and rightly so! Cake is at the center of almost any important celebration. Birthdays, weddings, showers, anniversaries, and holidays…could you imagine them without cake? Usually cakes are decorated according to the occasion…. read more »


text:
Magnolia Linen Scentsy Laundry Liquid
Sun-washed linen dances in the breeze amid a garden of magnolia and honeysuckle.
Additional information
Sun-washed linen dances in the breeze amid a garden of magnolia and honeysuckle.
Enzyme the grime! A powerful 6-enzyme formula attacks difficult stains while penetrating cleaning agents lift away dirt. Leaves laundry remarkably clean as it enlivens your clothes, linens and towels with signature Scentsy fragrance. 20 fl. oz. (50 medium loads).
• Cleaning power comparable to leading laundry brands.
• A powerful blend of six enzymes targets hard-to-remove stains.
• Surfactants lift away dirt and grime.
• Scentsy's signature long-lasting fragrances enliven your clothes, linens and towels.
• Highly efficient and ultra-concentrated formula works well in hot or cold water.
• Free of dyes and coloring agents; will not stain laundry.
DIRECTIONS: Use pump to measure: 2 pumps = small load, 3 pumps = medium load, 4 pumps = large load. For best results, use with other Scentsy Laundry products.
water/agua/eau, sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, ethoxylated C12-15 alcohols, propanediol, sodium citrate dihydrate, glycerine, lauryl/myristyl glucoside, fragrance/fragancia/parfum, potassium cocoate, tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, citric acid, phenoxyethanol, pectate lyase, benzisothiazolinone, protease, sodium hydroxide, alpha-amylase, cellulase, lipase, mannanase


text:
Robert A. Eisenberg, M.D.
Emeritus Professor of Medicine
Professor, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Department: Medicine
Contact information
University of Pennsylvania, Department of Medicine
Rheumatology Division, 756 BRB II/III
421 Curie Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Rheumatology Division, 756 BRB II/III
421 Curie Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 215–573-9681
Fax: 215–573-7599
Fax: 215–573-7599
Education:Permanent link
BA (Anthropology)
Haverford, College, Haverford, PA, 1966.
Stanford University, 1971.
BA (Anthropology)
Haverford, College, Haverford, PA, 1966.
Stanford University, 1971.
Description of Research ExpertiseResearch Interests
The cellular, biochemical, and genetic mechanisms of systemic autoimmunity, including novel therapeutic approaches.
Research Summary
Our laboratory has utilized spontaneous and experimentally induced models of systemic autoimmunty in mice in order to elucidate the cellular and molecular deficiencies in immunoregulation that are essential to this process. The induced chronic graft-versus-host model depends on abnormal T-B interactions resulting from allogeneic recognition of major histocompatibility complex class II. We have most recently focused on the role of B cells in this model, and the specific loss of tolerance by secondary B-cell receptor (Ig) gene revisions in the peripheral lymphoid tissue.
Selected PublicationsAlbert, D., Dunham, J., Khan, S., Stansberry, J., Kolasinski, S., Tsai, D., Pullman-Mooar, S., Barnack, F., Striebich C., Looney, RJ., Luning Prak, ET., Kimberly, R., Zhang, Y., Eisenberg, R.: Variability in the biological response to anti-CD20 B-cell depletion in SLE. Ann Rheum Dis. 67(12): 1724-31, Dec 2008 Notes: Epub 2008 Feb 4.
Sutter, JA, Kawn-Morely J, Dunham J, Du YZ, Kamoun M, Albert D, Eisenberg RA, Luning Prak ET: A longitudinal analysis of SLE patients treated with rituximab (anti-CD20): Factors associated with B lymphocyte recovery. Clin Immunol. 126(3): 282-90, Mar 2008 Notes: Epub 2008 Jan 15.
Shao WH, Eisenberg RA, Cohen PL: The Mer receptor tyrosine kinae is required for the loss of B cell tolerance in the chronic graft-versus-host disease model of SLE. J Immunol. 180(11): 7728-35, Jun 2008.
Li Y, Chan F, Putt M, Koo Y, Cohen PL, Eisenberg RA: B Cell Depletion with Anti-CD79 mAbs Ameliorates Autoimmune Disease in MRL/lpr Mice. J Immunol. 181(5): 2961-72, Sep 2008.
Ma Z, Choudhury A, Kang SA, Monestier M, Cohen PL, Eisenberg RA: Accelerated atherosclerosis in ApoE deficient lupus mouse model. Clin Immunol. 127(2): 168-175, May 2008 Notes: Epub 2008 Mar 5.
Choudhury A, Cohen PL, Eisenberg RA.: B cells require "nurturing" by CD4 T cells during development in order to respond in chronic graft-versus-host model of systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Immunol. 136(1): 105-15, Jul 2010 Notes: Epub 2010 Apr 8.
Duskin A, Eisenberg RA. : The role of antibodies in inflammatory arthritis. Immunol Rev. 233(1): 112-25, Jan 2010.
Shao WH, Zhen Y, Eisenberg RA, Cohen PL. : The Mer receptor tyrosine kinase is expressed on discrete macrophage subpopulations and mainly uses Gas6 as its ligand for uptake of apoptotic cells. Clin Immunol. 133(1): 138-44, Oct 2009 Notes: Epub 2009 Jul 24.
Yunk L, Meng W, Cohen PL, Eisenberg RA, Luning Prak ET.: Antibodies in a heavy chain knock-in mouse exhibit characteristics of early heavy chain rearrangement. J Immunol. 183(1): 452-61, Jul 2009 Notes: PMC2700953.
Panigrahi AK, Goodman NG, Eisenberg RA, Rickels MR, Naji A, Luning Prak ET. : RS rearrangement frequency as a marker of receptor editing in lupus and type 1 diabetes. J Exp Med. 205(13): 2985-94, Dec 2008 Notes: Epub 2008 Dec 15.
Tsao PY, Jiao J, Ji MQ, Cohen PL, Eisenberg RA. : T cell-independent spontaneous loss of tolerance by anti-double-stranded DNA B cells in C57BL/6 mice. J Immunol. 181(11): 7770-7, Dec 2008.
Shao WH, Zhen Y, Rosenbaum J, Eisenberg RA, McGaha TL, Birkenbach M, Cohen PL. : A protective role of Mer receptor tyrosine kinase in nephrotoxic serum-induced nephritis. Clin Immunol. May 2010 Notes: [Epub ahead of print]
back to top
Last updated: 11/23/2011
The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
Last updated: 11/23/2011
The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania


text:
ARLINGTON, Va. — Washington Capitals forward Brooks Laich is expected to miss the rest of the regular season after having an operation on a groin muscle.
The Capitals announced Monday on Twitter that Laich "underwent a successful procedure to release a tight adductor," which is part of the groin.
The team said a full recovery usually takes four to six weeks. Washington's last regular-season game is April 13.
Laich missed two of the past three games for Washington, which entered Monday ninth in the Eastern Conference, one spot out of a playoff berth.
He has eight goals and seven assists this season.
Hampered by a groin injury, Laich only played in nine games last season.
The Capitals play Tuesday at the Anaheim Ducks.


text:
Advanced Search
advanced search
Meteoworld nº:
Publish date:
- (-) Remove 19 December 2018 filter 19 December 2018
2 contents match your search.
A WMO International Workshop on the Global Review of Regional Climate Centre (RCC) Operations was held from 12 to 14 November in Pune, India, and hosted by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).
A Joint EUMETSAT and WMO Training Course on the Use of Satellite Data and Products for Drought Monitoring and Agricultural Meteorology was organized for Regional Associations II and VI at EUMETSAT Headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, from 22 to 25 October.


text:
Does it work?
My clients and I have repeatedly witnessed the healing power of Chinese medicine. For most people, acupuncture works!
FREE Phone Consultation
Please call today for a free phone consultation to see what acupuncture can do for you: 214-828-4558
Insurance infoWe are in network providers for Blue Cross Blue Shield, PHCS/Multiplan and United Healthcare. Verify your coverage here.
By stimulating precise locations, communication is restored and energy flows are balanced.
So thin, up to 40 acupuncture needles can fit inside a single hypondermic needle.
"Moxibustion" or Japanese heat therapy is one of the most powerful forms of stimulating acupoints throughout the body.
Unlike visiting a medical doctor, you'll leave the Morningside Clinic feeling relaxed and revitalized.
"I was most pleased not only with Coleman's level of expertise but also with his humanity. I was having severe chest pain. The fear of heart medication, surgery, a stroke or death was scary. After several months of acupuncture, I feel I am back in control over this wayward heart. It is no longer a war between my body and me. I would highly recommend Coleman to anyone considering acupuncture." — JoAnna S
"I was diagnosed with Muscular Sclerosis about 3 years ago. I have been dealing with the common symptoms of numbness and tingling in my feet, increasing loss of balance and vision problems. Lately, the dizziness had gotten extremely worse and I began having "visual migraines" each day. A friend of mine recommended the Morningside Clinic. After my first treatment by Coleman the migraine episodes stopped, my vision problems have virtually ceased and my balance is incredibly improved. Also, the numbness in my feet is now about half of what it was and improves with each treatment. I also am now taking two different herbs each day. I cannot describe how thankful I am!" — Pat


text:
But Is It for Real !!!
For some time now, futurists have been talking about a concept called the Singularity, a technological jump so big that society will be transformed. If they're right, the Industrial Revolution-or even the development of agriculture or harnessing of fire-might seem like minor historical hiccups by comparison. The possibility is now seeming realistic enough that scientists and engineers are grappling with the implications-for good and ill.
When I spoke to technology pioneer and futurist Ray Kurzweil (who popularized the idea in his book The Singularity Is Near), he put it this way: "Within a quarter-century, nonbiological intelligence will match the range and subtlety of human intelligence. It will then soar past it."
Even before we reach that point, Kurzweil and his peers foresee breathtaking advances. Scientists in Israel have developed tiny robots to crawl through blood vessels attacking cancers, and labs in the United States are working on similar technology. These robots will grow smaller and more capable. One day, intelligent nanorobots may be integrated into our bodies to clear arteries and rebuild failing organs, communicating with each other and the outside world via a "cloud" network. Tiny bots might attach themselves to neurons in the brain and add their processing power-and that of other computers in the cloud-to ours, giving us mental resources that would dwarf anything available now. By stimulating the optic, auditory or tactile nerves, such nanobots might be able to simulate vision, hearing or touch, providing "augmented reality" overlays identifying street names, helping with face recognition or telling us how to repair things we've never seen before.
Scientists in Japan are already producing rudimentary nanobot "brains." Could it take decades for these technologies to come to fruition? Yes-but only decades, not centuries. The result may be what Kurzweil calls "an intimate merger between the technology-creating species and the technological evolutionary process it spawned."
If scientists can integrate tiny robots into the human body, then they can build tiny robots into, well, everything, ushering in an era of "smart matter." Nanobots may be able to build products molecule-by-molecule, making the material world look a lot like the computer world-with just about everything becoming smart, cheap and networked to pretty much everything else, including your brain.
It's almost impossibly futuristic-sounding stuff. But even that scenario is just the precursor to the Singularity itself, the moment when, in Kurzweil's words, "nonbiological intelligence will have access to its own design and will be able to improve itself in an increasingly rapid redesign cycle." Imagine computers so advanced that they can design and build new, even better computers, with subsequent generations emerging so quickly they soon leave human engineers the equivalent of centuries behind. That's the Singularity-and given the exponential acceleration of technological change, it could come by midcentury.
But Is It for Real !!!
It seems like a tall order, but lots of people think that such predictions are likely to come true. I asked science-fiction writer John Scalzi about Singularity issues and he pointed out that the Skype video we were using to chat would have seemed like witchcraft a few centuries earlier. Profound technological changes once took millennia, then centuries, and then decades. Now they occur every few years. The iPhone and pocket-size 12-megapixel digital cameras would have seemed amazing a decade ago. Web browsers are only about 15 years old. People (including my wife) have computers implanted in their bodies already, in the form of defibrillators, pacemakers and other devices.
Still, I'm describing a world in which nanotechnology makes us (nearly) immortal, in which robots can make almost any object from cheap raw materials (basically, dirt) and in which ordinary people are smarter than Einstein thanks to brain implants-but still nowhere near as smart as fully artificial intelligences. That's a world that's hard to imagine. And what we do imagine can sound either good or bad. On the upside, what's not to like about being super-smart and healthy, with access to most products essentially for free? On the downside, could always-on links from our brains to the computing cloud lead to Star Trek's über-totalitarian Borg collective or something equally scary? And, what happens to those computer-brain interfaces and nanobots when they're taken over by the descendants of the Conficker worm? Now there's an argument for strong antivirus software.
Dramatically enhancing human capabilities for good, alas, also means enhancing human capabilities for evil. That's something famed computer science professor and writer Vernor Vinge warns about: technology that could, as he wrote in his novel Rainbows End, "put world-killer weapons into the hands of anyone having a bad-hair day." Then there's the mind-control problem. Nanorobots floating around in your bloodstream could keep your coronary arteries from clogging, but they also could release drugs on command, making you, say, literally love Big Brother. Knowing what we know about human history, do such abuses seem terribly unlikely?
Of course, the problem may never come up. Vinge, who originated the Singularity idea, has written about why it may never arrive-though he's betting the other way. So what can we do now to affect how things turn out? Some people are trying. The Foresight Institute has published guidelines for developing nanotechnology, such as a ban on self-replicating nanobots that function independently (potentially turning the whole world into more nanobots, something known in the trade as the gray-goo problem) and sharp limitations on weapons-related nanotech research. Researchers in artificial intelligence are working on guidelines for producing "friendly AI" that would be well-disposed toward humans as part of their programming, thus foreclosing any pesky robotic world-domination ambitions. NASA, Google and others have even started something called the Singularity University to study ways to avoid problems while still reaping the benefits. Some have suggested that we ought to go slow on the so-called GRAIN technologies (Genetics, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Nanotechnology). Sun Microsystems' Bill Joy has even called for "relinquishing" some technologies he sees as dangerous.
But I wonder if that's such a good idea. Destructive technologies generally seem to come along sooner than constructive ones-we got war rockets before missile interceptors, and biological warfare before antibiotics. This suggests that there will be a window of vulnerability between the time when we develop technologies that can do dangerous things, and the time when we can protect against those dangers. The slower we move, the longer that window may remain open, leaving more time for the evil, the unscrupulous or the careless to wreak havoc. My conclusion? Faster, please.