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Inside North Korea
All photos: Alina Paul/Jérôme Bossuet
I didn't know what I was getting into when I accepted an NGO posting in North Korea, one of the last bastions of Stalinism and, famously, a member of George W Bush's 'axis of evil'.
I knew the Western media's view – the country was a brutal and dangerous regime that plays on the nuclear threat and is ranked last in press freedom. But I wondered about the people. Were things really so bad? Was hunger widespread? Would the country eventually open up to the outside world like China and Vietnam? What would daily life be like? Would I be confined to my living quarters, imprisoned by countless restrictions, watched closely by my assigned translator?
I knew the Western media's view – the country was a brutal and dangerous regime that plays on the nuclear threat and is ranked last in press freedom
Arriving at Pyongyang Airport I'm met with the imposing portrait of Kim Il Sung, the 'Eternal President' who led the fight against the US in the Korean War and rebuilt the country from the shattered remains. When the elder Kim finally died in 1994 his then 50-year-old son Kim Jong Il assumed the reins of power. (Now 66 and seriously ill, the 'Dear Leader' has yet to anoint a successor.) I present myself at the passport control desk. The military uniform and blank face in front of me don't ease my fears. The official taps on a keyboard, glancing at me suspiciously several times and flicking through every page of my passport. After a nod and a gruff 'OK' comes the screening of luggage: radios and mobile phones are prohibited and laptops duly checked. Once I am through, my Government-appointed 'liaison officer' is waiting for me with a fixed smile. We're off to Munsudong, a diplomatic compound where a handful of expatriates live – staff from the UN, NGOs, embassies and Chinese businessmen.
My preconceptions are soon challenged. North Koreans are not hostile but they are cautious after 60 years of one-party rule. Whenever I pass someone on the street I see closed, curious or scared faces. But I never encounter aggressive reactions. Sometimes I even get a smile, especially from people who can speak some English (Kim Jong Il wants to promote English as a necessary language for business), hesitantly asking where I come from. 'Are you Russian?' 'No, French.' 'Are you a tourist? 'No, I live in Munsudong.' Astonished widened eyes and raised eyebrow, followed by a nod: 'Ah, you do business!' 'No, I work for a humanitarian agency…' Eyes widen further.
When we visit the provinces, after the appropriate paperwork and permissions, the smiles and curiosity increase. Often children salute and the braver ones shout out hello and run after the four-wheel drive cars.
I soon discover that most of the criticism of the country is unfortunately true. It's hard to hide an obsolete industrial and agricultural sector that has been unable to change since the collapse of the Soviet regime and the subsequent loss of North Korea's traditional trading partners. The country is bankrupt – riddled with hunger and natural disasters. It insists on a hostile foreign policy, on spending huge sums on its army and is closed to the outside world. Kim Il Sung's Juche ideology rests on self-reliance. But the country can't provide adequate work, food, clothing, clean water, electricity or healthcare to most of its citizens.
That's the dilemma facing anyone accepting a humanitarian posting here. In a nutshell: are we supporting the regime by helping the people? The needs of the civil population for food, water, sanitation and healthcare are obvious. So how can a total embargo be the right solution? In the end I felt that humanitarian organizations could reach at least part of the population in need and perhaps contradict some of the anti-Western propaganda spread for decades in this country.
Even so, there are few foreign NGOs in North Korea. Obtaining the necessary permission requires hiring translators and local staff, who are attached to the Foreign Affairs Office and pre-selected by the Government. (This constraint led to the UN Development Programme closing its office in 2007.)
I found that my relationship with the 'liaison officer' who manages the local staff team was critical. He was the link between my agency and the military and civil authorities but also the filter for contact with the local population. Each request, from a field visit to the colour and size of the logo on the car, is studied carefully by the Foreign Office in case of a 'threat to the national security'.
Photo: Alina Paul/Jérôme Bossuet
In the field
One week's notice is required to plan field visits. You must make a list of people and institutions you want to meet and the type of information you want to collect. No improvisation is allowed. This makes visiting an ordinary family to assess if they have running water a big challenge.
Most field visits last one day and the majority of projects are less than two hours from the capital. The Government prefers projects to be based in or near Pyongyang. The departure from the office is slow – the liaison officer has to wait by the phone for the green light from the authorities, despite the visit already being confirmed. (Freedom of movement is tightly controlled: if you want to move from the county where you reside you need to ask for a laissez-passer.)
After a 90-minute drive and two military checkpoints we arrive at the project site. For three years we will meet the same people: the 'man in charge', the field work engineer and a representative of the local people's committee, the 'ferret'. His job is to make sure our foreign presence is not a 'threat to the national security'. For instance, to say 'no' to a request to photograph a group of children playing in case there is a hidden military target in the background or because the photograph could be used to promote a negative image of North Korea.
The country is bankrupt – riddled with hunger and natural disasters. It insists on a hostile foreign policy, on spending huge sums on its army and is closed to the outside world
First a cigarette, followed by a meeting to inform us of the progress and problems faced since the last visit. Often this revolves around fuel and tyre shortages. Other than that, there are no problems. But when you catch a glimpse of an excavator stuck in the mud and enquire why that wasn't mentioned, you are told: 'We will manage it ourselves'. When the 'man in charge' gets the green light from the military to take us to the project we are led to the car, to avoid walking… even for 200 metres.
At noon, the translators begin to get excited: 'pale pale; siksa siksa' ('hurry up, hurry up; it's lunchtime'). And our Korean hosts make it a point of honour to welcome us into their office, a traditional farmhouse that will become our canteen for the whole project. We are ushered into a small room dominated by portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. The floor, covered with floral plastic linoleum, is warm from the heat of the onbol (traditional Korean oven) in the kitchen below. We sit around a low table in front of a small bowl and metallic chopsticks.
Even with a shortage of resources you will be presented with a plethora of small dishes including pickled vegetables, fern sprouts, fresh sea food and sometimes Korean barbecue when the oil and cigarette fumes rapidly transform the room into a smokehouse. After several glasses of sul (rice brandy) and stuffing yourself for an hour you then choose the main dish (a refusal is seen as an insult) – a big bowl of steaming clam soup and rice or cold Korean noodles. The afternoon's field visit somehow seems more daunting after a lunch like that.
Obvious barriers exist when you want to speak to local families. Using an official translator in the presence of the 'ferret' makes it hard to get spontaneous, honest answers. During my first visit to a water supply project on the east coast I was escorted to different sites. We arrived at a small village of about 40 households to check a solar pumping station, a pilot to test alternative solutions to the energy crisis in rural areas. We were showered with apologies that the pumping station could not be visited because 'the man in charge of the keys' had been called away to harvest rice (it was October and most of the village was in the fields because the harvesting machines were broken). The next visit met with the same apologies. This time 'the man in charge of the keys' had been called away to tend to a family health issue. It remains a mystery how a visit announced a week in advance repeatedly suffered from the absence of 'the man with the keys' and that no-one else could take his place. And because he is 'the only one who knows how to operate the pump', it's never operating when he's away.
To make up for this I am generously allowed to visit one house to check the water supply from the tap. Two-metre walls surround each farmhouse in the village. The houses, the only private spaces in this communist country, are well kept. A timid lady, dressed in her best, smiles as I greet her in my awkward Korean. Her husband squats outside with his back towards us, his dog obediently beside him on a leash. Almost every inch of the small yard is taken up by a vegetable garden. Marrows climb the wall and pumpkins grow on the tiled roof. We slip into the house one by one. My escorts are uneasy with this level of intimacy. As I enter, a grunt from a dark corner startles me: a pig jumps up, bothered by the intrusion. A pig is precious and is kept indoors to be fattened. The kitchen is on the left, the onbol (stove) sunk into the ground. Shelves filled with tin and plastic bowls line the wall behind. The lady points enthusiastically at the water-filled containers beside the shelf. The adjoining eating area is covered in floral linoleum, with a thin mattress and cushions piled up in a corner (doubling as the sleeping room). On the wall, portraits of the Kims hang in such a way that the images are not tainted by the sun's reflection. Two of my escorts leave to smoke a cigarette outside and surprisingly the remaining one allows me to take a rare photograph of the lady turning on her tap.
Photo: Alina Paul/Jérôme Bossuet
Photo: Alina Paul/Jérôme Bossuet
A matter of great dishonour
When project sites are far from Pyongyang we are permitted to stay in State hotels, but not allowed to wander outside at night. During the three years I spent in North Korea there was one exception to this rule. During the first polder rehabilitation project (to reclaim additional farmland from the sea and therefore increase food production) we negotiated with the authorities to allow us to find a residence on site due to the distance from the capital. It would be the first (and last) time that foreigners were allowed to stay on a co-operative farm, which was where the project was based.
The Government resisted the idea. The farm was on the coast, a vulnerable border area. South Korean spies might kidnap us. Finally, after a year-long discussion, we were told we could get a lodging close to the site – at the county town 45 minutes away. It was better than nothing and my only further request was that the lodging be in a habitable state. On the day we were to visit, I was taken up a small hill, located above a school, and the liaison officer pointed to a patch of open ground – having forgotten to mention that we would have to build the lodging ourselves. After several months of construction, the grand opening of the house became a state affair. The authorities proudly showed it to an EU delegation as a sign of co-operation and trust. At least we had lodging for the final year of the project.
This was all made worthwhile by an unforgettable football match to mark the opening of our new abode. There were at least 500 people around the pitch, most of whom had never seen a foreigner, and were probably presuming we were either American or Russian (so for them to lose would have been a matter of great dishonour). There was no risk of that: the expat staff team were thrashed 4-1 by 15-year-olds from the school down the hill. A good mood and national pride were preserved. At sunset, when some of us had collapsed, breathless and exhausted, we were cheerfully told that there was another game to follow, volleyball. Seeing the small size of the young football team, our hopes of an easy revenge were high, only to be dashed when we saw another team arriving in bright clean shirts and 20 centimetres taller. After a few minutes we were being pummelled 0-15 and the trainer gestured with his hand, asking his players to slow down. In North Korea, victory is beautiful but one must not humiliate the opponent, as that would be embarrassing. The people on the co-operative farm are still talking with glee about this unique exchange many years later.
The unwritten rule if you want to keep things comfortable: don't talk politics.
This article is from
the April 2009 issue
of New Internationalist.
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text: Rachel last edited by Galamoth on 09/18/22 01:45PM View full history OverviewRachel is a supporting character of the modern Ninja Gaiden series. She is a buxom babe, a tragic heroine and a Vigooran Fiend hunter. Rachel is hellbent on slaying all fiends from the face of the Earth for taking the life of her twin sister Alma. Very little is known about Rachel. Unlike other Ninja Gaiden characters who belong in a clan or organization, her origin is unknown.Rachel appears in both Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden: Black but is not a playable character in either games. Rachel later became a controllable character in Ninja Gaiden: Sigma with her own chapters that filled in the gaps of she was up to during off screen. Rachel did not make an appearance in Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and Ninja Gaiden II and was replaced by Momiji and Sonia respectively. In E3 2009, Team Ninja made an announcement that Rachel will make an appearance in Ninja Gaiden: Sigma 2 for the PlayStation 3 in both offline and online play.Ninja GaidenRachel warns Ryu of the evil DokuIn Ninja Gaiden, Rachel seeks for her twin sister Alma, who has been mutated into a fiend due to the blood curse that turns humans into fiends. Both Rachel and Alma are infected with the curse and believing that there is no cure for their condition, Rachel seeks to kill Alma to redeem her sister's soul. During the events of Ninja Gaiden, Rachel meets Ryu Hayabusa, the game's main protagonist who is on a mission to kill Doku, (Who is responsible for burning the Hayabusa Village), kill the Holy Vigoor Emperor and to recover the stolen Dark Dragon Blade. Rachel warns Ryu that Doku is also responsible for taking his twin sister away and not to underestimate the Lord of The Greater Fiend. Rachel leaves the scene. She finds a library and learns about two Fiends, Nicchae the Goddess of Destruction and Ishtaros the Goddess of Creation. These Fiend sisters are responsible for spreading the bloodline and mutating innocent lives into fiends. This began a new race of fiends and the only way to free them from the cursed bloodline is by death.Rachel meets Ryu once again and tells him about the cursed blood. She is then attacked by a tentacled monster which consumes her. Ryu kills the monster and frees Rachel. Ayane, another supporting female character, makes her appearance and gives Ryu an important message. Ryu then instructs Ayane to take care of Rachel who is still soaking wet from the monster's bodily fluids. The next day, Rachel is confronted by Gamov and although not explained in the game, the two seem to know each other and have an excruciating hatred for one another. Rachel takes offense but the moment she sees Alma flying in the sky, she leaves Gamov and chases her sister.Ryu confronts Alma in her fiendish form. They both fight in a duel and Ryu wins the battle. Rachel then jumps into the scene but hesitates when given the chance to kill her own sister. Alma vanishes away, leaving Rachel in dismay. Ryu leaves Rachel alone and urges her not to follow him for the path will be dangerous. As soon as Ryu leaves, Doku shows up, knocks Rachel unconscious and takes her away. Ryu confronts Doku later on and defeats the Lord of the Greater Fiend once again. Doku's spirit's drifts away, giving Rachel a chance to escape.Rachel confronts both Nicchae and Ishtaros in a demonic portal and loses greatly in the hands of the Greater Fiend sisters. As Ryu enters the portal, he sees Rachel being tied up at the top of a pyramid as the Fiend's sacrifice. Ryu attempts to save her but Alma stops him. After an intense battle, Ryu rushes to Rachel before it is too late and in a remarkable turn of event, Alma saves Rachel by sacrificing herself instead. Alma returns to her human form with Rachel by her side and is presumed to be dead. Ryu leaves the two sisters alone.Rachel finally reunites with her sister...for the last time?After defeating the Holy Vigoor Emperor, the main antagonist of the game, Ryu recovers the stolen Dark Dragon Blade, which causes the cave he is currently in to collapse. Fortunately, Rachel manages to save him in the nick of time. Outside the crumbled cave, they are greeted by a mysterious figure who calls himself the Dark Disciple. He insists that Ryu surrenders the Dark Dragon to him and after a tough showdown, Ryu defeats the Dark Disciple and destroys the Dark Dragon into a million pieces. The game ends with Rachel staring at Ryu with a sorrowful look, possibly due to the lost of her sister and no sense of direction. Ryu turns away, assuring her that "it's over" and flies away into the sky.Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2Rachel makes her only appearance in Chapter 8, after Ryu and Sonia left Manhattan. Marbus, the former guardian of the Holy Vigoor Emperor, takes over the city after Alexei has been defeated. Rachel appears, and immediately feels a great disturbance in the sky. She fights her way to the hellish night slaying fiend after fiend until she confronts Marbus on a skyscraper. She tells the Archfiend of the Underworld to go back to Hell, but he refuses and attacks her. Using her powers and her skills as a demon hunter, Rachel defeats Marbus. As the sun comes out she says "Night has lifted, dawn has come." The Statue of Liberty, which sank at the bottom of the ocean early in the game, reappeared in her rightful place.Warriors OrochiIn this spin-off, Rachel has apparently been sucked into a time distortion and unceremoniously displaced within the dimensional realm created by Orochi. Upon entering the newly-distorted territory of Jiangdong, she came across several remnants of Wu soldiers led by Zhuge Ke and earned their trust by helping them repel Kiyomori's demonic army. Even Lianshi and Ding Feng had been taken aback by the amount of demons she exterminated on her own. After being informed of the situation at hand, Rachel decided to join them in order to return to her own timeline.Rachel appears in Musuo Orochi 2: Special (Japan exclusive) and will soon be included in Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper for the Wii U.Dead or Alive 5: UltimateRachel will make her first appearance in the Dead or Alive series in the upcoming 2013 Ultimate release.Weapon of ChoiceImagesWeapon NameDescriptionWar HammerRachel's former primary weapon. It is excellent in slow, powerful combat moves. The War Hammer appears green in color in Ninja Gaiden and sadly, Rachel lost this signature weapon during a fight with Doku. Inferno HammerAn upgrade to the previous War Hammer and is very similar to Ryu's Eclipse Scythe, although not as powerful and with slightly longer range. Type 666 Machine GunThis powerful machine gun is introduced in Sigma 2 and it's ideal for mowing down the fiends as quickly as possible. It packs a decent punch for a weapon of its speed, and it has a long range of attack. The Magic of Raging AphroditeRachel's nimpo power that unleashes a whip of deadly rose thorns that causes great damage to opponents around her.Additional InfoRachel is voiced by Tara Strong (English) and Michie Tomizawa (Japanese).in 2007, Rachel was voted as the number 1 hottest female game character at GameTrailers' GT Countdown: Axe's Top-Ten Gamer Babes.In Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Rachel is enhanced with Team Ninja's breasts physics that allows her breasts to jiggle even when she's standing still. In Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, players can move her breasts by shaking the SIXAXIS controller. Font-sizeParagraphHeader 4Header 3Header 2 Quote Link Img Table TweetClean sizeSMLpositionLCRUDchangeCreditDeletesizeSMpositionLRUDchangetitle 1title 2captiondelete×Edit Image TitleTitle: CancelUpdate×Embed ImageWhat size image should we insert? (This will not affect the original upload) Small Medium How do you want the image positioned around text? Float Left Float Right CancelInsertGo to LinkUnlinkChange× Link to Giant Bomb Content AllWiki Franchises Games Accessories Characters Companies Concepts Locations Objects People PlatformsEditorial Videos Podcasts Articles Reviews Features ShowsCommunity Users You can search for any Giant Bomb content. CancelCreate Link×Link to a pageAllWiki Franchises Games Accessories Characters Companies Concepts Locations Objects People PlatformsEditorial Videos Podcasts Articles Reviews Features ShowsCommunity Users You can search for any Giant Bomb content. 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Landing A Job in Investment Banking
Investment banking interviews are long and comprehensive, however, they portend the intensity and pressure of actually working at an investment bank. You need to go into each phase of the process fully prepared for the kinds of technical and personal questions you're almost sure to be asked.
While the investment banking interview process does vary somewhat depending on the bank, you can expect it to follow this basic format. (Check out our best job interview tips.)
Initial Conversations
Landing an interview with an investment bank is just the beginning of the process, as most investment banks have several rounds of initial "introductory" interviews designed to identify candidates who are strong not just on paper.
Round 1
Depending on your location, the first round of the investment banking interview process is likely to be done over the phone. Many banks occasionally send alumni to their college campuses for in-person, speed-dating-style interviews at a career fair or other event.
The early interviews are primarily focused on technical questions about accounting and valuation models to demonstrate that you know the basics. If done over the phone, try to avoid the natural tendency to rely on notes, as the shuffling of papers and long pauses are usually dead giveaways that you're looking up an answer to a question. Instead, take a few days to thoroughly brush up on the specifics so you can quickly and confidently fire off your answers.
Next Round/s
Sometimes, but not always, there is a second and perhaps third round of phone or quick in-person interviews. This is generally the case for larger college campuses that have an established pipeline to Wall Street. Again, these interviews are meant to cover the basics around valuation, discount rates, cash flow, and other common topics that you absolutely have to know and be comfortable with on Day One of any associate or analyst role.
If you make it to the next round, you'll be invited to an on-site Superday at the investment bank. This will involve an intense full day of interviews.
Pre-Superday Reception
There is normally a small reception or outing the night before for the interviewers to meet the candidates informally. Consider this event to be mandatory and a serious part of the investment banking interview process, as many initial hiring decisions may be made during these events. Do your best to build rapport with the employees at the firm. Avoid the tendency to simply mix and talk with your fellow candidates.
On-site Interview
The following day is Superday, you'll spend the entire day meeting with different hiring groups, even if you've indicated a group or practice preference previously.
The interviews can be one-on-one or with small groups.
Interview questions are of two general categories:
- Technical – Do you know the technical basics of accounting and valuation?
- Fit – Are you a good fit for the investment bank's culture?
You will also be asked questions to see what you actually know about the investment bank with which you're interviewing. You must know the bank's history and current activities.
At the end of Superday, you'll rank the groups you interviewed with and they'll rank you. If there's a match, you'll be hired. Other firms just hire directly from the pool of candidates.
Shortly after Superday, if not by the time you make it home, you can expect to hear a decision from the bank. Congratulations, if you have been made an offer! This is just the beginning of an exciting and rewarding career. If you are rejected, don't take it too personally but do make a point of asking your contact/s at the bank how you can improve or where your shortcomings are. Either way, be sure to reach out to as many contacts as you can to thank them for considering your application.
Complications may arise if you are in the process of interviewing with multiple banks or receive an offer from a group you're not interested in joining, as the bank usually expects a quick reply about joining the firm. Be careful if you choose to accept a job but then continue interviewing with other banks in hopes of landing a "better" position. You don't want to burn any bridges on Wall Street.
Understand the process? Now get the insider tips you need to ace the interview and land that job.


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Situated in the heart of central Florida, this private estate will enchant you with its local flavor and tropical, vibrant ambience.
Isolé Villas is a brand new luxury private estate with the feel of a deluxe, boutique five-star hotel, yet with the confidentiality of a villa. Its meticulous design encompasses lavish features and posh accommodations providing its exclusive guests an unforgettable, customized stay.
The expansive 25,000-square-foot home boasts 15 stunning suites, including two Presidential Suites and two Ambassador Suites, as well as 11 one-bedroom suites. All are appointed with Frette fine linens, one-of-a-kind artwork and private marble bathrooms.
Ideally located, Isolé Villas is situated within a secure private golf course community in Orlando where the local flavor of central Florida melds with the vibrant, tropical vibe of the Caribbean.
This home comes with a long list of amenities and and activities, including a multi-level salt-water pool that is complete with a 60-foot swim lane and Jacuzzi, a fashionable spa and wellness center featuring full service treatments by ESPA-trained professionals, a Turkish steam room, fitness room and Zen lounge.
This estate also includes a private 19-seat movie theater featuring surround sound and a well-stocked snack bar serving classic movie favorites, an indoor fitness court for basketball, yoga, Pilates or other indoor sports, a cigar lounge featuring the villa's signature collection of fine cigars and rare labels of Scotch and vintage wines, a piano salon, grand dining room that seats up to 40, sports lounge and game room.
Surrounded by championship golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Arnold Palmer, the Atlantic and Gulf coasts are approximately an hour's drive away. Numerous nearby inland lakes serve as recreational hubs for boating, swimming and fishing.
This private estate is ideal for couples, families, weddings, groups and corporate retreats looking for a first-class experience close to Walt Disney World and Orlando attractions. The property is staffed full time with an onsite villa manager, as well as a villa concierge who can organize any number of activities — from arranging lavish private dinner parties to scheduling golf outings, theme park visits, shopping excursions and more.
Photos courtesy of Isolé Villas


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Researchers from the Universities of Princeton, California, Tokyo, Kyushu and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, say the recent hiatus in global temperature increase has led to a surge in climate science.
The global effort to understand the global warming hiatus they say has led to increased understanding of some of the key metrics of global climate change such as global temperature and ice-cover. Searching for an answer to the hiatus, they say, meant that the scientific community grappled with difficulties with these climate metrics, in particular the fact that they do not unequivocally portray the same story about global warming.
For instance, as the global surface temperature increase underwent an apparent slowdown, Antarctic sea ice expanded, and boreal summer Arctic sea ice declined rapidly, at least until 2007. Hot and cold extremes increased in northern hemisphere continents, and the Hadley circulation shifted poleward.
Many of the changes are not ones expected due to increasing greenhouse gas forcing. For some this called into question the viability of computer models of the climate and whether these changes indicated a fundamental lack in our understanding and ability to simulate radiatively forced changes, or indeed if internal climate variability alone is sufficient to explain the changes.
The researchers point out that since the hiatus was identified just over a decade ago it stimulated advances in our understanding of the multidecadal variability of these key metrics, providing insight into internal climate variability. As well as drawing attention to biases in the temperature record it has also improved our understanding of the role of the tropical Pacific Ocean in mean global temperature. Despite the research progress many challenges remain, especially due to the relatively short timescale of the observations. There are also limitations of climate models in simulating internal, multidecadal climate variability and the way radiatively forced changes interact with that inherent variability.
Data Uncertainty
The short period over which we have reliable observations restricts the number of independent simulations of observed multidecadal variability that can be performed. Uncertainties in the data, such as sea ice extent are very large before the satellite era in the late 1970s.
Other datasets with records extending more than a century, such as global sea surface temperature, have large uncertainties in the first half of the 20th century particularly over the Southern Ocean due to sparse data. Because of these uncertainties, the scientists say, many existing sea surface temperature reconstructions may have underestimated the amplitude of early 20th century natural climatic variations, impeding our ability to understand associated climate changes such as accelerated Arctic warming.
Although recent climate models can simulate the basic structure of internal climatic variability, they underestimate the strength of some important modes of internal multidecadal variability, in particular the oceanic climate cycles. Specifically, the decadal-to-multidecadal component of the North Atlantic Oscillation which has important consequences for the Northern Hemisphere temperature.
As with the recent hiatus, they say, it is inevitable that internal variability will offset and possibly even temporarily reverse the radiatively forced trends for each of these metrics over decadal to multidecadal periods, that is possibly bring on a period of global cooling. The scientific community should be ready for this they imply.
Johnson et al writing a review article in Global and Planetary Change conclude that because of these multidecadal modulations, the trends of these metrics must be calculated over several decades to suppress the noise of internal variability. This is in contrast to the prevailing message before the identification of the hiatus which was the long-term climate warming signal was strong and the "noise" relatively weak.
The hiatus, they add, demonstrated that natural variability of global surface temperature can overcome the effects of radiative forced global warming over periods of about 15 years. For other more regionally confined metrics, this timescale tends to be even longer and may extend beyond available observational records. In other words, we do not have enough long-term data to evaluate natural climatic variability to place today's change into their proper historical perspective.
Thus, these researchers lay bare some of the dominant memes of climate change regarding its ability to forecast the future. The lesson of the hiatus is that we do not understand internal climatic variability as much as many think we do, and our predictive power is less than many believe.
Feedback: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Tigrai Online
Feb. 28, 2012
Messebo Building Materials Manufacturing SC, Ethiopia exported 2,000 quintals of cement to South Sudan last week.
The cement producer initiated export efforts following the drastic fall of cement prices to 230 birr form 500 birr following the entrance of new producer Derba selling for 170 birr.
Messebo acquired the permit to export cement two months ago due to the fall in prices and the sudden drops in domestic demands for cement.
South Sudan is the destination for export because of the huge demand but exports are still not highly viable as transportation is limited said an official with Messebo.
State operated Mugher Cement Factory which was unable to meet 43% of target sales in the past two quarters has also resorted to exports to Kenya, South Sudan and Djibouti according to sources.
Export is also a less attractive option for Ethiopian cement factories because the rates on the international market are actually less than what they would get on the domestic market with a quintal of Portland cement that is sold by Mughar and Messebo for 200 birr locally fetching just 11.3 dollars internationally, according to industry observers.
The prices being offered by Derba, although the product is yet to enter the market in any significant manner, is a primary reason behind the reduced demand for their product according to a manger with Messebo.
Derba cement is not yet readily available on all markets because the new company has been preoccupied with staff recruitment and training explained Haile Asegide, Chief Executive Officer.
The factory has so far been supplying unnamed construction companies and projects he claimed.
The fall in cement prices are due not to Derba but because cement factories are no longer able to create artificial demand by simulating scarcity through hoarding according to Haile.
Source, Addis Fortune
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- Calls & Dates
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Video Recording
The ESWC 2015 conference will be recorded and published on the Videolectures.net website. Presenters at the conference are kindly asked to fill in and sign the permission form and e-mail a scanned version to email@example.com or fax it to +386 1 477 3935 to allow Videolectures team to record the presentation. The website also offers synchronization of the video with the presentation and for this purpose the cameraman will collect the slides before talks at the conference.


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State BJP is divided over the move to welcome Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma a few months ahead of the assembly polls. But the central leadership will take the final call.
State president Siddharth Bhattacharya and his close associates want the former Congress minister saying that he would help the party ensuring the victory of at least 5 seats.
"We want Dr Sarma like workaholic political leader. He was one who made no less contribution for three consecutive victories," said one of the close associates of Bhattacharya.
A circle of MPs have been dead opposed to the idea of importing Dr Sarma. They include an union minister from the north east along with four other MPs.
"The man who is unwanted in his own party should not be allowed in our party. It would lower the image of our party just a few months ahead of the polls. It would be a suicidal act," said a party leader.
"State leadership has been urging the central leadership to consider Himanta's case. But some others have not given any positive feedback to the central leadership. But the central leadership is still indecisive," said a central leader in New Delhi.


text:
Park Tool
Park Tool AWS-7 3-Way Hex and Torx Compatible Wrench 4mm/5mm/T25
Park Tool introduced the bicycle world to the 3-way hex wrench set over 30 years ago. Our 3-way wrenches fit perfectly in the palm of the hand and provide excellent leverage, making them a favorite of countless shop mechanics worldwide.
- 4mm hex, 5mm hex and T25 Torx® compatible set
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text:
Zelda has really enjoyed hunting this season. A lot. She has been very full of herself and quite strong. She also has the annoying habit of "rooting" — in other words, she snatches at the reins and tries to pull them out of my hand, mostly because I, god forbid, am trying to balance her and she just wants to keep up.
But on Tuesday she might have had a watershed moment because we had a hunt that was long enough that it maybe, might have taught her to conserve her energy.
One of my strategies with Zelda is to ride her a bit before the hunt to get the sillies out. On Tuesday we hunted the territory behind my barn so I had plenty of time to work her before the first cast (no trailering!). It was a
beautiful, cold fall morning and she definitely felt frisky, so we logged 4.5 miles, mostly at a trot and canter. All set, I thought.
The pre-ride set her up pretty nicely. I still have trouble with her getting a bit flat and strung out, but she was mostly listening and there was no bucking. We had a very pleasant hunt which took us about another 5 miles. Then, some of the hounds went walkabout.
Given that I know the trail system well, I helped with the rescue mission. In fact, most of the field came out as it was such a nice day. We logged about another four miles, covering most of the trails and then some.
Three and a half hours and nearly 14 miles later we headed back to the barn. Usually, Zelda doesn't like to leave the field — she's always looking for the next cast. This time, she happily headed home and had a good, long roll.
I'm curious it see if she learned anything from being out so long!


text:
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
7 months old - Hattie Jane
Oh Hattie where to even begin. You are always so happy unless you are tired. You have gotten better about mommy not having to hold you but you still have your only mommy moments. You have three separate smiles. 1. your real smile that your whole face lights up with. 2. your courtesy smile to people and 3. your panic smile, which you get this square smile on your face when you are on the verge of panicking because mommy does not have you but you feel like you need to try and smile. You say momma, well you did say it, now you just smile at me when I try to get you to say it. You just started saying bye bye and waving. We moved you to a rear facing car seat because you were just to big/heavy for me to carry any more in your infant car seat. You still love your food.
Posted by
Lisa at 5:44 PM
Lisa at 5:44 PM
3 comments:
- Valerie said...
Time is going way too fast!!! Love that last pic! What a cutie!!!
- March 20, 2012 at 8:26 PM
- Alison said...
7 months?? No way. I love that lady bug outfit. It's almost as cute as Hattie herself. :) I like the description of her panicy smile. She's already a people pleaser. :)
- March 20, 2012 at 10:15 PM
- Michelle said...
Love all the pics but those last two are adorable!!
- March 31, 2012 at 10:02 PM
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text: Seaside Chamomile Wildflower photographed in West Cork, Ireland. Available as a fine art print in various sizes and on different types of materials, please follow the "BUY PRINT" link in the bottom right corner of this page. Seaside Chamomile (Asteraceae). Bright yellow center with white petals, still covered in morning dew.


text:
Sterilight SPV-2.5 Ultraviolet (UV)
NSF-Certified Water Purifier
Sterilight SPV-2.5
The Sterilight SPV-2.5 has been replaced by the
Viqua PRO 10
which features:
Longer Warranty
Higher Flow Rate
- Click here for more info -
This item has been discontinued by the manufacturer.
It has been replaced by the Viqua PRO 10, which offers a Longer Warranty and a Higher Flow Rate.
Sterilight Model SPV-2 Replacement Parts & Accessories
The Sterilight SPV-2.5 UV water purifier is an NSF-certified sterilizer designed for point-of-use water treatment and post-RO disinfection where the maximum flow rate does not exceed 2.5 gallons per minute (9.5 LPM). It is used to kill bacteria (including coliform and e.coli), viruses, cryptosporidium, giardia, and a wide range of other microbioogical contaminants. It is loaded with features normally only found in expensive commercial systems including UV intensity monitor, a powered solenoid output, flow pacing, flow restrictor, and multi-function digital display. It is an excellent choice for applications with a known bacteria or other microbiological contamination problem.
The Sterilight SPV-2.5 is based on the feature-laden Platinum™ ICE controller and Sterilight's Flow-Pace™ UV intensity monitor. This combination allows for 2-stage flow pacing where the lamps operate at half power when water is not flowing and full-power when the water is running. This allows the system to operate with minimal power requirements (excellent for applications powered by solar power systems!), at a lower operating cost, and with less heat build-up. The Platinum™ ICE controller provides constant output current and a universal power input (100-250V./50-60Hz.), as well as visually displaying % UV intensity, remaining lamp life, and total hours of operation. The system comes with a set of dry contacts allowing for the external hook-up of a remote device such as a solenoid valve (sold separately - see below), as well as a self-diagnostic check upon start-up, and an RJ-11 communications port. Using high-output, Sterilume™-HO coated low pressure germicidal UV lamps coupled with electropolished 316 stainless steel, axial flow sterilization chambers, the Platinum Series provides very high flow throughput capacity in a very compact system. The UV lamp provides a 4-log (99.99%) reduction of bacteria, viruses, and protozoan cysts (cryptosporidium and giardia) at the specified maximum flow rates. Lamp life is 9,000 hours (1 year).
The SPV-2.5 is NSF-certified (Class A, Standard 55).
Pre-treatment Requirements:
All UV sterilizers required sediment pre-filtration to reduce or eliminate the possibility that a targeted contaminant could "hide" behind a sediment particle in the "shadow" of the UV light and therefore not receive a full dose of UV light. Accordingly, the manufacturer strongly recommends sediment pre-filtration down to a level of 5 microns or smaller.
Water exceeding 120 ppm in hardness (7 grains per gallon) should be softened to reduce the risk that hard water mineral scale will build-up on the UV sleeve thereby reducing UV light distribution into the UV chamber. Similarly, iron levels exceeding 0.3 ppm or manganese levels exceeding 0.05 ppm should also be treated to prevent staining of the UV sleeve.
Elevated levels of certain other contaminants, such as tannins, can cause a reduction in UV transmittance (the ability of the water to transmit UV light). If the UV transmittance (UVT) of your water is less than 75% after the above-mentioned pre-treatment, activated carbon filtration may be desirable to improve UV transmittance. The majority of deep wells have a UVT of 85% or greater. If your UVT is unknown, select a model with a higher flow rate capacity then you feel you will really require (this will provide a higher UV dose at your desired flow rate), or add an activated carbon pre-filter to your system. We recommend the following pre-filter equipment:
|Sterilight SPV-2.5 Specifications
|point of use
|Max. Flow Rate
(UV dose >40,000 μWs/cm2)
|Water Chamber Material
|Electropolished 316 Stainless Steel
|Chamber Length
|15.8 inches / 40.1 cm
|Chamber Diameter
|3.5 inches / 8.9 cm
|Controller Size
|11 x 4.5 x 2 inches
(25.4 x 11.4 x 5.3 cm)
Model S150RL-HO
Model QS-150
|100-240v, 50/60HZ
|Power Consumption
|25 watts
|Lamp Power
|20 watts
|Inlet / Outlet Plumbing Ports
|"Power-On" Indicator Light
|Audible Lamp Failure Alarm
|Lamp Replacement Reminder
|LED Display: Lamp Life Remaining, Total Controller Runtime, UV Intensity
|UV Intensity Monitor
|Powered Solenoid Output
|Flow Pacing
|Communications Port
|Diagnostic Check
|Flow Restrictor
*Note: Maximum recommended flow rates based on 95% UV transmittance. Actual dosage depends on flow rate, water quality, and maintenance (cleaning ov UV sleeve). UV dosage will be lower when the UV transmittance capacity of the water drops below 95% - if in doubt, select a model rated for a higher flow rate than you actually require. We recommend a UV dose of not less than 30,000 μWs/cm2.
|Feed Water Quality Parameters
|0.3 ppm
(0.3 mg/L)
|0.05 ppm
(0.05 mg/L)
|0.1 ppm
(0.1 mg/L)
|< 120 ppm
(7 grains / gallon)
|UV Transmittance (UVT):
|> 75%
|Maximum Temperature:
|Maximum Pressure:
|125 psi


text: Thanks Nick for the patch. I was able to get it to compile aftera slight massage of the Makefile diff. However the scsi drivers havechanged and that section is still broke. Is there anyone out therewho can fix this? I sure miss my tape drive and cdrom. Bob - firstname.lastname@example.com