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|Diego Garcia
|Airport type
|Naval Air Facility
|British Territory of the United Kingdom (disputed by Mauritius)
|MoD, Government of the United Kingdom
|British Indian Ocean Territory, Indian Ocean
|1971–1976; Major Extensions 1982–1986
|In use
|Elevation AMSL
|9 ft / 3 m
|7°18′48″S 72°24′40″E / 7.31333°S 72.41111°ECoordinates: 7°18′48″S 72°24′40″E / 7.31333°S 72.41111°E
|Diego Garcia
|Airport type
|Naval Air Facility
|British Territory of the United Kingdom (disputed by Mauritius)
|MoD, Government of the United Kingdom
|British Indian Ocean Territory, Indian Ocean
|1971–1976; Major Extensions 1982–1986
|In use
|Elevation AMSL
|9 ft / 3 m
|7°18′48″S 72°24′40″E / 7.31333°S 72.41111°ECoordinates: 7°18′48″S 72°24′40″E / 7.31333°S 72.41111°E
|Diego Garcia
This 1982 photo shows an unpaved road made of crushed coral common throughout the island and the officers dining area at the Diego Garcia Naval Support Facility.
|Administered by
|British Indian Ocean Territory ( UK)
|• Total
|Time zone
|4 July 2001
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).
The atoll is approximately 1,970 nautical miles (3,650 km) east of the coast of Africa (at Tanzania), 967 nautical miles (1,790 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of India (at Kanyakumari) and 2,550 nautical miles (4,720 km) west-northwest of the west coast of Australia (at Cape Range National Park, Western Australia). Diego Garcia lies in the Chagos Archipelago at the southernmost tip of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge—a vast submarine range in the Indian Ocean,[2] topped by a long chain of coral reefs, atolls, and islands comprising Lakshadweep, Maldives, and the Chagos Archipelago. Local time is UTC+06:00 year-round (DST is not observed).[3]
The United States Navy operates Naval Support Facility (NSF) Diego Garcia, a large naval ship and submarine support base, military air base, communications and space-tracking facility, and an anchorage for pre-positioned military supplies for regional operations aboard Military Sealift Command ships in the lagoon.[4]
The sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, is being disputed between the United Kingdom and Mauritius. The United Kingdom excised the archipelago from Mauritian territory prior to Mauritius' independence in 1968.
Between 1968 and 1973, the Chagossians, then numbering about 2,000 people, were resettled by the British government to Mauritius and Seychelles to allow the United States to establish a military base on the island. Today, the exiled Chagossians are still trying to return, claiming that the forced expulsion was illegal (see Depopulation of Diego Garcia).[5][6]
According to Southern Maldivian oral tradition, traders and fishermen were occasionally lost at sea and got stranded in one of the islands of the Chagos. Eventually they were rescued and brought back home. However, the different atolls of the Chagos have no individual names in the Maldivian oral tradition.[7]
The island may have been visited during the Austronesian diaspora around 700 AD,[citation needed] and some[clarification needed] say the old Maldivian name for the islands originated from Malagasy. It is also suggested that the Arabs, who reached Lakshadweep and Maldives around 900 AD, may have visited the Chagos.
The uninhabited islands are asserted to have been discovered by the Portuguese navigator, explorer and diplomat Pedro Mascarenhas in 1512, first named as Dom Garcia, in honor of his patron, Dom Garcia de Noronha[8][9] when he was detached from the Portuguese India Armadas[10] during his voyage of 1512–1513, but there is little corroborative evidence for this. Another Portuguese expedition with Spanish sailor Diego García de Moguer rediscovered the island in 1544 and named it after himself. Garcia de Moguer died the same year on the return trip to Portugal in the Indian Ocean, off the South African coast. The misnomer "Diego" could have been made unwittingly by the British ever since, as they copied the Portuguese maps. It is assumed that the island was named after one of its first two discoverers—the one by the name of Garcia, the other with name Diego. Also, a cacography of the saying Deo Gracias ("Thank God") is eligible for the attribution of the atoll. Although the Cantino planisphere (1504) and the Ruysch map (1507) clearly delineate the Maldive Islands, giving them the same names, they do not show any islands to the south which can be identified as the Chagos archipelago.
The Sebastian Cabot map (Antwerp 1544) shows a number of islands to the south which may be the Mascarene Islands. The first map which identifies and names "Los Chagos" (in about the right position) is that of Pierre Desceliers (Dieppe 1550), although Diego Garcia is not named. An island called "Don Garcia" appears on the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum of Abraham Ortelius (Antwerp 1570), together with "Dos Compagnos", slightly to the north. It may be the case that "Don Garcia" was named after Garcia de Noronha, although there no evidence exists to support this supposition.[citation needed] The island is also shown as 'Don Garcia' on Mercator's Nova et Aucta Orbis Terrae Descriptio ad Usum Navigatium Emendate (Duisburg 1569). However, on the Vera Totius Expeditionis Nauticae Description of Jodocus Hondius (London 1589), "Don Garcia" mysteriously changes its name to "I. de Dio Gratia", while the "I. de Chagues" appears close by.
The first map to delineate the island under its present name, Diego Garcia, is the World Map of Edward Wright (London 1599), possibly as a result of misreading Dio (or simply "D.") as Diego, and Gratia as Garcia. The Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica of Henricus Hondius (Antwerp 1630) repeats Wright's use of the name, which is then proliferated on all subsequent Dutch maps of the period, and to the present day.
Diego Garcia and the rest of the Chagos islands were uninhabited until the late 18th century. In 1778 the French Governor of Mauritius granted Monsieur Dupuit de la Faye the island of Diego Garcia, and there is evidence of temporary French visits to collect coconuts and fish.[11] Several Frenchmen living in "a dozen huts" abandoned Diego Garcia when the British East India Company attempted to establish a settlement there in April 1786.[11] The supplies of the 275 settlers were overwhelmed by 250 survivors of the wreck of the British East Indian Ship ATLAS in May, and the colony failed in October.[12] Following the departure of the British, the French colony of Mauritius began marooning lepers on Diego Garcia,[12] and in 1793 the French established a coconut plantation using slave labour, which also exported cordage made from coconut fiber, and sea cucumbers, known as a delicacy in the orient.[13]
Diego Garcia became a colony of the United Kingdom after the Napoleonic wars as part of the Treaty of Paris (1814), and from 1814 to 1965 it was administered from Mauritius.[14] On Diego Garcia, the main plantations were located at East Point, the main settlement on the eastern rim of the atoll; Minni Minni, 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) north of East Point; and Pointe Marianne, on the western rim, all located on the lagoon side of the atoll rim. The workers lived at these locations, and at villages scattered around the island.
From 1881 until 1888 Diego Garcia was the location of two coaling stations for steamships crossing the Indian Ocean.[15]
In 1882 the French-financed, Mauritian-based Societe Huilere de Diego et Peros (the "Oilmaking Company of Diego and Peros"), consolidated all the plantations in the Chagos under its control.[15]
In 1914 the island was visited by the German light cruiser SMS Emden half-way through its commerce raiding cruise during the first months of World War I.[16]
In 1942 the British established RAF Station Diego Garcia as an advanced flying boat unit at the East Point Plantation, staffed and equipped from No 205 and No 240 Squadrons, then stationed on Ceylon. Both Catalina and Sunderland aircraft were flown during the course of World War II in search of Japanese and German submarines and surface raiders. At Cannon Point,[clarification needed] six naval guns were installed by a Royal Marines detachment. In February 1942 the mission was to protect the small Royal Navy and Royal Air Force base stationed on the island from Japanese attack.[citation needed] They were later manned by Mauritian and Indian Coastal Artillery troops.[17] Following the conclusion of hostilities, the station was closed on 30 April 1946.[18]
In 1962 the Chagos Agalega Company of the British colony of Seychelles purchased the Societe Huiliere de Diego et Peros and moved company headquarters to Seychelles.[19]
In the early 1960s, the UK was withdrawing its military presence from the Indian Ocean area, not including the base at RAF Gan to the north of Diego Garcia in the Maldives (which remained open until 1976), and agreed to permit the United States to establish a Naval Communication Station on one of its island territories there. The United States requested an unpopulated island belonging to the UK to avoid political difficulties with newly independent countries, and ultimately the UK and United States agreed that Diego Garcia was a suitable location.[20]
To accomplish the UK/United States mutual defense strategy, in November 1965, the UK purchased the Chagos Archipelago, which includes Diego Garcia, from the then self-governing colony of Mauritius for £3 million to create the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), with the intent of ultimately closing the plantations to provide the uninhabited British territory from which the United States would conduct its military activities in the region.[20]
In April 1966 the British Government bought the entire assets of the Chagos Agalega Company in the BIOT for £600,000 and administered them as a government enterprise while awaiting United States funding of the proposed facilities, with an interim objective of paying for the administrative expenses of the new territory.[19] However, the plantations, both under their previous private ownership and under government administration, proved consistently unprofitable due to the introduction of new oils and lubricants in the international marketplace, and the establishment of vast coconut plantations in the East Indies and the Philippines.[21]
On 30 December 1966, the United States and the UK executed an agreement through an Exchange of Notes which permits the United States to use the BIOT for defense purposes for 50 years (through December 2016), followed by a 20-year optional extension (to 2036) to which both parties must agree by December 2014.[22] No monetary payment was made from the United States to the UK as part of this agreement or any subsequent amendment. Rather, the United Kingdom received a US$14 million discount from the United States on the acquisition of submarine-launched ballistic missile system Polaris missiles per a now-declassified addendum to the 1966 agreement.[23]
In March 1971, United States Naval construction battalions (Seabees) arrived on Diego Garcia to begin the construction of the Communications Station and an airfield.[24] To satisfy the terms of an agreement between the UK and the United States for an uninhabited island, the plantation on Diego Garcia was closed in October of that year.[25] The plantation workers and their families were relocated to the plantations on Peros Bahnos and Salomon atolls to the northwest; those who requested were transported to the Seychelles or Mauritius.[26] In 1972, the UK decided to close the plantations throughout the Chagos, including those on Peros Banhos and the Salomon Islands, and deported the Ilois to their ancestral homes on either the Seychelles or Mauritius.[26] The then-independent Mauritian government refused to accept the islanders without payment, and in 1974, the UK gave the Mauritian government an additional ₤650,000 to resettle the islanders.[27]
By 1973, construction of the Naval Communications Station (NAVCOMMSTA) was completed.[28] In the early 1970s, setbacks to United States military capabilities in the region including the fall of Saigon, victory of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, the closure of the Peshawar Air Station listening post in Pakistan and Kagnew Station in Eritrea, the Mayaguez incident, and the build-up of Soviet Naval presence in Aden and a Soviet airbase at Berbera, Somalia, caused the United States to request, and the UK to approve, permission to build a fleet anchorage and enlarged airfield on Diego Garcia,[29] and the Seabees doubled the number of workers constructing these facilities.[29]
Following the fall of the Shah of Iran and the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1979–1980, the West became concerned with ensuring the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, and the United States received permission for a $400 million expansion of the military facilities on Diego Garcia consisting of two parallel 12,000-foot-long (3,700 m) runways, expansive parking aprons for heavy bombers, 20 new anchorages in the lagoon, a deep water pier, port facilities for the largest naval vessels in the American or British fleet, aircraft hangars, maintenance buildings and an air terminal, a 1,340,000 barrels (213,000 m3) fuel storage area, and billeting and messing facilities for thousands of sailors and support personnel.[29]
On 1 October 1977, Naval Support Facility, Diego Garcia, was established as the senior United States Navy command on the island. At the time the NAVCOMMSTA was the primary tenant, but as the new major facilities were completed, most notably the expanded anchorage and mooring area and the extended airfield, other tenants were commissioned.[30]
In 1980, the United States Navy established the Near-Term Prepositioned Force of 16 ships. Then NTPF became the Afloat Prepositioning Force (AFP) and eventually Maritime Prepositioning ship Squadron Two (MPSRON 2) consisting of 20 deep-water pre-positioned logistics ships anchored in the lagoon.[31]
In 1981, the Naval Air Facility was commissioned. It was decommissioned in 1987 and its responsibilities returned to the NSF.[30]
In 1982, Construction activities were transferred from the Seabees to a consortium of civilian contractors, Raymond International, Brown and Root and Molem, a joint venture. Raymond had deep draft warf and waterfront skills, Brown and Root had concrete and infrastructure skills and Molem was an English firm known for taking on challenging projects. The majority of the projects were completed by 1988.[29] On 26 March 1982, Barbara Shuping and five other women were assigned to the NSF. Prior to this assignment, no women had lived on the island since those on the plantation in 1971.[32]
In 1985, the new port facilities were completed, and the USS Saratoga (CV-60) was the first aircraft carrier to tie up.[33]
Strategic Air Command began deploying Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers and aerial refueling aircraft to the newly completed airfield facilities in 1987.[34]
Following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, three ships of COMPSRON 2 sortied, delivering a Marine Expeditionary Brigade to Saudi Arabia for participation in the Gulf War. Other COMPSRON 2 ships offloaded the munitions, bombs, and fuel on Diego Garcia that were required for the American bomber fleet that deployed to airfield. Subsequently, B-52G bombers flew more than 200 17-hour bombing missions over 44 days and dropped more than 800,000 short tons (730,000,000 kg) of bombs on Iraqi forces in Iraq and Kuwait. One of the B-52s crashed from mechanical failures just north of the island with the loss of three of its six-man crew.[34]
Beginning on 7 October 2001, the United States again commenced military operations from Diego Garcia using B-1, B-2, and B-52 bombers to attack enemy targets in Afghanistan following the attacks on New York City and the Pentagon. A B-1 bomber was lost on 12 December 2001 to mechanical failures just after take off from the island, but the crew survived and was rescued by the USS Russell (DDG-59).[35] Combat operations resumed in the spring of 2003, with MPSRON TWO sortieing to the Persian Gulf for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and bombing operations began again, this time against Iraq.[36] Bomber operations ceased from Diego Garcia on 15 August 2006.[37]
In 2004, the UK applied for, and received, Ramsar Site wetlands conservation status for the lagoon and other waters of Diego Garcia.[38]
On 1 April 2010, the UK Cabinet declared the Chagos Archipelago a Marine Protected Area (MPA) and prohibited all extractive industry, including fishing and oil and gas exploration. It is unclear whether Diego Garcia is included in the MPA.[39]
Diego Garcia had no permanent inhabitants when discovered by the Spanish explorer Diego García de Moguer in the 16th century, then in the service of Portugal, and this remained the case until it was settled as a French colony in 1793.[15]
Most inhabitants of Diego Garcia through the period from 1793 to 1971 were plantation workers, but also included Franco-Mauritian managers, Indo-Mauritian administrators, Mauritian and Seychellois contract employees, and in the late 19th Century, Chinese and Somali employees.
A distinct Creole culture called the Ilois, which means "Islanders" in French Creole, evolved from these workers. The Ilois, now called Chagos Islanders or Chagossians since the late 1990s, were descended primarily from slaves brought to the island from Madagascar by the French between 1793 and 1810, and Malay slaves from the slave market on Pulo Nyas, an island off the northwest coast of Sumatra, from around 1820 until the slave trade ended following the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833.[40] The Ilois also evolved a French-based Creole dialect now called Chagossian Creole.
Throughout their recorded history, the plantations of the Chagos Archipelago had a population of approximately 1,000 individuals, about two-thirds of whom lived on Diego Garcia. A peak population of 1,142 on all islands was recorded in 1953.[41]
The primary industry throughout the island's colonial period consisted of coconut plantations producing copra and/or coconut oil,[15] until closure of the plantations and relocation of the inhabitants in October 1971. For a brief period in the 1880s it served as a coaling station for steamships transiting the Indian Ocean from the Suez Canal to Australia.[42]
All the inhabitants of Diego Garcia were relocated to other islands in the Chagos Archipelago or to Mauritius or Seychelles by 1971 to satisfy the requirements of a UK/United States Exchange of Notes signed in 1966 to depopulate the island when the United States constructed a base upon it.[43] No current agreement exists on how many of the evacuees met the criteria to be an Ilois, and thus be an indigenous person at the time of their removal, but the UK and Mauritian governments agreed in 1972 that 426 families,[44] numbering 1,151 individuals,[27] were due compensation payments as exiled Ilois. The total number of people certified as Ilois by the Mauritian Government's Ilois Trust Fund Board in 1982 was 1,579.[45] This relocation decision remains in litigation as of 2010.[46][47]
Between 1971 and 2001, the only residents on Diego Garcia were UK and United States military personnel and civilian employees of those countries. These included contract employees from the Philippines and Mauritius, including some Ilois.[48] During the combat operations from the atoll against Afghanistan (2001–2006) and Iraq (2003–2006), a number of allied militaries were based on the island including Australian,[49] Japanese and the Republic of Korea.[50] According to David Vine, "Today, at any given time, 3,000 to 5,000 U.S. troops and civilian support staff live on the island."[51] The inhabitants today do not rely on the island and the surrounding waters for sustenance. Although some recreational fishing for consumption is permitted, all other food is shipped in by sea or air.[52]
Diego Garcia is the largest and only inhabited island in the British Indian Ocean Territory, an Overseas territory of the United Kingdom, usually abbreviated as "BIOT". The Government of the BIOT consists of Commissioner appointed by the Queen. The Commissioner is assisted by an Administrator and small staff, and is based in London and resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Originally colonized by the French, Diego Garcia was ceded, along with the rest of the Chagos Archipelago, to the United Kingdom in the Treaty of Paris (1814) at the conclusion of a portion of the Napoleonic Wars.[15] Diego Garcia and the Chagos Archipelago were administered by the colonial government on the island of Mauritius until 1965, when the United Kingdom purchased them from the self-governing government of Mauritius for £3 million, and declared them to be a separate British Overseas Territory.[26] The BIOT administration was moved to Seychelles following the independence of Mauritius in 1968 until the independence of Seychelles in 1976,[14] and to a desk in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London since.[53]
UK represents the Territory internationally. A local government as normally envisioned does not exist.[54] Rather, the administration is represented in the Territory by the Officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia, the "Brit Rep". Laws and regulations are promulgated by the Commissioner and enforced in the BIOT by Brit Rep.
Of major concern to the BIOT administration is the relationship with the United States military forces resident on Diego Garcia. An annual meeting called "The Pol-Mil Talks" (for Political-Military) of all concerned is held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London to resolve pertinent issues. These resolutions are formalized by an "Exchange of Notes", or, since 2001, an "Exchange of Letters".[25]
There are two transnational political issues which affect Diego Garcia and the BIOT, through the British government. As these issues affect the BIOT as a whole, not just the island of Diego Garcia, they are more appropriately and completely addressed in the Wikipedia articles British Indian Ocean Territory and Depopulation of Diego Garcia.
In June 2004, the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw stated that United States authorities had repeatedly assured him that no detainees had passed in transit through Diego Garcia or were disembarked there.[57] In October 2007 the all-party Foreign Affairs Committee of the British Parliament announced that it would launch an investigation of continued allegations of a prison camp on Diego Garcia, which it claimed were twice confirmed by comments made by Retired United States Army General Barry McCaffrey.[58] On July 31, 2008, an unnamed former White House official alleged that the United States had imprisoned and interrogated at least one suspect on Diego Garcia during 2002 and possibly 2003.[59]
Manfred Nowak, one of five of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture, says that credible evidence exists supporting allegations that ships serving as black sites have used Diego Garcia as a base.[60] The human rights group Reprieve alleges that United States-operated ships moored outside the territorial waters of Diego Garcia were used to incarcerate and torture detainees.[61] However, due to the fact that there are no safe anchorages outside of Diego Garcia's Lagoon for large ships as shown on charts of the area, this is highly unlikely. While the other Atolls north of the Chargo Bank can take small ships (under 300 feet long) and yachts, due to the lack deep waters in the Atolls, they can not be used for anchorages.
Diego Garcia is rumoured to have been one of the locations of the CIA's black sites.[62] Several groups claim that the military base on Diego Garcia has been used by the United States government for transport of prisoners involved in the controversial extraordinary rendition program, an allegation formally reported to the Council of Europe in June 2007.[63] On February 21, 2008, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband admitted that two United States extraordinary rendition flights refuelled on Diego Garcia in 2002. No reference was made to whether prisoners were on board the aircraft at the time.[64] Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is one of the "high-value detainees" suspected to have been held in Diego Garcia.[65]
According to Wikileaks CableGate documents (reference ID "09LONDON1156"), in a calculated move planned in 2009, the UK proposed that the BIOT become a "marine reserve" with the aim of preventing the former inhabitants from returning to their lands. A summary of the diplomatic cable is as follows:[66]
HMG would like to establish a "marine park" or "reserve" providing comprehensive environmental protection to the reefs and waters of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), a senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) official informed Polcouns on May 12. The official insisted that the establishment of a marine park—the world's largest—would in no way impinge on USG use of the BIOT, including Diego Garcia, for military purposes. He agreed that the UK and United States should carefully negotiate the details of the marine reserve to assure that United States interests were safeguarded and the strategic value of BIOT was upheld. He said that the BIOT's former inhabitants would find it difficult, if not impossible, to pursue their claim for resettlement on the islands if the entire Chagos Archipelago were a marine reserve.
Additionally, Diego Garcia was used as a storage section for U.S. cluster bombs as a way of avoiding UK parliamentary oversight.[67]
Diego Garcia is the largest land mass in the Chagos Archipelago (which includes Peros Banhos, the Salomon Islands, the Three Brothers, the Egmont Islands and the Great Chagos Bank), being an atoll occupying approximately 174 square kilometres (67 sq mi), of which 27.19 square kilometres (10 sq mi) is dry land.[68] The continuous portion of the atoll rim stretches 64 kilometres (40 mi) from one end to the other, enclosing a lagoon 21 kilometres (13 mi) long and up to 11 kilometres (7 mi) wide, with a 6-kilometre (4 mi) pass opening at the north. There are three small islands located in the pass.[69]
The island consists of the largest continuous atolls in the world. The dryland rim varies in width from a few hundred metres to 2.4 km. Typical of coral atolls, it has a maximum elevation on some dunes on the ocean side of the rim of nine metres (30 ft) above mean low water. The rim nearly encloses a lagoon about 19 kilometres (12 mi) long and up to 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) wide. The atoll forms a nearly complete rim of land around a lagoon, enclosing 90 percent of its perimeter, with an opening only in the north. The main island is the largest of about 60 islands which form the Chagos Archipelago. Besides the main island, there are three small islets at the mouth of the lagoon: West Island (3.4 ha/8.4 acres); Middle Island (6 ha/14.8 acres); and East Island (11.75 ha/29 acres). A fourth island shown on some[which?] maps, Anniversary Island one km (1,100 yards) southwest of Middle Island, appears as just a sand bar on satellite images. Both Middle Island and Anniversary Island are part of the Spur Reef complex.[69]
The total area of the atoll is approximately 170 square kilometres (65.6 sq mi). The lagoon area is approximately 120 square kilometres (46.3 sq mi) with depths ranging down to about 25 m (80 feet). The total land area (excluding peripheral reefs) is approximately 30 square kilometres (12 sq mi). The coral reef surrounding the seaward side of the atoll is generally broad, flat, and shallow at about 1 m (3 feet) below mean sea level in most locations and varying from 100 to 200 m (300 to 650 feet) in width. This fringing seaward reef shelf comprises an area of approximately 35.2 square kilometres (14 sq mi). At the outer edge of the reef shelf, the bottom slopes very steeply into deep water, at some locations dropping to more than 450 metres (1,500 ft) within 1 km (0.6 miles) of the shore.[69]
In the lagoon, numerous coral heads present hazards to navigation. The shallow reef shelf surrounding the island on the ocean side offers no ocean-side anchorage. The channel and anchorage areas in the northern half of the lagoon are dredged, along with the pre-1971 ship turning basin. Significant salt-water wetlands called barachois exist in the southern half of the lagoon. These are small lagoons off of the main lagoon, filled with seawater at high tide and dry at low tide. Scientific expeditions in 1996 and 2006 described the lagoon and surrounding waters of Diego Garcia, along with the rest of the Chagos Archipelago, as "exceptionally unpolluted" and "pristine".[70]
There are no endemic species of plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, crustaceans, or mammals on Diego Garcia or in the surrounding waters. There are several endemic fish and aquatic invertebrates. All plants, wildlife, and aquatic species are protected to one degree or another. In addition, much of the lagoon waters are protected wetlands as a designated Ramsar site, and large parts of the island are nature preserves.[71] Diego Garcia is frequently subject to earthquakes caused by tectonic plate movement along the Carlsberg Ridge located just to the west of the island. One was recorded in 1812; one measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale hit on November 30, 1983, at 21:46 local time and lasted 142 seconds, resulting in a small tsunami which raised wave height in the lagoon to 1.5 metres (5 ft), and another on December 2, 2002, an earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter Scale struck the island at 12:21 a.m.[37]
In December 2004, a tsunami generated near Indonesia caused minor shoreline erosion on Barton Point (the northeast point of the atoll of Diego Garcia).[72]
Diego Garcia lies within the influence of the South Equatorial current year-round. The surface currents of the Indian Ocean also have a monsoonal regime associated with the Asian Monsoonal wind regime. Sea surface temperatures are in the range of 80–84 °F/26-28 °C year-round.[73]
Diego Garcia is the above-water rim of a coral atoll composed of Holocene coral rubble and sand to the depth of about 36 metres (120 ft), overlaying Pleistocene limestone deposited at the then-sea level on top of a seamount rising approximately 1,800 metres (6,000 ft) from the floor of the Indian Ocean. The Holocene sediments are porous and completely saturated with sea water. Any rain falling on the above-water rim quickly percolates through the surface sand and encounters the salt water underneath. Diego Garcia is of sufficient width to minimise tidal fluctuations in the aquifer, and the rainfall (in excess of 102.5 inches/260 cm per year on average)[74] is sufficient in amount and periodicity for the fresh water to form a series of convex, fresh-water, Ghyben-Herzberg lenses floating on the heavier salt water in the saturated sediments.[75][76]
The horizontal structure of each lens is influenced by variations in the type and porosity of the sub-surface deposits, which on Diego Garcia are minor. At depth, the lens is globular; near the surface it generally conforms to the shape of the island.[77] When a Ghyben-Herzberg lens is fully formed, its floating nature will push a freshwater head above mean sea level, and if the island is wide enough, the depth of the lens below mean sea level will be 40 times the height of the water table above sea level. On Diego Garcia this equates to a maximum depth of 20 metres. However, the actual size and depth of each lens is dependent on the width and shape of the island at that point, the permeability of the aquifer, and the equilibrium between recharging rainfall and losses to evaporation to the atmosphere, transpiration by plants, tidal advection, and human use.
In the plantation period, shallow wells, supplemented by rainwater collected in cisterns, provided sufficient water for the pastoral life style of the small population. On Diego Garcia today, the military base uses over 100 shallow "horizontal" wells to produce over 560,000 liters per day from the "Cantonment" lens on the northwest arm of the island—sufficient water for western-style usage for a population of 3,500. It is estimated that this 3.7 km2 lens holds 19 million m3 of fresh water and has an average daily recharge from rainfall of over 10,000 m3, of which 40% remains in the lens and 60% is lost through evapotranspiration.[78]
Extracting fresh water from a lens for human consumption requires careful calculation of the sustainable yield of the lens by season because each lens is susceptible to corruption by salt-water intrusion caused by overuse or drought. In addition, overwash by tsunamis and tropical storms has corrupted lenses in the Maldives and several Pacific islands. Vertical wells can cause salt upconing into the lens, and over-extraction will reduce fresh water pressure resulting in lateral intrusion by seawater. Because the porosity of the surface soil results in virtually zero runoff, lenses are easily polluted by fecal waste, burials, and chemical spills. Corruption of a lens can take years to "flush out" and reform, depending on the ratio of recharge to losses.[75]
There are a few natural depressions on the atoll rim that capture the abundant rainfall to form areas of fresh-water wetlands.[79] Two are of significance to island wildlife and to recharge their respective fresh-water lenses. One of these is centered on the northwest point of the atoll, another is found near the Point Marianne Cemetery on the southeast end of the airfield. Other, smaller freshwater wetlands are found along the east side of the runway, and in the vicinity of the receiver antenna field on the northwest arm of the atoll.[80]
There are also several man-made fresh-water ponds resulting from excavations made during construction of the airfield and road on the western half of the atoll rim. These fill from rainfall and from extending into the Ghyben-Herzberg lenses found on this island.[81]
Precipitation: All precipitation falls as rain, characterised by air-mass type showers. Annual rainfall averages 2213 mm, with the heaviest precipitation from May to December. February is the driest month with 18 mm of rain, and August the wettest month, averaging 298 mm of rain.[82]
Temperatures: The surrounding sea surface temperature is the primary climatic control and temperatures are generally uniform throughout the year, with an average maximum of 30 °C (86 °F) by day during March and April, and 29 °C (84 °F) in July through September. Diurnal variation is approximately 3–4 °C (5.4–7.2 °F), falling to the low 27 °C (82 °F) by night.[82] Humidity is high throughout the year. The almost constant breeze keeps conditions reasonably comfortable.
Winds: From December through March, winds are generally westerly at approximately 6 knots (11 km/h). During April and May winds are light and variable, ultimately backing to an east-southeasterly direction. From June through September the influence of the Southeast trades is felt, with speeds of 10–15 knots. During October and November winds again go through a period of light and variable conditions veering to a westerly direction with the onset of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.[82]
Thunderstorms: Activity is generally noticed during the afternoon and evenings during the summer months (December through March) and when the Intertropical Convergence Zone is in the vicinity of the island.[82]
Diego Garcia is at minimum risk from tropical cyclones due to its proximity to the equator where the coriolis parameter required to organize circulation of the upper atmosphere is minimal. Low-intensity storms have hit the island, including in 1901, which blew over 1,500 coconut trees,[83] on September 16, 1944[84] which caused the wreck of a Royal Air Force PBY Catalina, September 1990 which demolished the tent city then being constructed for United States Air Force bomber crews during Operation Desert Storm,[37] and on July 22, 2007, when winds exceeded 60 knots (110 km/h) and over 250 millimetres (9.8 in) of rain fell in 24 hours.[37]
The island was somewhat affected by the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Service personnel on the western arm of the island reported only a minor increase in wave activity. The island was protected to a large degree by its favourable ocean topography. About 80 km (50 mi) east of the atoll lies the 650 km (400-mile) long Chagos Trench, an underwater canyon plunging more than 4,900 m (16,000 ft). The depth of the trench and its grade to the atoll's slope and shelf shore makes it more difficult for substantial tsunami waves to build before passing the atoll from the east. In addition, near shore coral reefs and an algal platform may have dissipated much of the waves' impact.[85][86] A biological survey conducted in early 2005 indicated erosional effects of the tsunami wave on Diego Garcia and other islands of the Chagos Archipelago. One 200-to-300-metre (220 to 330 yd) stretch of shoreline was found to have been breached by the tsunami wave, representing approximately 10 percent of the eastern arm. A biological survey by the Chagos Conservation Trust reported that the resulting inundation additionally washed away shoreline shrubs and small to medium-size coconut palms.[86]
|Climate data for Diego Garcia
|Record high °C (°F)
|Average high °C (°F)
|Average low °C (°F)
|Record low °C (°F)
|Precipitation mm (inches)
|Avg. rainy days
|Mean monthly sunshine hours
|Source #1: BBC Weather[87]
|Source #2: Diego Gar Observatory.[88]
The first botanical observations of the island were made by Hume in 1883, when the coconut plantations had been in operation for a full century. Subsequent studies and collections during the plantation era were made in 1885, 1905, 1939, and 1967.[89] Thus, very little of the nature of the pre-contact vegetation is known.
The 1967 survey, published by The Smithsonian[90] is used as the most authoritative baseline for more recent research. These studies indicate the vegetation of the island may be changing rapidly. For example, J. M. W. Topp collected data annually between 1993 and 2003 and found that on the average three new plant species arrived each year, mainly on Diego Garcia. His research added fully a third more species to Stoddart.[91] Topp and Martin Hamilton of Kew Gardens compiled the most recent checklist of vegetation in 2009, which can be found at this footnote.[92]
In 1967, Stoddart described the land area of Diego Garcia as having a littoral hedge of Scaevola taccada, while inland, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) was the most dominant tree, covering most of the island. The substory was either managed and park-like, with understory less than 0.5 metres in height, or consisted of what he called "Cocos Bon-Dieu" – an intermediate story of juvenile trees and a luxuriant ground layer of self-sown seedlings – causing those areas to be relatively impenetrable.[93]
There are also areas of remnant tropical hardwood forest at the sites of the plantation-era villages, as well as Casuarina equisetifolia (Iron Wood Pines) woodlands.[79]
In 1997, the United States Navy contracted a vegetation survey that identified about 280 species of terrestrial vascular plants on Diego Garcia.[94] None of these was endemic, and another survey in 2005 identified just 36 species as "native", meaning arriving without the assistance of humans, and found elsewhere in the world.[95] No terrestrial plant species are of any conservation-related concern at present.[96]
Of the 36 native vascular plants on Diego Garcia, there are 12 trees, five shrubs, seven dicotyledon herbs, three grasses, four vines, and five ferns.[97]
The 12 tree species are: Barringtonia asiatica (Fish-poison Tree), Calophyllum inophyllum (Alexandrian Laurel), Cocos nucifera, Cordia subcordata, Guettarda speciosa, Intsia bijuga, Hernandia sonora, Morinda citrifolia, Neisosperma oppositifolium,[98] Pisonia grandis, Terminalia catappa, and Heliotropium foertherianum. Another three tree species are common, and may be native, but they may also have been introduced by humans: Casuarina equisetifolia, Hibiscus tiliaceus, and Pipturus argenteus.
The five native shrubs are: Caesalpinia bonduc, Pemphis acidula, Premna serratifolia, Scaevola taccada (often mispronounced "Scaveola"), and Suriana maritima.
There are also 134 species of plants classified as "weedy" or "naturalised alien species", being those unintentionally introduced by man, or intentionally introduced as ornamentals or crop plants which have now "gone native", including 32 new species recorded since 1995, indicating a very rapid rate of introduction.[99] The remainder of the species list consists of cultivated food or ornamental species, grown in restricted environments such as a planter's pot.[100]
In 2004, there were ten recognised plant communities on the atoll rim:[69]
All the terrestrial and aquatic fauna of Diego Garcia are protected, with the exception of certain game fish, rats and cats; hefty fines are levied against violators.[102]
The island is a haven for several types of crustacean; "warrior crabs" (Cardisoma carnifex) overrun the jungle at night. The extremely large 4-kilogram (8.8 lb) coconut crab or robber crab (Birgus latro) is found here in large numbers. Because of the protections provided the species on this atoll, and the isolation of the east rim of the atoll, the species is recorded in greater densities there than anywhere else in its range (339 crabs/ha).[103]
There are no native mammal species on Diego Garcia, and no record of bats.[104] Other than rats (Rattus rattus), all "wild" mammal species are feral descendants of domesticated species. During the plantation era, Diego Garcia was home to large herds of Sicilian Donkeys (Equus asinus), dozens of horses (Equus caballus), hundreds of dogs (Canis familiaris) and house cats (Felis catus). In 1971, the BIOT Commissioner ordered the extermination of feral dogs following the departure of the last plantation workers, and the program continued through 1975, when the last feral dog was observed and shot.[105] Donkeys, which numbered over 400 in 1972, were down to just 20 individuals in 2005.[106] The last horse was observed in 1995,[106] and by 2005, just two cats were thought to have survived an island-wide eradication program.[citation needed]
The total bird list for the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, consists of 91 species, with large breeding populations of 16 species. Although there are no endemic birds, there are internationally important seabird colonies. Diego Garcia's seabird community includes thriving populations of species which are rapidly declining in other parts of the Indian Ocean. Large nesting colonies of Brown Noddies (Anous stolidous), Bridled terns (Sterna anaethetus), the Lesser Noddy (Anous tenuirostris), Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) and Lesser Frigate Birds (Fregata ariel), exist on Diego Garcia. Other nesting native birds include Red-tailed Tropicbirds (Phaethon rubricauda), Wedge-Tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus), Audubon's Shearwater (Puffinus iherminierii), Black-Naped Terns (Sterna sumatrana), White (or Fairy) Terns (Gygis alba), Striated Herons (Butorides striatus), and White-breasted Waterhens (Amaurornis phoenicurus),[107] The 680-hectare Barton Point Nature Reserve was identified as an Important Bird Area for its large breeding colony of Red-footed Boobies.[108]
The island hosts introduced bird species from many different regions, including Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis), Indian Barred Ground Dove, also called the Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata), Turtle Dove (Streptopleia picturata), Indian Mynah (Acridotheres tristis), Madagascar Fody (Foudia madagascariensis), and chickens (Gallus gallus).[109]
There are currently three lizards and one toad known to inhabit Diego Garcia, and possibly one snake. All are believed to have been introduced by human activity. The House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus), the Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris), the Garden Lizard (an agamid) (Calotes versicolor) and the Cane Toad (Bufo marinus).[110] There may also be a viable population of a type of Blind Snake from the family Typhlopidae, probably the Brahminy Blind Snake (Ramphotyphlops braminus). This snake feeds on the larvae, eggs and pupae of ants and termites, and is about the size of a large earthworm.
Diego Garcia provides suitable foraging and nesting habitat for both the Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas). Juvenile Hawksbills are quite common in the lagoon and at Barachois Sylvane (also known as Turtle Cove) in the southern part of the lagoon. Adult Hawksbills and Greens are common in the surrounding seas and nest regularly on the ocean-side beaches of the atoll. Hawksbills have been observed nesting during June and July, and from November to March. Greens are have been observed nesting in every month; the average female lays three clutches per season, each having an average clutch size of 113 eggs. Diurnal nesting is common in both species. It is estimated that 300–700 Hawksbills and 400–800 Greens nest in the Chagos.[111]
There are four reptiles and six cetaceans that are endangered and may or may not be found on or around Diego Garcia:.[112] Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmocheyls imbricata) – KNOWN; Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) – POSSIBLE; Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) – KNOWN; Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys oliveacea) – POSSIBLE; Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) – POSSIBLE; sei whale (Balaeonoptera borealis) – POSSIBLE; finback whale (Balaeonoptera physalus) – POSSIBLE; Bryde's whale (Balaeonoptera edeni) – POSSIBLE; blue whale (Balaeonoptera musculus) – POSSIBLE; humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) – POSSIBLE.
During the Cold War era, following the British withdrawal from East of Suez, the United States was keen to establish a military base in the Indian Ocean to counter Soviet influence in the region and protect the sea-lanes for oil transportation from the Middle East. The United States saw the atoll as the "Malta of the Indian Ocean" equidistant from all points.[113] The value has been proven many times, with the island providing a "Unsinkable aircraft carrier" for the United States during the Iranian revolution, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The United States military facilities on Diego Garcia have been known informally as Camp Justice[114][115][116] and, after renaming in July 2006, as Camp Thunder Cove.[117] Formally, the base is known as Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia (the U.S. activity) or Permanent Joint Operating Base (PJOB) Diego Garcia (the UK's term).[118]
United States military activities in Diego Garcia have caused friction between India and the United States in the past.[119] Various political parties in India repeatedly called for the military base to be dismantled, as they saw the United States naval presence in Diego Garcia as a hindrance to peace in the Indian Ocean.[120] In recent years, relations between India and the United States have improved dramatically. Diego Garcia was the site of several naval exercises between the United States and Indian navies held between 2001 and 2004.[121][122]
The Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia provides Base Operating Services to tenant commands located on the island. The command's mission is "To provide logistic support to operational forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf AORs in support of national policy objectives."[123]
As of January 2012, the facility supported the following tenant commands:
Additionally, the USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) is forward deployed to Diego Garcia.
The atoll shelters the ships of the United States Marine Pre-positioning Squadron Two. These ships carry equipment and supplies to support a major armed force with tanks, armoured personnel carriers, munitions, fuel, spare parts and even a mobile field hospital. This equipment was used during the Persian Gulf War, when the squadron transported equipment to Saudi Arabia.
The ship composition of MPSRON TWO is dynamic. During August 2010 it was composed of the following:
Five of these vessels carry supplies for the US Marine Corps sufficient to support a Marine Air-Ground Task Force for 30 days: USNS Button, USNS Kocak, USNS Lopez, USNS Stockham, and USNS Fisher.
Prior to 2001, COMPSRON 2 consisted of up to 20 ships, including four Combat Force Ships which provided rapid-response delivery of equipment to ground troops in the United States Army. Three are Lighter aboard ships (LASH) which carry barges called Lighters that contain Army ammunition to be ferried ashore: MV American Cormorant, SS Green Harbour, (LASH), SS Green Valley, (LASH), MV Jeb Stuart, (LASH). There were Logistics Vessels to service the rapid delivery requirements of the United States Air Force, United States Navy and Defense Logistics Agency. These included container ships for Air Force munitions, missiles and spare parts; a 500-bed hospital ship, and floating storage and offloading units assigned to Military Sealift Command supporting the Defense Logistics Agency, and an offshore petroleum discharge system (OPDS) tanker. Examples of ships are MV Buffalo Soldier, MV Green Ridge, pre-position tanker USNS Henry J. Kaiser, and tanker USNS Potomac (T-AO-181).
|This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2012)
The United States Air Force operates a remote tracking station on Diego Garcia. Its call sign is REEF. This facility became more vital after the closure of the Indian Ocean Station in 1996.[citation needed]
The United States Air Force Operates a station of the Ground-based Electro-optical Deep Space Surveillance system on the southern end of the atoll.[citation needed]7°24′42″S 72°27′08″E / 7.41173°S 72.45222°E
Diego Garcia is one of the five control bases for the Global Positioning System, operated by the United States military. The United States Air Force also has monitoring stations in Hawaii, Kwajalein, Ascension Island, and Colorado Springs. The stations synchronise and update the atomic clocks on the 24 orbiting satellites that emit the signals used by GPS receivers. 7°16′00″S 72°21′47″E / 7.26654999°S 72.36312094°E[129]
The United States Air Force operates a High Frequency Global Communications System transceiver site located on the south end of the atoll near the GEODSS station. The transceiver is operated remotely from Joint Base Andrews and locally maintained by NCTS FE personnel.[citation needed]
Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Far East Detachment Diego Garcia operates a detachment in Diego Garcia. This detachment provides base telephone communications, provides base network services (Local Network Services Center), pier connectivity services, an AN/GSC-39C SHF satellite terminal, operates the Hydroacoustic Data Acquisition System, and performs on-site maintenance for the remotely operated Air Force HF-GCS terminal.[citation needed]
Naval Security Group detachment Diego Garcia was disestablished on September 30, 2005.[130] Remaining essential operations were transferred to a contractor. The large AN/AX-16 High Frequency Radio direction finding Circularly Disposed Antenna Array has been demolished, but the four satellite antenna radomes around the site remain as of 2010.[citation needed]
Diego Garcia may be identified as an ETOPS (Extended Range Twin Engine Operations) emergency landing site (en route alternate) for flight planning purposes of commercial airliners. This allows twin-engine commercial aircraft (such as the Airbus A330, Boeing 767 or Boeing 777) to make theoretical nonstop flights between city pairs such as Perth and Dubai (9,013.61 km or 5,600.80 mi), Hong Kong and Johannesburg (10,658 km or 6,623 mi) or Singapore and São Paulo (15,985.41 km or 9,932.87 mi), all while maintaining a suitable diversion airport within 180 minutes' flying time with one engine inoperable.[131]
The island was one of 33 emergency landing sites worldwide for the NASA Space Shuttle.[132] None of these facilities were ever used throughout the life of the shuttle program.
All consumable food and equipment are brought to Diego Garcia by sea or air, and all non-biodegradable waste is shipped off the island as well. From 1971 to 1973, United States Navy LSTs provided this service. Beginning in 1973, civilian ships were contracted to provide these services. From 2004 to 2009, the U.S.-flagged container ship MV Baffin Strait, often referred to as the "DGAR shuttle," delivered 250 containers every month from Singapore to Diego Garcia.[133] The ship delivered more than 200,000 tons of cargo to the island each year."[133] On the return trip to Singapore, it carried recyclable metals.[134]
In 2004, TransAtlantic Lines outbid Sealift Incorporated for the transport contract between Singapore and Diego Garcia.[135] The route had previously been serviced by Sealift Inc.'s MV Sagamore, manned by members of American Maritime Officers and Seafarers' International Union.[135] TransAtlantic Lines reportedly won the contract by approximately 10 percent, representing a price difference of about US$2.7 million.[135] The Baffin Straits charter ran from January 10, 2005, to September 30, 2008, at a daily rate of US$12,550.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Diego Garcia.
|Wikisource has the text of the 1920 Encyclopedia Americana article Diego Garcia.


text:
|Jet Pac
Jet Pac ZX Spectrum cover
|Tim and Chris Stamper
|Ultimate Play the Game
|ZX Spectrum
BBC Micro
Commodore VIC-20
|Release date(s)
|ZX Spectrum, VIC-20
BBC Micro
|Shooter game
|Single player
|Cassette (Spectrum, BBC, VIC-20)
ROM cartridge (Spectrum)
Jet Pac is a ZX Spectrum, VIC-20 and BBC Micro video game developed and released by Ultimate Play The Game in 1983. The game is the first in the Jetman series, and was the company's very first release. The game was written by Chris Stamper with graphics by Tim Stamper. Jetpac was one of the very few Spectrum games also available in ROM format for use with the Interface 2, allowing "instantaneous" loading of the game when the normal method of cassette loading could take several minutes.
In the game, Jetman has to first assemble his rocket (which comes in kit form), and then fill it with fuel before taking off to the next planet (where the procedure is broadly repeated). Along the way Jetman has to defend himself from the planet's aliens, and for bonus points collect valuable resources which occasionally fall from the sky.
After the first level, the rocket stays assembled and just requires refuelling. However, every five levels, the rocket is changed and the replacement has to be built before it can be fuelled for take off. Each new model has a new design with a higher number written on it, although the gameplay is unchanged.
The single game screen is a horizontal wrap around and consists of three platforms on which Jetman can stand.
The enemies change each level (cycling back to the first after eight levels) and each alien has a different pattern of movement which means they can be dealt with in a different manner. For instance, the "dart" enemy tends to hover in a vertical column on the left-hand side of the screen until it fires across the screen whereas, the "flying saucer" aliens will follow Jetman around and so require a different strategy.
Crash magazine praised the graphics and presentation, which were "of the highest standard",[3] adding that it was "difficult to find any real faults".[4] ZX Computing said it was "a very well put together piece of software. An excellent game."[5] The game was number one in the first Spectrum sales chart published by C+VG.[6]
The game was voted the 14th best Spectrum game of all time by Your Sinclair.[7]
Sequels, ports and remakes[edit]
Two sequels were released: Lunar Jetman (1983) and Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship (1990). The latter, however, was not released on the ZX Spectrum due to disappointing sales of the original NES version, although a version for the Commodore 64 was finished but never released.
In 1999, Jetpac was introduced to a new generation when Rareware included it in Donkey Kong 64. It could be unlocked to play in Cranky Kong's lab after obtaining 15 Banana Medals, and if players beat Cranky Kong's high score, they would be rewarded the game's Rareware Coin, which is necessary to beat the game. After taking pictures of 6 Banana Fairies, the player would be able to play it and Donkey Kong any time they wish by going to the Mystery Menu of the main menu.[10] An enhanced remake of Jetpac, entitled Jetpac Refuelled, was released to Xbox Live Arcade on March 28, 2007.[11]
- ^ "Jetpac". Personal Computer Games (2): 7. November 1983.
- ^ "Jetpac review, BBC Micro version". Computer and Video Games (38): 36. December 1984.
- ^ http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=Crash/Issue03/Pages/Crash0300064.jpg
- ^ http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=Crash/Issue04/Pages/Crash0400057.jpg
- ^ http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8308/Pages/ZXComputing830800107.jpg
- ^ http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=C+VG/Issue023/Pages/CVG02300037.jpg
- ^ http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/50bestspeccygames94.htm
- ^ http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=C+VG/Issue021/Pages/CVG02100136.jpg
- ^ http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=HomeComputingWeekly/Issue016/Pages/HomeComputingWeekly01600015.jpg
- ^ "Donkey Kong 64". GameSpot. CNET. Retrieved 2006-05-30.
- ^ "Jetpac Refuelled". Xbox.com. Microsoft. Archived from the original on 2008-02-22. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
External links[edit]
- Jetpac at Ultimate Wurlde
- Jetpac at World of Spectrum
- Jetpac at MobyGames
|Preceded by
|UK number-one Spectrum game
September–December 1983
|Succeeded by
Lunar Jetman

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Meta-Architecture: The Solution to Architecture Technical Debt?
By• July 11, 2014
One of the mantras of Agile development teams is to do "just good enough" to get the job done. This is what drives the … read more
By• July 11, 2014
One of the mantras of Agile development teams is to do "just good enough" to get the job done. This is what drives the … read more
By• June 25, 2014
This article gives us an in depth look at another type of IT debt: architectural debt. It starts off with the jarring statistic that … read more
By• June 18, 2014
An interesting presentation is going on tomorrow about technical debt and the "real options" to balancing short term market goals with long term stability. … read more
By• February 14, 2014
Interesting post from Johanna Rothman about the cost of delay that technical debt can cause. She mentions three types of technical debt:
Insufficiently automated build … read more
By• February 21, 2013
Welcome to the OnTechnicalDebt Expert Interview Series.
This interview will focus on the ground-level steps that should be taken in order to help IT teams … read more
By• January 7, 2013
Many years ago I was working with a very large customer, both from user-base and traffic perspective, with a pretty interesting business model at … read more
By• December 19, 2012
Software Quality Days is one of the biggest software quality and testing conferences, and will be taking place this year in January 2013, in … read more
By• December 14, 2012
It's that time of year again! As part of the annual ICSE Event, The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) will be holding their fourth annual workshop on … read more
By• August 3, 2012
Ipek Ozkaya (senior member of the SEI technical staff) recently held a webinar for the SEI Agile Discussion Forum where she presented the relationship between … read more


text:
Question about FTP login and database management
I'm curious if it is possible to use different ftp login syntax, than the default [prefix]+username? I would like to use firstname.lastname@example.com format instead, it is just my personal preference, but I like that format much better:)
My second question is related to database management, I would like to add multiple databases to a single user, so someone could see many databases with one login, is this possible, or are there some option to enable such functionality?
Thanks in advance!
So, I was a bit sad at the moment I saw your reply, but I did a fast look on source code of ispconfig, and it was like it made excatly for me:D
I implemented a fast patch, so now I able to set an ftp user suffix variable in interface config, and also have an [FTPDOMAIN] variable, to automagically find the domain name for the user. I love how this panel coded, really:)
It seems it's working flawlessly, if anyone interested in I can share some screenshots to show what I made.
|All times are GMT +2. The time now is 03:52.
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text:
no images were found
Activision has released Call of Duty Elite for iOS.
Why is this a big deal to me?
For the first time that I am aware of ( correct me if I am wrong ) you can actually interact with the game, not just look at stats.
I can edit my custom classes on my iPhone and then send them to the game. Very cool in a video game nerd kind of way.
You need to have a free Call of Duty Elite account for the integration to work.
I will grant this app SPEC42 approval when it is updated to a universal version supporting the iPad.


text:
Marco Rubio on War & Peace
Over two years ago, Rubio said, he urged the U.S. to "identify non-jihadist groups in Syria and help train and equip them so that they could not only topple Assad, but also be the best organized, trained and armed group on the ground in a post-Assad Syria." But failure to act means that "we are now left with no good options."
"Military action, taken simply to save face, is not a wise use of force," Rubio said. "My advice is to either lay out a comprehensive plan using all of the tools at our disposal that stands a reasonable chance of allowing the moderate opposition to remove Assad and replace him with a stable secular government. Or, at this point, simply focus our resources on helping our allies in the region protect themselves from the threat they and we will increasingly face from an unstable Syria."
RUBIO: In foreign policy, timing matters. These were options for us a year and a half ago, before this became this chaotic. It behooved us to identify whether there were any elements there within Syria fighting against Assad that we could work with, reasonable people that wouldn't carry out human rights violations, and could be part of building a new Syria. We failed to do that. So now our options are quite limited. Now the strongest groups fighting against Assad, unfortunately, are al Qaeda-linked elements.
Q: So here, now, what would President Rubio do? Would you commit US forces to a no-fly zone?
RUBIO: If I was in charge of this issue, we never would have gotten to this point. That being said, I think we need to continue to search for elements on the ground that we can work with, so that if & when Assad falls, they will manage a future, hopefully democratic Syria, and peaceful Syria.
RUBIO: First of all, a moderate by Iranian political standards is not what we could describe as moderate here in the West, but let me just say that I hope so, because the people of Iran do not want the future that their leaders have wanted. The people of Iran want to engage with the rest of the world, and hopefully this will be a step in that direction. But I'm not all that optimistic. In order to have better relations, not just with the US but with the world, Iran needs to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions. And unfortunately, this gentleman who was just elected is a strong supporter of the nuclear program and the nuclear weaponization as well.
RUBIO: I believe the administration has acted responsibly. I think they've done three things that are important:
Tonight, I join the American people in honoring, remembering and thanking the brave men and women who fulfilled their duty and have helped bring a truly responsible end to combat operations in Iraq, where the Iraqi people now govern and protect their sovereign nation.
We should thank our troops who, under the leadership of Generals David Petraeus and Ray Odierno, brought Iraq back from the brink. We should also acknowledge President Bush and Members of Congress from both parties who did what was right in 2007 by supporting the troop surge that has made Iraq a safer and more stable nation. Their wisdom, political courage and faith in our troops have helped make this important milestone possible.
Faith2Action.org is "the nation's largest network of pro-family groups." They provide election resources for each state, including Voter Guides and Congressional Scorecards excerpted here. The Faith2Action survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Set a timetable for withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan '
Congressional Summary:Prohibits US-based correspondent accounts or a payable-through accounts by a foreign financial institution that knowingly:
Arguments for and against bill: (New York Times, May 8, 2013): Seeking to escalate pressure on Iran, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that would deny the Iranian government access to its foreign exchange reserves, estimated to be worth as much as $100 billion. The legislation would be the first major new sanction confronting Iran since its inconclusive round of negotiations last month on its disputed nuclear program.
Sponsors of the legislation contend that Iran is not bargaining in good faith while it continues to enrich uranium. Part of the reason, they say, is that Iran has been able to work around the worst effects of the sanctions by tapping its foreign currency reserves overseas, which are largely beyond the reach of current restrictions. "Closing the foreign currency loophole in our sanctions policy is critical in our efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability," the sponsors said.
Critics said the new legislation risked further alienating Iranians who suspect that the sanctions' true purpose is not to pressure Iran in the nuclear negotiations, but to cause an economic implosion that would lead to regime change. "When we've cemented a sanctions escalation path, we're creating a trajectory toward actual confrontation," said the founder of the National Iranian American Council, a Washington group that opposes sanctions. Some Iranian leaders, he said, see the sanctions "as a train that can only go in one direction and has no brakes."
|Other candidates on War & Peace:
|Marco Rubio on other issues:
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Apartment Rental Search in 90621 Zip Code Area 0 mile radius
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Saturday, December 27, 2014
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After a meeting with the State Board of Health and the Office of Mental Health, Health Alliance of the Hudson Valley has announced its plans to move forward with the closure of a Kingston hospital. YNN's Alexandra Weishaupt has more on the plan.
KINGSTON, N.Y. -- After months of debate, the Health Alliance of Hudson Valley announced a plan to close the doors of Kingston Hospital. After losing $10 million last year running both Kingston Hospital and Benedictine Hospital, the group says something had to change.
"What facility it's in is not the most important component," said Ulster County Executive Mike Hein.
But Hein says the quality of health care, along with jobs, is.
Hein said, "It's imperative that we have this comprehensive, high quality health care available for everyone."
Under the new plan, Benedictine Hospital will run as a single, full-service, non-sectarian community hospital, with no limitations on reproductive services.
According to the CEO and President of Health Alliance, David Lundquist, the number of hospital beds will be reduced from the 300 currently shared between the two hospitals. The organization plans to retain as many quality patient services as possible, but will be letting many of its employees go. That's something Hein isn't happy to hear.
"The jobs in our community are critical," Hein said.
Together, the hospitals currently employ 1,800 people, but officials say layoffs will happen when Kingston Hospital closes.
"Obviously we are deeply concerned about this and want to be able to work with both the officials at the hospital, as well as our state and county officials, as well as our federal officials to ensure that we do whatever we can to help mitigate that situation," Hein said. Health Alliance says state officials are supportive of the organization's preliminary plan. It says as the plan moves forward, more specifics will be provided to the community.
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2014 First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 — Submit Errata and Suggestions
The form below is for *FIRST AID FOR THE USMLE STEP 1 2014* submissions only! To submit material for other books, click here.
NOTE: Submissions for the 2013 and earlier editions are no longer being accepted.
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Presented by Imran Garda, the programme will follow the latest news and devolopments in Gaza and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Al Jazeera will also showcase family life in the densely populated area that some describe as the world's largest open prison.
Focus on Gaza features Al Jazeera's team in the territory, including correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin, as we continue to lead the way in covering one of the world's most intractable conflicts.
Mohamed Al DurraHe became an icon of Palestinian suffering - nine years later, we visit his family.
The Legacy of WarWe take a closer look at one deadly legacy of the war on Gaza - unexploded munitions.
Factional FightingWe follow opposing groups and examine how factional rivalry affects their lives.
Rebuilding GazaWe report on how the Israeli blockade is hampering reconstruction efforts.
A Crime of War?A look into alleged war crimes committed during the war on Gaza.
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20 Success Secrets from Women Entrepreneurs
Turn your business concept into a money-maker with these proven ideas
By Locke Hughes
Their Success Secrets
PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS Before starting the business, Cathy and Renée had collaborated on several successful fundraising projects for their children's school. Cathy, who's more creative, handles marketing and copyrights, while Renée, who's more business-minded, is in charge of finances and personnel.
LEARN HOW TO COMMUNICATE In the beginnning, Cathy and Renée shared an office, which helped make communication easy. "Even so, there were misunderstandings that made us realize we needed to go above and beyond in expressing our opinions and feelings to make our company work," says Renée.
GIVE BACK TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS "People like to support companies that give back," says Renée. By designating one night a month when at least half the proceeds go to charity, Painting with a Twist locations have attracted new customers.
DON'T LET AGE STOP YOU "We never thought we would be running such a successful company at our age, but we believe that if you have a great idea for a business, it is never too late!" says Cathy.


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Southeast Asia's youngest capital and one of its most economically successful, Kuala Lumpur is a developing city that's steadily gaining international recognition. Founded in the mid 19th century, KL's streets bustle with construction apparatus as it strives to emulate the bold élan of mega-buck cities like Hong Kong and New York.
The city doesn't really have one particular style - grand Moorish, Moghul, Malay and Victorian structures like Merdeka Square give way to ultramodern edifices like the Petronas Twin Towers. Neither slow-paced nor particularly charming, KL boasts a certain charisma - beyond the city limits, as long as you look in the right places, you'll find shaded alleyways with residents playing mahjong.
Klang is where a large port is located. An industrial area, the landscape is littered with factories, ships, cranes and shop lots with a strong smell akin to burning cheese filling the air. Klang does not offer much for visitors except for leisure fishing by the bridge and a Chinese dish called 'Bah Kut Teh', a delicious concoction of pig innards in boiling herbal soup.
Shah Alam is on the West of Kuala Lumpur and is the capital city of Selangor State. An industrial area, Shah Alam has a strong Malay population, which is why many road street signs have Jawi characters below them. Shah Alam is most famous for the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, which is one of the largest in Southeast Asia. The Proton manufacturing plant, Malaysia's first car-maker, is located here.
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First Half Run Leads MLC Women to Win over Wartburg
NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College women's basketball team stayed unbeaten at home this season with an 82-75 win over Wartburg Friday night.
The Knights fell behind 21-12 with 11:14 to play in the first half, but roared back thanks to a 23-0 run over the next seven minutes on the way to a 43-28 halftime edge.
Mariah Schoof gave the Knights a big spark off the bench, scoring ten points on 4-5 shooting, and making both of her attempts from beyond the three point line.
Wartburg would make a run in the second half thanks to 8-15 shooting from the arc (after missing all seven attempts from distance in the first half), but the Knights held strong thanks to 12-14 shooting from the three throw line and contributions throughout the line-up offensively.
First-year forwards Schoof and Faith Schroeder each made big contributions off the bench, setting career highs with 16 and 12 points, respectively.
Brittney Gossen led the Knights with 21 points with the help of a 10-12 night from the charity stripe. Hannah Hackbarth gave the Knights four players in double figures with 11 points, while Rebecca Engelbrecht finished with a team-best 12 rebounds.
MLC improved to 2-4 on the season with the win, while Wartburg fell to 4-2 in defeat.
The Knights will return to action tomorrow (Saturday, December 7) when they host Central in a game scheduled to start at 2 p.m.


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Out of power in MP for the past 10 years and desperate to wrest power from the ruling BJP in the coming assembly elections, earlier this month, the Congress made a strategic move. It named Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, with his squeaky clean image and popular appeal, the party's campaign committee chairman in the state.
Ever since he undertook the new responsibility, the 42-year-old has been touring from one end of the state to the other, addressing on an average three to four meetings a day, besides holding road shows. Vijay Swaroop caught up with the young leader on the sidelines of one of his road shows for some poll-talk.What is going to be the main thrust of your election campaign?Is there a shortage of issues? There are many things that need to be addressed…corruption, breakdown of law and order, lack of development, very bad social indicators. We need to improve the overall situation in the state. With a youth leader taking charge will the state see more representation of youth? We are all working together to ensure that we bring Congress back in government here and obviously the youth have a very important role to play. We definitely want to give new fresh faces an opportunity. And what about all those young people on the other side? How do you hope to get the votes of the state's first-time voters, who comprise 18.91% of the total electorate?
The issues we are addressing have to do with productivity in agriculture, infrastructure, employment…everything that touches the youth. We are concerned about the restoration of law and order. MP today has a very high crime rate --- close to 10% of all crimes in the country take place here, 14% of rapes and 44% abortions. We need to take these statistics very seriously and work to create a safe and secure environment or else competitive development is impossible. We promise to address all that.
Many feel that your nomination as state campaign committee chief came a bit late?I don't want to talk about the past. At the moment I am tasked with an important initiative and I have the blessings of the seniors. We are working together in unity and cohesion. You have been doing mass contact programmes since February. Any difference since you took over?Such comparisons are a waste of time. My job is to ensure that I contribute to the development and economic growth of Madhya Pradesh. And mass contact programmes are one way of reaching out to people with the party agenda.
A divorce, a jail term, determined foes: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar fighting a lone battle?
The divorce between Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal(U) and a few days of change in residence for Rashtriya Janata Dal's Lalu Prasad – from 10, Circular Road in Patna to the Ranchi jail in Jharkhand – have totally changed the game that is played in Bihar.
Angry with the SP, convinced that the Congress is a losing proposition, unsure of AAP's ability to win, and fearful that Mayawati may ally with the BJP in the future, Muslims have a difficult choice.


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Dr. Dre Tops Forbes' 'Highest-Paid Musicians' List
Dr. Dre is still at the top despite not releasing an album in over a decade. The super-producer surpasses pop stars, rock stars, and his fellow rappers to rank No. 1 on Forbes' Highest-Paid Musicians 2012 list.
The 47-year-old hip-hop mogul earned $110 million based largely on his Beats by Dr. Dre headphones line. He pocketed a reported $100 million pretax when handset maker HTC paid $300 million for a 51% stake in the company last year. He and his partners later bought back half of what they sold.
Among the superstars on the list is Rihanna, who comes in at No. 12 with $53 million thanks to her endorsements with Vita Coco and Armani Jeans, her fragrance Reb'l Fleur, and her "Loud" tour.
She is followed by Lady Gaga at No. 13 with $52 million. Diddy ties with Katy Perry for the No. 14 spot ($45 million). Beyoncé holds it down at No. 18 with $40 million, while her husband Jay-Z lands two spots below with $38 million.
Forbes' Highest-Paid Musicians 2012
1. Dr. Dre – $110 million
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Now How Did That Happen?
Jan Chait
June 16, 2009
One of my friends is coming over today for lunch. I'm excited. It's just what I need — some company, food that isn't pretty much the same thing except for a different sandwich filling, and some laughs. If the sun would shine, the day would be perfect.
Truth is, I'm depressed. I'm depressed to the point that I'm about ready to call my doctor and ask if I can increase the dose of my antidepressants or change to another kind.
I think it's the circumstances. Except for three weekends away and forays to the doctor, I've been confined to the house since early April. Steps. There are steps to maneuver to get in and out of the house. Down isn't so bad; up is like climbing Mt. Everest. I begin to dread it as soon as the car enters the neighborhood.
Then there's my latest piece of news: I have MRSA.
MSRA, which stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a superbug, and it requires super antibiotics to kill it. Should I mention the wonderful gastrointestinal niceties that super antibiotics come with?
How did I get MRSA? Darned if I know! I've been in the hospital for surgery a couple of times, I go to the doctor a lot, I've had visiting nurses, and then there is my husband, who changes my dressings. I have not been touched with bare hands and, except for when the dressing for my surgical incision is changed, the area is covered.
It used to be that MRSA occurred only in hospitals and other health-care places such as nursing homes. That's now called health-care–associated MRSA, or HA-MRSA because — guess what? — it's out in the general community now. That form is called community-associated MRSA, or CA-MRSA.
CA-MRSA is said to happen most frequently in younger people, which the Mayo Clinic opines is probably due to immature immune systems and a lack of antibodies to some germs. Participation in contact sports and sharing towels, athletic equipment, and other items in the locker room is another risk factor. A weakened immune system (we all know about those) is another risk factor. And so is (my fave) living in crowded or unsanitary conditions such as a military training camp or a prison.
The list of risk factors for HA-MRSA is shorter: Hospitalization (recent or current), living in a long-term care facility, invasive devices (such as catheters or feeding tubes), or recent antibiotic use.
Ya gotta be careful out there. Keep an eye on cuts and scrapes — no matter how minor — to watch for infection. See a doctor if an infection occurs, and ask to be tested for MRSA before taking any antibiotics. If it is MRSA, the wrong antibiotic could make things worse.
Prevention is pretty much common sense: Wash your hands frequently and make sure health-care workers wash their hands every time before they touch you. Don't share personal items, shower after engaging in athletic practice or games, keep your wounds covered, and wash your linens in hot water.
Above all, don't insist on taking antibiotics if they aren't needed. That's what got us into this mess in the first place: Germs are evolving because of overuse of antibiotics. Of course, there's that thing about antibiotics in our food and water supplies, thanks to antibiotics being added to animal feed and things like flushing drugs down the toilet.
In the meantime, I'll keep on trucking along as best I can. A call to my doctor is in order for today, and tomorrow I get to go out. I have a doctor's appointment.
Dear Jan. Sorry about your run of bad luck. I stay away from my doctors as much as possible for the reasons stated above. Watch out antedepressant make me hungrier. We need extra weight like a hole in the head.
Posted by: CalgaryDiabetic | Jun 16, 2009 02:16 PM
I totally understand. I got MRSA after a broken leg a couple of years ago which caused fracture blisters. One of the blisters did not heal properly and got MRSA which got into the bone of my little toe resulting in the amputation of the tow. Then in January, I had some minor surgery which resulted in the hospital giving another MRSA infection. I have been on antibiotics since January and will remain on the oral antibiotic until 8 weeks after removal of the screws in the foot. It concerns me being on an antibiotic for so long because there are so few antibiotics that rid us of the MRSA infection. At least one person where I work went to Human Resources to ask if I was contagiouis. that resulted in my being called in and having to ask my doctors to fax in a statement I was not contagious.
Posted by: Pam Isringhausen | Jun 17, 2009 02:37 PM
Jan Sorry to hear about this, what a pain. Thanks for doing a good job of explaining MRSA. I keep a container of hand sanitizer in my car for use after I've been to the doctor's office. before I drive off I carefully clean my hands. You can call me paranoid, but I've not intention of getting any form of MRSA. I hope you can figure out something to kill those superbugs quickly.
Posted by: Bernard Farrell | Jun 24, 2009 01:45 PM
Disclaimer of Medical Advice:You understand that the blogs posts and comments to such blog posts (whether posted by us, our agents, bloggers, or by users) do not constitute medical advice or recommendation of any kind and you should not rely on any information contained on such posts or comments to replace consultations with your qualified health care professionals to meet your individual needs. The opinions and other information contained in the blog posts and comments do not reflect the opinions or positions of the Site Proprietor.


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North Korea
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a country in East Asia, located in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering South Korea and China. Its capital, Pyongyang, is the country's largest city by both land area and population. It is a single-party state led by the Korean Workers' Party (KWP), and governed by Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un since 2012. It has a population of 24,052,231 (UN-assisted DPRK census 2008) made up of Koreans and a smaller Chinese minority. Japan 'opened' Korea in 1876 and annexed it in 1910. The Republic of Korea (ROK) was founded with US support in the south in August 1948 and the Soviet-backed Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the north in September that year.
S Korean activists float anti-Pyongyang packages across border
Most Popular
South Korean activists launched thousands of anti-Pyongyang leaflets and Wikipedia-loaded USB keys across the border yesterday, despite past North Korean threats to shell the "human scum" involved.
Packages floated over the heavily militarised border by balloon also contained 1,000 United States one-dollar bills and DVDs detailing human rights abuses in the North.
"There is clearly enormous hunger for outside information in North Korea," said Thor Halvorssen, president of the US-based Human Rights Foundation, which supported the event in the border town of Paju.
"USB keys are one of the most powerful tools, because they're small, can be hidden and shared easily, and carry massive amounts of data," he said.
Each of the 1,500 USB flash drives launched yesterday had been loaded with the entire Korean-language version of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia.
The 500,000 anti-North leaflets in the packages were also accompanied by about 50 tiny transistor radios.
While North Koreans live in what is probably the most isolated and censored society on the planet, ranking last in any media freedom survey, the country is not a complete IT desert.
Cell phones were introduced through a joint venture with the Egyptian telecom firm Orascom in 2008, the same year the state launched a domestic intranet, and some government bodies have their own websites.
Yesterday's balloon launch was organised by a North Korean defectors' group.
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4 years ago this month I found out I was pregnant for the first time, and by the New Year my life as I knew it was completely wrecked. For the next 3.5 years I would not be able to see a baby, hear a pregnancy announcement, or drive past Babies R Us without feeling a stabbing in my heart. I was no longer a happy-go-lucky newlywed. I was the mother of an angel (then two, then three), and my days had a dark cloud called "grief" floating over them.
Sitting here, on the other side, I can't say it is all better now. Don't get me wrong, I am in LOVE with our son, and is an incredible blessing, beyond all words. But, his birth does not erase my losses.
I still think of the "would have beens", and I can't eat grilled cheese and tomato soup or watch Gilmore Girls without thinking of that night during a snowstorm when I sat alone and miscarried our first pregnancy as my family celebrated Christmas without me. (Only because I didn't want anyone there with me, and made my husband go to the celebration so people wouldn't let our grief get them down, and they wouldn't feel the need to try to visit to deliver our presents.) I can't watch The Office or hear the Olympic theme music without immediately flashing back to that winter after our loss when I would stay in bed all day (I was between jobs at the time) and watch TV, just to numb the pain and try to escape. I can't help but feel guilty for what I have sometimes, because I don't deserve it any more (actually, probably less) than the countless others who are waiting for a baby.
All of that said, I have a battered, but mostly healed heart, and I am so thankful for our rainbow. I do not take him for granted. When people have a baby, they usually say "Oh, it was so worth it.", normally referring to the 9 months of pregnancy and the labor and birth. I, too, will say it was worth it. The losses were worth it, the tears were worth it, the 3.5 years of waiting was worth it, and yes, the 9 months of pregnancy and 30 hours of labor were worth it. God walked with me through my trials, and brought me through to the other side.
"Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30:5
Our joy the past few months: