text:
Kingz stretch lead heading into final week
March 25, 2014 The clock is ticking. With each sweep of the clock's second hand, the end of the 12th annual Tribune Chronicle / St. Elizabeth-St. Joseph Health Center Fitness Challenge draws nearer. more »»
Closing in on the finish line
March 18, 2014 Having rounded the far turn, down the stretch they come. With just two weeks left in the 12th annual Tribune Chronicle / St. Elizabeth-St. more »»
Kingz, Just Weight lead the pack
March 11, 2014 The more things change, the more they stay the sam. more »»
Kingz are still on top
March 4, 2014 Six weeks down, four to go. As we venture forward in to the seventh week of the 12th annual Tribune Chronicle / St. Elizabeth-St. more »»
Kingz hoping to be crowned
February 25, 2014 Through the first four weeks of competition in the 13th annual Tribune Chronicle / St. Elizabeth-St. Joseph Health Center Fitness Challenge, two different teams held the top spot on the leaderboa. more »»
Just Weight continues to be just right
February 18, 2014 More than 5,500 miles away, some of the greatest athletes in the world dance on skates, glide across the snow on slender pieces of plastic and speed down steep tracks with nothing but a small sled... more »»
Belts, competition tighten
February 11, 2014 With three weeks down and seven to go, the contenders are beginning to separate themselves from the pretenders. As the action begins to heat up in the 2014 Tribune Chronicle / St. Joseph-St. more »»
Challenge gets new leading team
February 4, 2014 Scales have been calibrated, numbers crunched and the standings calculated. The second week of the 13th annual Tribune Chronicle / St. Joseph-St. more »»
Hitting the ground running
January 28, 2014 Do you hear that sound? If you put an ear to the ground anywhere in Trumbull County, you may recognize the faint pounding of feet, muffled scrapes of a spinning treadmill and the thudding slam of... more »»
Get ready to get fit
December 31, 2013 WARREN — Did the holidays get in the way of losing weight? Are you feeling the shame of too much eggnog and cookies? Don't wait for Santa Claus to tell you those leftovers aren't tantalizing any... more »»
In it and winning it
May 5, 2013 They dominated from Week 1 and never came close to losing the lead. After eight weeks, the team appropriately named In It to Win It stepped off the scales as the Tribune Chronicle-St. Elizabeth / S. more »»
Weigh in, baby, one more time
April 9, 2013 Seven weeks and nearly 3,000 pounds are gone. Teams are sweating it out — literally — in the final workouts as they jockey for final positions in the 12th annual Tribune Chronicle-St. Elizabeth / S. more »»
Fitness Challenge 2013 - Week 7
April 9, 2013 more »»
Fitness Challenge enters the home stretch
April 2, 2013 As the Fitness Challenge hippety-hops down the bunny trail to the finish line, the Wellness Warriors concede that they're playing for runner-u. more »»
Fitness Challenge 2013 - Week 6
April 2, 2013 more »»
Teams wind up as Challenge winds down
March 26, 2013 There's an old saying that light things come in threes. OK, that's not quite the saying, but consider this: Three weeks remain in the Tribune Chronicle-St. Elizabeth / St. more »»
Fitness Challenge 2013 - Week 5
March 26, 2013 more »»
Challenge hits the halfway mark
March 19, 2013 It's halftime for the Fitness Challenge, so it's time to fatten the stakes, Wellness Warriors team captain Scott MacMillan said. ''We had a rough week,'' MacMillan sai. more »»
Fitness Challenge 2013 - Week 4
March 19, 2013 more »»
The going gets tough
March 12, 2013 In It to Win It still holds an impressive lead in the Fitness Challenge, but the Wellness Warriors are closing in. Last week, In It held a 2.3 percent lead over the second-place Warriors. more »»


text:
On Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:48:27 -0800, vfclists wrote:
> What is the approach for install drivers which are not already
> packaged in Linux?
> I am getting 2 PCI hard disk controllers and I will need to add the
> drivers to my installations as well as the recovery disks such as
> SystemRescueCD, GParted etc.
> Is there a guide somewhere to show how?
In general, devices which are supported by the Linux kernel have an
associated device driver. The driver may be built directly into the
kernel, or the driver may be encapsulated as a kernel module. Using
modules is one way to minimize the memory footprint of the kernel by not
loading drivers for devices which are not present in your system.
If modules for devices (and filesystems, etc.) are required to mount the
root filesystem, then an initrd may be necessary. The Linux bootloaders
include provisions to load an initrd. See the documentation for
your bootloader; I use the grub loader. Also, making an initrd is
distribution dependant. The "Live CDs" use a root filesystem stored in
RAM, and not the root filesystem on your new or existing controller. The
"Live CDs" can be used to determine which chipsets and drivers (modules)
should be included in your initrd.
As far as where to look for support, I would start looking at the
documentation specifically written for the Linux distribution you are
using with respect to the bootloader, kernel, and initrd.
Douglas Mayne

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- Table View
- List View
Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe: Joint Staff Advisory Note of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paperby Gobind Nankani Martin Fetherston Saul Lizondo
A report from the International Monetary Fund.
Enhancing Development Assistance to Africa: Lessons from Scaling-Up Scenariosby Saul Lizondo Andrew Berg Laure Redifer Brett House Rafael Portillo Jan Gottschalk Pedro Conseição Matthew Gaertner Ayodele Odusola Luis-Felipe Zanna
This study reports on the results of pilot studies in 10 countries, which projected how existing national development plans could be implemented if aid were increased in line with the 2005 Gleneagles commitment to double aid to Africa. The study seeks to determine whether increased funding on the donor side could be matched by careful spending plans by recipients. The study also looks at the macroeconomic impacts of higher aid flows, and how macroeconomic policies could be designed to support good outcomes. There is no subject index. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Ghana: 2005 Article IV Consultation, Third Review Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, and Request for Waiver of Nonobservance of Performance Criteria and Extension of the Arrangement--Staff Report; Staff Statement; Public Information Notice and Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Ghanaby Juha Kähkönen Saul Lizondo
A report from the International Monetary Fund.
IMF Staff Country Reportsby Saul Lizondo Anthony Boote
A report from the International Monetary Fund.
IMF Staff Country Reportsby Saul Lizondo Dhaneshwar Ghura
A report from the International Monetary Fund.
IMF Staff Country Reportsby Saul Lizondo Tessa van der Willigen
A report from the International Monetary Fund.
Leading Indicators of Currency Crisesby Carmen M. Reinhart Saul Lizondo Graciela Kaminsky
A report from the International Monetary Fund.
Mexico: The Strategy to Achieve Sustained Economic Growthby Liliana Rojas-Suarez Eliot Kalter Sharmini Coorey Saul Lizondo Claudio Loser Mohamed El-Erian Philippe Szymczak
This paper explores the reasons behind the recent transformation and upturn of the Mexican economy. the changes are the result of the authorities' determination to stick with a difficult reform program since the early 1980s, supported by multilateral financial institutions, creditor countries, and commercial banks.
Senegalby Saul Lizondo Carlos G. Muñiz
A report from the International Monetary Fund.
Select your format based upon: 1) how you want to read your book, and 2) compatibility with your reading tool. To learn more about using Bookshare with your device, visit the Help Center.
Here is an overview of the specialized formats that Bookshare offers its members with links that go to the Help Center for more information.
- Bookshare Web Reader - a customized reading tool for Bookshare members offering all the features of DAISY with a single click of the "Read Now" link.
- DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) - a digital book file format. DAISY books from Bookshare are DAISY 3.0 text files that work with just about every type of access technology that reads text. Books that contain images will have the download option of 'DAISY Text with Images'.
- BRF (Braille Refreshable Format) - digital Braille for use with refreshable Braille devices and Braille embossers.
- MP3 (Mpeg audio layer 3) - Provides audio only with no text. These books are created with a text-to-speech engine and spoken by Kendra, a high quality synthetic voice from Ivona. Any device that supports MP3 playback is compatible.
- DAISY Audio - Similar to the Daisy 3.0 option above; however, this option uses MP3 files created with our text-to-speech engine that utilizes Ivonas Kendra voice. This format will work with Daisy Audio compatible players such as Victor Reader Stream and Read2Go.


text:
- Home
- Pubs & Hotels
- Brands
- Join Us
- The Brewery
- Tours & Functions
- Blog
- Shop
'Stoup' is the old English name for an ale drinking cup. The successor to the ancient drinking horn, a stoup is a vessel made deeper than a beaker to contain a long draught of ale.
£5.95 for the first item. £0.95 for each additional item. Based on delivery to England. Other locations may vary.


text:
Fun Places
Daft Punk
Home Page:
In similar company with new-school French progressive dance artists such as Motorbass, Air, Cassius and Dimitri from Paris, Parisian duo Daft Punk have quickly risen to acclaim by adapting a love for first-wave acid house and techno to their younger roots in pop, indie rock, and hip-hop. The combined talents of DJs Guy-Manuel De Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, the pair's first projects together included Darling, a voiceless indie cover band; their current recording name derives from a review in U.K. music weekly Melody Maker of a compilation tape Darling were featured on, released by krautrock revivalists Stereolab (their lo-fi DIY cover of a Beach Boys song was derided as "daft punk"). Subsequently ditching the almost inevitable creative cul-de-sac of rock for the more appealing rush of the dancefloor, the pair released their debut single, "The New Wave," in 1993 on the celebrated Soma label. Instantly hailed by the dance music press as the work of a new breed of house innovators, the single was followed by "Da Funk," the band's first true hit (the record has sold 30,000 copies worldwide and seen thorough rinsings by everyone from Kris Needs to the Chemical Brothers). Although the group had only released a trio of singles ("The New Wave" and "Da Funk," as well as the 1996 limited pressing of "Musique"), in early 1996 Daft Punk were the subject of a minor bidding war. The group eventually signed with Virgin, with their first long-player, Homework, appearing early the following year (a brief preview of the album, "Musique," was also featured on the Virgin compilation Wipeout 2097 next to tracks from Photek, Future Sound of London, the Chemical Brothers, and Source Direct). As with the earlier singles, the group's sound is a brazen, dancefloor-oriented blend of progressive house, funk, electro, and techno, with sprinklings of hip-hop-styled breakbeats and excessive, crowd-firing samples, similar to other anthemic dance-fusion acts such as the Chemical Brothers and Monkey Mafia. In addition to his role in Daft Punk, Thomas Bangalter operates the Roule label and has recorded under his own name (the underground smash "Trax on Da Rocks") as well as Stardust (the huge club/commercial hit "Music Sounds Better with You"). After four long years of anxiously awaiting a follow-up to their brilliant debut, Daft Punk finally issued Discovery in March 2001. Sean Cooper
Contact FindTheFun.com
© 2003 FindTheFun.com. All rights reserved.


text:
|You are here: HOME > Publications > OP > #2 > Page
CNS Occasional Papers: #2
A History of Ballistic Missile Development in the DPRK
Reorganization of the Missile Program
The Hwasong 5 provided the DPRK with its first ballistic missile capability, but its modest range did not provide the capability to strike at the entire ROKa MPAF requirement. To address this limitation, the DPRK initiated development of an extended-range variant of the Hwasong 5 to be known as the Hwasong 6.
By 1989, a number of factors converged and prompted the DPRK leadership to establish comprehensive, long-term requirements for the ballistic missile program. These factors included:
As a result of these factors, the DPRK established long-term requirements that called for more ambitious missile systems based, not upon the technical capabilities of the missile infrastructure, but upon targets which the leadership desired to be able to strike (see Table 2).(67)
In this regard, the DPRK followed the PRCs example of basing missile-development goals on target ranges.(68) Whether the DPRK defined its requirements at once or over a period of several years is unclear, but they were in place by 1990. These range requirements led to the reorganization of the missile program into four distinct, but interrelated, projects.
The easiest project technically, and thus the one that could be brought to completion in the shortest amount of time, was already underway in the form of the Hwasong 6. This effort would entail only minor modifications to the basic Hwasong 5 system. The more complicated and thus longer term projects involved design of completely new missiles based upon experience gained in refining Scud technologies for the Hwasong 5/6 programs. The first new missile would become known as the No-dong in the West. The No-dong itself became the basis for the development of two more advanced and more capable systemsthe Taepo-dong 1 and Taepo-dong 2. A space launch vehicle (SLV) would also be developed from the Taepo-dong 1. Iran was the primary financial backer for all these projects.
By the early 1990s, the FROG battalions were reorganized into a brigade subordinate to the Artillery Command. Whether this change was related to the reorganization of the ballistic missile program is unclear.
Hwasong 6 (a.k.a., Scud Mod. C, Scud C, Scud PIP)
It is uncertain whether an extended-range variant of the R-17E was an initial goal of the DPRK from the inception of the ballistic missile program. By 1987-1988, however, work on such a systemto be known as the Hwasong 6had begun. The Hwasong 6 became the first design and production milestone of the DPRKs reorganized ballistic missile program.(69)
Low-rate series production of the Hwasong 6 is believed to have begun in 1989, and the first systems became operational the same year. Full-scale production followed in 1990 or 1991. Production rates for the Hwasong 6 are believed to have averaged four to five missiles per month, with production continuing through the late 1990s. The Hwasong 6 likely superceded the Hwasong 5 on the production lines; in turn, Hwasong 6 production was either reduced or superceded by No-dong production. There appear to be several sub-models of the Hwasong 6, although details of these are unknown. The guidance system is believed to have given the DPRK considerable (though unspecified) difficulties and has undergone several updates. Some Hwasong 5s may have subsequently been remanufactured to Hwasong 6 standards.
It is estimated that by the end of 1999, the DPRK will have produced a total of 600 to 1,000 Hwasong 5/6 missiles. Of these, approximately 300 to 500 were sold to foreign countries; 25 were used for initial operations, tests, and evaluation/training; and approximately 300 to 600 are in current inventory.
Complementing Hwasong 6 missile development were efforts to produce TELs, and to expand the Musudan-ri Launch Facility and missile support infrastructure. DPRK engineers slightly modified the support arms of existing TELs to accommodate the Hwasong 6 (possibly due to a different center of gravity).(73) Many of the original Soviet-produced components in the TELs were replaced by commercially available equivalents (e.g., the auxiliary power units were replaced by commercial Mitsubishi units).
Meanwhile, the DPRK tried to obtain additional MAZ-543 chassis, TELs, and spare parts from the Soviet Union (later Russia), Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and other countries. Apparently, due to the difficulty in obtaining additional complete MAZ-543 TELs, the DPRK decided to produce its own copy of the vehicle. All TEL developments, along with other launch vehicle-related work, were apparently undertaken with the support of the Sungni General Automotive Factory and Second Machine Industry Bureau. The DPRK also produced a small range of missile support vehicles. The Musudan-ri Launch Facility continued to expand with the construction of new launch towers and the development of ground-support equipment.(74) The similarity of some of these developments to PRC designs has sometimes led to erroneous speculation that the equipment and the No-dong missile were based on PRC designs, or were built with PRC assistance. Finally, during the mid-1980s construction of hardened (i.e., underground) missile facilities throughout the country was initiated.
The timing of the Hwasong 6 development is interesting in that it occurred almost simultaneously with Iraqs development of its extended-range variant of the Scud Bthe al-Husayn. It is probable that the Iranians provided the DPRK with technical intelligence concerning the Iraqi systems, including access to wreckage recovered from al-Husayn attacks on Tehran during the 1988 War of the Cities. The Hwasong 6 program, however, did not directly benefit from the al-Husayn, and reports suggesting that it was a copy of the al-Husayn are incorrect.(75)
To date there have been five Hwasong 6 test launches, all of them apparently successful. The first test occurred in June 1990 from the Musudan-ri Launch Facility.(76) Given the difficulties encountered in developing new guidance systems, there is a strong possibility that this first test either included a slightly modified Hwasong 5 guidance system (i.e., changes to the Pendulous Integrating Gyro Accelerometer, or PIGA) or engineers simply used a timer to control engine shutoff. In July 1991, a second Hwasong 6 was test launched. This time, however, the missile was fired from an indigenously produced TEL at a forward KPA base in Kangwon-do Province (which encompasses the I and V Corps deployed along the DMZ). The missile flew northeast and impacted in the East Sea.(77) In late May 1993, the DPRK launched three Hwasong 6 missiles and one No-dong missile, its most important missile test event to that date. In addition to Hwasong 6 tests in the DPRK, Syria and Iran have carried out an ongoing series of Hwasong tests focused primarily on operational readiness and troop training. To date, four of these tests have been publicly revealed: three Syrian (July 1992 and mid-1994) and one Iranian (May 1991).(78)
By 1991 the Hwasong missile regiment had been expanded to an estimated 27 to 30 TELs and was equipped with a mixture of Hwasong 5 and 6 missiles. This regiment was under the direct control of the General Staff Department.(79) The regiment is believed to be headquartered in the Chiha-ri area (approximately 85 km southeast of Pyongyang and 50 km north of the DMZ). Individual missile battalions are deployed nearby in separate bases. The regiments technical support battalion is also reported to be at Chiha-ri.(80) By the early 1990s, the infrastructure built to support the regiment had two to three times the number of hardened bunkers required to house all the units TELs and support vehicles.(81)
The Hwasong 6 regiment probably consists of a headquarters (staff, rear services company, communications company), missile technical battalion, air defense company, and four to five launch battalions. Each launch battalion has six TELs or mobile-erector-launchers (MELs) and approximately 175 personnel organized into a headquarters and three firing batteries. The headquarters consists of a small staff, technical, communications, and rear services platoons, a meteorological section with a RVS-1 Malakhit (bread bin) meteorological data receiver, and a survey section. Each firing battery consists of two launcher sections, each with one TEL, and an air defense section with SA-7/14 SAMs. Any independent launch battalions are probably configured in a similar manner, but may have larger support units.(82)
Foreign Developments
In late 1990, Iran and the DPRK concluded several new agreements. These provided for an Iranian purchase of the Hwasong 6 and associated TELs, and DPRK assistance with the conversion of a missile-maintenance facility to give Iran the ability to assemble and later to manufacture the Hwasong 6. Beginning in January 1991, US intelligence tracked shipments of Hwasong 6 missiles, TELs, and related equipment on their way to Iran. The exact number of missiles acquired by the Iranians is not known, but a total of 60 has been suggested.(83) Within Iran, the Hwasong 6 is known as the Shehab 2. In May 1991, US satellites observed the test launch of a Shehab 2/Hwasong 6 missile from a DPRK-produced TEL near the city of Qom.(84) It is probable that the test was conducted in conjunction with DPRK advisors or observers. The missile flew 500 km before impacting south of Shahroud in the Dasht-e Kavir (Salt Desert) where Iran has a major missile test facility. Iran likely monitored the test from a tracking station located near the town of Tabas. Both the missile test facility at Shahroud and the tracking station at Tabas were constructed, in part, with DPRK assistance.(85) Deliveries of Hwasong 6 missiles and support equipment are known to have continued through 1995. In late 1994 or early 1995, Iran received at least four Hwasong 6 TELs from the DPRK that may have been delivered by air.(86)
The 1990 DPRK-Iran agreements were soon followed by a DPRK-Syria agreement. For several years, Damascus sought to acquire the R-400 Oka (SS-23 spider) from the Soviet Union. These efforts failed, and Syria then turned to the DPRK for Hwasong 6 missiles, TELs, and production technology. The agreement signed between the DPRK and Syria was financially and materially supported by Iran and the PRC. Deliveries of an estimated 60 missiles and 12 TELs began in April 1991 and continued through at least 1995. A number of these deliveries were by air, using private contractors flying An-124 Ruslan heavy transports. The Syrians experienced significant problems with the Hwasong 6 guidance system that were apparently never resolved with the DPRK. Syria therefore turned to the PRC, which provided replacements or upgrades. The DPRK, with assistance from Iran and the PRC, also assisted Syria in the construction of Hwasong 6 production facilities near Aleppo and Hamah.(87)
Syria has conducted a small number of Hwasong 6 launches. The first, at the end of July 1991, consisted of two Hwasong 6s just before the missiles became operational.(88) Syria conducted a second Hwasong 6 test in mid-1994.(89) In November 1994, the DPRK delivered Hwasong 6 cluster warheads to Syria. That same month, Damascus test fired the Hwasong 6, although with a conventional warhead. Three years later, in early 1997, Syria conducted several missile tests. Although most are believed to have been R-17s, it is possible that several were Hwasong 6 launches.(90) It is believed that all these tests were intended to verify missile reliability and to train Syrian missile troops. Missile cooperation between Damascus and Pyongyang has continued throughout the 1990s. For example, in 1996, a group of Syrian missile technicians reportedly traveled to the DPRK for two weeks.(91) In 1999, the DPRK provided Syria with 10 tonnes of powdered aluminum originally purchased from the PRC. This powdered aluminum was reportedly delivered to the Centre des Etudes et de Recherche Scientifique (CERS, Scientific Studies and Research Center)the agency which oversees Syrias missile and chemical weapons programs.(92)
Egypts participation in the Hwasong 6 effort appears to have been as a purchaser of technology rather than as a co-developer. With the failure of the Condor II project (known as Vector in Egypt) in late 1989, the Hwasong 6 assumed a higher level of importance for Cairo. In May 1990, shortly before the first test launch of the Hwasong 6, President Hosni Mubarak visited Pyongyang. While in the DPRK capital, he is believed to have visited the 125 Factory where the Hwasong 6 is assembled. Although Egypt is not known to have received entire Hwasong 6 missiles from the DPRK, it has received Hwasong 6 components and related technologies.(93)
In 1998 or 1999, Vietnam is reported to have obtained a small number of Hwasong 6 missiles as part of an arms agreement with the DPRK that included two sang-o class coastal submarines and DPRK produced 9K310 Igla 1 (SA-16 gimlet) SAMs. The exact number of Hwasong 6s obtained and whether the arms agreement included TELs are presently unknown.(94)
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Libya has both pursued its indigenous al-Fatah missile program and provided varying levels of financing to the DPRK missile program. Although this financing has been primarily in support of the Syrian and Iranian missile programs, Libya has also purchased DPRK missile components and technology. DPRK components and technology have been used to maintain Libyas existing R-17s and incorporated into the al-Fatah and possibly other missile programs. While there have been numerous reports indicating Libyan interest in purchasing the Hwasong 6, none are known to have been delivered.(95)
During the 1990s, the DPRKs relations with Sudan have grown steadily closer (probably as a result of growing Iranian-Sudanese relations). During 1998-1999, the DPRK is reported to have offered to sell Sudan a complete production facility for the manufacture of the Hwasong 5/6. The status of this offer is presently unknown.(96)
It is estimated that between 1987 and 1992, the DPRK exported 250 missiles and related technology worth $580 million to Egypt, Iran, Libya, and Syria. Hwasong 5 and Hwasong 6 missiles are estimated to cost $1.5 to $2 million apiece.(97)
No-dong (a.k.a., No-dong 1, Rodong 1, Scud Mod. D, Scud D)(98)
Work on what would eventually become known in the West as the No-dong (the DPRK name is unknown) is believed to have begun in 1988, shortly after the DPRK began its Hwasong 6 efforts. There appear to have been three primary design objectives for the No-dong. The first was to design a ballistic missile that could deliver a 1,000- to 1,500-kg warhead to a range of 1,000 to 1,500 km, enough to strike targets throughout Japan, including US bases on Okinawa. The second goal was to develop a base missile system (and related technologies) that could be used as a core, or first stage for even longer range ballistic missiles. The final objective was to design a ballistic missile with the capability to deliver a first-generation nuclear weapon.(99)
To achieve the ambitious range and payload objectives with the technology base available to the DPRK, the decision was made to scale-up the existing Hwasong 6 design by 150 percent. The resulting missile is 16-m long, has a diameter of 1.32 m, and weighs approximately 16 tonnes. It can carry either a 1,200-kg warhead to a range of 1,350 km or a 1,000-kg warhead to a range of 1,500 km.(100) While this scale-up expedient would be sufficient for the airframe and warhead, designing and building a new engine and guidance system provided a greater challenge. To address these difficult issues, the DPRK secured the services of foreign engineers, most notably from Russia, Ukraine, and the PRC. Because No-dong presented new complexities in missile design and manufacture for the DPRK, progress came at a considerably slower rate than was the case for the Hwasong 5/6 programs.
The new No-dong required a more powerful engine than the DPRK-produced version of the Isayev 9D21 found in the Hwasong 5/6. Following the pattern established with the airframe, DPRK engineers scaled up their existing Isayev 9D21 copy. This work was accomplished with the assistance of Russian engineers formerly with the Makeyev design bureau in Miass. Although design of the new engine proceeded relatively quickly, there appear to have been problems with its manufacture, notably in the areas of quality control and the acquisition of special materials. No-dong engines undoubtedly incorporate a number of foreign-produced components. Reports stating that the No-dong engine consists of four clustered Scud B engines are incorrect.(101)
The No-dongs guidance system is apparently a version of the guidance set used in the Hwasong 5/6. It is believed, however, that the DPRK received foreign assistance in adapting it for use in the No-dong. This guidance system has apparently undergone several development cycles aimed at improving both reliability and accuracy, and later models are probably significantly different, and more accurate, than those produced early in the program. There are concerns that this system may be modified to incorporate Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) to further improve accuracy.(102) At present, there are no reliable CEP estimates for the No-dong.
Estimates concerning the size and nature of the No-dong warhead have varied considerably. Information that became available in 1998 indicates the No-dong is capable of carrying a 1,200-kg warhead. Following the lead of the Hwasong 5/6 program, it is probable that the No-dong can be armed with HE, cluster, chemical, or possibly biological warheads.(103) More significantly, and given what is known about the DPRKs nuclear and ballistic missile programs, it appears that the No-dong was intended to carry a first-generation nuclear warhead.(104)
In May 1990, US intelligence observed what appears to have been the first prototype No-dong on a launch pad at the Musudan-ri Launch Facility, although no missile launch was detected.(105) Subsequent photographs revealed burn marks at the launch site leading to the assumption that there may have been a catastrophic failure of the missile during a test. In November of the same year, the DPRK initiated preparations for a second missile test. These preparations were accompanied by increased Korean Peoples Navy (KPN) activity along the east coast and vessels were positioned to track the missiles flight over the East Sea. US Navy radar tracking ships positioned in the East Sea, however, detected no launch.(106) It was not until June 1992 that any further test activity associated with the No-dong program was detected, when Japanese military sources indicated that a second launch cancellation or failure occurred.
In May 1993, the DPRK launched four missilesthree Hwasong 5/6 and one No-dongits largest ballistic missile test event to date. US intelligence first detected preparations for a test launch in late April. Activity at the Musudan-ri Launch Facility was far more significant than had been previously observed and included the assembly of loading cranes and TELs (and possibly MELs), and modification of launch towers to accommodate a larger missile. These activities were accompanied by an increased level of KPN activities at Chongjin and other ports along the east coast. On May 29, the test launches began and continued the following day. All four missiles were apparently aimed at target buoys in the East Sea and along an azimuth facing Japans Noto Peninsula.
In these tests, the No-dong traveled the farthest500 kmover-flying the KPN tracking ships. One Hwasong 5/6 traveled 100 km, while the remaining two fell short of the 100-km mark. No telemetry data were detected from any of the missiles.(107) While some analysts have speculated that the missiles ranges were intentionally reduced to secrete the No-dong among the Hwasong 5/6s being tested, this does not explain why all the missiles were not launched to a range of 500 km. Although reduced ranges suggest a failure, it is also possible that range was intentionally restricted to test the accuracy of the missiles at shorter ranges, or to test other performance characteristics. Absence of telemetry data is intriguing given the limited number of missile tests conducted throughout the DPRK program.
One final aspect of the May 1993 launches is of interestthe presence of Iranian and Pakistani observers at the tests.(108) In March 1993, an Iranian delegation traveled to Pyongyang to discuss ballistic missile-related cooperation and the No-dong, while Pakistani interest in the No-dong dates to the early 1990s (see below). In August 1992, DPRK Deputy Premier-Foreign Minister Kim Yong-nam had traveled to Pakistan to discuss, among other matters, missile cooperation and the No-dong.(109) These visits had set the stage for observer teams from Iran and Pakistan to be present at the Musudan-ri Launch Facility for the May 1993 test event.(110)
During late April 1994, US intelligence again detected preparations at the Musudan-ri Launch Facility and increased KPN activities for what was believed to be a production series No-dong test. However, all activity ceased without explanation. The cancellation of this test was apparently in response to the very sensitive and intense US-DPRK nuclear negotiations then underway in Geneva. The DPRK has not conducted any further flight testing of the No-dong although another flight test had been planned for October 1996, but was cancelled.(111)
Concurrent with missile system development, the DPRK undertook a number of programs to design and develop support vehicles, and to expand the basing and deployment infrastructure. Due to the No-dongs large size and greater weight, it could not use Hwasong 5/6 TELs and transport vehicles. This led to the development of a number of system-specific vehicles, including a new MEL and a missile transport vehicle.(112) A decoy launch vehicle was also produced.(113) Vehicle-related work probably has been performed in cooperation with the Sungni General Automotive Factory. Reports suggest that the DPRK currently uses IVECO heavy-duty trucks manufactured by Fiat in Italy for the MEL chassis, and cranes manufactured by the Austrian company Palfinger AG.(114) The increased size of the No-dong required changes to the DPRKs deployment and support infrastructure: storage tunnels and fuel depots needed to be enlarged, and access roads widened. More significantly, the ambitious construction program for specialized and hardened missile tunnels and launch facilities continued.(115)
Estimates vary considerably both for the No-dongs operational dates and production numbers. Small numbers of prototypes were apparently built in 1989 and 1990. Low-rate production had begun by January 1991, and a small number of missiles were available for contingency use shortly afterwards (the DPRK apparently accepted a low level of reliability and readiness in order to field the systems more quickly). It probably was not until 1993 or 1994, however, that the system was produced and fielded in sufficient numbers to be considered truly operational.(116) Production rates for the No-dong appear to have averaged two to four per month, and production has occurred concurrently with that of the Hwasong 6. It is likely that Hwasong 6 manufacture will be phased out completely when the Taepo-dong 1 comes into production. By the end of 1999, the DPRK will have produced an estimated 75 to 150 No-dong missiles. Of these, 24 to 50 were sold to foreign countries; up to five were used for initial operations, test, and evaluation/training; and 50 to 100 are in current inventory.
To facilitate the operational deployment of the No-dong, the DPRK transferred experienced personnel from the Hwasong 5/6 regiment to a newly formed, independent No-dong battalion. The organization of this battalion is probably similar to that of Hwasong 5/6 battalions, although some reports suggest that it is equipped with six to nine TELs. Published reports suggest that a base for an independent No-dong battalion, with six TELs, is now being constructed near Yongo-dong, Yanggang-do.
During the late 1990s, the DPRK undertook a major reorganization of its FROG and ballistic missile forces and established a ballistic missile division directly subordinate to the General Staff Department. The organization of this division is unclear, but it is known to consist of the FROG brigade (previously subordinate to the Artillery Command), Hwasong 5/6 regiment, and the No-dong battalion. Administration and support units probably consist of a headquarters (staff and rear services), communications battalion, missile technical battalion, air defense battalion, engineer battalion, and a nuclear-chemical defense company.(117)
Pakistans Ghauri (Hatf V) and Ghauri 2
The Pakistan-DPRK missile relationship dates to the late 1980s. In December 1988, Benazir Bhutto became prime minister of Pakistan and threw her full support behind the acquisition of PRC ballistic missiles and expanded Pakistan-DPRK missile and nuclear cooperation. One example of this was the Pakistani visit to the 125 Factory in Pyongyang (and possibly the Sanum-dong military research-and-development facility) to examine the No-dong. This visit may have been related to the June 1992 failed, or cancelled, No-dong test.(118) The following month, DPRK Deputy Premier-Foreign Minister Kim Yong-nam traveled to Syria (July 27-30), Iran (July 30-August 3), and Pakistan (August 4-7) to discuss a number of issues, including missile cooperation and DPRK sales of Hwasong 6 and possibly No-dong missiles.(119) Pakistani and Iranian specialists are believed to have been present for the DPRKs May 29-30, 1993 tests.(120)
In December 1993, two months after she was re-elected as prime minister, Benazir Bhutto traveled to the PRC and DPRK. Although she publicly denied it, subsequent events indicate that she was seeking, among other items, increased cooperation in ballistic missile development and, in particular, a system capable of striking strategic Indian targets.(121) Shortly afterwards, Pakistan established a ballistic missile project to purchase and manufacture the No-dong missileknown in Pakistan as the Ghauri (Hatf V). (122)
With the agreement on a missile project came accelerated Pakistan-DPRK political, scientific, and missile cooperation. In April 1994, a DPRK Foreign Ministry delegation headed by Pak Chung-kuk traveled to Iran and Pakistan.(123) In September of the same year, another delegation led by Choe Hui-chong, chairman of the State Commission of Science and Technology, traveled to Pakistan.(124) In late November 1995, a DPRK military delegation led by Marshal Choe Kwang (vice-chairman of the National Defense Commission and minister of the Peoples Armed Forces) traveled to Pakistan. There he met with Pakistani President Sardar Leghari, Defense Minister Aftab Shaban Mirani, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Naval Operations, Commander of the Air Force, and various other military officials. Choe is also believed to have visited the missile-related production facilities in the FaisalabadLahore area and possibly even Jhelum (the area from which Ghauri was subsequently launched).(125) Choe is believed to have finalized an agreement to provide Pakistan with key components from either the No-dong or Taepo-dong programs, about 12 to 25 No-dong missiles, and at least one TEL or MEL.(126)
The agreed items were produced by the Fourth Machine Industry Bureau of the Second Economic Committee and a majority are believed to have been delivered to the Khan Research Laboratories at Kahuta in the spring of 1996 by the Changgwang Sinyong Corporation (a.k.a., North Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation/Bureau).(127) On April 24, 1998, the US State Department imposed sanctions against both the Khan Research Laboratories and Changgwang Sinyong Corporation.(128) This was the second time that the State Department imposed sanctions against the Khan Research Laboratories.(129) The Changgwang Sinyong Corporation was the same organization responsible for supplying Iran with DPRK missile technologies, components, and missiles during the mid-1990s. Changgwang and the Iranian Ministry of Defense Armed Forces Logistics and State Purchasing Office were subsequently placed under US State Department sanctions in June 1996.(130)
On April 6, 1998, Pakistan conducted its first test of the Ghauri, which it claimed had a range of 1,500 km. While Pakistan has stated publicly that the missile was designed and produced indigenously it was, in fact, a DPRK-produced No-dong launched from a MEL. This was the second test of a No-dong, and it is believed that DPRK observers were present. On April 14, 1999, Pakistan tested what it called the Ghauri 2, which it claimed had a range of 2,000 km; again this was a DPRK-produced No-dong, making this Pakistani launch the fourth test of this DPRK missile system.
Since the flight tests of the Ghauri and Ghauri 2, there have been numerous Pakistani statements indicating that it is developing three more-capable ballistic missilesthe Ghaznavi, Abdali, and Shaheen. The status of these programs and the extent of DPRK involvement are unclear.
Irans Shehab 3
Iran has participated in the No-dong program since its inception. This participation led directly to Irans establishment of the Shehab 3 program, which apparently began in 1988, roughly the same date as the start of the No-dong project.
In March 1993, a 21-member Iranian delegation traveled to Pyongyang.(131) This delegation was led by Brigadier General Hossein Mantequei, then director of the Defense Industries Organization (a body responsible for Irans ballistic missile development and production program under a project known as Department 140).(132) The purpose of the visit was reportedly to discuss missile-related cooperation, arrangements for Iranian participation in the forthcoming No-dong test, and the purchase of No-dong missiles. In February 1994, KPAF commander General Cho Myong-rok visited Iran with a 29-member delegation of military and nuclear experts and toured the missile test site at Shahroud.(133)
Delivery of either No-dong components or a small number of completed missiles is believed to have occurred in mid- to late-1994. Sometime during late 1994 or early 1995, the DPRK also provided four TELs. While these are believed to have been for the Hwasong 6, it is possible that a No-dong MEL was included with the shipment. Further deliveries continued at a very slow rate for approximately one year, until funding and other problems resulted in their halt. By 1997 low-level deliveries appear to have resumed.(134)
There were a number of quality, technical, and production issues to be resolved with the new missiles and components. These problems slowed shipments of missiles from the DPRK, introduction of the missiles into Iranian service, and the startup of Iranian production. It has been suggested that the Iranians were not pleased with the overall progress of the No-dong program and that the problems they encountered with the newly delivered missiles exacerbated this sentiment. This may have led to a decision to replace a number of the missiles subsystems with technology acquired from Russian sources and to focus longer range missile projects (e.g., Shehab 4) on Russian technology rather than on the DPRKs developmental Taepo-dong.(135) At present, there is no reliable information detailing the type of components and number of No-dong missiles that the DPRK provided to Iran. Some sources suggest that there was an agreement for 150 missiles, but this number seems to be excessive.(136)
On July 22, 1998, Iran conducted its first test of the Shehab 3 (the third test of a No-dong). This missile is believed to have been an Iranian-assembled No-dong with few, if any, local internal modifications. The missile flew for approximately 100 seconds before exploding. If this were an accidental explosion, it would suggest that the problems the Iranians had noted earlier may not have been resolved. Regardless, the Iranians may follow the DPRK lead and deploy the system in spite of problems. Like the earlier test of the Ghauri, DPRK observers are believed to have been present for the Shehab 3 test.(137)
Further development of the No-dong/Shehab 3 system is being undertaken cooperatively by the Iranians and the DPRK. It is believed, however, that production versions of the missile will incorporate increasing levels of Russian, and possibly PRC, technologies or components.(138) If this trend continues, it could result in a missile that is significantly different from the DPRK-produced No-dong.
Iranian-DPRK Shehab 3 cooperation may have also extended into space launch vehicles. In August 1998, Iranian television showed what appeared to be a mock-up of a clam-shell nosecone with a small satellite inside and a model of a space launch vehicle with a bulbous payload section, apparently based upon the Shehab 3.(139)
Egypt, Libya, and Syria
Throughout the 1990s, there have been reports that Egypt, Libya, and Syria have been interested in obtaining or producing the No-dong. To date, there are no known sales of complete missile systems to any of the three countries.
Egypts involvement in the No-dong program is believed to be limited to the acquisition of No-dong-related technology or components. It continues to cooperate with the DPRK in a broad range of ballistic missile development activities. For example, in July 1999, the DPRK shipped Egypt specialty steelwith missile applicationsthrough a PRC company in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, missile technicians continue to travel between the two countries.(140)
Although Syria appears to be satisfied with its current Hwasong 6 capabilities, it is believed that Damascus would also like to obtain a small number of No-dong missiles. The 1996 visit to the DPRK by a delegation of Syrian missile technicians, while primarily concerned with the Hwasong 6 program, may also have been related to Syrian interest in the No-dong.(141)
Libya has probably received No-dong components and technology. There have also been reports indicating the development of a joint DPRK-Libyan missile test facility in Libya. This, however, remains to be verified.(142)
Taepo-dong 1 (a.k.a., No-dong 2, Rodong 2, Scud Mod. E, Scud X), Taepo-dong 1 SLV, Taepo-dong 2 (a.k.a., No-dong 3)
During the early 1990s, the DPRK initiated development of two ballistic missile systems that would become known in the West as the Taepo-dong 1 and Taepo-dong 2 (the DPRK designators are unknown).(143) Taepo-dong 1 design objectives were apparently for a system that could deliver a 1,000 to 1,500-kg warhead to a range of 1,500 to 2,500 km; Taepo-dong 2 is intended to carry the same warhead to 4,000 to 8,000 km.(144)
The relatively long developmental period for these systems is a result of delays in the No-dong program; technical difficulties concerning multi-staging, engine clustering, guidance, and airframe design and development; and the economic turmoil that the DPRK has faced in the 1990s. As noted above with the No-dong program, many of these technical issues were, and are being, addressed by the DPRKs employment of missile designers and engineers from Russia, Ukraine, and other countries. DPRK missile designers and engineers have continued to travel to the PRC for professional training and possible technology exchanges throughout the 1990s.
Estimates concerning the size and type of warheads the Taepo-dong 1/2 can carry have varied considerably. Following the lead of the No-dong program it is probable that the DPRK has designed HE, cluster, chemical, and nuclear warheads for the Taepo-dong 1/2.
In February 1994, US intelligence identified mock-ups of the two new systems at the Sanum-dong military research-and-development facility.(148) Since this revelation, the DPRK has expanded camouflage and deception operations to mask its missile development activities, including construction of fake facilities, and manufacture and deployment of numerous decoy vehicles and missiles.(149) These deception activities make it increasingly difficult to determine the progress in Taepo-dong 1 and 2 development. There are reports that a February 1994 static engine test at the Taepo-dong rocket test stand was directly related to the Taepo-dong program.(150) The May 1994 modification of the launch towers at the Musudan-ri Launch Facility and the erection of a giant shelter pad against propellant jets provided some additional indications of Taepo-dong progress.(151)
At a late-1993 or early-1994 meeting of the Korean Workers Party (KWP) Central Committee, Kim Il-song expressed his desire to place a satellite into orbit.(152) This decision was apparently precipitated by the international recognition Seoul received after the successful launch of its second research satellite, Uribyol II, in September 1993. Kims appeal to the Central Committee led to the expansion of the DPRKs nascent space program and the requirement for a space launch vehicle. The most likely candidate for use as a SLV was the Taepo-dong 1. Because the timing of this decision and the start of the Taepo-dong program were so close, it is possible that there were plans for a SLV version from the projects inception.(153)
The Taepo-dong 1 SLV is a three-stage rocket that appears to utilize a No-dong derivative as the first stage, Hwasong 6 as the second stage, and a solid-fuel third stage (possibly derived from the HQ-2 booster). It is approximately 26-m long and weighs 18.7 tonnes. Work began on a small satellite named the Kwangmyongsong 1 (Bright Lodestar) concurrent with launch vehicle development.(154) In designing the Kwangmyongsong 1, the DPRK is believed to have received considerable assistance from the PRCs Academy of Launch Technology. This assistance, albeit at varying levels of intensity, has continued with development of the forthcoming Kwangmyongsong 2 satellite project. It may also extend to additional, unnamed satellitespossibly including a crude reconnaissance satellite.(155)
To support the No-dong and Taepo-dong programs, expansion of the DPRKs ballistic missile infrastructure has continued. Construction of specialized underground missile bases or missile silos that began during the mid-1980s has continued through the 1990s. A small number of these facilities are located throughout the country and are now believed capable of handling both the No-dong and Taepo-dong 1and possibly the Taepo-dong 2. In addition, a small number of specialized transport and support vehicles have been manufactured for the Taepo-dong 1/2 programs, including a MEL for the Taepo-dong 1 and missile transport vehicles.(156)
Initial prototypes for these systems were probably manufactured in 1995 or 1996. An initial production run for the Taepo-dong 1 may have begun during 1997 or 1998, and it is estimated that a rate of one per month could possibly be achieved if Hwasong 6 and No-dong production were curtailed. It is estimated that by the end of 1999, the DPRK will have produced a total of one to ten Taepo-dong 1/SLVs and one to two Taepo-dong 2 prototypes.
On August 31, 1998, the DPRK conducted its first flight of a Taepo-dong systemthe three-stage Taepo-dong 1 SLV. The objective of the mission was to place the DPRKs first satellitethe Kwangmyongsong 1into orbit. Launch preparations began at the Musudan-ri Launch Facility on August 7. Two weeks later, these preparations were accompanied by the movement of KPN vessels into the East Sea. By August 27, final preparations for a test were detected by US intelligence, and thus surveillance assets were moved into position. Liftoff occurred at 12:07 hours (local time) on August 31 from the Musudan-ri Launch Facility. The three-stage Taepo-dong 1 SLV flew due east across the East Sea. The first stage separated at T+95 seconds and impacted in the East Sea approximately 253 km east of the Musudan-ri Launch Facility. At T+144 seconds, the payload shroud separated and impacted in the Pacific Ocean approximately 1,090 km from the launch site (east of the main Japanese island of Honshu). The second stage separated at T+266 seconds and impacted in the Pacific Ocean approximately 1,646 km east of the Musudan-ri Launch Facility. The third stage apparently suffered a technical failure and failed to insert the Kwangmyongsong 1 into orbit. Instead it continued east, burning up, with a debris trail that apparently extended to approximately 4,000 km. US aircraft and ships tracked the test. Following the test, Japans Self Defense Forces sent three destroyers and patrol aircraft to search the impact areas in the Pacific for wreckage of the missile and its warhead. These efforts may have been in vain since the second stage impacted on the edge of the Japan Trench in waters with a depth of some 5,000 m. (157)
The DPRK has never acknowledged this failure. Instead, on September 4, the Korean Central Broadcasting Network read an announcement signed by Kim Chong-il that, our scientists and technicians succeeded in launching its first satellite into orbit with multi-staged delivery rockets.(158) The DPRK further claimed that the satellite was circling the Earth and transmitting the revolutionary anthems the Song of the Sun, the Song of General Kim Il-song and General Kim Chong-il.(159) For successfully launching Kwangmyongsong 1, numerous scientists, technicians, workers, and officials were awarded state commendations, titles, and gifts.(160) In December 1998, the DPRK announced that it would launch the Kwangmyongsong 2, but did not set a launch date.(161)
While the timing of the Taepo-dong 1 SLV launch was correctly predicted by US intelligence, it also demonstrated a number of unanticipated developments. Until August 1998, the DPRK was known to have developed only a two-stage Taepo-dong 1 ballistic missile. The third stage and satellite capabilities came as a surprise, indicating that the program was further along in developing ICBMs than had previously been estimated. The launch tested a number of important aspects of ICBM development, such as multi-stage separation, guidance, multi-fuel systems, etc. It also validated the two-stage Taepo-dong 1 and its ability to deliver a 700- to 1,000-kg warhead to about 2,500 km. If the three-stage Taepo-dong 1 SLV were to be configured as a missile, it could deliver a 200-kg warhead into the central section of the United States, although with poor accuracy. With a 100-kg warhead, it could reach Washington, DC. The larger and more powerful Taepo-dong 2, which has yet to be tested, is now assessed as being able to deliver a 700- to 1,000-kg warhead to 6,700 km, although the accuracy would also be poor. If the DPRK were willing to settle for a smaller warhead, this system has the potential to strike any large, city-sized target within the continental United States.(162)
Although current estimates suggest that the Taepo-dong 1 could become operational during 1999 to 2000, two other scenarios are possible. First, the Taepo-dong 1 may already be deployed or considered operational by the KPA, given that the DPRK has apparently established significantly lower levels of reliability and readiness than have most Western nations. Second, only a few (and possibly no) Taepo-dong 1 systems will become operational with the KPA. Instead, the DPRK will concentrate the majority of its limited resources into developing and fielding the Taepo-dong 2. When the Taepo-dong systems do become operational, they will probably not replace the No-dong; rather, the KPA will opt for a mix of ballistic missile systems.
Taepo-dong development is being aggressively pursued, and improvements are being incorporated into the systems.(163) As of December 1999, the Taepo-dong program is assessed as being able to:(164)
Excluding either political developments or the collapse of the DPRK, development of the Taepo-dong family will undoubtedly continue for the foreseeable future. If the program were allowed to proceed unfettered, likely developments within the next 10 years will include:
The KPA will either integrate the Taepo-dong within the new ballistic missile division or will deploy the missile as an independent battalion. An independent launch battalion might consist of a headquarters (staff, technical section, rear services section, and communications section), one to two firing batteries (each with one launcher), and an air defense company. The independent launch battalions will likely deploy in the specialized underground missile bases or missile silos built during the 1980s and 1990s.
Like the No-dong program, it is probable that the Taepo-dong has benefited from technology exchanges and test flights related to the Pakistani Ghauri and Iranian Shehab 3 programs. It is also believed that both Iranian and Pakistani observers were present for the Taepo-dong 1 SLV launch.(165) Iran has been involved in the development of the Taepo-dong family from its inception, including financing and the exchange of information, technology, and personnel. Although Iran was at first deeply interested in the acquisition of Taepo-dong 1/2 missiles and technology, it appears that Tehran has now committed itself to utilizing Russian technology for its Shehab 4. Iran-DPRK cooperation in the program may extend to the Taepo-dong 1 SLV and Kwangmyongsong satellites. The export of Taepo-dong 1/2 missiles or technology to Pakistan is also of great concern. Pakistan announced a 2,000-km range Ghaznavi; this missile may actually be a Taepo-dong 1.(166) The extent of Egyptian, Libyan, or Syrian interest or involvement in the Taepo-dong program is currently unknown. The DPRK is reportedly offering the Taepo-dong 1 to these countries at a cost of $6 million apiece.(167)
Other Missile Systems
During the 1990s a number of events influenced missile-related developments within the DPRK, especially the 1991 Gulf War. Extensive use of BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles, al-Husayn ballistic missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) had a profound effect on the thinking of military planners and missile designers in the DPRK. This led the DPRK to establish cruise missile and UAV programs and spurred the development of the No-dong and Taepo-dong systems.
In the years following that war, Iran is believed to have provided the DPRK with access to BGM-109 Tomahawk wreckage from missiles that impacted on its territory, or that it acquired from Bosnia.(168) Given the complexity of the system, it is unlikely that the DPRK gained significant design, production, or operational knowledge from the wreckage, although access may have provided some insight into possible counter-measures or served as a design catalyst.
During 1994, and as a result of the expanding SyriaDPRK missile relationship, the DPRK was allowed extensive access to Syrias missile systems, missile technology, and UAVs. Syria gave the DPRK access to the 9K79 Tochka (SS-21 scarab), P-35 Redut (SSC-1b sepal), and P-20 Rubezh-A (SS-C-3 styx) missiles; solid-fuel motor technology; and the DR-3 Reys UAV. More significantly, it is believed that Syria provided examples of some of these systems to the DPRK. Of these, the possible acquisition of the 9K79 Tochka
is the most interesting. A number of unconfirmed reports from a variety of sources suggest that during the 1990s the DPRK was interested in replacing its aging inventory of Luna-2 (FROG-5) and Luna-M (FROG-7B) artillery rockets and in developing a solid-fuel tactical ballistic missile. During mid-1996, an unknown number of Syrian technicians spent two weeks in the DPRK. This group both studied the production of the Hwasong 6 and reportedly shared information concerning the 9K79 Tochka.(169) Despite this access, it is unlikely that the DPRK has made significant progress in developing a solid-fuel ballistic missile given financial, manpower, technology, and other limitations.
During the late 1980s and through the 1990s, the DPRK acquired the 9M111 Fagot (AT-4 spigot) and 9M113 Udar (AT-5 spandral) ATGMs, and the 9K34 Strela 3 (SA-14 gremlin), and 9K310 Igla-1 (SA-16 gimlet) SAMs from Russia. Pyongyang is believed to have undertaken production of at least the 9M111 Fagot and 9K34 Strela. In addition to these systems, the DPRK has continued development of existing SAMs and air-to-air missiles, although details are lacking.
On March 19, 1991, the DPRK reportedly signed an arms agreement with Cuba. This agreement called for the sale of SAMs (presumably SA-14/16s) and other anti-aircraft weapons to Havana. This agreement came at the end of an official visit to Cuba by a delegation led by MPAF Chief of Staff Choe Kwang.(170)
In the mid-1990s, defectors revealed that the DPRK had earlier obtained
examples of both the French Exocet anti-ship cruise missile and US FIM-92
Stinger SAM.(171) These were acquired with the intention of
reverse-engineering the systems and deploying them with the KPA. It is
unclear how successful the DPRK has been in this effort, although US
intelligence believes that the Stinger may be available in limited
numbers.(172) It is unclear if these are US-origin missiles or copies.
|Return to Top


text:
Eye-Fi launches wireless memory card for pros
Eye-Fi, makers of the world's first wireless memory card, has expanded its range with a new SDHC memory card aimed specifically at professionals and photo enthusiasts. The Eye-Fi Pro is a 4GB wireless memory card that supports RAW images and allows direct peer-to-peer connectivity between camera and computer, without the need for an internet connection.
RAW is essentially unprocessed photographic data that can be retouched and manipulated – which makes the new card ideal for camera professionals. The direct wi-fi capability (also known as ad hoc) will be a boon for shooting away from the studio, allowing quick downloads of images without the need for a router or network. A new Selective Transfer feature also lets users manually choose which photos they want to wirelessly send to their computer.
The Eye-Fi Pro offers many of the same features available in the rest of the range. The card automatically geotags a photo with information about where it was taken, using global wi-fi positioning. Like the Eye-Fi Explore, images can also be directly uploaded to more than 25 online photo and video sharing websites, including Photobucket and YouTube.
Wireless downloading of images is becoming an increasingly important part of camera technology and many new cameras offer Eye-Fi card recognition and optimization, including Nikon's D5000 and the entire range of new Casio cameras. Eye-Fi products have also received considerable critical attention, including PC World's 100 Best Products of 2008.


text:
Readers are encouraged to send or deliver old local photographs of general interest for use in Yesteryear. Information about people and places should be included. Photos must be 30 years old or older and should be sent to Yesteryear, Altoona Mirror, P.O. Box 2008, Altoona, PA 16603, or delivered to the Editorial Department.
Article Photos
This photo from the Mirror archives shows the boat house at Lakemont Park, Altoona, circa 1900.


text:
Back to school, bus drivers plan to be on roads, on timeUPDATED 5:58 AM CST Dec 11, 2013
Workers have been making sure the buses are good to go the last several days.Video Transcript
BUT FIRST .... IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL .. FOR MOST STUDENTS IN THE METRO. INCLUDING OKLAHOMA CITY. THAT... FOLLOWING A FIVE-DAY SNOWY WEEKEND FOR THEM. TEMPERATURES BARELY GOT ABOVE FREEZING YESTERDAY... BUT THEY DIPPED BELOW 32 DEGREES AT NIGHT. K-O-C-O'S ROB HUGHES IS AT THE BUS BARN RIGHT AND TELLS US HOW BUS DRIVERS PLAN TO AVOID MELTED ICE THAT FROZE AGAIN OVERNIGHT. I JUST SPOKE WITH SCHOOL OFFICIALS... THEY TELL ME BUS DRIVERS ARE GOING TO BE TAKING THEIR TIME AND DRIVING EXTRA CAREFUL. WORKERS HAVE ALSO BEEN HERE MAKING SURE THE BUSES ARE GOOD T GO THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS. I'M TOLD ALL THE BUSES ARE READY TO PICK UP THE KIDS. OFFICIALS ARE ASKING THAT YOUR KIDS ARE AT THE BUS STOP ON TIME... AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE BUNDLED UP. .... We just ask for patience DRIVERS IN SOME DISTRICTS ARE EVEN DRIVING ROUTES EARLY TO MAKE SURE THE ROUTES ARE SAFE. DRIVERS ARE GOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE YOUR KIDS GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME. SIG OUT. CAM-VO
CommentsThe views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus
Latest from KOCO
AdvertisingLocal Links


text:
Protest began bright and early on the road to CGS to greet the workers on their way to our damnation and taking Geiger counter readings of the area, proceeds into Richland, WA, with an impromptu Q&A at the offices of URS regarding whistleblower laws and processes, to end with the Peace Walk with the monks… Busy day! NO NUKES!!!!
Video of Impromptu Q&A at URS:
Peace Walk with Monks:
Monks lead Interfaith Peace Walk to Hanford nuclear reservation
By Annette Cary, Tri-City Herald
Baby boomer Gene Weisskopf of Richland said he was too old to expect miracles Wednesday.
But as he set off behind two Buddhist monks draped in saffron cloths on a seven-mile walk through Richland to the 300 Area gate of Hanford, he said he believed the annual Interfaith Peace Walk had the potential for good.
Maybe the people who saw the trail of walkers, the purple banner flying and heard the drums beating and the chanted prayers "will be reminded the threat of nuclear weapons is still with us," he said.
This is the sixth year since 2005 that two monks from the Nipponzan Myohiji Buddhist Temple on Bainbridge Island have visited Richland to lead a peace walk for the abolition of nuclear weapons just before the anniversary of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, on Aug. 9, 1945.
Plutonium for the bomb, the second atomic bomb dropped on Japan in World War II, was produced at the Hanford nuclear reservation.
Twenty people gathered in John Dam Plaza for a brief opening ceremony of prayer, poems and song, from John Lennon's Give Peace a Chance to an African American spiritual.
"Nobody knows the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows but Jesus …," sang Senji Kanaeda, a Buddhist monk born in Japan.
"The interfaith aspect is very important, because if we don't have peace among religions, we're never going to have peace in the world," said Jim Stoffels of Richland, chairman of World Citizens for Peace.
The walk coincided with the 30th anniversary of World Citizens for Peace. The group was formed in the Tri-Cities when President Ronald Reagan wanted to put Hanford's N Reactor and PUREX back to work producing weapons-grade plutonium, generating more high level radioactive and chemical waste to be stored in Hanford's underground tanks, Stoffels said.
"We have a duty to leave a clean, safe Earth, air and water to our children," Kanaeda said.
Since the monks led their first Interfaith Peace Walk to the Hanford 300 Area, hundreds of buildings have been razed, Stoffels said.
"Unfortunately, the shutdown and destruction of Hanford plutonium-production facilities has not put an end to U.S. production of nuclear weapons," Stoffels said.
President Obama has made a commitment to spend $85 billion during a decade to build a new "nuclear bombplex" in New Mexico, Tennessee and Missouri, he said.
"So, we still have a long road ahead of us," he said. But every step on the walk to Hanford on Wednesday brings closer the goal of a world without nuclear weapons, he said.
— Annette Cary:
Related articles
- Critics say new Hanford Nuclear Reservation waste permit has big holes (nonukesnw.wordpress.com)
- No Nukes NW protest at Energy NW CGS relicensing party, May 24, 2011 (hanfordrally.wordpress.com)
- A Matter of Priorities (wemeantwell.com)
- Department of Energy Cites Bechtel National, Inc. for Worker Safety and Health Violations (nonukesnw.wordpress.com)
- $12.3 billion Hanford plant sees new costs, delays (utsandiego.com)


text:
Top Definition
a white boy trying to act like a gangster coming off in a comedic fashion.
Have you met my friend he is menoats though.
από Scott 23 Σεπτέμβριος 2003
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
A horny male who has a undying sexual attraction towards all men by the name James.
Oh god here comes Menoats.
από Dzr 2 Δεκέμβριος 2004


text:
Checking Out the Stellar Neighborhood
|This top image is of one-half of the Hubble Space Telescope field of view in the Sagittarius Window Eclipsing Extrasolar Planet Search (SWEEPS). The green circles identify 9 stars that are orbited by planets with periods of a few days. The bottom frame identifies one of two stars in the field where astronomers were able to spectroscopically measure the star's back-and-forth wobble due to the pull of the planet.
Credit: NASA, ESA, K. Sahu (STScI) and the SWEEPS science team
Ancient astronomers logically focused their efforts on the brightest stars, the ones they could see in the night sky. Many modern astronomers, aided by ever-more-sensitive telescopes, have investigated objects that are unimaginably distant and ancient, phenomenally bright and powerful. Fewer astronomers have concerned themselves with dimmer red dwarfs. Although these cool, dim stars dominate our galactic neighborhood, it is only recently that astronomers have begun to look in earnest for them.
Interest in red dwarfs is growing, in large part because scientists have realized that these stars may host planets suitable for life. In December, Todd Henry, a professor of physics and astronomy at Georgia State University, published a study in The Astronomical Journal that identified and described 20 newly discovered star systems within 33 light years of Earth. The systems include three binary and two triple star systems. (The term "star system" is used instead of "stars" to describe new stellar discoveries, because they often turn out, on closer inspection, to be multiple stars.)
Henry, who has spent more than a decade studying nearby stars, says all of the new stars are red dwarfs, much smaller, cooler and dimmer than our own sun. Indeed, most of the stars closest to the sun – and possibly in our galaxy as a whole – are red dwarfs. Given the emerging view that some planets around red dwarfs may be hospitable to life, the discovery is good news for the search for life on other worlds.
To establish the stars' precise locations, Henry and his collaborators studied visible-light images taken at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. Over several years, they measured the change in the apparent position of each target star as Earth's orbital motion caused it to shift back and forth relative to more distant stars. The effect, known as "parallax," is similar to what happens if you hold a finger out in front of your face and close first one eye and then the other. Your finger appears to move back and forth relative to objects in the distance. With these parallax measurements and a bit of 10th-grade trigonometry, Henry and his colleagues were able to calculate the distance to the star.
The new data raise the census of known stars within a radius of 33 light years to 384 objects in 249 systems, Henry says. This near-Earth region includes the bright stars Sirius and Vega, but most local residents are red dwarfs, which astronomers term "M-dwarfs." These small, dim stars have less than half the sun's mass, and produce far less energy. Eventually, Henry expects a total of 500 stars to be found in the near-Earth region.
|Of the 20 or so stars produced in the galaxy each year, 15 of them are dim M dwarfs.
Image Credit: NASA
One of the newly seen star systems is a binary star with an orbital period of several decades. A second system is just 12 light years away, Henry says. "It's right on top of us, but nobody knew it was there." This red dwarf is orbited by a brown dwarf, a sort of super-planet that blurs the distinction between "planet" and "star." The motion of a third red dwarf hints at the existence of an orbital body that is probably a massive planet, smaller than a brown dwarf, with an orbital period of several years. "It may not pan out, we may be reading too much into the data," Henry says, "but it's the number-one priority in my head."
Red dwarfs are the most common type of star in the nearby galaxy, and Henry suggests they could make up a significant part of the universe's mass. "We keep finding more stars near the sun," Henry says. If our neighborhood is representative of the galaxy, and the galaxy is representative of the universe, the new local density measurement may lead to a more precise calculation of the universe's overall mass.
More nearby stars also translates into the possibility of more nearby planets, and perhaps life. The possibility of habitable worlds around red dwarfs is still being debated, though. Because red dwarfs have such low heat output, only planets in close orbit would be warm enough to have liquid water on the surface. But close-in planets could be subject to "tidal lock," the same gravitational phenomenon that holds one face of our moon oriented toward Earth. If so, water would boil away on the side of the planet facing the star, and freeze on the opposite side, greatly reducing the likelihood of life.
|This artist's rendering shows a rocky iceball several times heavier than Earth orbiting a red dwarf star. Astronomers believe that some "super-Earths" form in a cosmic "snowstorm," collecting huge amounts of ices from the protoplanetary disk in which they formed.
Credit: David A. Aguilar (CfA)
But the odds of tidal lock "should be called into question," says Alan Boss of the Carnegie Institution in Washington, D.C. The idea that close-orbiting planets would be tidally locked came from comparing these imagined planets to our moon, he observes, "but the moon had a very different origin than planets."
The moon presumably formed after a giant impact released a chunk of Earth into a low orbit. Through gravitational "friction," the Moon's orbit gradually expanded, but it remained tidally locked from those early years in low orbit. Planets, on the other hand, emerge after dust coalesces from a whirling disk, Boss says, so they probably are rotating during formation. In our own solar system, the planet Mercury, "which is close enough to sun to be tidally locked, is spinning three times for every two orbital periods," Boss notes.
Numbers alone give planets orbiting red dwarfs a major role in the search for life in the nearby galaxy, because the majority of nearby stars are red dwarfs. "M-dwarfs are all over the place," Boss says. So the new finding is "absolutely good news" for the search for life.
Todd Henry agrees. "In the history of human exploration, you go to the closest places first. I think our future is out there, not in the black holes or distant galaxies. Local is good. In 500 years we may want to go visit these star systems."
Related Web Sites
Red Dwarfs and Super-Earths
SETI Sets its Sights on M Dwarfs
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Super Snowballs


text:
item(s) in cart
My Account X
CVA Accura V2 Muzzleloader, .50
Key Features
Premium, custom Bergara barrel
Quick-Release Breech Plug
Easy one-screw disassembly
Premium SoftTouch stock
Our Price $599.99
- Shipping restrictions apply. Details.
- You must be at least 18 years old to purchase this item.
Prices, promotions, styles and availability may vary by store and online.
- details
detailsback to top
Product DescriptionThe CVA Accura V2 provides a level of accuracy performance that is unequaled by any other break-action muzzleloader on the market today. The Accura V2 includes CVA's patent-pending QRBP "Quick-Release Breech Plug" - the only such breech plug on the market that can be easily removed with your fingers and no tool. Plus, the Accura V2 stock and forestock are upgraded with a SoftTouch coating and rubber grip panels - making it comfortable and secure even in the foulest weather. These ergonomically designed stocks are fully ambidextrous and are available in both standard and thumbhole designs. And the Accura V2 is very simple to operate because the breeching lever is built right into the trigger guard, making the Accura V2 one of the easiest opening break-actions on the market. One screw disassembly makes the gun easy to take apart for cleaning or travel. And every Accura V2 model comes with a Quake Claw Sling, a DuraSight DEAD-ON one-piece scope mount or DuraSight fiber optic sights and a PalmSaver solid aluminum ramrod as standard equipment. Scope not included.


text:
A golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool and clubhouse mark Pine Forest Country Club as an active community - including for couples with children.
So when a two-story house on a .4 of an acre yard with three bedrooms and bonus space goes up for sale, the general thinking would be that the property works well for a family.
Jim Hamilton, Realtor with ReMax Pro Realty Pratt & Co., agrees. Yet he believes the house casts a wider net for possible buyers.
"Yeah, I think it's an excellent family home," he says. "But I think it could work for anybody. It has the master bedroom on the first floor," which can prove popular with seniors, he says.
The 2,324-square-foot house, situated at 100 Spyglass Hill Court in Summerville, lists for $279,900.
Hamilton, the listing agent, believes the freshly painted house offers a host of perks whether for a family or couple. For instance, the property sports an open rear deck as well as a screened-in porch. "I think that's a real plus," he says.
Wood floors cover most of the downstairs other than the carpeted bedroom, which highlights a tray ceiling and has access to the deck. The bedroom touts a private bath with jetted tub and separate shower as well as a walk-in closet.
A vaulted ceiling opens up the great room, which also packs a large fireplace with ceramic tile surround and wood mantel.
The roomy kitchen showcases refinished cabinets and updated appliances such as a four-burner stove, range, dishwasher, refrigerator and microwave. Natural gas supplies heat for the house, cooking and water. Off the kitchen stands the formal dining room, breakfast area and "niche office with Internet and telephone connections."
The stairs sport wooden balusters on the hand railings to spruce up their looks. Two good sized bedrooms with tiled-floored bathroom greet people on the upper floor as well as the "nice large" finished room over the second car garage. Hamilton says the bonus space could be used as a bedroom or media room.
The garage, reachable through the laundry room, includes a pedestrian door from the driveway. A manicured lawn wraps around the house.
"We certainly don't think about homes for specific users," Hamilton says. The 100 Spyglass Hill Court residence would be fitting for families, empty nesters and retirees "particularly with the flexibility of the first floor master (bedroom and bath)," he says.
Country club memberships are available for golf, tennis and swimming. "You are close to the club, an easy bike ride" to tennis or other attractions, Hamilton points out.
The Realtor says the $279,900 price tag is reflective of the moderately strong market. "I think the prices have been stable. We are seeing some real good prices in the neighborhood, both new construction and resales," he says.
Hamilton says the house has been "on the market a little while. We are really hopeful with the start of the new year."
The house benefits from its location on a "double cul de sac," Hamilton says. There's a loop at 100 Spyglass Hill Court and one at the end of Bellerive Lane a block away. From the south, take Interstate 26 to exit 199A at Main Street in Summerville. Follow Main Street into downtown and make a right on Richardson Avenue. Go two blocks and steer left on Central Avenue. Continue on Central Avenue for a couple of miles, then veer right at the fork onto Butternut Road. Pine Forest is ahead on the right. Turn right on Congressional Boulevard and pass by the clubhouse and swimming pool. Take a right on Glen Abbey Drive, then make the first right on Bellerive. Ahead on the right corner is 100 Spyglass Hill Court.
Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Agent: Jim Hamilton
Office: ReMax Pro Realty Pratt & Co.
Phone: 843-270-4337
Philosophy: "Providing targeted, creative marketing solutions for sellers that match their individual home directly with consumers and build awareness with local buyer agents."
Hardwood floors and crown molding highlight the dining room. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×
The top of the stairs at 100 Spyglass Hill Court looks out on the great room. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×
A big screen TV fits above the living room fireplace at 100 Spyglass Hill Court in the Pine Forest neighborhood. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×
White appliances and granite countertops showcase the kitchen in the 2,324-square-foot home in Summerville. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×
The breakfast area sits off the kitchen at 100 Spyglass Hill Court in Summerville. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×
A tray ceiling distinguishes the first-floor master bedroom at 100 Spyglass Hill Court. Empty nesters and retirees would be appreciative of the ground floor bedroom. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×
Jetted tub and a half moon window mark the master bathroom at 100 Spyglass Hill Court in Pine Forest. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×
A double vanity spotlights the master bathroom. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×
The childrens room at 100 Spyglass Hill Court in Summerville offers views of the Pine Forest neighborhood. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×
An open deck and screened-in porch accentuate the back yard at 100 Spyglass Hill Court in Dorchester County. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×
The front porch at 100 Spyglass Hill Court provides a place to sit to enjoy the manicured lawn. Leroy Burnell/staff 1/21/2014×


text:
India's Battle over Brinjal
India, like most countries around the world, is facing an onslaught from the biotechnology industry to introduce genetically modified(GM) crops .The first and only commercially approved GM crop, in India, is Bt cotton, genetically engineered with bacillus thuringiensis (BT), developed by Monsanto, which according to them makes it resistant to a major cotton pest , the bollworm. However the Bt cotton story, in India, like in other places, is very controversial. Suicides among farmers in the cotton belt continue unabated (1). Death of sheep that foraged on Bt cotton was reported (2). The targeted pests which are supposed to be killed by the Bt engineered in the plant have in many cases developed resistance to the toxin (3). Many minor pests have evolved into major threats in the cotton fields, consequently increasing the usage of pesticides. There have been numerous reports of variable performance causing economic losses to farmers (4).
Within eight years of its introduction, Bt cotton has become very prevalent dispossessing indigenous cotton varieties. This is partly due to lack of availability of non Bt cotton seeds as seed companies have stopped producing non Bt cotton seeds. Traditional cotton varieties have almost disappeared. Organic cotton farmers and producers are struggling to find indigenous seeds; many parent lines have been contaminated by Bt cotton (5). It was also discovered that organic cotton exports from India were contaminated by Bt cotton.
However the onslaught has not stopped with GM cotton. The GM crop developers (large seed multinationals and even research institutions in the public sector) have several GM food crops under development and many of them have been approved for field testing. The continued pressure to introduce GM crops has led to the development of active resistance from civil society and aware citizens to keep India GM free. A large number of grassroots groups, working on agriculture and food issues, came together under the umbrella of "Coalition for a GM Free India" and have been very actively working towards this. There are numerous other groups all over the country actively involved in the anti GMO battle.
In the meantime Bt brinjal (eggplant), developed by Mahyco, Indian partner of Monsanto, using Monsanto technology was approved by the genetic engineering appraisal committee (GEAC), the Indian biotechnology regulator, in October 2009, for commercial cultivation. This was despite stiff opposition from farmers, consumers, civil society, the supreme court appointed independent member in the GEAC, and negative feedback from independent scientists about the adverse health and environmental effects of Bt brinjal. The decision was referred to the Minister for Environment and Forests for final approval. Bt brinjal, if permitted, would have been the first GM food crop in India and Indians would have been the first people anywhere in the world to be subjected to this transgenic eggplant.
The battle over brinjal was fought on many fronts; creating public awareness, obtaining data from the regulator, getting evaluations from independent experts, continuous dialogue with decision makers and engaging elected representatives and state governments. As part of creating awareness among the public, the coalition member groups organized brinjal food and seed festivals, brinjal events and exhibitions, screened a documentary film "Poison on the platter (6), organized seminars and public meetings, published articles in the media. The "I am no lab rat" (7) campaign went to many major cities to create awareness, resulting in 10s of 1000s of petitions being sent to the Prime Minister.
Four months later, in February, 2010, The Minister for Environment and Forests, Mr.Jairam Ramesh announced an indefinite moratorium on Bt brinjal till such time that independent studies establish its long term safety from a human health and environmental perspective. The Minister arrived at the decision which he stated as "responsible to science and responsive to society" (8) after consulting scientists, seeking public opinion and writing to the various Indian states. In his lucidly argued note, supported by a 532 page annexure of all reports/opinions received, he argued that there is no "overriding need" to introduce Bt brinjal. Some of the major reasons he cited are: ten states expressed their apprehensions about cultivating Bt brinjal; the scientific community itself is divided on the safety of the crop; non-pesticide management (NPM) (9) is a far superior way to control and eliminate pesticide usage; and there is concern among people about multinationals controlling food supply.
The moratorium is merely a breather. We have work ahead of us with numerous GM crops on the anvil with many including corn, rice, and potatoes at various stages of field and lab trials. Losing control over our seeds to trans-national corporations and losing our bio diversity through mono cropping of GMO crops (as experienced with Bt cotton already) are threats staring us in the face.
At this juncture it is critical to identify, conserve and propagate our indigenous seed varieties. In a world which on one hand is rapidly urbanizing and on the other is ceding control over agriculture into the hands of a few agri-business corporations, it is time for home gardeners to take on the mantle of farmers- food providers and seed keepers of the world.
Rapid introduction of genetically modified varieties into the natural environment would lead to contamination of indigenous varieties and irreversible loss of bio diversity (already being experienced in the areas where GM crops are rampant). Home gardeners around the world can play an important role in cultivating and popularizing heirloom varieties, learning to save seeds, and growing and eating traditional plant foods . This would be a great first step to conserve bio diversity. We need all hands on board to preserve our plant genetic bio diversity and our future!
Sreedevi Lakshmi Kutty (Devi) is with Thanal an advocacy and research group in Kerala and is an active member of the Coalition for GM Free India. She currently lives in The Hague, Netherlands. Devi can be reached at (email@example.com).
Photo credits: Krishna Prasad /Sahaja Samruddha
1) 17,368 farm suicides in 2009, http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/28/stories/2010122861950100.htm
2) Bt cotton and livestock: health impacts, bio-safety concerns and the legitimacy of public scientific research institutions, Dr.Sagari Ramdas (http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/bt-cotton-and-livestock-health-impacts-bio-safety-concerns-and-legitimacy-public-scientific-)
3) Bt cotton ineffective against pest in parts of Gujarat, admits Monsanto - The Hindu March 6, 2010
4) Bt Cotton and the Myth of Enhanced Yields, (30th May , 2009),Kavitha Kuruganti, (http://epw.in/epw/user/loginArticleError.jsp?hid_artid=13563)
5) Organic cotton farmers left in the lurch, http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/14/stories/2010111458980100.htm
6) A documentary film made on the issue of Gm foods and Bt brinjal can be viewed online at http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/poison-on-the-platter/
7) The campaign was to say that we Indian do not want to become lab rats for testing Gm foods. Face book page of the campaign: http://www.facebook.com/iamnolabrat
8) Decision on commercialization of Bt brinjal, Ministry of Environment and Forests, http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/minister_REPORT.pdf
9) NPM method is being practiced by farmers across 2.5 million acres in the state of Andhra Pradesh, resulting in pesticide free food, better health and economic security for farmers.
About us:
KGI is a nonprofit community of over 30,000 people who are growing some of our own food and helping others to do the same.
Join our mailing list:
Connect with us:
Contact us:
Kitchen Gardeners International
3 Powderhorn Drive,
Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA
(207) 956-0606


text:
Newsome Sprinklers is San Antonio and Texas premier irrigation installation and service company. We install the best sprinkler systems and drip irrigation systems that can be found. We also service and repair those that are not up to the latest standards and codes set by the irrigation industry. Throughout central and south Texas no other company can exceed our quality and service in the irrigation industry. From Austin to Corpus Christi, Del Rio to Houston, Newsome Sprinkler Systems have been installed and continue to efficiently water landscapes on homes, ranches, and commercial properties. We have served San Antonio and surrounding areas for 28 years. Licensed by the State of Texas to install and service landscape irrigation and Insured so that you can rest assured that your sprinkler system will be installed right the first time and maintained correctly for years to come. We are better because we choose to be, we are chosen by the best because they expect the best. Call us for best experience in the Landscape irrigation and Landscape Lighting industry in San Antonio and Texas. Check out our other pages to learn more about irrigation and sprinkler systems and see why Newsome Sprinklers is the irrigation leader in design, installation, service and repair of your sprinkler system. "You're the reason we're in business."
Always use "head-to-head coverage" in your irrigation system. Keep the soil consistently moist but not wet. This eliminates runoff, and ensures your plants a steady supply of water. Do not water at night – water will sit on the lawn and may cause disease. Water in the early morning – evaporation is minimized and the lawn utilizes the…Read More


text:
SeanLockePhotography Blog
Real people. Useful objects. Great themes. Interesting composition. They all help to tell your story, to sell your product.
Digital Planet Design LLC is the parent of
Sean Locke Photography
, a commercial studio creating images that are licensed as stock photography. I have a great time coming up with interesting and fun themes for these photos, as well as working with models. I'm always on the lookout for new talent. Why not
create a model portfolio to apply
You may be visiting here because you read an article on stock photography in the August 2014 edition of Popular Photography. If so, thanks for your interest, and if not, welcome! For more information on stock photography, please visit
my photo blog
Sean Locke
My latest at
Memorial Display Of 7000 Flags
Memorial Display Of 7000 Flags
Memorial Display Of 7000 Flags
copyright 2010


text:
GARDEN GROVE, CA: Raceline Wheels is always a major part of the Griffin King of the Hammers, and 2014 was no exception. Among the major events of the week Raceline Wheels co-sponsored the newest challenge: King Shocks Shootout at Backdoor, hosted the best-ever volunteer dinner on Thursday night, saw over half of the field of racers start on Raceline Wheels and had fun clocking 101 mph in the Raceline BFGoodrich Teraflex Jeep as it rolled 10,000 miles.
The week of racing known as the King of the Hammers kicked off in Johnson Valley in Southern California this past weekend runs through Saturday, February 9th.
The week of racing kicked off with the King of the Motos on Sunday, February 3rd. With today being a pre-run option for racers, the Last Chance Qualifying will kick off on Tuesday, leading up to the Smittybilt Every Man Challenge Race and the HCR King of The Hammers UTV Race on Thursday, February 7th.
For live coverage of the event as well as a full list of the week's events, check out below.
TWIN PEAKS, CA – March 21, 2012 – Hammerking Productions released the trailer for the 2012 Griffin King of the Hammers movie titled, "Rise of the East" today. The title for this year's film is a reference to the 2012 King, Erik Miller. Miller is the first winner of the race to reside east of the Mississippi in Cumberland, MD.
The movie will document the week-long off-road racing event held every February in Johnson Valley, CA. 2012 marked the 6th year for the King of the Hammers race which featured more than 200 teams and 30,000 spectators competing in over 5 days of racing. The movie's release date is expected this summer following a red carpet premiere.
Check out the trailer below:


text:
Full CoverageBreaking News
Monday at 6: Winning the gas gameUPDATED 12:08 PM CST Feb 11, 2013
We are working on ways to save you big bucks at the pump. Reporter Katy Blakey was shocked at how much money she saved at the pump! 18 bucks off one tank of gas! Tonight at six we're going to show you how you can save, too. We're talking about ways you ca
CommentsThe views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus


text:
Organisms such as fungi, worms, and bacteria get energy by breaking down nutrients in dead organisms.
Is the role each animal has. Sometimes different populations occupy the same area and must compete for resources like food, water, and shelter. Usually the weaker population will die and move to a new area.
When animals go through changes that make them fit in better with the environment around them.
Include all the non-living things in an ecosystem (example: light, temperature, and soil composition).
Forest Ecosystems
Found in areas where the temperature of the air is mild and there is plenty of rainfall.
Temperate Deciduous
Contains trees that lose their leaves each fall. Have animals like bears, rabbits, deer, and snakes. Plants such as ferns and mosses also grow.
Have colder temperatures and contain trees that produce seeds in cones and have leaves shaped like needles (pine trees). Animals include: finches, jays, elk, moose, beavers, and wolves.
Tropical Rainforests
Found in much warmer areas and have plenty of rainfall. Animals include monkeys, reptiles, parrots, and toucans.
Found in warm and temperate area that receives rainfall. They are usually flat or having rollng hills. They are sometimes called prairies, savannahs, plains, and pampas. Animals that live there include: prairie dogs, mice and bison.
Marine Ecosystems: Coral Reefs
Are found in shallow parts of the ocean where it is very warm and sunny.
Marine Ecosystems: Estuaries
Bodies of water found in areas where freshwater from rivers and streams and salt water from the ocean meet. (Shrimp, crabs, clams, reeds, grasses and turtles live here).
Marine Ecosystems: Lakes and Ponds
Freshwater ecosystems, animals include algae, cattails, snails, insects, frogs, and fish.


text:
The stars have aligned.
The Eagles need starting safeties - again. More than a handful of proven starters are waiting to be snatched up in free agency. And the Eagles have more than enough salary-cap space to sign one of the top talents.
Does that mean the Eagles will chase Dashon Goldson, William Moore, or Glover Quin? Not necessarily.
They do have a number of holes to fill. General manager Howie Roseman and coach Chip Kelly recently reiterated their belief that splurging in free agency is not the way to build a championship-caliber squad. And the draft is said to be rich in safeties, especially in the second and third rounds.